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GameClub Launches a Subscription Service That Revives a Growing Catalog of 70 Classic iOS Games
Last March, I sat down with Eli Hodapp at Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco. We were in town for the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC). For me, it was strange to be back in the environs of the Moscone Center for something other than WWDC. I felt a little like a fish out of water, and I sensed Hodapp did too, though for a very different reason.
You see, Hodapp had just announced that he was leaving as Editor-in-Chief of TouchArcade, after a decade of helping build it into one of the premier websites that covers iOS games. As a reader, I was sorry to see him go, but I was also eager to chat with Hodapp because what brought us together was the buzz surrounding the reason he left: GameClub.
GDC San Francisco 2019.
Hodapp and I are both from the Chicago area, but we'd never met before GDC. What led me to contact him was a column he'd written for gameindustry.biz about preserving the legacy of iOS games that had disappeared from the App Store, a topic that we've covered many times on MacStories and elsewhere in the past.
In the gameindustry.biz story, Hodapp explained why he left TouchArcade:
I've been incredibly vocal about preserving our digital history over the years, and it's distressing to think how many great, historically important (and simply fun!) games have been lost. That reality is my prime motivation in stepping down from TouchArcade: to raise awareness of this problem.
Hodapp had joined GameClub as its VP of Business Development shortly before GDC to help build the library of 70 classic iOS games that are launching with the service today.
Over coffee, Hodapp and I discussed the state of gaming on iOS, game preservation, and, of course, GameClub. It was still very early days, but Hodapp articulated a clear vision of how classic iOS games could be resurrected in an economically viable way. As we chatted, Hodapp outlined the very thing GameClub is launching today: a service designed to reintroduce dozens of games to a new generation of iOS gamers without ads, manipulative In-App Purchases, or other gimmicks. The business model hadn't been locked down yet, but if all the business and technical hurdles could be cleared, a subscription service was likely.
Shortly thereafter, GameClub launched a beta program to test games that it had already updated to work on modern iOS hardware and software. I joined immediately. I enjoyed playing some old favorites throughout the summer, and watching as the ranks of GameClub's beta testers grew on Discord.
As I checked in periodically over the summer, it was clear that something about GameClub had struck a chord. For some gamers, it was the fatigue built up over many years from the constant barrage of ads and In-App Purchases. For others, it was the delight and nostalgia of rediscovering the first games they'd played on iOS. Even in those early days, it was clear that GameClub had tapped into something special by releasing a steady stream of classics and building a community of people that cared about them.
Now, after over seven months and many more beta-tested games, GameClub has launched, and I love it. Not only is the service brimming with many of my all-time favorite iOS games, but the GameClub app itself is a terrific way to discover new games and keep track of favorites. There's a lot going on with GameClub, so let's dig in.
GameClub is a mashup of business models and code that's unlike anything else I've seen on the App Store. The individual pieces aren't remarkable in and of themselves, but they've been combined in a new and innovative way that bridges traditional app download models and subscriptions to offer something that feels a lot like an app store within the App Store, but isn't.
There's a terrific GameClub app that organizes the company's catalog of titles in one place, which I'll get into shortly, but the games can be downloaded separately, and you can subscribe whether you use the GameClub app or not. If you download a game directly, you'll simply be prompted to subscribe to the service from inside the game.
When you download a GameClub game but aren't a member, you'll be prompted to join.
Each game also includes a link to restore your purchase if you previously purchased the game on the App Store before it became part of GameClub. For example, that means that anyone who bought a game like Sword of Fargoal, which sat untouched for nine years before joining GameClub, can re-download a version that's compatible with today's Apple hardware for free and without signing up for GameClub. That's possible because it's the same game that was released long ago, just updated and re-released by GameClub. It's also entirely in sync with GameClub's preservation mission and demonstrates thoughtfulness and respect for users which match the love the company clearly has for the games they've restored.
If you already own a game, you can download it free without subscribing to GameClub.
Although I got a preview of roughly half of GameClub's launch titles through TestFlight over the summer, I only recently gained access to the GameClub app itself, which has turned out to be a delightful surprise. The GameClub app acts as a directory for the entire service that feels a lot like a mini App Store.
The GameClub app's first tab organizes collections of games and features your most recently-played games too.
The first tab includes a carousel of featured games at the top of the screen with a silent gameplay video that auto-plays. The next row is populated by buttons to continue playing games you've started. It's a fantastic feature that makes it easy to keep track of several games you're playing at once, and something Apple Arcade should copy. The remainder of the first tab includes GameClub's favorite games as well as game collections by type and genre.
The first tab includes numerous game collections, but needs search too.
The second tab is called Stories and features articles about the service's games. Part of game preservation and history is understanding the context and significance of each game, which the Stories tab does an excellent job conveying. The articles are relatively short and include read times ranging from two to eight minutes, but they're packed with the kind of behind-the-scenes tidbits and insights that I love. Currently, there are 19 stories in the app, and I can't wait for more as I explore the catalog.
The Stories tab.
The third tab offers Awards for clearing milestones like certain numbers of games completed, time played, streaks for consecutive days played, and months as a subscriber. I'm not particularly interested in the awards, but they're a fun option and should help make the service more 'sticky' for some users. Finally, from the last tab, you can manage your GameClub profile.
The Awards tab.
There are two things I'd like to see added to the GameClub app in a future release. The first is search. As the library of available games grows, search functionality is going to be necessary. The games can still be found using the App Store's search functionality, but having a way to search the more limited set of games that are part of the service would be better. Also, an indication of whether games have controller support would be helpful. Currently, if a game's description doesn't mention it, discovering controller support is mostly an exercise of trial and error.
GameClub's app UI is also available inside each of the games that are part of the service. When you start any game, a GameClub logo appears briefly in the top right corner of the screen. Tap it, and an in-game version of the GameClub app appears with the same game directory, editorial content, awards, and other features. The links to each of the service's games in the catalog make it an ingenious way to move directly from one GameClub title to another without first returning to a Home screen, or if you haven't downloaded a game yet, to the App Store to download it. My guess is that the in-game directory is also a clever hedge against App Review having second thoughts and pulling GameClub's standalone app as too similar to the App Store itself.
Forget.Me.Not.
If all of this sounds a lot like Apple Arcade, that's because in many ways, it is. GameClub costs $4.99 per month after a one-month free trial, just like Apple Arcade. The subscription is managed through the App Store just like other app subscriptions, but that means that unlike Arcade, the subscription cannot be shared via Apple's Family Sharing feature.
GameClub has a catalog of games that's similar in size to Apple Arcade too. The company has signed over 100 classic games for the service, 70 of which are available today, and new games will be added weekly. Interestingly, GameClub has also indicated that the service will eventually include new titles too.
Pocket RPG.
Another broad similarity to Apple Arcade is in the quality of the games offered. The types of games are so different between the two services that it's hard to compare them head-to-head, but GameClub is packed with early games from big-name developers, games that broke new mobile gameplay ground, and fan favorites. Among my favorites are:
Super Crate Box, an early title from Vlambeer
Hook Champ, an early platformer from Rocketcat Games that TouchArcade named Best of 2009
Mage Gauntlet, also from Rocketcat Games
iBlast Moki 2, a puzzle game that Apple named one of the best games of 2011
Wave Wave, an endless runner game that I wouldn't have discovered but for GameClub
Pocket RPG, a fantastic dungeon crawler from 2011
Incoboto, a beautiful puzzle-platformer that was nominated for a BAFTA award
There are many, many more great games among the launch titles, but these leaped out at me immediately as ones that I think a lot of MacStories readers will remember and enjoy replaying.
Mage Gauntlet.
It's also worth noting that these games are not simple patch jobs. GameClub is doing much more than the minimum work necessary to get these games to work again. I've looked at dozens of the launch titles, and the care with which each has been ported to modern hardware and OS versions is evident. Every game runs on iOS and iPadOS 13 and works on all of Apple's iOS and iPad hardware including the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. At the same time, though, every game that I'd previously played has been restored in a way that respects the original gameplay, art, sound, and other details of the game, striking an excellent balance between the originals and Apple's latest hardware.
GameClub's updates take full advantage of today's large-screen devices like the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Finally, it's fair to wonder how GameClub can succeed with games that weren't worth it to their developers to maintain. When I spoke to Hodapp in March, he explained that it comes down to scale. Updating games for modern hardware and the latest version of iOS and iPadOS poses a host of technical hurdles, but they're the same hurdles that come up over and over, allowing GameClub to apply past learning to new games and become more efficient over time. The other aspect is the recurring revenue of subscriptions that wasn't an option when these games were initially released and wouldn't make sense for a single game anyway.
With iOS 11 and the transition from 32-bit to 64-bit apps, we saw a lot of fantastic games fall by the wayside. History repeated itself a few weeks ago when macOS Catalina moved to 64-bit-only apps, rendering a long list of games unplayable.
Incoboto.
Gaming on the Mac has been problematic for years, in large measure because of the anemic GPUs found in most Macs, but the latest list of obsolete games caused by the release of Catalina reminded me of a story Federico wrote in 2018 about app preservation. As the App Store turned 10, these words perfectly captured my feelings about game preservation too:
It doesn't have to be this way. I want to believe that, over the next decade, Apple and third-party developers will learn to appreciate the history of the App Store. And that they will treat its back catalogue as something more than a nuisance with an expiration date. Because sometimes it can be useful, and perhaps even fun, to marvel at how far we've come by looking back at how it all began.
GameClub was not the way I pictured that iOS game preservation might finally become a reality, but the development is nonetheless encouraging. That's because it demonstrates that back catalog games still have value, and when combined with the latest business models permitted in the App Store, classic games can have newfound longevity.
There's never been a better time to be a fan of high-quality games on iOS and iPadOS. In the span of just over a month, we've seen the introduction of Apple Arcade, which has a depth and breadth of quality games that no one anticipated, and GameClub, a collection of some of the most important and fun mobile games made over the past decade. Most remarkable of all, though, is that if you subscribe to both services, you have access to a catalog of over 150 fantastic games that continues to grow for just $10 per month. That's an incredible value for an embarrassment of riches that will keep me occupied for a long time to come.
The GameClub app is available on the App Store as a free download. Access to the service's growing catalog of games costs $4.99 per month through an App Store subscription, after a one-month free trial.
Tags: games, iOS


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CBS Renews 'Big Bang Theory' Through 2014
By Tom Cheredar | January 17th, 2011 at 1:12 am
CBS announced a deal to renew hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory for another three years through the 2013-14 television season.
The show, which stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Kaley Cuoco, has always been a hit with geeks for its witty, scientifically accurate dialog, and frequent references to pop culture. However, the last season has seen a huge ratings boost coupled with more media attention — making a long-term renewal a no-brainer for the studio.
It also helps that 2010 was a particularly good year for Parsons, whose portrayal of Sheldon Cooper won not only a 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series but also a Golden Globe win this year for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical.
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Topics: News, Television
Tags: Big Bang Theory, CBS, Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar, renewal, Simon Helberg, Television

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Human rights Asia
China: UN visit to Xinjiang must be unhindered to be credible
A security checkpoint outside of a train station in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Han Chinese people and members of predominantly Muslim ethnic groups go through separate checkpoints. Muslims are subjected to much more severe security checks.
In response to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announcing an agreement with the Chinese government for a visit to China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in May, Amnesty International's Crisis Response Director Joanne Mariner said:
"Access to Xinjiang for human rights monitors is an absolutely vital step towards accountability for human rights violations committed by the Chinese government against Uyghurs and other Muslims living in the region. However, it is equally vital that any visit by High Commissioner Bachelet be independent and unhindered.
"In the past, diplomats and journalists' visits to Xinjiang have been carefully stage managed by the authorities. Chinese government officials have also long made concerted efforts to disseminate inaccurate and deliberately misleading information about the human rights situation in Xinjiang.
"A fact-finding mission hampered by state control could end up whitewashing human rights violations – potentially making the UN complicit in promoting Chinese government propaganda.
"Bachelet's office should disclose the details of its agreement with the Chinese government, including the parameters and scope of the visit to Xinjiang. It must also seek meaningful assurances from the government that people in Xinjiang will not face adverse consequences for cooperating with the UN mission.
"Finally, the planned visit announced today – after more than two years of seeking access – should not delay the release of the OHCHR's long-awaited report on human rights violations in Xinjiang."
Today, Amnesty joined almost 200 organizations in urging the High Commissioner to release her long-overdue report, which she said was being "finalised" in September 2021.
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An Israeli government directive placing additional restrictions on the display of Palestinian flags...


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Home Media A Q&A with America's Sweetheart: Karen Chee
A Q&A with America's Sweetheart: Karen Chee
By Sophia Ungaro
Photo by: Arin Sang-Urai
If you don't know Karen Chee you should.
Chee is a writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers. You may recognize her from her recurring segment "What Does Karen Know?" where Meyers and Chee compare their frames of reference on past and present pop culture.
It is almost impossible to not fall head over heels for her. Her giggle is infectious and she commands the crowd with kindness. Additionally, she has spoken on her Korean heritage when addressing the Atlanta Shooting and Parasite's historic Oscar wins.
The Harvard graduate is also a published writer in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and regularly in the New Yorker.
Chee is also a stand-up comedian before the pandemic locked us indoors.
The following is a Q&A with America's late-night sweetheart Karen Chee!
What wakes you up in the morning?
My phone alarm plays 'The Stable Song' by Gregory Alan Isakov. Every other time I've used a song alarm it's made me hate the song or feel anxious whenever I happen to hear it play in public, but GAI is so soothing and nice I still like being woken up to him.
What was your first writing job?
I was a writers' assistant for a Comedy Central pilot that never made it. A bunch of really great people wrote for it – Lauren Ashley Smith, Anna Drezen, Shantira Jackson, Nedaa Sweiss… a really lovely and talented group of people. I still feel extremely lucky that that was my first experience on a TV staff of any kind because the bar was set so high in terms of both comedy and kindness. They're all real gems. LAS was the head writer and she let me write a segment for the episode–I thought I was going to burst.
What is it like to work in the late-night television industry? Is it glamorous?
Haha! Sometimes! When you're in a segment and you get in costume and go to the hair and makeup room, it certainly feels glamorous. But secretly I feel the most glamorous when the other writers and I are hanging out and complaining about a joke that didn't get on or something – it's like, dang! This is my complaint? My life is great. This job is so fun. I hang out all day with my funniest friends and try to get someone to say my stuff on TV. If I don't get something on the show, it's okay, I can try again tomorrow.
Would you recommend it to friends or enemies?
Both!
What is something you look for in a project if you are on the fence about taking it on?
That's a great question. I think I say yes too much, so I'm trying to get better about turning stuff down so I'm not overextended. I think if a project is both exciting and a little bit scary, that's a good sign.
YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK! Congratulations! What are you most looking forward to about the process?
I love editing more than I love writing first drafts – I'm looking forward to that step of the process!
What can we know about the book?
Hopefully, it will be funny.
What is the most meaningful part of your job?
The other writers on staff are truly wonderful and I love hanging out with them. The job feels like summer camp in the best way.
What has been the most trivial moment of your career?
Trivial as in the least important? Hmmm. I'm not sure. One time I fell asleep at my desk at work (by accident) and I don't think anyone noticed.
What is one piece of advice you would give to your 21 year old self?
Chill out, man.
Karen Chee
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Sophia Ungaro
Sophia Rose Ungaro is Culturas resident writing intern. Ungaro hails from San Pedro, California. Growing up with a Navajo/Meztizo mother and a Sicilian father has given Ungaro a unique perspective on the world. In 2021 Ungaro will graduate from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in Journalism. Her beats are race, pop culture, and entertainment.


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Home Community News In Memory of Andrew A. Venable, Jr.
In Memory of Andrew A. Venable, Jr.
graphics@cpl.org May 9, 2016 May 9, 2016
We are saddened to share the news of the passing of our former Director, Andrew A. Venable, Jr. Mr. Venable became the 13th and first African American Director of the Cleveland Public Library (CPL) beginning in 1999 until his retirement in 2008. The impact of his leadership, commitment to public service, and legacy of his vision remains strongly imprinted on all that we do as a library system today.
Mr. Venable accomplished many significant things during his tenure at CPL, including establishing CPL as "The People's University", passing two operating tax levies for CPL, transferring the Ohio Center for the Book from the State Library to CPL, re-establishing mobile library service; and co-hosting the Urban Library Council Conference. He was an active member of the American Library Association, Urban Libraries Council and Ohio Library Council. In addition, Mr. Venable was elected Councilor-at-Large for the American Library Association in 1999; honored with the 2001 Ohio Librarian of the Year; the 2001 Louis Stokes Champion of Literacy award and 2007 Rainey Institute Glissando IV Award for promoting free access to the arts in Cleveland. Leadership in the library profession included being Director for East Cleveland Public Library; Director for Gary Public Library (Indiana); Regional Librarian for IVY TECH Community College (Indiana); Deputy Director for District of Columbia Public Library (Washington, DC) and Deputy Director for Cleveland Public Library.
Mr. Venable received the Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA) in 1968; Master of Science Degree in Library & Information Science from Case Western Reserve University in 1978; Certificate from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government; and received the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Cleveland State University on December 16, 2007.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Venable's family and friends during this difficult time.
Community News, General Information, Library News
Cleveland Public Library and The Cleveland Law Library Announce a New Partnership
America's Civic Square Recap


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آموزش سریع
پایان نامه با واژه های کلیدی of، the، and، this
منتشرشده توسط mitra4--javid در تاریخ دی 5, 1397
bulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear. The results show that 20.5% of the students strongly agreed and 60.3% of them agreed that the language items (e.g. vocabulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear. In addition, 16.4% of the students disagreed and 2.7% of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.98, SD=.69; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 80.8%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 73) = 53.52, p .05.
In the last item of this category, 11% of the students strongly agreed and 56.2% of them agreed that the pedagogic texts and dialogues include a variety of interesting subjects. In addition, 26% of the students disagreed and 6.8% of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.71, SD=.75; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 66.2%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 73) = 43.76, p .05.
Result of the descriptive statistics, percentage and Chi-square of the students' responses related to content in the case of Top Notch coursebook
Std. Deviation
Asymp. Sig.
S. Agr.
Agr.
D.Agr
S. D. Agr
The selected topics are familiar to the students.
The selected topics enhance learners' motivation.
The CB contains adequate self-check progress report.
Texts and dialogues include new vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Language items (e.g. vocabulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear.
Pedagogic texts and dialogues include a variety of interesting subjects.
As it is indicated in table 4.7, in the first item, 22% of the students strongly agreed and 66% of them agreed that the selected topics are familiar to the students. Moreover, 12% of the students had the opposite idea and disagreed with the item (M = 3.10, SD =.58; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 88%). In addition, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed and disagreed with this item, c2 (2, N = 100) = 49.52, p .05.
In the second item, 27% of the students strongly agreed and 58% of them agreed that the selected topics enhance learners' motivation. Moreover, 9% of the students disagreed and 6% of them strongly disagreed with the item (M = 3.06, SD=.78; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. =85%). In addition, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 100) = 68.40, p .05.
The next item considers whether Top Notch coursebook contains adequate self-check progress report or not. The results show that 21% of the students strongly agreed and 54% of them agreed that the coursebook contains adequate self-check progress report. In addition, 23% of the students disagreed and 2% of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.94, SD=.72; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. =75%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 100) = 55.60, p .05.
The findings in item 4 display that 34% of the students strongly agreed and 55% of them agreed that texts and dialogues include new vocabulary and grammatical structures. In addition, 11% of the students disagreed with this item (M = 3.23, SD= .63; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 89%). However, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed and disagreed with this item, c2 (2, N = 100) = 29.06, p .05.
The fifth item considers if language items (e.g. vocabulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear. The results show that 39% of the students strongly agreed and 48% of them agreed that the language items (e.g. vocabulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear. In addition, 10% of the students disagreed and 3% of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 3.10, SD=.64; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 87%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 100) = 57.36, p .05.
In the last item of this category, 21% of the students strongly agreed and 54% of them agreed that the pedagogic texts and dialogues include a variety of interesting subjects. In addition, 20% of the students disagreed and 5% of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.91, SD=.77; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 75%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 100) = 51.28, p .05.
مطلب مشابه : منابع پایان نامه ارشد با موضوعجرم شناسی، ارتکاب جرم، مکتب کلاسیک، روان شناختی
Result of the descriptive statistics, percentage and Chi-square of the students' responses related to content in the case of Total English coursebook
As it is indicated in table 4.8, in item 1, 31.2% of the students strongly agreed and 48.4% of them agreed that the selected topics are familiar to the students. In addition, 16.1% of the students disagreed and 4.3 % of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 3.6, SD=.80; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. =79.6%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed, and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 93) = 40.63, p .05.
Item 2 considers if the selected topics enhance learners' motivation. The results show that 31.2% of the students strongly agreed and 53.8% of them agreed that the selected topics enhance learners' motivation. In addition, 15 % of the students disagreed with this item (M = 3.16, SD=.66; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 85%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number o
f students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed and disagreed with this item, c2 (2, N = 93) = 21.09, p .05.
In the third item, 11.8% of the students strongly agreed and 65.6% of them agreed that Total English coursebook contains adequate self-check progress report. In addition, 18.3% of the students disagreed and 4.3 % of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.85, SD=.67; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 77.4%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed, and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 93) = 85.36, p .05.
Item 4 considers whether texts and dialogues include new vocabulary and grammatical structures or not. Data analysis shows that 23.7% of the students strongly agreed and 64.5% of them agreed that texts and dialogues include new vocabulary and grammatical structures. In addition, 10.7 % of the students disagreed and 1.1 % of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 3.10, SD=.61; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 88.2%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed, and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 93) = 87.00, p .05.
In item 5, 25.8% of the students strongly agreed and 51.6% of them agreed that language items (e.g. vocabulary, etc) are presented in context to make meaning clear. In addition, 21.5 % of the students disagreed and 1.1 % of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.93, SD=.90; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 77.4%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed, and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 93) = 48.11, p .05.
In the sixth item, 16.1% of the students strongly agreed and 63.4% of them agreed that pedagogic texts and dialogues include a variety of interesting subjects. In addition, 15.1% of the students disagreed and 5.4 % of them strongly disagreed with this item (M = 2.90, SD=.72; SUM. of S. Agr. & Agr. = 79.5%). Moreover, there is a significant difference between the number of students who agreed and the ones who strongly agreed, disagreed, and strongly disagreed with this item, c2 (3, N = 93) = 75.90, p .05.
مطلب مشابه : پایان نامه با واژه های کلیدیof، the، Result، and
4.1.1.3 Grammar from Teachers' Perspective
Result of the descriptive statistics, percentage and Chi-square of the teachers' responses related to grammar in the case of Interchange coursebook
The paradigm used
برای جستجو در بین هزاران پایان نامه در موضوعات مختلف
و دانلود متن کامل آنها با فرمت ورد اینجا کلیک کنید
دسته‌ها:	پایان نامه ها
منبع مقاله با موضوع تعهد مستمر، تعهد عاطفی
که افراد خود را با سازمان خود معرفی می کنند و در فعالیتهای سازمانی درﮔﻴﺮ می شوند. (جعفری و همکاران، 1389 ، لوتانز، 2008) کارمندانی که از خود تعهد عاطفی نشان می دهند، احساس می ادامه مطلب…
منبع مقاله با موضوع تعهد سازمانی، جامعه شناسی، عملکرد شغلی، انسجام گروهی
اعضای گروه تاکید دارد. مدیران ممتاز نسبت به کسانی که برای آنها کار می کنند ایثار نشان می دهند. این عمل به استفاده مدیر از شیوه صحیح رهبری به منظور کمک به افراد در حصول ادامه مطلب…
منبع مقاله با موضوع ارتباطات میان فردی، رادیو و تلویزیون، ارتباطات سازمانی، انواع ارتباطات
مورد نیاز گیرنده: برخی از افراد در تماسهای تلفنی و نامه نگاری توانمندترند و برخی دیگر در ارتباطات چهره به چهره.3- میزان و سرعت بازخورد مورد نیاز: پیامهای پیچیده و پیامهایی که نیازمند بازخورد فوری ادامه مطلب…


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Posted inEnergy
Smart home devices not living up to energy saving claims
by Willow Aliento 22 August 2017 Updated 23 August 2017
Marketing hype for smart home devices implies they can help cut power consumption, but new research by RMIT's Centre for Urban Research has cast doubt on these claims.
The research also raises questions around smart home devices' user-friendliness and whether the required internet connectivity and smart phone ownership is accessible to those households most vulnerable to rising energy prices.
The study, funded by Energy Consumers Australia, involved 46 households being given the opportunity to try smart-phone controlled lightbulbs and plugs.
Lead author Dr Larissa Nicholls said the trial participants found it was not as simple as plugging the devices in and downloading an app.
"There was a range of usability issues which led to half the participants either not trying or failing to successfully install the devices," she said.
Dr Yolande Strengers, RMIT's Centre for Urban Research
"Failed installations were not just foiled by the devices themselves or lack of user persistence or knowledge.
"Smartphone compatibility issues, unreliable WiFi, forgotten passwords, app problems and concern over requests to supply personal information were all given as reasons why some householders gave up trying."
Project lead investigator Dr Yolande Strengers said these issues were more significant than the researchers expected.
She said the team were surprised with how much difficulty people had using the products, despite ease of use claims from manufacturers.
Many of those participating in the study that did persist and successfully install the devices eventually stopped using them because they were not considered useful or convenient.
Seeking "pleasance" not energy savings
Dr Strengers said participants that continued to use smart home devices made either limited or no use of the devices to manage energy use.
The researchers found participants were often confused around time-of-use tariffs, but even those with an understanding of peak vs off-peak rates generally did not use the devices to shift energy use to cheaper times.
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Reasons included their appliances, such as a dishwasher, not having an accessible plug, or the washing machine requiring manual interaction to turn off or on.
What participants using the devices mainly looked for was comfort, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, such as turning heating on before arriving home, using extra lighting for personal and home security, or remotely turning on the radio to calm a baby.
Further research is being undertaken on this "vision of pleasance" through another three-year project on the smart home, funded by the Australian Research Council.
"Smart home marketing is promoting the lifestyle benefit rather than the energy management," Dr Strengers said.
It is promoting an idea of "comfort, romance and peace of mind in the home" and a type of luxury that comes from having a home with a lot of smart technology in it.
It is important to consider the vision of pleasance and the vision of energy management together, she said.
That is because while energy savings may be part of the overall picture, functional automation benefits such as 24/7 thermal comfort, whole of home surround sound and increasing use of mood lighting could undermine energy savings.
Call for realistic marketing
Dr Strengers says the study, Smart Home Control: Exploring the potential for off-the-shelf enabling technologies in energy vulnerable and other households, also calls for more caution in how smart home control is promoted by the energy sector.
"Mainstream marketing of these devices could undermine the energy sector's ambitions for home control devices," she said.
"We need to be realistic about how smart home control products are marketed, how the media influences the way the products are used, and how the other benefits of smart home control may affect home energy consumption."
Beyond the home, Dr Strengers said greater external energy use in the form of data centres managing all the device data flows needed to be factored in.
Internet reliability and low-income concerns
The fact many people experience internet connections that drop out or stop running is also not talked about enough in the smart home conversation, Dr Strengers said.
It's an important issue, particularly if people are relying on their internet to keep appliances running.
There are also concerns for low-income households.
Dr Strengers said that a lot of households in this situation might not have internet connections, and it is unlikely every person in the house would have the latest smart phone.
Smart control built into appliances might provide a better solution. But low-income households are unlikely to have the latest smart washing machine, dryer or other appliance.
Even middle-income households are unlikely to be upgrading their appliances every year, so smart appliances are not a "quick fix solution" to energy management either.
"As a response to changes in energy prices, they are not necessarily an easy or affordable solution, especially for vulnerable households," Dr Strengers said.
The researchers participants in apartments experienced issues with unreliable internet connectivity, even when the building had WiFi.
Not everyone wants to be plugged in 24/7
Another aspect raised in the study was whether people actually want to be constantly engaging with their phones.
Just because most people have a smart phone doesn't mean everyone wants to use it constantly, Dr Strengers said.
"A lot of people are consciously trying to limit their use of technology," she said.
This is particularly true of households with children, many of whom do not want to give their children access to a smart phone.
"There is a broader implication that not everybody wants more technology in their lives."
Another concern that emerged was that relying on automation to switch things on and off undermined the ability to educate children and young people about power wastage, Dr Strengers said.
Growing "digital housekeeping"
The research team's Australian Research Council-funded project on the smart home involves people that self-identify as living in a smart home.
Dr Strengers said one of the early findings was that this is an "incredibly gendered space".
Interest in, purchase of and operation of smart home devices is "very male-dominated". Writing about the devices is also a male-dominated space, she said.
This trend might result in the creation of a new form of domestic labour in the home – "digital housekeeping".
That's the ongoing effort needed to keep everything talking to each other, managing and upgrading apps and sorting out glitches.
An ordinary home already involves a certain amount, such as keeping the DVD player talking to the TV, Dr Strengers said. However, in a smart home digital housekeeping becomes "more pronounced".
A lot of that labour is done by men, but it is not necessarily considered a legitimate form of household work, she said.
The growing digital housekeeping workload could also have some implications for the allocation of other household work, and result in the entrenchment of traditional domestic gender roles.
Why the female voice?
Another aspect of the smart home trend being put under the microscope is why users of automated home systems prefer them to have a female voice.
Dr Strengers said this suggested that this reflected a desire for the systems to be a replacement housekeeper or wife.
"Women are also interested in this [replacement wife]. If they are in work, there is no one available to pick up the slack at home."
Dr Strengers said the marketing was "very clever" to have picked up on this, "but we are concerned it is reinforcing traditional gender roles and avoiding the conversation about men's participation in the home and women's participation in work".
The research team are seeking more participants for the next stage of their research.
To join in, contact the research team.
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