Thursday, December 15, 2011

Grand Central Through My Eyes

New York's Grand Central is the largest train station in the world (according to Wikipedia). Step inside this terminal and there is no denying it's grandeur, it's beauty, it's history. And sometimes you also must acknowledge --- it's insanity.

Last Friday evening during the maddest of Grand Central's rush hours I was joined by three graduate students from NYU's Journalism Institute. Laura Edwins, Tracy Levy, and Nadja Popovich worked like true professionals filming my sometimes awkward journey through the high anxiety of Grand Central --- on low vision.

Their objective: to report on an often "under covered or overlooked topic."
My objective to bring attention to the little things that could make a big difference --- for everyone!

Watch the video "Grand Central Through Other Eyes" now.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Get Me to an Xbox

Never did I think I would be interested in Xbox ---- until now. The New York Times reported Microsoft’s Xbox Live entertainment service will allow subscribers to access television and video content right from their Xbox 3600 console.

Okay, so that’s nice, but not enough to get me on an Xbox.

I continue to read and learn you can search for the programming you want with Voice Commands. Yes, that’s right; just tell your Xbox what you want to watch – verbally.

Apparently I am not the only one having difficulty operating (the now almost archaic) remote control and cable programming guides. The clunky old cable box may soon be an antiquity.

“In a demonstration of the technology last week at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., Michael Suraci, director of marketing for Xbox Live, told an Xbox to “Bing Sandra Bullock,” which promptly found “The Blind Side,” “Crash” and several other movies starring the actress that were available through various sources of video on Xbox Live.”

“Mr. Suraci also used a sequence of voice commands to switch to an app for Verizon’s FiOS TV, within which he could flip among live channels by using more voice commands or a swiping motion with his hands.”

Now I have one very important question. Does it talk back?

Read the New York Times article:
“Xbox Live Challenges Cable Box”