Summary of Project Updates:

- There are some unresolved questions about physical to interface to database connections among the groups. We are not sure if we should have an api for having one swipe that combines all of the apps. One idea is to leave that up to the app designers, the other is to have some kind of master swipe station where you can configure/access/ check in/out to all of the apps. - Matt may now be working on this.

- We are all waiting on access for the netId database that includes Nnumber, netIDs, and Names.

- We need access to projects database. 

		Physical Updates: 

		Gabriella L has the magnetic swipe sending N number to her server, and now to floorsquare
		Gabriella G is working on the hand reader and welcomes your help, she emailed some info
		FingerPrint has been recently wired to the Max232, explained in Chapter 2 of Making Things Talk, and should 
                be operational by next week.


		FloorSquare Update: 

		CheckIn { Nnumber: x x x
				TIME: x x x 
				AppID: x x x 
				Swipe ID: x x x - Unique id for each swipe, finger, hand, etc
				Device ID: x x x 
				And you can add whatever you want as JSon object that you may need for your app
				}


		Extra data doesn't matter, they are recording all of the extra field for every swipe, regardless of app, and 
                based on app ID upon retrieval will provide only the relevant data.

		The github has all of the updates on the floorsquare API.

		Projects Database Update from Greg and Meghan:
		Still waiting for database access
		Designing websites for mock database, portfolio page, and mock individual project page.
	        used twitter bootstrap
		Thinking about how to restructure the project input database and how to export that to the portfolio page
		Thinking about making the whole thing automatically installed in your student server space

		Greg has an awesome idea to make a screen display your project by lottery you enter by swiping your card. -  
                maybe  the screen on Waverly as encouragement to populate the projects database 

		When thinking about critiquing the database and its future iterations, we should think about how to 
                incorporate the information already stored in there in the new framework.


		Expertise Database Update from Lili and Jeremy:
		made an awesome pretty interface full of dennis crowleys
		with keyboard checkin at this point and editable skills field
		using a USB card swipe 

		Supplies Database Update from Ezer, Nick, Johnny, Gabby:
		worked on wireframes. 
		There are personal pages, categories like sensors, parts, motors? I forget the others
		There are also recently posted / requested parts
		There is also values for how many people want, and how many people have available at a glance.

Discussion about the future of the "Internet of Things", a phrase Tom dislikes:

We looked at a few examples loosely categorized under the "Internet of Things", and talked about our predictions for their uptake or lack thereof. I pretty much wrote down everything we said. . .

What are some things we think of differently having taken the class so far? What are the trends we notice?

We talked about these examples, all linked above: 

			Little printer from berg . . link to sources you check and it prints them. Seems possibly good.

			Pachube 
				why hasn't it taken off? why not with the scientific community?
				possibly because they have people doing that already with other software skills. 
				nice for data collection
				in between hard to use and easy to use, so not easy enough for Noah's mother, but possibly 
                                unnecessarily easy for people who could figure it out.
				Greg uses bootstrap for aesthetics and cleanliness

			Twine by Supermechanical
				a networked microcontroller, configurable internet device "Listen to the world, Talk to the Web"
				Steve- Seems expensive, has a glass ceiling
				reminds Gabby of similar platforms that are easy but not very versatile, useful
				Does the user of such a "user friendly" device have the imagination to look to apply it?

			Ambientdevices.com. . . internet connected devices that track different values, from the one value to              
                                        the more complicated updates
					data feeds and media feeds

			Ceiva - an internet connected photo frame pulls from facebook, picasa, flickr, etc.

				Noah wants an e-ink calendar that is connected to the internet, he just loves e-ink

				Single Use seems to have Value

			Eye-Fi wi-fi enabled sd card for cameras only (uses jpeg data only). 
					data delay is disconcerting
					inconsistent
					slow
					lame
					totally lame


			So many of these devices need the rich interface to include the functions and customizability we have 
                        developed, but they also seek to slim down. How do you deal with that? Is the touch screen the future?

			Sonos wireless hifi system. 

			Airport express
					Steve has one
					He doesn't like having to put his stereo nearby
					Wants a cheeper alternative that doesn't have this problem
					Tom would like to have at least one more wire connect jack
					itunes interface not good, vertical lockdown
						(Tom uses airfoil)


			Idea that if it is wireless why not be a hub is a common idea now
			These things need to connect to each other


			Chumby's - run flash apps
					Didn't bet on use case - can run any app you want, full on computer with very simple touch 
                                        interface
					Larger setup cost
					More customizable 
					Probably doesn't offer anything that a tablet doesn't, so may be on its way out 


			Twilio, Tropo
			Applications for telephones and SMS

Big Question: What is missing? 

         Interaction ::

		NOah likes gestures, sees more of them in the future
		flatness and touchscreen is formally not comfortable or congruent to our bodies
		there are now many accessories for the iphone
		It is also sometimes considered as a computational unit, and being attached to traditional forms, such as 
                lenses and more functional units, so the direction may be to think of modular units that can be used with   
                different physical interfaces. 



          Computer Literacy :: lacking literacy in programing (Rushkoff)

                The idea of the "Operating system" is hidden in the iphone and user friendly devices. They are so configured 
                that Basic computer functions are obscured, and basic computer systems are difficult for people to 
                understand.
             	Concepts like configuring settings seem anathema to using a "thing" for people who take things as they are 
                and are not interested in designing / customizing , and the not too tech savy 
	        Literacy is growing in terms of configurations, but not lower level stuff
                Do we like this trend? Do we need people to care? Are we still able to be creative when removed from the low 
                level end? How do we address this?

	        Noah thinks everything is getting better. He's just a happy optimistic person who likes e-ink and to talk about 
                his  mom. She is learning more about customizing her ipad. Her and Johnny are really similar. There is a 
                difference between programing and computer literacy. Apple is expanding the level with which people can 
                interact with computers without becoming programmers or developers. There is a middle level between just 
                using and developing, the level of customizing for use.

	        Greg thinks that this obscures the basic computer stuff and limits the user's imagination because options are 
                limiting their creativity and their ability to imagine what is possible.

	        Tom - glass box vs black box: Selective transparency. Being able to go to the deeper level if you want to, or 
                being able to see/understand it, but not having to.   To have flexibility in level of engagement and  
                customizability. 

          Products for the right skills and interest ranges :: This came up several times, and is also addressing the 
                literacy issue, as well as Tom's point of glass box vs. black box. Products and tools often miss the mark by 
                mismatching usability with the skill level / creativity / and interest level of the person who would use them. By 
                over designing for ease in usability, they can limit options and versatility, and conversely a very versatile 
                product is often too complicated to adapt. The goal could be scalable tools for appropriate skill sets / needs / 
                levels of creativity.

THE BIG QUESTION TO PONDER: Our familiarity with physical interfaces is pretty widespread and we understand more or less the advantages and uses of programming in physical objects and interfaces, from everyday objects like cameras and cars to computational tools and computers. We have yet to know, imagine, develop, or understand the advantages and uses of networked objects and programming using the network to the same degree. What can we get from networking objects?