MTV and MySpace Go Presidential

It’s not even 2008 and the race for president has birthed an entirely new generation of online campaigning. From viral videos like Obama Girl to entire debates driven by the video-sharing site YouTube.

Well, MySpace and MTV have announced the latest chapter to online campaigning.

The two are going to hook up young voters with the 2008 hopefuls for what is described as real-time, online dialogues. The announced front-runners from both parties will take part in the “online conversation.”

You can instant-message, e-mail or text your questions during the events, which will be Webcast live on MTV.com and MySpaceTV.com.

As the Webcast is happening, online viewer reaction will be monitored through live polling on both sites.

There is said to be 11 different online conversations that will take place between the end of September and December. Each one will last an hour.

For additional information on the MTV and MySpace announcement click here and here!

Back-to-School Gadget Guide

From computers to cameras and cell phones, this is Plugged In’s gadget guide to back-to-school shopping.

Topping out our list is a handy-dandy laptop. Laptops are ideal for the college student. They offer flexibility and portability, and with Campus Wi-Fi you can be connected anywhere at anytime. But don’t forget if you have a new laptop, you’ll probably need a wireless router.

Whether you’re taking snapshots of friends or producing an art movie for film class, or just something fun for YouTube– a digital camera or camcorder is a great piece of tech to take back to school.

A perfect, inexpensive camcorder is the Pure Digital Flip Video Camcorder. Everything you need comes built in with this little guy. The pocket-size device records 30 or 60 minutes of pretty decent-looking video using just two AA batteries. And everything you need comes built in with this little guy, but you won’t find any flashy features–just record, zoom, playback and of course delete. This is perfect for any college kid. I own this little camcorder and absolutely love it!

You might consider a smart phone or Personal digital assistants. These devices can help keep your kids organized. These devices also have the ability to take notes or recording lectures, plus you’ll have access to your email, the net and the ability to access music and video.

If you can’t afford a smart phone, invest in the adorable Palm Z-22 PDA. This organizing device is perfect for first time PDA users. The best part– it’s $100.

An absolute must is a USB flash drive. Flash drives are small, portable and pack a lot of storage space. This little guy can store all kinds of information including shared files and even entire applications.

And by now we all have an iPod or an MP3 player, so how about pairing them with a set of speakers? I have the i-Home iH6BR. Not only does this replace a bulky stereo system, it will act as an alarm clock.

Another dorm room necessity is an all-in-one printer. These devices are inexpensive and can be used for term papers and for printing your favorite digital pics.

Finally don’t forget a power strip. You’ll definitely need one of these to plug all your gadgets in.

Another school year is about to start. I can’t believe it, where did the summer go?!!

Anyway, this year more than ever the Web will be a useful tool for not only studying but staying connected and entertained.

Thanks to webware.com, I’ve got 8 of the latest and greatest Web sites and services to help students with their homework and give them the ability to stay connected all year long.

#1: Google Applications
Instead of buying all kinds of software to get student projects done, why not use Google for free? Google Apps combines Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, and more all for free. You can’t beat that!

#2: Stay organized with Netvibes.
You can combine all your favorite stuff on one page with the help of this site. Using a number of different widgetS you can set up weather, TV programming, news feeds, and more via RSS.

#3: Wikipedia (of course)
The free, online encyclopedia that’s edited by users may be more up-to-date than most books or printed encyclopedias.

#4: For an online study guide use the service SparkNotes.com.
When you’re reading something that’s over your head, like Shakespeare, often a summary of the reading can help you understand it better. SparkNotes is the source for summaries.

#5: The latest IM service, Meebo
Until recently there weren’t many options, but Meebo is a multinetwork IM service that runs in your browser window, requiring no download or installation so you can use it easily on any computer.

#6: TV online
If you’re at the library studying and miss your favorite TV show, forget DVR or TiVo, now you can easily catch-up online. Check out ABC Go Player, CBS Innertube and NBC Rewind for the latest episodes of your favorite shows.

#7 Last.fm
This site lets you get social with your music by creating. Then it gives you artists you might like based on your “neighbors” who have similar tastes. It also has a recommendation engine that gives a list of artists it thinks you’ll like, based on your personal favorites.

Finally #8: Zooomr.com
It’s a free photo-sharing site where you can upload your latest pictures. Zooomr is a great solution for people who want nearly all the features of the popular photo-sharing site Flickr without having to pay the yearly fee to store all their shots.

Here are some additional back-to-school sites for the parents out there. You’ll find shopping lists, fashion tips and a few sites to get your kids’ minds tuned-up for the return of the classroom.

The site greatschools.net provides detailed checklists for back to school shopping. It’s broken down by age range, and includes everything from crayons to calculators.

To find out the latest back to school fashion trends head to kaboose.com. You’ll find details on everything from the best backpacks to clothes and accessories. This site also has a detailed back to school section worth exploring.

Before your kids hit the books again this fall they may need a little refresher. College-Cram.com offers what they call “cramlets”. They’re similar to a crash course in a particular topic like Algebra or Spanish. Registration is required on the site, but the lessons are free.

And finally, Spreeder.com is an online tool to make you a faster reader. This site lets you copy text onto the homepage, which is then rapidly flashed one word at a time. This technique is said to train your eyes and brain to become a faster reader. I love this site!

Finally, you’ll find a special back-to-school section on our website ThePittsburghChannel.com/backtoschool.