Video games focus of camps
If you thought band camp was fun, learning how to program video games and build robots might be a bigger thrill for today’s tech-savvy children.
Colorado College and the University of Denver will host seven weeks of Tech Camp this summer. Campbell, Calif.-based iD Tech Camps provides week-long day and overnight technology camps for students ages 7 to 17. The camps are hosted at colleges nationwide, including MIT, Stanford and Princeton.
Courses range from basic video game creation, to a class in programming and robotic, in which children learn the fundamentals of C++ programming and JAVA, as well as Microsoft’s Visual Studio.
The classes are taught by college professors. Students can take one class for the week-long session, take a variety of classes throughout the summer, or choose to focus on one topic for several weeks. Students live in dorms and have access to university facilities during their stay. For more information visit www.internaldrive.com.
Get a grip with Joby Gorillapod
Browse a photo album by any beginning photographer and you’re likely to see blurry shots. The Joby Gorillapod, a 1.59-ounce tripod, can help budding photographers get a steady shot.
The Gorillapod is malleable and as cute as a chimp. Each of the three legs bends and twists in different ways, allowing you to attach a lightweight camera to anything and everything to grab a picture from an interesting angle.
You can use it to hang the camera from a tree – gorilla-style – or wrap it around a railing for group shots. The tripod, available online (gorillapod.com) for $24.95, has rubberized feet, a quick-release connector and a ring that locks the camera to the tripod.
Made primarily for smaller point-and-shoot cameras that weigh a pound or less, the Gorillapod won’t help you focus or figure out what white balance is, but it can keep a camera steady in places where traditional tripods can’t. And a model for camcorders and larger cameras will be available soon.