It was the last game of the championship match. The ball was served up as the white controller whooshed down, scoring the deciding point. Ball State University student Harrison Jacobo's head floated about his body as he celebrated his victory.
Jacobo and graduate student Khalid Sajjad were rewarded a free iPod for their win of the Wii Tennis doubles tournament Thursday. The event was the final act in the Tech4U convention in Bracken Library. The seven hours of events had more than 15 booths presenting new technology in everything from robotics to video games to Microsoft Surface - a touch screen computing system that is made to operate on a table surface.
"It's really cool. You learn a lot," Sajjad said. "You have to keep up to date with all this technology, and this is a good way to do that."
Ball State computing services used the event to announce and launch the expansion of the university's e-mail boxes with Google Apps and Microsoft Labs. Under the new e-mail system, students can keep their current Ball State e-mail addresses but transfer all e-mails to a Google or Microsoft account, Loren Malm, assistant director of information security and server support said.
"It allows for more storage space," Malm said. "To offer the kind of space that Google and Microsoft e-mail can provide is just out of the picture for Ball State."
Students may continue to use the Ball State e-mail server, Malm said. However, if students transfer their e-mails to an alternate account, all e-mails will continue to use the Ball State address, despite being transferred.
Malm said University Computing Services often meets with Student Government Association to discuss problems. The e-mail "storage problem" has been at issue for the past couple years, Malm said, and this is the best and easiest way to address it.
"It seems like I get that e-mail saying my mailbox is full every day," Jacobo said with a laugh. "Space can be an issue."
Computing services moved the event from the second floor of the Atrium to Bracken Library this year because of increased attendance in tables and students.
"There is a lot more student involvement than in years past," Malm said. "I don't have exact numbers, but I've been [at Tech4U] most of the day and it has been a constant crowd."
Never having played Wii Tennis before, Sajjad said he was surprised at his play throughout the three-round single-elimination tournament. When Sajjad received his prize, he said it was a great way to finalize the event.
"Video games are the No. 1 thing that attracts college students I think," Sajjad said. "Overall, I liked everything I saw here. It was a good show."
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