Xbox One vs PS4

Xbox One and PS4 are both finally here. As Christmas is getting closer, they're one of the most wanted gifts this year. But which one would you prefer?


Why to get the Xbox One

1. It's a larger console. This is beneficial by letting air run through the system preventing it to over heat.
2. To some people, the Xbox One has a better launch line up than the PS4 like Dead Rising 3 and Zoo Tycoon rather than PS4's Killzone: Shadowfall. Games that they thought would launch with the PS4 were delayed until 2014.
3. The Xbox One has kinect. Although the PS4 has the camera, the kinect can perform tasks that the PS4 can't.
4. Call of Duty has been a very popular game for our generation, but the next generation game anticipating is Titanfall. This game is going to be made by the Call of Duty franchise. It's only going to be sold for PC and Xbox One, so if you want this game, get the Xbox One.

Why to get the PS4

1. The PS4 is smaller than the Xbox One. This can be convenient because if you have a small room, you won't have any issues keeping it somewhere.
2. It has iPlayer. If you want to use your PS4 as a TV streamer, this is good. Xbox One will get the iPlayer, they're just not sure when.
3. The PS4 is cheaper.
4. The PS4 has a better control than the Xbox One. It's more favored because it does not have the clicky triggers like the Xbox One.

So, which console would you get? I'm personally a Play Station fan. I love my PS3 and if I were to choose one, I'd buy the PS4 because of it's size, the online gaming is free, and I like the game play on Play Station better.

TSI Presentation

On Tuesday, December 3rd, Amina Patel, Michael Becker, Michael Vaiana, Miroslav, and I went on a field trip with Ms. Martire to two middle schools to talk to eighth graders about TSI and other Business Education Classes.

River Grove Middle School Presentation

The first middle school we attended was River Grove. Above you can see a picture of Miro, Amina, Michael, and Mike asking the students if they have any questions about the presentation. The following middle school we went to was Hester Junior High. 

Our presentation started off with how quickly technology advances and changes within just a couple years. It's incredible how quickly it goes. We then brought up the topic of Chromebooks. This was a very important aspect because they are eighth graders who will be attending Leyden the following year. We also talked about the basics of TSI. We informed them on what we do, how to get enrolled in the class, the cool technology we get to use, and how important we are when it comes to the Chromebooks. 

Not only did we brag about how awesome TSI is, but we also thoroughly explained the other options they have in the Business Ed department at Leyden. 

At the end, we allowed them to ask us any questions and if their questions were good, they got prizes! Those hands started going up when they saw them! We also took some devices with us such as the Mac, Surface, Windows, and a Chromebook so they can see and play around with them for a little.

You might be wondering if we got hungry throughout the day. You bet we did! In between our trip from River Grove to Hester, we stopped by IHOP (International House of Pancakes) for lunch! It's all about the free food. #leydenpride #leydenhungry

Overall, the trip went well. We all had a good time, got to get out of school, and of course, you can't forget about the free food. We hoped the eighth graders enjoyed our presentation and are excited to coming to Leyden next year!

Tip of the Week

Unfortunately, winter is quickly approaching. Don't expose your Chromebook to the cold weather by leaving it in your car overnight.  Also, take precaution when it is rainy or snowy outside.  Exposing your Chromebook to rain or snow can cause major damage.  As always, it you have any questions, stop by TSI.

And don't forget to follow us @EastSideTSI

TSI Tip of the Week

For this week's TSI tip, we want to share with you some advice for keeping the keyboard on your Chromebook working good.  For those of you who like to eat or drink around your Chromebook, be careful.  Food residue can make the keyboard really sticky and liquid spills can damage it.  Also, be careful with the keys. They can pop off easily.  If you have any issues with your keyboard, stop by TSI - the sooner, the better

Don't forget to follow @EastSideTSI

HP Chromebook 11 vs the Samsung Chromebook Series 5

The following post was written by Bryn Osborne, a first year TSI student.

My name is Bryn Osborne and I am a Junior at East Leyden High School.  I am also a first year student in the Technical Support Internship course.  Last week, I was approached by Mr. Jason Markey, East Leyden’s Principal, and Mr. Bryan Weinert, the Director of Technology, about testing the new HP Chromebook 11.  To do this, I used the HP Chromebook 11 for one full week in all my classes in place of my usual Samsung Chromebook Series 5.  The results could not be finer.

The first thing I noticed is that the HP Chromebook is extremely fast.  I tested the HP and the Samsung Chromebook side by side and visited a variety of websites.  The load time was much faster on the HP Chromebook than it was on the Samsung Chromebook.   I also did a side by side comparison of the HP Chromebook and a desktop computer in the TSI classroom.  Again, the load time on the HP Chromebook was much faster.  

The second thing I evaluated was the keyboard and trackpad.  Compared to the Samsung Chromebook, the keyboard on the HP Chromebook is more slick and provides a smoother typing experience.  The trackpad is more responsive and does not freeze like the Samsung trackpad does.

When compared to the Samsung Chromebook, the screen on the HP Chromebook is more hi-res and is better in image and quality.  The sound quality is very crisp and as the volume increases, the sound does not get distorted or muffled.  The device is lighter, smaller, and seems more durable, particularly with regards to the charging port.

There are two features on the HP Chromebook 11 that stand out: the fan and the LCD lights. There is no fan because the processor does not require one.  The LED lights on the front face of the Chromebook lights up when powered on.  This adds a cool feature to an already sleek looking device.

I was disappointed with one aspect of the device: the battery life.  On an average day, with the Samsung Chromebook, I use approximately 50% of the battery.  With the HP Chromebook, I used at least 75% of the battery during my normal school day & activities.  This is concerning since batteries lose their charge life as time goes on.  The one positive with regards to charging is that the HP Chromebook uses a micro-usb port.  This means that you can use a traditional phone charger to charge the device if needed.

As my final conclusion, I prefer the HP Chromebook 11 over the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 due to it’s fast speed, keyboard/touchpad performance and sleek look.

Update: On Wednesday, November 13th, Best Buy & Amazon pulled all their HP Chromebook 11’s from their shelves.  Rumor has it that the charging ports were overheating.

Mamabear App

Are you a parent that owns an Apple or Android phone? The Mamabear app lets you monitor your child's whereabouts. You can download it for free on your smartphone! 

What does it do? It uses GPS to provide the parents information about where their child is and when they leave or arrive places. 

To use it, both the guardian and the child must download it to their phone. For the parent, the app streams information such as a map to where the child is and buttons such as to send messages, check alerts, and change settings. For the child, the app has various icons they can use to send notifications. For example, the child can send a car icon to let their parent know that they want to get picked up. If parents are monitoring more than one child, they can change the colors on the map of where their child is.

The app also offers a feature where parents can monitor Instagram and Facebook activity. For example, if their child adds a new friend or are tagged in photos.

Installing: When you download it, it requires a few steps to get started. Parents must create an account and profile with information such as their name, birthday, and phone number.

Trying it out: Some parents might look at this app as one of the best things ever because they're able to know where their child is and what they're doing and if they're safe. But in my opinion, I would not like my parents doing this. I feel like parents that do this don't trust their children. They have to give their kid freedom so they can learn to become independent. If a parent is interested in trying this out with their child, then by all means, download it and use, but thank God my parents barely know how to go to their pictures on their phone so they won't be able to use it on me. 

TSI Tip of the Week

Does your smartphone run really slow? If so, it may be because of your apps. Did you know that a lot of apps keep running even when you are not using them? If you have an iPhone, you can easily close them by double tapping your home button and swiping up on each open app. If you have an Android, there are multiple ways to do this. Stop by TSI if you want us to show you how.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @EastSideTS