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College campuses all over the United States have been feeling the pressure brought on by the health scare, H1N1 aka the swine flu. We have the government, health professionals and news reporters saying how bad and dangerous the swine flu is. What is the real story and what are colleges doing to prepare? General information about college campuses and the swine flu is patchy and hard to find. Individual campus websites will give the best up to date information for your area.

In general, however; the swine flu has hit some campuses hard while it has not caused too much trouble at others. Most campuses are keeping up to date with the CDC and health officials and are handing out fliers and pamphlets with information about the flu and what they can do to minimize their risk of exposure. Campuses are also handing out hand sanitizers and making use of the internet to spread the word around campus.

If you ask college students, most say they are not too worried about the dangers of the swine flu, they are washing their hands. The swine flu can be deadly though and should be treated with caution. A student at Grand Valley State University in Michigan recently died fighting encephalitis brought on by the H1N1 virus. He fell sick and after a few days it seemed he was getting better until he became incoherent and the family took him to the hospital. This virus does not just affect the young or old.

In fact most people 65 and older are at more risk from the regular seasonal flu than the H1N1 virus, unless they have underlying complications and risks. Think of the “Spanish” flu epidemic from 1918 and 1919; it infected over 1/3 of the world’s population and killed more than 50 million people. Thank goodness we have antiviral drugs today that were not existent back then. We still need to be aware that all age groups can be affected, even the young and healthy. Now this is all being said not to scare you but to make sure you keep an eye on your health and that of your loved ones. Today World Info

Yes, there have been deaths related to the swine flu, H1N1 on college campuses and all over the world. The good news is that most of the people infected get better with the proper medicines and nutrition. The key is to stay away from people who are sick and stay away from people if you are sick. Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids, preferably water. Wash your hands with soap and warm to hot water for at least 30 seconds and try not to touch public objects. Seek medical treatment if you have any conditions that make you more at risk for complications or are not getting better after a few days.

When looking for a Blu-ray player, many of us will observer that the new 2011 models are just as much about online streaming services as they are about stunning High-Definition discs. If fact, when comparing blu-ray image quality among the mid-range players, there is not much distinction between them. They all produce great quality pictures. However, when comparing online streaming services, every manufacturer has a different set of media services and a different user interface to access them.

Sony has equipped all their 2011 models with Bravia Internet Video. It is basically the same on all its players. (Note: Sony’s Bravia Internet Video is different on their HDTVs) And compared to its competitors; you will see a stark contrast in the online streaming services. First you will notice that Sony’s Bravia Internet Video does not have any app store, nor is there a separate interface to access the online services and all the interface services have been customized for Sony. This makes Sony online streaming services unique, but what about its actual content and use? Because when you look at it, that is really what you want to know. Does it have content that you will watch and how easy is it to access?

Online Media Services – Internet Content:

Sony Bravia internet Video is loaded with content. Out of all the major manufacturers, Sony offers more streaming media options than anyone. Some of the more popular services include Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube, Crackle, Qriosity, Pandora, Slacker and Facebook. Being the only models that have both Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant, it is a great alternative or supplement to your cable subscription. Especially Amazon Instant, which is the best online source for TV content. If there is one downsize to having so many online streaming services, is that there are too many choices. A lot of these services you will never use, but you will still have to navigate your way around them.

Of course it does not have every online service available. Many social services like Picasa, Flickr, Skype (Model BDP-S780 does have this) and Twitter are not included. As well as the popular MLB.TV, which can be found on LG and Samsung players. However, Sony does include an Internet browser. Which many may find useful. Be be aware that its use is very limited as it does not seem to handle any video playback and some large sites may not load. sony 55x75k

User Interface:

Sony’s user interface for its online streaming services is not ideal. It is lagging behind other players that are more innovative and user-friendly. Sony does not let each service have its own interface. Instead it tries to create a common, unified look to all the individual online services. The resulting outcome of this unified look is not good. Services like Amazon and Netflix have tiny cover art that is difficult to see and read.

Sony’s navigational tool, the XMB interface (icons are spread horizontally – navigation involves moving the icons, instead moving a cursor), works great on the PS3. But, unfortunately, does not have the same effect on Sony’s Blu-ray players. As stated before, Sony has many services to choose from. So the interface is made up of just a long single row of small icons. Navigating your way through them can get exhausting, as much of the content you will probably never use. And the players do not have the lighting speed of a PS3, slowing down the navigation even more.

The good news about the user interface is that it can be fixed or improved by firmware. Sony has already released firmware updates to create a better user experience. For example, its Netflix interface compared to its competitors, looks outdated, hard to see and lacking search options. But with new firmware it has added extra genres and sorting options like New Arrivals.

Final Word:

Sony’s Bravia Internet Video is packed with many streaming media services. Far more than any of its competitors. However, its user interface does not compare well to those of LG or Panasonic. But, if you think you will take advantage of all the services that Sony’s Bravia Internet Video makes available to you, than it is probably worth putting up with the user interface.