ReadOasis Step 1 They wanted to make a new kind of machine. It was something that had never been made before. They needed a new kind of engine. But no one would build it for them, so they built it themselves. They needed new information, so they did thousands... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Michelle ran out of the church. She got into her red Porsche, started the engine, and drove away. She turned onto Mulholland Drive and headed west, away from Los Angeles. With the top down, her white wedding veil and black hair blew in the... Read more
The Best Things — Steve Jobs
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The following is a summary of a famous quote from Steve Jobs. Usually, people remember the part “Great artists steal.” But this is really about how to make “the best things.” It also shows how Steve Jobs blended the arts and sciences. Simple Version ReadOasis Step 1 It comes... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 As a boy, Gunpei loved to play with toys and machines. He often took his toys apart to see how they worked. Then he put them back together again. One day, Gunpei took apart his father's expensive watch. He wanted to see how the little machine... Read more
James Watt and the Teapot
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ReadOasis Step 2 A little boy was sitting in his grandmother's kitchen. He was watching the red fire in the wide open fireplace. He quietly thought about the causes of things. He was always thinking and always wanting to know how things worked. "Grandma," he asked, "what makes the... Read more
A Wee (Wii) Gaming Machine
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ReadOasis Step 2 Nintendo makes video games and gaming machines. It is one of the largest gaming companies in the world. Nintendo's popularity took off in 2006 with the release of the Nintendo Wii. The portable Nintendo DS is also extremely popular. In 2007, the company had an income... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 When I grow up, I still want to be a director. -Steven Spielberg This quote shows the magic of movies. Steven Spielberg is a grown man, but he loves the movies like a child. He feels a sense of wonder about them. He is already a... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Apple Computer has revolutionized tech. In 1984, Apple released the Macintosh. It was the first successful personal computer with a mouse and menus. In 2001, Apple released the iPod. With the first iPod, you could carry "1000 songs in your pocket." Today an iPod can hold... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Braille by Mario Sánchez Bueno Breaking News English has published an interesting story about a teenager who has made an inexpensive printer for the blind. A 13-year-old has made a cheap machine that helps blind people read. The machine uses Braille - small bumps that people... Read more
ReadOasis Step 4 Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin studied computer science at Stanford University. Their research concentrated on the mathematical properties of the World Wide Web. Specifically, they wanted to understand the patterns of its link structure. Page and Brin reasoned that not only could they count... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 Common Craft is a great website. Their product is explanation. They make short videos. Their videos are simple, and they explain big ideas in plain English. ReadOasis and Common Craft are similar. Common Craft shares big tech ideas with video in plain English. And ReadOasis shares... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 MySpace is the second largest social networking site in the US. It has over 115 million users. (Facebook is the #1 social networking site, with over 180 million users). Millions of people enjoy networking with friends on these sites every day. But like any big city... Read more
Where Did Tetris Come From?
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ReadOasis Step 2 Tetris stands as one of the most popular games of all time. The game was created in 1984 by a Russian software engineer, Alexey Pajitnov. He wanted to make a game that was simple to play but had a lot of variety. Though the game rose... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 In the modern world, many people cannot live easily without a car, but just 100 years ago, that was not the case. The Ford Motor Company produced its first car in 1903. It was called the Ford Model A, and a doctor from Chicago, Illinois, became... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 An e-book is an electronic book. People can read e-books on personal computers and mobile phones. A special machine also exists just for e-reading. It is called an e-book reader. The Sony Reader is one popular e-reader. But in November 2007, Amazon.com created an e-reader, too. It... Read more
ReadOasis Step 5 Creative Commons photo by Jiuguang-Wang Scientists have been experimenting with four-legged robots for years. They want robots to carry heavy loads over difficult areas of land and do other difficult jobs. But one problem is power. Now that has changed. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of... Read more
$80,000 for One Song
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ReadOasis Step 2 The room is dark. You are alone. You are drinking a coke and downloading some songs from the Internet. Then you hear a crash. Your heart stops as you hear a man shout. "This is the police!" You catch your breath and say, "What?" Then another... Read more
The Future on Your Wrist (Step 2)
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By Tek SmithReadOasis Step 2 The world was waiting with excitement. Three years earlier, Steve Jobs had died. Jobs was the head of Apple Computer. Under his leadership, Apple released many original products. These products included the iPod, the iPhone, iTunes, and the iPad. These Apple products caused great... Read more
Steve Jobs and Reality Distortion
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ReadOasis Step 3 Steve entered the room. The programmers looked up at him from their desks. Steve looked right back at them. His eyes were not blinking. Steve said, “We need to have this done by next month.” “No way! We can’t write that much code by next month,”... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 2) At last, the police came, and Michelle was rescued. A policeman climbed up the tree and helped her down. But it wasn't the policeman that saved her life. It was her safety belt. If she hadn't worn it, she would have flown through the... Read more