English 421Y: Technical Writing Online

This research blog post contains detailed information on Swift Wind Turbine. Swift Wind Turbine is a company that supplies residential wind turbine technology to homeowners that are environmentally concerned and wish to use an alternative energy source.

The BlackBerry is a smart phone targeting business users and is being developed by a Canadian company called Research in Motion (RIM). Unlike the iPhone and Windows mobile, the BlackBerry is not backed by a software giant such as Microsoft and Apple.

The iPhone is a smart phone developed by Apple. It is currently one of the newest types of phones available on the market (except for notably the Google Android). Ever since it was introduced in 2007, the iPhone has gotten tremendous support from personal and business users. One of the main reasons for its success is the high performing hardware and completely new and intuitively designed operating system.

Unlike the iPhone and the BlackBerry, Windows Mobile does not refer to a specific phone. Windows Mobile is an operating system (much like Windows). Almost all mainstream cell phone manufacturers offer phones which run the Windows Mobile operating system. The operating system is independent and can be used with any carrier regardless of whether they are GSM or CDMA.

The Windows Mobile operating system has been developed by Microsoft and has been made to look much like the popular Windows operating system for PC’s. The newer versions of Windows Mobile even provide a simplified version of Microsoft Office so that users can view and modify word documents, and spreadsheets. Users also get access to a simplified version of Microsoft Outlook to receive and send email even in HTML format. If users subscribe to a data plan, they can use a variant of the popular Internet Explorer to browse the web.

Purpose: To better understand the cost and benefits of the vertical loop geothermal systems
Unanswered Questions: None
Source(s): http://www.in.gov/oed/files/GHPProgramreport.pdf
http://www.dsireusa.org/
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/my...
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/my...

I continued my research on Opera, finding more and more ways to customize this browser and make it truly an enjoyable way to surf. This time around I found some cool features that will keep the user from loosing information or their place on the internet.

http://open-source.gbdirect.co.uk/migration/benefit.html

For my final research blog I was able to find another technical review of the Netgear WGR614 wireless router. I found it at devhardware.com. This review was able to confirm many of the pros and cons that were listed in the first review that I read. It talked about the ease of setup as well as the high average speed and long range of the router.

While researching user functionality in Opera I found some neat features. All browsers basically serve the same purpose but it’s nice when you can customize the browser to the way your use the internet and or your browser. Opera gives the user the ability to do just that, customize the browser to their liking, making for streamline browsing. Opera has a widget feature where you can create your own button do perform a certain task or open up a certain URL. This would be extremely useful for an IT person that is looking for one click to perform multiple functions.

Purpose: To better understand vertical loop geothermal systems
Unanswered Questions: What certifications does one need to install a geothermal system?
Source(s): http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/directory/directory.asp
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/my...