"Over 90% of eHarmony couples had marriage quality scores which were above average when compared to couples who had begun their relationships elsewhere. eHarmony couples were more than twice as likely to be in highly successful marriages than non-eHarmony couples... Not only are eHarmony couples 35% more likely than other married couples to report that they enjoy spending time together, but we found they are nearly twice as likely to report that their marriages are "extremely happy" or better versus other recently married couples." Neil Warren, PHD.
E-Harmony is an online relationship service, created by Neil Clark Warren, PHD in August of 2000. He has built his research and writings on the topic “building strong marriages.” The E-Harmony company also operates E-harmony labs, which is a website dedicated to the science and exploration of relationships. The site includes many blogs and articles written about different love and relationship topics. You can also sign up for different studies to participate in. They also operate a relationship facility, publishes E-harmony advice and E-harmony marriages, where married couples can go to seek advice on relationship help.
Their site is based on online communication between singles in hopes to find their significant others. . They match singles based on their 29 dimensional personality traits. This includes a questionnaire which explores four categories;
1) Character and constitution
2) Personality
3) Emotional makeup and skills
4) Family and values
In 2008 the site averages 15,000 people who take the questionnaire each day. After finding a match the site averages 236 members who get married everyday.
E-Harmony may sound like a sure way to find that special someone but with this new form of online communication comes trouble. There is no way to verify who someone actually is. There have been many experiences where people are completly different than what their profile portrays them to be. As in any form of online communication we need to be careful to protect our privacy only only disclose what we want others to know about ourself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Clark_Warren
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EHarmony
http://www.eharmony.com/singles/servlet/press/articles?id=26
http://www.eharmony.com
http://www.eharmonymarriage.com
http://www.eharmony.com/labs/
Ebay. The Virtual Marketplace…Is it safe?
“Whether you think of it as a global marketplace, the world's largest yard sale, or a bizarre social experiment, eBay is the trading post of choice for tens of millions of people around the world… At any given time, there are between 15 and 20 million listings on eBay, but finding your perfect item is as simple as typing a word into the search box at the top of any page on the eBay site (www.ebay.com)” (Karp).
Ebay has opened the door for millions of people to buy and sell merchandise, whether new or used, in a “safe” and user friendly environment. Simply by browsing through the categories that range from antiques to real estate or entering a keyword, people around the world can find just about anything they are looking for. The site also provides you with seller feedback, so you can base your purchase on quality and reliability. But how do you know if those seller scores are reliable. Simple answer; you don’t! Earlier this year eBay shelled out $60 million for profiting off of the sale of fake Louis Vuitton merchandise. As eBay does not verify the authenticity of the good sold on its page, any time you make a purchase, you are gambling with your money . Buyer beware.
Some Helpful Resources
www.ebay.com
http://ebay.about.com/popular.htm
http://www.selfseo.com/online_auction_articles.php
References
Davis, Gregory. (2008, July 2). Knock-Off Stigma Stifles eBay. Investopedia Advisor.1
Karp, David. (2006, Feb 7). Secrets of Selling on eBay. ¬PC Magazine. 25.2, 72-75.
Ebay has opened the door for millions of people to buy and sell merchandise, whether new or used, in a “safe” and user friendly environment. Simply by browsing through the categories that range from antiques to real estate or entering a keyword, people around the world can find just about anything they are looking for. The site also provides you with seller feedback, so you can base your purchase on quality and reliability. But how do you know if those seller scores are reliable. Simple answer; you don’t! Earlier this year eBay shelled out $60 million for profiting off of the sale of fake Louis Vuitton merchandise. As eBay does not verify the authenticity of the good sold on its page, any time you make a purchase, you are gambling with your money . Buyer beware.
Some Helpful Resources
www.ebay.com
http://ebay.about.com/popular.htm
http://www.selfseo.com/online_auction_articles.php
References
Davis, Gregory. (2008, July 2). Knock-Off Stigma Stifles eBay. Investopedia Advisor.1
Karp, David. (2006, Feb 7). Secrets of Selling on eBay. ¬PC Magazine. 25.2, 72-75.
SPAMMED BY DISNEY...AND LIKING IT
"If the e-mail involves interactive, personalized messages, they can be fun…that's when they can become "viral" and spread rapidly." - Robert Cascio
Earlier this year Disney created the Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG). The DIMG came about when Disney decided to merge two of their divisions: Disney Interactive Studios and the Disney Internet Group. DIMG’s main focus will be that of developing and distribution of all Disney-branded Internet and Mobil-Based games. However, they will also dab into other Disney-branded interactive digital media and entertainment, to include all forms of digital interactive platforms.
With the help of DIMG, Disney launched a new promotional campaign that comes in the form of Spam. Now this is Disney I’m talking about, so this is no ordinary Spam…this is Disney Spam. Under the "What will you celebrate?" promotional campaign, the Disney Spam was sent out the morning of Wednesday the 10th of December 2008.
Thousands of people received the email directly from Disney, from friends and family of Disney employees and annual-pass holders, to the scrooges. At first glance, the email seems like another Disney add, until the recipient sees a TV news report with their name in it and then a link to the actual news station’s internet site. Once on the TV news station site, a news report video starts to play. During the news report, the recipient’s name can be found on almost everything with a title, from banners and rides, to song lyrics. If one really listens, they will even hear their name in those same lyrics.
The news report makes it appear that Walt Disney World is having a one-day celebration throughout their park just for the recipient. At the end of the video, the recipient has the option to forward the Spam to whomever they want. All that is asked to make the magic happen for another is the next recipient’s name and email. The Spam takes on a different appearance at the beginning for the new recipient. This time around, it makes it look like the sender found the "news report" and wants the recipient to explain how they got Disney to do it for them.
This is a great move by Disney marketing. The interactive advertisement captures the imagination of the recipient, and then in turn, the recipient passes it on to others to share the experience. Disney marketing is getting others to do the work for them; after the first emails went out, all Disney had to do was sit back and let friends spread the magic to other friends. With even the most minuet percentage of recipients actually purchasing trips, with the amount of hits this will generate, Disney stands to make a bundle.
This is one Spam that I actually enjoyed, and with a happy grin, forwarded it on.
Check it out at http://www.sun7news.com/spread.php
References:
Disney. "What will you celebrate?" Email to Rob Seidle. 10 Dec, 2008.
Disney. "Disney Parks / Pass It On!" 10 Dec, 2008. Walt Disney World Resorts. 10 Dec, 2008.
http://www.sun7news.com/spread.php
Powers, Scott. "Disney hopes e-mail campaign delivers some buzz." 11 Dec, 2008. Orlando Sentinel. 11 Dec, 2008. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-disney1108dec11,0,617331.story
Earlier this year Disney created the Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG). The DIMG came about when Disney decided to merge two of their divisions: Disney Interactive Studios and the Disney Internet Group. DIMG’s main focus will be that of developing and distribution of all Disney-branded Internet and Mobil-Based games. However, they will also dab into other Disney-branded interactive digital media and entertainment, to include all forms of digital interactive platforms.
With the help of DIMG, Disney launched a new promotional campaign that comes in the form of Spam. Now this is Disney I’m talking about, so this is no ordinary Spam…this is Disney Spam. Under the "What will you celebrate?" promotional campaign, the Disney Spam was sent out the morning of Wednesday the 10th of December 2008.
Thousands of people received the email directly from Disney, from friends and family of Disney employees and annual-pass holders, to the scrooges. At first glance, the email seems like another Disney add, until the recipient sees a TV news report with their name in it and then a link to the actual news station’s internet site. Once on the TV news station site, a news report video starts to play. During the news report, the recipient’s name can be found on almost everything with a title, from banners and rides, to song lyrics. If one really listens, they will even hear their name in those same lyrics.
The news report makes it appear that Walt Disney World is having a one-day celebration throughout their park just for the recipient. At the end of the video, the recipient has the option to forward the Spam to whomever they want. All that is asked to make the magic happen for another is the next recipient’s name and email. The Spam takes on a different appearance at the beginning for the new recipient. This time around, it makes it look like the sender found the "news report" and wants the recipient to explain how they got Disney to do it for them.
This is a great move by Disney marketing. The interactive advertisement captures the imagination of the recipient, and then in turn, the recipient passes it on to others to share the experience. Disney marketing is getting others to do the work for them; after the first emails went out, all Disney had to do was sit back and let friends spread the magic to other friends. With even the most minuet percentage of recipients actually purchasing trips, with the amount of hits this will generate, Disney stands to make a bundle.
This is one Spam that I actually enjoyed, and with a happy grin, forwarded it on.
Check it out at http://www.sun7news.com/spread.php
References:
Disney. "What will you celebrate?" Email to Rob Seidle. 10 Dec, 2008.
Disney. "Disney Parks / Pass It On!" 10 Dec, 2008. Walt Disney World Resorts. 10 Dec, 2008.
http://www.sun7news.com/spread.php
Powers, Scott. "Disney hopes e-mail campaign delivers some buzz." 11 Dec, 2008. Orlando Sentinel. 11 Dec, 2008. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-disney1108dec11,0,617331.story
Facebook: Where Everybody Knows Your Name
"The growth of ambient intimacy can seem like modern narcissism taken to a new, supermetabolic extreme — the ultimate expression of a generation of celebrity-addled youths who believe their every utterance is fascinating and ought to be shared with the world" (www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html?pagewanted=2).
Facebook, launched in February of 2004, is a social network that was originally created exclusively for Harvard students. It was such an immense hit that other local colleges began to demand acces to the Facebook network. After just four months, Facebook had added over thirty college networks. By September of 2005, Facebook was opened to high school students at which time photo sharing became very popular. It wasn't until September of 2006 that Facebook finally opened to anyone with an email address (www.cruchbase.com/company/facebook).
I have to admit that I log on to Facebook every day, and in fact, I am logged on to Facebook at this very moment. It's addicting to say the least. I think it's incredible how much information people reveal about themselves on this website. There are over 100 million users on Facebook today! That's a lot of people who have access to personal information. Not to mention the news feed feature allows friends to see your status at any given time. I don't update my status very frequently because I don't think it's necessary for my "friends" to know what I am doing at all times. Who cares anyway? Maybe it's my age.
Teenagers, on the other hand, tend to be somewhat self-absorbed. Everything they do should be shared with everyone because everything they do is important. Facebook has become quite popular among teenagers because of the very fact that they can constantly update their "friends" on their minute-by-minute activities. If you think about it, isn't that what being a teenager is all about? Socializing is a major part of the teenage years. Advances in technology have given today's youth even more opportunities to communicate with each other and will continue to provide different outlets for socializing.
Facebook is a convenient way to socialize without really socializing. You can send and receive messages from people you might have been close to at one time without really talking to them. Does that sound antisocial? I just think it's awkward when you run into someone you haven't seen in awhile. There are many times I turn my head the other way, pretending not to see someone. Facebook, in a way, allows you that same freedom. You don't have to talk to anyone just because they talk to you, and you get to pick and choose who you "run into".
References:
www.crunchbook.com/company/facebook
www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html?pagewanted=2
Facebook, launched in February of 2004, is a social network that was originally created exclusively for Harvard students. It was such an immense hit that other local colleges began to demand acces to the Facebook network. After just four months, Facebook had added over thirty college networks. By September of 2005, Facebook was opened to high school students at which time photo sharing became very popular. It wasn't until September of 2006 that Facebook finally opened to anyone with an email address (www.cruchbase.com/company/facebook).
I have to admit that I log on to Facebook every day, and in fact, I am logged on to Facebook at this very moment. It's addicting to say the least. I think it's incredible how much information people reveal about themselves on this website. There are over 100 million users on Facebook today! That's a lot of people who have access to personal information. Not to mention the news feed feature allows friends to see your status at any given time. I don't update my status very frequently because I don't think it's necessary for my "friends" to know what I am doing at all times. Who cares anyway? Maybe it's my age.
Teenagers, on the other hand, tend to be somewhat self-absorbed. Everything they do should be shared with everyone because everything they do is important. Facebook has become quite popular among teenagers because of the very fact that they can constantly update their "friends" on their minute-by-minute activities. If you think about it, isn't that what being a teenager is all about? Socializing is a major part of the teenage years. Advances in technology have given today's youth even more opportunities to communicate with each other and will continue to provide different outlets for socializing.
Facebook is a convenient way to socialize without really socializing. You can send and receive messages from people you might have been close to at one time without really talking to them. Does that sound antisocial? I just think it's awkward when you run into someone you haven't seen in awhile. There are many times I turn my head the other way, pretending not to see someone. Facebook, in a way, allows you that same freedom. You don't have to talk to anyone just because they talk to you, and you get to pick and choose who you "run into".
References:
www.crunchbook.com/company/facebook
www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html?pagewanted=2
Global Communication from the Battlefield to the Hospital
“Agilent’s effect on the global community is not only measured by the company’s precision tools, but also by the impact it makes on peoples lives. Agilent’s worldwide community programs enrich people’s lives around the globe via grants, employee volunteerism, and community partnerships in our focus areas of science education, and health and human services.” (www.agilent.com)
As I was researching high tech companies I came across Agilent. Agilent’s philosophy speaks volumes about group collaboration. The company develops products before the “technological wave” hits (www.home.agilent.com). Agilent was formed in 1999 when Hewlett-Packard reorganized. At the root of the company’s philosophy are teamwork, respect, innovation, trust and uncompromising integrity (www.home.agilent.com).
There are many ways in which Agilent encourages group collaboration. The three that stood out the most for me were: Agilent has a contract with the US Army to provide services and products that helps them to be more mobile and reliable, they produce instruments that help study how cancer and other diseases work and they also make products that can measure the quality of our air, water and food.
With the threat of terrorism in the world it is important for the military to be able to work as efficiently and be as mobile as possible. What area do we need group collaboration more in than in the military? As I researched Agilent they seemed to be anticipating the future needs of the military.
As the world population increases we need companies like Agilent that stay ahead technologically in the healthcare arena. I feel that technology is going to play a huge part in reforming our healthcare system. Hopefully as we become more efficient at understanding and treating diseases through technology we can see a drop in the cost of healthcare.
Globalization not only has changed how we communicate but also has changed where we get our food. More and more of our food is grown in other countries. Agilent is also on top of the game is this area by producing products that make sure the food we get from other countries is safe and good for us.
I was very impressed with Agilent. They are not only ahead of technology but are a company that seems to have a good moral core.
As I was researching high tech companies I came across Agilent. Agilent’s philosophy speaks volumes about group collaboration. The company develops products before the “technological wave” hits (www.home.agilent.com). Agilent was formed in 1999 when Hewlett-Packard reorganized. At the root of the company’s philosophy are teamwork, respect, innovation, trust and uncompromising integrity (www.home.agilent.com).
There are many ways in which Agilent encourages group collaboration. The three that stood out the most for me were: Agilent has a contract with the US Army to provide services and products that helps them to be more mobile and reliable, they produce instruments that help study how cancer and other diseases work and they also make products that can measure the quality of our air, water and food.
With the threat of terrorism in the world it is important for the military to be able to work as efficiently and be as mobile as possible. What area do we need group collaboration more in than in the military? As I researched Agilent they seemed to be anticipating the future needs of the military.
As the world population increases we need companies like Agilent that stay ahead technologically in the healthcare arena. I feel that technology is going to play a huge part in reforming our healthcare system. Hopefully as we become more efficient at understanding and treating diseases through technology we can see a drop in the cost of healthcare.
Globalization not only has changed how we communicate but also has changed where we get our food. More and more of our food is grown in other countries. Agilent is also on top of the game is this area by producing products that make sure the food we get from other countries is safe and good for us.
I was very impressed with Agilent. They are not only ahead of technology but are a company that seems to have a good moral core.
Mass Media Usage in Schools
“Newspapers deal with what teachers define as serious issues and do so in more in-depth ways than other mass media.”
Segall, A., & Schmidt, S. (2006). Reading the newspaper as a social text. The Social
Studies 97(3). Retrieved December 4, 2008, from Academic OneFile database.
Although many forms of mass media are considered by teachers to be inadequate sources of information, as presented in an article in The Social Studies, Ann Segall and Sandra Schmidt suggest that teachers feel that newspapers, as a more traditional source of media, are more reliable and reflect the more important issues of today (Segall, A., & Schmidt, S. 2006). I my own research experience I have found that yes, newspapers do cover what many people around the world would consider to be “serious issues” however, I do not feel that it is fair to exclude other forms of mass media from this grouping. I personally feel that there are a plethora of magazine that cover the same topics as are presented in the newspapers, but they go much more in depth. Take Time magazine for example, they can take a story that may have been covered in three paragraphs in a newspaper and provide research that makes up three pages worth of content. Don’t jump to a conclusion as to which mass media source is going to give the best and most adequate information because it is a combination of sources that will tie all of that information together.
Segall, A., & Schmidt, S. (2006). Reading the newspaper as a social text. The Social
Studies 97(3). Retrieved December 4, 2008, from Academic OneFile database.
Although many forms of mass media are considered by teachers to be inadequate sources of information, as presented in an article in The Social Studies, Ann Segall and Sandra Schmidt suggest that teachers feel that newspapers, as a more traditional source of media, are more reliable and reflect the more important issues of today (Segall, A., & Schmidt, S. 2006). I my own research experience I have found that yes, newspapers do cover what many people around the world would consider to be “serious issues” however, I do not feel that it is fair to exclude other forms of mass media from this grouping. I personally feel that there are a plethora of magazine that cover the same topics as are presented in the newspapers, but they go much more in depth. Take Time magazine for example, they can take a story that may have been covered in three paragraphs in a newspaper and provide research that makes up three pages worth of content. Don’t jump to a conclusion as to which mass media source is going to give the best and most adequate information because it is a combination of sources that will tie all of that information together.
Google... “It is a joint founded by geeks and run by geeks”
"These are people who think they are creating something that's the best in the world," says Peter Norvig, a Google engineering director. "And that product is changing people's lives." Google Grows
Indeed, Google’s products improve our life by taking an advantage of all technological advances available at a moment. Or, even a day after tomorrow. Let’s take a look at some of these technological gadgets.
First of all, Gmail. Google’s Mail was born with series of features that were forefront and unique for 2004. It was actually the first e-mail system that introduced 1 GB of free storage – “more than 100 times what most other free webmail services offered”. Google made an e-mail system more efficient “by automatically organizing individual emails into meaningful "conversations" along with a powerful anti-spam protection and build-in search systems. And it does not cease to improve, constantly offering some additional perks and customization elements. All of that stems out, as Google’s co-founder and president of technology, Sergey Brin said, from the philosophy "If a Google user has a problem with email, well, so do we". Google mail We all know that an electronic mail is a crucial link of Cyberspace communication process. Therefore it should be strong.
Secondly, Search Engine. With a number of search engines available it is imperative to find the one that allows you to be as efficient as possible. And Google is one of them. Google was a winner of the Outstanding Search Service in 2004 and continues to be one of the most popular search engines today. Search Engine Watch Awards In 2006 Nielsen NetRating estimated that Google handles around 49% of all searches done in the US, while Yahoo and MSN had 24% and 10%, respectively. Nielsen NetRatings Therefore, it is not surprising that the word “google” has become synonymous with searching the Internet and has been officially added into the 2006 edition of the venerable Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Dictionary
Third, launch of the YouTube. By purchasing of the YouTube - the video sharing service - in 2006, Google really helped its spreading among the Internet users, which, in my view, revolutionized some aspects of the Cyberspace communication. YouTube Now almost everyone can put a video on a web and share with different social groups. I think video-element enriches an on-line communication, making it less artificial, more personal and fun.
The aforementioned examples is just a quick illustration how Google company is turning all of the available technological knowledge into products that make our Cyberspace world a better place.
Michael
References used for this blog post:
How Google Grows...and Grows...and Grows
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/69/google.html
Google Gets the Message, Launches Gmail
Indeed, Google’s products improve our life by taking an advantage of all technological advances available at a moment. Or, even a day after tomorrow. Let’s take a look at some of these technological gadgets.
First of all, Gmail. Google’s Mail was born with series of features that were forefront and unique for 2004. It was actually the first e-mail system that introduced 1 GB of free storage – “more than 100 times what most other free webmail services offered”. Google made an e-mail system more efficient “by automatically organizing individual emails into meaningful "conversations" along with a powerful anti-spam protection and build-in search systems. And it does not cease to improve, constantly offering some additional perks and customization elements. All of that stems out, as Google’s co-founder and president of technology, Sergey Brin said, from the philosophy "If a Google user has a problem with email, well, so do we". Google mail We all know that an electronic mail is a crucial link of Cyberspace communication process. Therefore it should be strong.
Secondly, Search Engine. With a number of search engines available it is imperative to find the one that allows you to be as efficient as possible. And Google is one of them. Google was a winner of the Outstanding Search Service in 2004 and continues to be one of the most popular search engines today. Search Engine Watch Awards In 2006 Nielsen NetRating estimated that Google handles around 49% of all searches done in the US, while Yahoo and MSN had 24% and 10%, respectively. Nielsen NetRatings Therefore, it is not surprising that the word “google” has become synonymous with searching the Internet and has been officially added into the 2006 edition of the venerable Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Dictionary
Third, launch of the YouTube. By purchasing of the YouTube - the video sharing service - in 2006, Google really helped its spreading among the Internet users, which, in my view, revolutionized some aspects of the Cyberspace communication. YouTube Now almost everyone can put a video on a web and share with different social groups. I think video-element enriches an on-line communication, making it less artificial, more personal and fun.
The aforementioned examples is just a quick illustration how Google company is turning all of the available technological knowledge into products that make our Cyberspace world a better place.
Michael
References used for this blog post:
How Google Grows...and Grows...and Grows
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/69/google.html
Google Gets the Message, Launches Gmail
http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/gmail.html
4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards
http://searchenginewatch.com/3309841
Google' finds its way into the dictionary
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=qw1152283680941B221
Nielsen NetRatings Search Engine Ratings
4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards
http://searchenginewatch.com/3309841
Google' finds its way into the dictionary
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=qw1152283680941B221
Nielsen NetRatings Search Engine Ratings
http://searchenginewatch.com/2156451&PHPSESSID=c24231dbf1b3b212647349d71c90d940
Google buys YouTube for $1.65 billion
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15196982/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15196982/
EA SPORTS - Its in the Game!
“It’s in the Game”.
EA sports motto
EA sports is the sports video gaming branch of Electronic Arts. They have produced the biggest names in sports video games. From the popular Madden football video games to Tiger Woods gold, no one in gaming has put more emphasis and technology into their sports games.
Every year they update their sports games, for example Madden football is up to its 2009 edition with the first ones starting in the 1990’s. EA Sports began in 1993 and have grown ever since. In fact many of today’s scouting systems for professional franchises in the NFL and the NBA uses Eva’s technology to chart their own stats.
In 2007 ESPN began to televise the Madden Championship where video gamers would compete for $100,000. Gamers would play one another in a large contest to see who the best Madden football video game player is. Its ratings have improved and there has been an increase of people sending in applications to be on the show.
EA sports tapped into a market where today’s youth are sucked into the video game world. Both the fantasy and reality of video games capture audience’s world wide. There are two things in life people want to be – a celebrity and/or an athlete… these video games fill a void for people and their dreams. Are these games ruining our youth and society? That could be debated with time but one thing is for sure – video games aren’t going away – they are only getting stronger and more lifelike. Who knows what the next 30 years will bring us, only time will tell.
EA sports motto
EA sports is the sports video gaming branch of Electronic Arts. They have produced the biggest names in sports video games. From the popular Madden football video games to Tiger Woods gold, no one in gaming has put more emphasis and technology into their sports games.
Every year they update their sports games, for example Madden football is up to its 2009 edition with the first ones starting in the 1990’s. EA Sports began in 1993 and have grown ever since. In fact many of today’s scouting systems for professional franchises in the NFL and the NBA uses Eva’s technology to chart their own stats.
In 2007 ESPN began to televise the Madden Championship where video gamers would compete for $100,000. Gamers would play one another in a large contest to see who the best Madden football video game player is. Its ratings have improved and there has been an increase of people sending in applications to be on the show.
EA sports tapped into a market where today’s youth are sucked into the video game world. Both the fantasy and reality of video games capture audience’s world wide. There are two things in life people want to be – a celebrity and/or an athlete… these video games fill a void for people and their dreams. Are these games ruining our youth and society? That could be debated with time but one thing is for sure – video games aren’t going away – they are only getting stronger and more lifelike. Who knows what the next 30 years will bring us, only time will tell.
Yahoo! is Technologically Successful and Fun to Say!
“Yahoo! powers and delights our communities of users, advertisers, and publishers - all of us united in creating indispensable experiences, and fueled by trust” (Yahoo!, 2008).
Yahoo! reaches over half a billion users, and 1 out of every 2 people online. It is a technologically successful corporation, and has a fun name to say. Try it…Yahoo! See, it is fun to say. At Yahoo! they take technological advancement to a whole new level. Three main ways this innovative company is using technology to encourage group collaborative communication are: 1) Their own company blog (Yodel Anecdotal), 2) Yahoo! Research and 3) Yahoo! for Good
The Yahoo! company blog, called the Yodel Anecdotal provides a look at the inside of the company, their employees, culture, and the latest in technology. They discuss trends, provide videos, podcasts, photo essays, and even the latest news. Yahoo! Research on the other hand has a purpose to deliver science and it allows users to try out the latest in innovations! Sandbox from Yahoo! Research was built in order to give people a sneak peek at their company projects that are in the works. They literally created a “virtual playground” to try out their latest ideas. On their site they explain that they “believe in an open culture of collaboration” (Yahoo!, 2008), with their work reaching so many people, collaboration is key. Yahoo! for Good (according to their website) connects people with causes through their products and services, as well as through partnerships with nonprofits like Global Green, Network for Good, and DonorsChoose. A collaborative effort across the globe!
Yahoo! is a technologically advanced corporation with insights into the future of technology both on line and off line and they use a mix of strategic collaborative efforts to maintain their status across the globe. The company was founded in 1994 by Stanford Ph.D. students David Filo and Jerry Yang. “Yahoo! began as a hobby and has evolved into a leading global brand that has changed the way people communicate with each other, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information” (Yahoo!, 2008). So not only is Yahoo! fun to say, but the company is a leading innovator in communication and continues to work towards the future of technology.
Some fun facts about Yahoo!
References used from Yahoo! for this blog posting:
http://careers.yahoo.com/funfacts.php
http://forgood.yahoo.com/index.html
http://research.yahoo.com/
http://ycorpblog.com/
http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/press/overview.cfm
Yahoo! reaches over half a billion users, and 1 out of every 2 people online. It is a technologically successful corporation, and has a fun name to say. Try it…Yahoo! See, it is fun to say. At Yahoo! they take technological advancement to a whole new level. Three main ways this innovative company is using technology to encourage group collaborative communication are: 1) Their own company blog (Yodel Anecdotal), 2) Yahoo! Research and 3) Yahoo! for Good
The Yahoo! company blog, called the Yodel Anecdotal provides a look at the inside of the company, their employees, culture, and the latest in technology. They discuss trends, provide videos, podcasts, photo essays, and even the latest news. Yahoo! Research on the other hand has a purpose to deliver science and it allows users to try out the latest in innovations! Sandbox from Yahoo! Research was built in order to give people a sneak peek at their company projects that are in the works. They literally created a “virtual playground” to try out their latest ideas. On their site they explain that they “believe in an open culture of collaboration” (Yahoo!, 2008), with their work reaching so many people, collaboration is key. Yahoo! for Good (according to their website) connects people with causes through their products and services, as well as through partnerships with nonprofits like Global Green, Network for Good, and DonorsChoose. A collaborative effort across the globe!
Yahoo! is a technologically advanced corporation with insights into the future of technology both on line and off line and they use a mix of strategic collaborative efforts to maintain their status across the globe. The company was founded in 1994 by Stanford Ph.D. students David Filo and Jerry Yang. “Yahoo! began as a hobby and has evolved into a leading global brand that has changed the way people communicate with each other, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information” (Yahoo!, 2008). So not only is Yahoo! fun to say, but the company is a leading innovator in communication and continues to work towards the future of technology.
Some fun facts about Yahoo!
There are 9x more Yahoo! Gamers than fans of the New York Times Sunday crossword!
If Yahoo! News were a printed publication, it would serve 16x more readers than USA Today!
The average Yahoo! Messenger chit-chat is 17 times longer than one on a cell phone!
Yahoo! Groups has more members than the number of International Red Cross volunteers!
It would take 50,000 planes to fly all of the Yahoo! Travel users on a group vacation!
References used from Yahoo! for this blog posting:
http://careers.yahoo.com/funfacts.php
http://forgood.yahoo.com/index.html
http://research.yahoo.com/
http://ycorpblog.com/
http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/press/overview.cfm
It's a Mii... Nintendo!
“Shigeru Miyamoto: You know, I didn't get a chance to see the Sony and Microsoft presentations for myself, but from what I've heard from people it sounds like they are going to be using cutting-edge technology, as are we. However, the way that they are planning on implementing that technology is obviously very different from the route that we're going to be taking. On the business side of things I see where we're going and I see where they're going and I'm not worried at all. I don't think it's going to influence us at all. We're good to go.” – Shigeru Miyamoto at E3 2005 from IGN Cube concerning the launch of the Nintendo Wii
Few comeback stories bring a smile to my face like Nintendo. Look back at the late 1980’s and early ‘90’s and the name Nintendo was synonymous with video games. Nintendo single-handedly revitalized the video game industry, and brought us back from the video game market crash of 1984. Nintendo continued to dominate, using strong-arm tactics, until Sega released the Sega Genesis in 1989. Here in the US, Sega gave Nintendo a run for its money (anyone remember blast processing from Sonic the Hedgehog).
Nintendo remained on top until an ill-fated collaboration with Sony collapsed, and the PlayStation was born. That story is the topic of another post, but the point is that by 1996, Nintendo was no longer on top, and even Sega was struggling against the Sony juggernaut. This marketing battle ultimately killed the Sega of the early 1990s, as the Sega of today is a platform agnostic software developer. Children of my era used the term “Nintendo” to mean video games, much like other brands like Coke and Kleenex are generalized. However, the children of today use “PlayStation,” as the Nintendo consoles of the mid ‘90’s failed to maintain its market hold.
Flash forward to 2005, and Nintendo begins to talk about revolutionizing the video game market with the Nintendo Revolution. Revolution was the code name for the console we now know as the Wii. Not much information was available on this new console, and what little information that was revealed indicated only marginal hardware improvements from the GameCube, and both Sony and Microsoft were touting high-definition and massive improvements form the then current generation. Nintendo did not seem like they cared about this, and did not comment much. There were several interviews (such as the E3 2005 interview with Miyamoto) where not much was said, and Nintendo made it clear that they thought Revolution was something special.
Christmas 2008, the Nintendo Wii has been on the market for a two full years, and is still hard to find. The little Nintendo console that could, continually outsells the technological superior Microsoft and Sony systems. Once again, people know Nintendo. Words like Wii and Mii now have meanings, and this system has crossed the vaunted casual/hardcore gamer barrier. How did this happen? Nintendo approached the concept of video games in a new way. Instead of making a more complex controller, they simplified it. A television remote style controller accomplishes navigation, and selections are made on “channels,” terminology that most people can understand, as opposed to having to learn new methods and concepts.
However, the biggest innovation made with the Wii, is how people communicate and interact with each other. Before the Wii, communication in video games occurred via chat rooms and sometimes voice chat systems that took some configuration and did not always work universally. Microsoft made strides in this idea with its Live service, but until recently, they had no face. Microsoft launched what is termed as the Xbox Live New Experience , which features avatars, that are distinctly Mii-like. They say that imiation is the sincerest form of flattery….
Say hello to Mii! The Mii is a unique avatar that is a prominent feature of the Nintendo Wii. You create your Mii when you setup the system, and this Mii is your face to the world. Games such as Wii Sports prominently feature this avatar as opposed to an impersonal publisher defined character. Plus this avatar is setup once, and follows you to other games. Most recently, the popular game Guitar Hero World Tour has a mode where your rocker on screen is your Mii.
Before the Wii was released, Nintendo started a program where they linked games purchased at retail, to their website. In all Nintendo published titles, there is a code that the owner can use to activate extra features at Nintendo.com, such as computer wallpapers and screen savers. This integration was taken to the next step with the Wii. The Nintendo codes are still included with games, but with the release of the Wii Shop Channel, the website is linked to the Wii interface. Pictures and previews of available items are featured at the website, but are accessible in the Wii Shop Channel (assuming you have it connected to the web) directly. So, people who may be intimidated with navigating a website, get the same information, right on the Wii.
This article has already gone on too long, but the last technology I want to talk about is a new device called the Wii Speak. This is a speakerphone attachment that just went live on 5 December 2008. Attaching the Wii Speak to your console, transforms your Wii into a personal communication device. You can new have two-way conversations with fellow Miis right on your Wii. Select a friend (by their Mii) in the address book, and you can send voice messages, even if they do not have a Wii Speak. The real breakthrough of the Wii Speak is the simplicity in its use.
Nintendo has embraced technology differently than its competitors, but as the sales show, Nintendo is the comeback kid.
Speaking of kids, I leave you with a little video that illustrates how I felt about Nintendo as a kid:
References:
IGN Cube, 7 Dec 2008. IGN Entertainment Games. 7 Dec 2008. http://cube.ign.com/
IGN Wii, 7 Dec 2008. IGN Entertainment Games. 7 Dec 2008. http://wii.ign.com/
Nintendo, 2008. Nintendo. 7 Dec 2008. http://www.nintendo.com/
VG Chartz.com. 7 Dec. 2008. VG Chartz. 7 Dec. 2008. http://www.vgchartz.com/
XBOX Live. Nov. 2008. Microsoft, 10 Dec 2008.
http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/live/nxe/
Few comeback stories bring a smile to my face like Nintendo. Look back at the late 1980’s and early ‘90’s and the name Nintendo was synonymous with video games. Nintendo single-handedly revitalized the video game industry, and brought us back from the video game market crash of 1984. Nintendo continued to dominate, using strong-arm tactics, until Sega released the Sega Genesis in 1989. Here in the US, Sega gave Nintendo a run for its money (anyone remember blast processing from Sonic the Hedgehog).
Nintendo remained on top until an ill-fated collaboration with Sony collapsed, and the PlayStation was born. That story is the topic of another post, but the point is that by 1996, Nintendo was no longer on top, and even Sega was struggling against the Sony juggernaut. This marketing battle ultimately killed the Sega of the early 1990s, as the Sega of today is a platform agnostic software developer. Children of my era used the term “Nintendo” to mean video games, much like other brands like Coke and Kleenex are generalized. However, the children of today use “PlayStation,” as the Nintendo consoles of the mid ‘90’s failed to maintain its market hold.
Flash forward to 2005, and Nintendo begins to talk about revolutionizing the video game market with the Nintendo Revolution. Revolution was the code name for the console we now know as the Wii. Not much information was available on this new console, and what little information that was revealed indicated only marginal hardware improvements from the GameCube, and both Sony and Microsoft were touting high-definition and massive improvements form the then current generation. Nintendo did not seem like they cared about this, and did not comment much. There were several interviews (such as the E3 2005 interview with Miyamoto) where not much was said, and Nintendo made it clear that they thought Revolution was something special.
Christmas 2008, the Nintendo Wii has been on the market for a two full years, and is still hard to find. The little Nintendo console that could, continually outsells the technological superior Microsoft and Sony systems. Once again, people know Nintendo. Words like Wii and Mii now have meanings, and this system has crossed the vaunted casual/hardcore gamer barrier. How did this happen? Nintendo approached the concept of video games in a new way. Instead of making a more complex controller, they simplified it. A television remote style controller accomplishes navigation, and selections are made on “channels,” terminology that most people can understand, as opposed to having to learn new methods and concepts.
However, the biggest innovation made with the Wii, is how people communicate and interact with each other. Before the Wii, communication in video games occurred via chat rooms and sometimes voice chat systems that took some configuration and did not always work universally. Microsoft made strides in this idea with its Live service, but until recently, they had no face. Microsoft launched what is termed as the Xbox Live New Experience , which features avatars, that are distinctly Mii-like. They say that imiation is the sincerest form of flattery….
Say hello to Mii! The Mii is a unique avatar that is a prominent feature of the Nintendo Wii. You create your Mii when you setup the system, and this Mii is your face to the world. Games such as Wii Sports prominently feature this avatar as opposed to an impersonal publisher defined character. Plus this avatar is setup once, and follows you to other games. Most recently, the popular game Guitar Hero World Tour has a mode where your rocker on screen is your Mii.
Before the Wii was released, Nintendo started a program where they linked games purchased at retail, to their website. In all Nintendo published titles, there is a code that the owner can use to activate extra features at Nintendo.com, such as computer wallpapers and screen savers. This integration was taken to the next step with the Wii. The Nintendo codes are still included with games, but with the release of the Wii Shop Channel, the website is linked to the Wii interface. Pictures and previews of available items are featured at the website, but are accessible in the Wii Shop Channel (assuming you have it connected to the web) directly. So, people who may be intimidated with navigating a website, get the same information, right on the Wii.
This article has already gone on too long, but the last technology I want to talk about is a new device called the Wii Speak. This is a speakerphone attachment that just went live on 5 December 2008. Attaching the Wii Speak to your console, transforms your Wii into a personal communication device. You can new have two-way conversations with fellow Miis right on your Wii. Select a friend (by their Mii) in the address book, and you can send voice messages, even if they do not have a Wii Speak. The real breakthrough of the Wii Speak is the simplicity in its use.
Nintendo has embraced technology differently than its competitors, but as the sales show, Nintendo is the comeback kid.
Speaking of kids, I leave you with a little video that illustrates how I felt about Nintendo as a kid:
References:
IGN Cube, 7 Dec 2008. IGN Entertainment Games. 7 Dec 2008. http://cube.ign.com/
IGN Wii, 7 Dec 2008. IGN Entertainment Games. 7 Dec 2008. http://wii.ign.com/
Nintendo, 2008. Nintendo. 7 Dec 2008. http://www.nintendo.com/
VG Chartz.com. 7 Dec. 2008. VG Chartz. 7 Dec. 2008. http://www.vgchartz.com/
XBOX Live. Nov. 2008. Microsoft, 10 Dec 2008.
http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/live/nxe/
The Connection of Young and Old Alike Through MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/
Chris DeWolfe points out, “Tom has a million ideas, and some of them are pretty good, some of them are a little wacky. But oh, this one was just a phenomenal idea” (DeWolfe).
Chris DeWolfe also notes, “It sounds crazy, but even in the first plan that I wrote up, I mentioned AOL, Yahoo! and Hotmail, knowing we would be big. And it’s crazy to think that it happened” (DeWolfe).
MySpace was founded in 2003 by former Friendster.com members Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. Anderson and DeWolfe both saw a chance and an opportunity to beat Friendster.com with more choices and selections and fewer limitations and constraints for social network users. “MySpace was purchased in 2005 for $580 million by Rupert Murdoch creator of a media empire that includes 20th Century Fox and the Fox television stations” (MySpace). “Google paid $900 million to be MySpace's search provider” (MySpace).
MySpace is a social networking website, which offers personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, videos and music for adults and teenagers alike around the world. The headquarters is in Beverly Hill, California. MySpace permits all the users to customize their personal profile pages by entering HTML. The users of MySpace also have the choice to add music to their profile pages via MySpace Music. During 2007 and 2008, MySpace redesigned the layout and the functionality. More updates to MySpace are a possibility for 2009.
Other features within MySpace are “MySpaceIM,” “MySpaceTV,” “MySpace News,” “MySpace Mobile,” “MySpace Classifieds,” “MySpace Karaoke,” “MySpace Polls,” and “MySpace Forums,”
The founders of MySpace, Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe were reported to have made approximately $15 million each off of the sale of MySpace. MySpace has been going strong since inception in 2003 and continues to grow in numbers of users daily.
References:
Baker, Loren. MySpace : History of Spam & Deception Exposed. September 12, 2006 http://tinyurl.com/6qbuht
MySpace Facts. http://tinyurl.com/6g6f84
The Men Behind MySpace: How Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson First Met http://tinyurl.com/6rq3n2
Wikipedia. MySpace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySpace
Chris DeWolfe points out, “Tom has a million ideas, and some of them are pretty good, some of them are a little wacky. But oh, this one was just a phenomenal idea” (DeWolfe).
Chris DeWolfe also notes, “It sounds crazy, but even in the first plan that I wrote up, I mentioned AOL, Yahoo! and Hotmail, knowing we would be big. And it’s crazy to think that it happened” (DeWolfe).
MySpace was founded in 2003 by former Friendster.com members Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. Anderson and DeWolfe both saw a chance and an opportunity to beat Friendster.com with more choices and selections and fewer limitations and constraints for social network users. “MySpace was purchased in 2005 for $580 million by Rupert Murdoch creator of a media empire that includes 20th Century Fox and the Fox television stations” (MySpace). “Google paid $900 million to be MySpace's search provider” (MySpace).
MySpace is a social networking website, which offers personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, videos and music for adults and teenagers alike around the world. The headquarters is in Beverly Hill, California. MySpace permits all the users to customize their personal profile pages by entering HTML. The users of MySpace also have the choice to add music to their profile pages via MySpace Music. During 2007 and 2008, MySpace redesigned the layout and the functionality. More updates to MySpace are a possibility for 2009.
Other features within MySpace are “MySpaceIM,” “MySpaceTV,” “MySpace News,” “MySpace Mobile,” “MySpace Classifieds,” “MySpace Karaoke,” “MySpace Polls,” and “MySpace Forums,”
Click here to MySpace Quick Tour Page - then "Learn what MySpace is all about".
The founders of MySpace, Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe were reported to have made approximately $15 million each off of the sale of MySpace. MySpace has been going strong since inception in 2003 and continues to grow in numbers of users daily.
References:
Baker, Loren. MySpace : History of Spam & Deception Exposed. September 12, 2006 http://tinyurl.com/6qbuht
MySpace Facts. http://tinyurl.com/6g6f84
The Men Behind MySpace: How Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson First Met http://tinyurl.com/6rq3n2
Wikipedia. MySpace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySpace
To Wikipedia or Not to Wikipedia
Rather than banning Wikipedia, why not make studying what it does and does not do part of the research and methods of our course.”
Davidson, C.N. (2007). We Can’t Ignore the Influence of Digital Technologies. Education Digest (Vol. 73 Issue 1, p15-18, 4p). Retrieved from Ebsco Host on November 25, 2008 from: http:web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=21&sid=55338e51-a246-4eb5beb9-e90399ea9…
The internet has brought about new and exciting ways to look up information for research. In an article in Education Digest, Cathy Davidson believes that instead of Colleges and Universities banning sites such as Wikipedia, we should use the sites to not only do research, but to also broaden our knowledge base . Wikipedia is a site that lets us share our knowledge (Davidson, 2007).
When doing research I have found that Wikipedia is a great starting point. I will read Wikipedia to get a history of the subject and from that point I am able to broaden my research. There is wealth of knowledge out there. Wikipedia is just one source with which we can gain knowledge. When doing research on the internet we need to use caution with any site which we are obtaining information from. Just as in life we can not always believe everything we hear, on the internet we can not always believe everything we read. It is a matter of using our common sense and best judgment.
Today’s Newspaper is Yesterdays Google Results
“People love to talk about the death of newspapers, as if it’s a foregone conclusion. I think that’s ridiculous,” Arianna Huffington says, “Traditional media just need to realize that the online world isn’t the enemy. In fact, it’s the thing that will save them, if they fully embrace it.”
This was a quote by Arianna Huffington who works for the Huffington post. The article talks about how the internet is starting to take over the newspaper. Consumers want their information up-to date, newspapers can not produce that fast. With a click of the button you can search for any piece of information you could possibly want. Let’s say you watching the news, you see something interesting but did not catch the full story. Just log in online and you can read a more in depth version from the News website. Newspaper companies are slowly starting to allow access to the daily papers online. You can now search through articles and even the classifieds. Sooner than you know the traditional newspapers will be extinct. It is a new generation geared towards technology and our traditional ways of life, such as the newspaper, need to keep up with the change in times.
References
Alterman, E. (2008, March 31). OUT OF PRINT. New Yorker, 84(7), 48-59. Retrieved December 6, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
This was a quote by Arianna Huffington who works for the Huffington post. The article talks about how the internet is starting to take over the newspaper. Consumers want their information up-to date, newspapers can not produce that fast. With a click of the button you can search for any piece of information you could possibly want. Let’s say you watching the news, you see something interesting but did not catch the full story. Just log in online and you can read a more in depth version from the News website. Newspaper companies are slowly starting to allow access to the daily papers online. You can now search through articles and even the classifieds. Sooner than you know the traditional newspapers will be extinct. It is a new generation geared towards technology and our traditional ways of life, such as the newspaper, need to keep up with the change in times.
References
Alterman, E. (2008, March 31). OUT OF PRINT. New Yorker, 84(7), 48-59. Retrieved December 6, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
In with the Old and Out with the New
Yes, you read it write. In with the old and out with the new. The latest trend shows businesses turning their focus from recruiting to retention. With the cost of acquiring new clients increasing, businesses are starting to put more emphasis on customer retention than customer recruiting. For the same cost of acquiring one new customer, a business can retain seven existing customers.
To help in retention, one of the latest tools for businesses is Interactive Mass Media. Interactive media such as online surveys and customer suggestions will help businesses know what to focus on. By understanding one’s current customer base, one can focus on improving operations or products to meet their customer’s needs. A business’ quality assurance program can also take advantage of Interactive Mass Media.
To further understand one’s customers, and to help build rapport, businesses should also offer their customers the ability to create an online profile. This will help businesses get a better understanding of their customer preferences and demographics. In turn this can offer new insights of their customers, and can help with the development of new services or products, even before the customers suggest it.
In conclusion, gathering and analyzing one’s current customer base will help businesses develop effective marketing strategies for both retention and new customer acquisition.
Works Cited
(July 24, 2008). Use interactive for customer retention and stay in business. New Media Age, 12. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from GaleNet database
To help in retention, one of the latest tools for businesses is Interactive Mass Media. Interactive media such as online surveys and customer suggestions will help businesses know what to focus on. By understanding one’s current customer base, one can focus on improving operations or products to meet their customer’s needs. A business’ quality assurance program can also take advantage of Interactive Mass Media.
To further understand one’s customers, and to help build rapport, businesses should also offer their customers the ability to create an online profile. This will help businesses get a better understanding of their customer preferences and demographics. In turn this can offer new insights of their customers, and can help with the development of new services or products, even before the customers suggest it.
In conclusion, gathering and analyzing one’s current customer base will help businesses develop effective marketing strategies for both retention and new customer acquisition.
Works Cited
(July 24, 2008). Use interactive for customer retention and stay in business. New Media Age, 12. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from GaleNet database
"Enough about you"
“Does it endanger what passes for the national conversation if we're all talking at once? What if "talking" means typing on a laptop, but the audience is too distracted to pay attention? The whole notion of "media" is now much more democratic, but what will the effect be on democracy?”
This quote is taken from an Editorial in Time magazine written by Brian Williams (anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News).
This quote draws our attention to a potentially dangerous effect that the blog culture, as well as some emerging “personalized” features of Mass Media, could have on people’s perception of world’s events and news. The recent burst in blog’s activities creates unlimited opportunities for everybody to get into Cyberspace and express one’s opinion but are they necessarily being heard? Should all of them to be heard? Would we find ourselves to be preoccupied with talking or with listening to only what we want to hear? Otherwise, as this editorial article noted correctly, we will become “too busy celebrating ourselves and listening to the same tune we already know by heart”.
This article emphasizes the important rising trend in Cyberspace that comes along with a dissemination of blogs – creation of personalized and one-sided “Universes” that are shut off to the incoming breeze of different views and analysis. I believe, many times blogs are overwhelmed by one person’s opinion (not surprisingly, by that blog’s host) even when it welcomes the opposite views. I would guess it has to do with Psychology - the blog sites are more likely to attract the posts from similar-minded people that are united under an umbrella of shared experiences and comfort of close interaction. That is important to keep in mind because, as once was said in another editorial article,- “... the blogs often resort to blood sport in their commentaries on politics and life, with many repeating and reporting without fact checking” (The Wild, Wild web).
If we take this tendency and multiply it by “television networks that already agree with your views, Internet programs ready to filter our all but news you want to hear” then, yes, we could form the soft informational cushion that does not disturb our personal world. After all, we usually have enough to worry about in our own lives than to add up more unfamiliar, “out-of-the-box" information to it. On the other hand, if we want to keep our mind active then we should intentionally keep it open to different sources of information as well.
References:
Enough about you (editorial). Williams, Brian. Time, 0040781X, 12/25/2006, Vol. 168 Issue 26, p78-78
The Wild, Wild Web. Zuckerman, Mortimer B.U.S. News & World Report; 12/5/2005, Vol. 139 Issue 21, p76-76
This quote is taken from an Editorial in Time magazine written by Brian Williams (anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News).
This quote draws our attention to a potentially dangerous effect that the blog culture, as well as some emerging “personalized” features of Mass Media, could have on people’s perception of world’s events and news. The recent burst in blog’s activities creates unlimited opportunities for everybody to get into Cyberspace and express one’s opinion but are they necessarily being heard? Should all of them to be heard? Would we find ourselves to be preoccupied with talking or with listening to only what we want to hear? Otherwise, as this editorial article noted correctly, we will become “too busy celebrating ourselves and listening to the same tune we already know by heart”.
This article emphasizes the important rising trend in Cyberspace that comes along with a dissemination of blogs – creation of personalized and one-sided “Universes” that are shut off to the incoming breeze of different views and analysis. I believe, many times blogs are overwhelmed by one person’s opinion (not surprisingly, by that blog’s host) even when it welcomes the opposite views. I would guess it has to do with Psychology - the blog sites are more likely to attract the posts from similar-minded people that are united under an umbrella of shared experiences and comfort of close interaction. That is important to keep in mind because, as once was said in another editorial article,- “... the blogs often resort to blood sport in their commentaries on politics and life, with many repeating and reporting without fact checking” (The Wild, Wild web).
If we take this tendency and multiply it by “television networks that already agree with your views, Internet programs ready to filter our all but news you want to hear” then, yes, we could form the soft informational cushion that does not disturb our personal world. After all, we usually have enough to worry about in our own lives than to add up more unfamiliar, “out-of-the-box" information to it. On the other hand, if we want to keep our mind active then we should intentionally keep it open to different sources of information as well.
References:
Enough about you (editorial). Williams, Brian. Time, 0040781X, 12/25/2006, Vol. 168 Issue 26, p78-78
The Wild, Wild Web. Zuckerman, Mortimer B.U.S. News & World Report; 12/5/2005, Vol. 139 Issue 21, p76-76
"Newspapers dig p the news. Others repackage it."
"Newspapers dig up the news. Others repackage it."
John S. Carroll, former editor of the Los Angeles Times
http://tiny.cc/pJICz
This quote epitomizes what newspapers are today. They are restricted by only being able to get their editions out on a daily basis while the internet news sites can get their information as soon as they can. Which leads to more people going to those sites rather than opening the paper the next morning to see what has been going on in the world? Resources such as the Los Angeles Times or the Chicago Tribune were valuable years ago but with the evolution of the internet and the up to the minute news, they are becoming less and less used by society. Everything the newspapers offers can be found on a computer, cell phone and palm pilot. In a society where we thirst for information right away these sources have dominated the mark.
Newspapers have followed the fad by putting up to the minute information on their websites – which helps but hurts as well. Newspapers now have to double the work, having an online team and a newspaper teams both trying to reach as many readers as they can. In the LA times sports section they advertize more stories one can read when logging on to the website. As time goes on people shouldn’t be surprised if newspapers become obsolete and everything is online…
John S. Carroll, former editor of the Los Angeles Times
http://tiny.cc/pJICz
This quote epitomizes what newspapers are today. They are restricted by only being able to get their editions out on a daily basis while the internet news sites can get their information as soon as they can. Which leads to more people going to those sites rather than opening the paper the next morning to see what has been going on in the world? Resources such as the Los Angeles Times or the Chicago Tribune were valuable years ago but with the evolution of the internet and the up to the minute news, they are becoming less and less used by society. Everything the newspapers offers can be found on a computer, cell phone and palm pilot. In a society where we thirst for information right away these sources have dominated the mark.
Newspapers have followed the fad by putting up to the minute information on their websites – which helps but hurts as well. Newspapers now have to double the work, having an online team and a newspaper teams both trying to reach as many readers as they can. In the LA times sports section they advertize more stories one can read when logging on to the website. As time goes on people shouldn’t be surprised if newspapers become obsolete and everything is online…
Move over Monopoly, here comes the MMO
“MMOs are graphical two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) videogames played online, allowing individuals, through their self-created digital characters or "avatars," to interact not only with the gaming software but with other players.”
- Quote from Where everybody knows your (screen) name: Online games as “third places” by Constance Steinkuehler and Dmitri Williams
With the recent launch of the insanely popular MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game expansion Wrath of the Lich King (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml), this topic seems even more relevant for today. World of Warcraft is presently the most popular online game with 11 million subscribers worldwide (http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/081028.html), and with that number of people, it is a force to be reckoned with. A venue with this many participants is a natural place for communication, and with WOW having a global community, culture plays a big role. With such a diverse subscriber base, WOW is culturally relevant and in some circles a household name. I am sure most of you have either played WOW, or know someone who has. Can a virtual environment like WOW be an effective communication tool? A typical MMO like WOW is a global playing field that has built in tools to allow real-time chat, and only needs a computer and an Internet connection. Basically, an MMO is a fancy social-networking site.
I have really only grazed the surface of my topic with this entry. The article delves into the concept of how MMOs are a socially relevant environment. It presents its case by using two independent research sources as proof. The basis of the article is what is known as the “third place”, where the first and second are home and work respectively. In this context, the venue of an MMO is this “third place,” a place for social interaction. It presents two divergent ideas, one that this virtual interaction is both good for social behavior and another that it is bad. I think that both of these ideas are true, as MMOs are populated by people, and people make or break social situations.
I will leave you with a quick trip to YouTube, where you can watch a trailer for the just released Wrath of the Lich King. Enjoy, and until next time.....
References
O’Connor, Debra L. and Menaker, Ellen S. (2008). Can massively multiplayer online gaming environments support team training? Performance Improvement Quarterly, 21(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/piq.20029
The Meaning of Cyberspace
"Cyberspace is the `place` where a telephone conversation appears to occur. Not inside your actual phone, the plastic device on your desk. Not inside the other person's phone, in some other city. _The_place_between_ the phones. The indefinate place _out_there_, where the two of you, human beings, actually meet and communicate" (Sterling).
The science fiction author, William Gibson first defined the word "cyberspace" when he “sought a name to describe his vision of a global computer network, linking all people, machines and sources of information in the world, and through which one could move or "navigate" as through a virtual space” (Heylighen, 1994).
"Cyber", refers to the discipline of science of cybernetics, which originates from the Greek verb "Kubernao", which translates to mean "to steer" or “to govern”. It portrays an impression or image of direction-finding or navigation through an area of electronic data. The word “space” has an immeasurable addition, including “so many things that they can never be grasped all at once” (Heylighen, 1994).
The word cyberspace is a synonym for the Internet, World-Wide Web (WWW) and virtual reality. Cyberspace is a shared means that individuals can control or manage their atmosphere or environment. Cyberspace is the way of the future and will continue to grow and manifest into something much more than it currently is.
Works cited
Sterling, Bruce. The Hacker Crackdown. Retrieved 3 December, 2008, from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CYBSPACE.html
Heylighen, F. Oct 17, 1994, Principia Cybernetica Web. Retrieved 3 December, 2008, from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CYBSPACE.html
The science fiction author, William Gibson first defined the word "cyberspace" when he “sought a name to describe his vision of a global computer network, linking all people, machines and sources of information in the world, and through which one could move or "navigate" as through a virtual space” (Heylighen, 1994).
"Cyber", refers to the discipline of science of cybernetics, which originates from the Greek verb "Kubernao", which translates to mean "to steer" or “to govern”. It portrays an impression or image of direction-finding or navigation through an area of electronic data. The word “space” has an immeasurable addition, including “so many things that they can never be grasped all at once” (Heylighen, 1994).
The word cyberspace is a synonym for the Internet, World-Wide Web (WWW) and virtual reality. Cyberspace is a shared means that individuals can control or manage their atmosphere or environment. Cyberspace is the way of the future and will continue to grow and manifest into something much more than it currently is.
Works cited
Sterling, Bruce. The Hacker Crackdown. Retrieved 3 December, 2008, from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CYBSPACE.html
Heylighen, F. Oct 17, 1994, Principia Cybernetica Web. Retrieved 3 December, 2008, from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CYBSPACE.html
The influence of the internet on "cyberteens"
"[Social] networking sites allow teens to find new friends and to build positive relationships while they develop communication skills....[but] sometimes such sites are seedbeds for cyberbullying, cyberscams, and cyberstalking" (http://tinyurlcom/5vwkg).
Social networking web sites such as MySpace and Facebook are becoming more and more popular among teenagers. These sites allow users to post profiles, share photos, write blogs, and send instant messages throughout an "online community". Teenagers are often unaware of the risks associated with the internet and may be more inclined to post personal information online.
Teachers, teenagers, and parents need to be aware of the resources available to them that are intended to make the internet a safer place for everyone. CyberSmart.org, WiredSafety.org, and SafeTeens.com are just a few of the sites dedicated to promoting online safety.
The internet influences us every time we hit connect. Advertisements, news stories, email, social networking; all of these things impact our lives on a daily basis. Online safety is an important issue in today's world. I reviewed the sites mentioned above, and I was surprised by the abundance of information out there concerning online safety. There are so many resources available to parents, teachers, and teenagers; it is a wonder so few people take advantage of them.
References
Pack, Thomas. (2006, April). Keeping Cyberteens Safe.
Link-Up Digital. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from
http://tinyurl.com/5vwkvg
Social networking web sites such as MySpace and Facebook are becoming more and more popular among teenagers. These sites allow users to post profiles, share photos, write blogs, and send instant messages throughout an "online community". Teenagers are often unaware of the risks associated with the internet and may be more inclined to post personal information online.
Teachers, teenagers, and parents need to be aware of the resources available to them that are intended to make the internet a safer place for everyone. CyberSmart.org, WiredSafety.org, and SafeTeens.com are just a few of the sites dedicated to promoting online safety.
The internet influences us every time we hit connect. Advertisements, news stories, email, social networking; all of these things impact our lives on a daily basis. Online safety is an important issue in today's world. I reviewed the sites mentioned above, and I was surprised by the abundance of information out there concerning online safety. There are so many resources available to parents, teachers, and teenagers; it is a wonder so few people take advantage of them.
References
Pack, Thomas. (2006, April). Keeping Cyberteens Safe.
Link-Up Digital. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from
http://tinyurl.com/5vwkvg
The influence of the Internet
“The Internet is probably most famous for the ability to spread information, fact or fiction”. http://www.cookieshouse.com/schoolprod/1018essa.htm
The Internet is used daily by many individuals around the world. The Internet has influenced the way individuals communicate (through e-mail or blog), learn and shop. A great deal of individuals rely on the internet to get the news from around the world, read their favorite newspaper, or magazine via the Internet. Individuals can research medication or an illness, not to say that whatever is being researched and is the fact or fiction. It is imperative to locate a valid source from which information is taken from. Anyone can post anything, but validity and authenticity is extremely important no matter what type of research is being done. The internet was a tremendously beneficial to Obama during the recent campaign, but it can also be devastating to someone else if lies were posted. During the presidential campaign – everyday when I logged on to the internet there was always something new and interesting to read about Obama.
In conclusion, anyone using the Internet should know their sources and really research their topic to know if what they are ready is bona fide and legitimate.
Works Cited
The influence of the Internet. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from http://www.cookieshouse.com/schoolprod/1018essa.htm
The Internet is used daily by many individuals around the world. The Internet has influenced the way individuals communicate (through e-mail or blog), learn and shop. A great deal of individuals rely on the internet to get the news from around the world, read their favorite newspaper, or magazine via the Internet. Individuals can research medication or an illness, not to say that whatever is being researched and is the fact or fiction. It is imperative to locate a valid source from which information is taken from. Anyone can post anything, but validity and authenticity is extremely important no matter what type of research is being done. The internet was a tremendously beneficial to Obama during the recent campaign, but it can also be devastating to someone else if lies were posted. During the presidential campaign – everyday when I logged on to the internet there was always something new and interesting to read about Obama.
In conclusion, anyone using the Internet should know their sources and really research their topic to know if what they are ready is bona fide and legitimate.
Works Cited
The influence of the Internet. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from http://www.cookieshouse.com/schoolprod/1018essa.htm
Use of Internet for President-Elect Obama
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"Barack Obama built the biggest network of supporters we've seen, using the Internet to do it".
Obama Election Ushering In First Internet Presidency; Pioneering use of Web 2.0 and social-networking technologies by the president-elect's campaign has seemingly transformed politics, and could influence government as well. Nov 5, 2008 pNAInformationWeek, p.NA. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:http://find.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
Obama Election Ushering In First Internet Presidency; Pioneering use of Web 2.0 and social-networking technologies by the president-elect's campaign has seemingly transformed politics, and could influence government as well. Nov 5, 2008 pNAInformationWeek, p.NA. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Academic OneFile via Gale:http://find.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE
That quote was from an informative and accurate article discussing the Internet and how it affected the recent (2008) presidential election, specifically how President-Elect Obama built the largest network of supporters in history. The article discusses the use of YouTube and other social networking sites and how it worked in Barack Obama’s favor to be on top of the technological changes in our world today, in particular the use of the Internet. During the campaign leading up to his election as president, Obama used the Internet (as well as other tools) to gain supporters, sign up volunteers, and to keep people updated. As the article notes, President-Elect Obama will only continue to build on his success with the Internet, thus people will be more informed than ever before about what is going on in politics and can do so by the simple click of a button. I was personally stuck by the information so readily available during his campaign and that is still available on his web site (http://www.barackobama.com/), where blogs can be read, speeches watched, donations made, and memorabilia purchased. Our next president (44th president) has tapped into something that is the wave of the future, the Internet and all it has to offer. Our politics will never be the same, in part because Barack Obama built the biggest network of supporters ever seen, using the Internet!
Google Apps - Great Collaboration Tool for Individuals & Groups
"The Web offers tools to allow groups to collaborate on documents and spreadsheets, and to build libraries of reference materials, project documents and shared to-do lists."
Forbes goes on to cover different companies technologies and programs to enable this collaboration. I would like to introduce all of you to the Google Apps for Your Domain which I am actually an end user of. This Forbes article hits on the main features of Google Apps including: Calendar, Docs and Spreadsheets, and notebook. I have found these services to be invaluable to me in my personal life. I utilize the free version of Google Apps and pay $10 per year to godaddy.com to have my own domain name registration. You can visit their site at http://www.google.com/a and setting your own site up is very easy. My wife and I utilize this site for posting pictures, our email accounts are setup via this site and it is very easy to add other family members and mailbox limitations. One of my favorite features of the Google Apps is the Google Docs which takes almost any type of file and lets you edit it as a group and then save as any Microsoft compatible file. The Calendar feature is great too because my wife can add important appointments to the calendar and remind me of certain items. It also syncs with Microsoft Outlook which is really cool! I would highly urge people looking for a custom email address, shared calendar capabilities, website creation and collaboration of documents to take a look at this neat product.
Link to the article can be found here:
http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2007/02/26/google-microsoft-bluetie-ent-tech-cx_mw_0226smallbizresource.html?partner=links
Forbes goes on to cover different companies technologies and programs to enable this collaboration. I would like to introduce all of you to the Google Apps for Your Domain which I am actually an end user of. This Forbes article hits on the main features of Google Apps including: Calendar, Docs and Spreadsheets, and notebook. I have found these services to be invaluable to me in my personal life. I utilize the free version of Google Apps and pay $10 per year to godaddy.com to have my own domain name registration. You can visit their site at http://www.google.com/a and setting your own site up is very easy. My wife and I utilize this site for posting pictures, our email accounts are setup via this site and it is very easy to add other family members and mailbox limitations. One of my favorite features of the Google Apps is the Google Docs which takes almost any type of file and lets you edit it as a group and then save as any Microsoft compatible file. The Calendar feature is great too because my wife can add important appointments to the calendar and remind me of certain items. It also syncs with Microsoft Outlook which is really cool! I would highly urge people looking for a custom email address, shared calendar capabilities, website creation and collaboration of documents to take a look at this neat product.
Link to the article can be found here:
http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2007/02/26/google-microsoft-bluetie-ent-tech-cx_mw_0226smallbizresource.html?partner=links
Fighting Suicide: The Internet or should we say The Supernet
According to A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed., “This new venture is helping us provide suicide prevention information to young people in an online space where they feel comfortable. Our MySpace page gives people an easily accessible link to important information about suicide prevention.”
John Barber
http://www.samhsa.gov/SAMHSA_NEWS/VolumeXV_4/article7.htm
Many people use the internet for blogging, emailing, and social networking everyday. However, several people also use the internet for a different type of social networking, emotional and suicidal outreach. Emotional and suicide support groups are become more and more popular on the internet. I believe the popularity of these support groups are growing due to the concealment of identity. A person seeking emotional aid can log on to support sites, without having to provide age, sex, or other identity characteristics. This may provide the person seeking support with a greater feeling of safety. Through the use of forums emotionally challenged people can discuss issues with support volunteers. In addition, the forums provide a scene for discussion between emotionally challenged people themselves. Perhaps forums discussions of this nature will help others on the internet see that they are not alone with their problems and feelings.
John Barber
Qatari Women Now Use Email More Than Men
"There is an expression in the U.S., "let your fingers do the walking," which encourages the use of e-communication as a link to others, Arab women who may have never heard that exact expression nevertheless are finding the internet serves as a convenient window on the world in an otherwise male-dominated society."
Why Women Use Email Disproportionately in Qatar: An Exploratory Study. Ali Al-Hail, Journal of Website Promotion;2005, Vol. 1 Issue 3, p 99 - 104, 6p
Qatar gained access to the internet in 1997 and Qatari women have seized the opportunity to connect to other cultures. Qatari women have limited freedom compared to men; however Qatari women are more educated and with the advent of the internet, Qatari women taking english courses has increased by 30% because they recognize the value of knowing the english language for communicating in a cyberspace setting.
Qatari women view the internet as a key ingredient to cultural change. Almost 60% of Qatari women use email and the Qatari women that were interviewed for this article, reported that email has brought about an enormous change in their social habits and thinking.
Are Our Children Safe Online?
“You’ll learn that some fears are overplayed, others are underplayed, and above all, that the Internet plays a huge part in adolescence now.”
While there are some big dangers out there, these can be over hyped by the media. There are online predators that prey on children, but if you were to watch the news one would think all of our children would have been approached by now, but that is not the case. As parents we need to be aware of these dangers and prepare our children for these, but it is not a reason to keep our children off the Internet.
The internet can be a wonderful place and be a great tool for learning and communication. It is important that our children are comfortable with this medium. As parents we need to teach our children how to use this new tool, but also how to deal with some of the dangers that come with it just as we teach our children about the dangers of strangers on the street.
We need to remember that danger is everywhere, online or not. This is no reason to scare ourselves about what can happen online because it can happen everywhere. We need to prepare our children and give them the tools they need to succeed themselves and give them the knowledge to protect themselves.
Weblogs Are To Words What Napster Was To Music
Weblogs Are To Words What Napster Was To Music.
“Weblogs are to words what Napster was to music.”
Sullivan, A. (2002).The blogging revolution. Retrieved on October 17, 2008 from:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.05/mustread.html?pg=2
Blogging has definitely exploded since 1994 when it was sometimes called the inspired writings of online diaries(Sullivan, 2002). Sullivan (2002) goes on to say that there are blogs for just about anything anyone cares to talk about and that blogs can be as well sourced as journalism but have the immediacy of talk radio.
It is refreshing to be able to remark to the commentator about his/her article even if it is online; at least one can express an opinion. Just listen how often someone watching a television program or listening to radio talks to the program, they know that their remarks cannot be heard but it feels good to express their opinion. When people read news articles or magazines the conversation is one sided ;readers often doubt the credibility of the source, blogging allows for an exchange of information.
The internet allows bloggers to reach millions of people across the globe for free other than the cost of the internet provider; blogging is a forum that can be used for entertainment, exchange of information, conversation ,sell products, act as support groups, and also promote many other types of products, the options seem endless.
jb
“Weblogs are to words what Napster was to music.”
Sullivan, A. (2002).The blogging revolution. Retrieved on October 17, 2008 from:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.05/mustread.html?pg=2
Blogging has definitely exploded since 1994 when it was sometimes called the inspired writings of online diaries(Sullivan, 2002). Sullivan (2002) goes on to say that there are blogs for just about anything anyone cares to talk about and that blogs can be as well sourced as journalism but have the immediacy of talk radio.
It is refreshing to be able to remark to the commentator about his/her article even if it is online; at least one can express an opinion. Just listen how often someone watching a television program or listening to radio talks to the program, they know that their remarks cannot be heard but it feels good to express their opinion. When people read news articles or magazines the conversation is one sided ;readers often doubt the credibility of the source, blogging allows for an exchange of information.
The internet allows bloggers to reach millions of people across the globe for free other than the cost of the internet provider; blogging is a forum that can be used for entertainment, exchange of information, conversation ,sell products, act as support groups, and also promote many other types of products, the options seem endless.
jb
The Wonderful World Of Email
“You might think you know what you've said, but have you?”
Evans, Clare. (2008, September) Communicating Online And The World Of Email. Articles Base. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/communicating-online-and-the-world-of-email-575117.html
This quote came from an article discussing a topic we covered earlier in class – email etiquette. I liked this article because it talked about how emails can easily be misinterpreted. It’s very important in emails to just get to the point and say what you have to say. Many times, people try to be funny or speak around a subject rather than just say what they want to say. This could cause trouble because you never know how your recipient is taking the message. I don’t know how many emails I’ve received where I’m confused about what the person is trying to say and when I finally figure it out, I think why didn’t you just say that? I really enjoyed reading this article and I found that there were many good tips about email etiquette in this article, but I think we covered all of them in our forum when we discussed this topic.
Evans, Clare. (2008, September) Communicating Online And The World Of Email. Articles Base. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/communicating-online-and-the-world-of-email-575117.html
This quote came from an article discussing a topic we covered earlier in class – email etiquette. I liked this article because it talked about how emails can easily be misinterpreted. It’s very important in emails to just get to the point and say what you have to say. Many times, people try to be funny or speak around a subject rather than just say what they want to say. This could cause trouble because you never know how your recipient is taking the message. I don’t know how many emails I’ve received where I’m confused about what the person is trying to say and when I finally figure it out, I think why didn’t you just say that? I really enjoyed reading this article and I found that there were many good tips about email etiquette in this article, but I think we covered all of them in our forum when we discussed this topic.
Some Patients are Finding More Help in Cyberspace Than in Their Own Doctors Offices
Ferguson. (1997).Health care in cyberspace: patients lead a revolution. The Futurist [Electronic version].31.n6 (Nov-Dec 1997):29(5). Retrieved on October 12, 2008 from Academic OneFile. Gale.BCR Regis University.Patients are leading a revolution in cyberspace. They are using the internet to research health conditions, participate in on-line support groups for various health problems and find resources for their diagnosis that may not be available from a primary care provider. Cyberspace self help communities can be utilized by anyone with access to the internet. Many of these self help sites have volunteer health professionals who are experts on the topics being discussed. Patients can ask questions about conditions and receive an answer from a trained medical professional. While visitors to the sites are encouraged to play an active role in their own care, self diagnosis is not encouraged. Health care providers do not always have time to spend with their patients leaving unanswered questions and anxiety about their health and well being; cyberspace self help sites are filling this void. Self helpers aren’t always seeking treatment options but answers to their questions from knowledgeable people, share concerns with others who understand how they feel, and glean insight from others in the self help environment.
jb
jb
Second Life: a glimpse into the future of online communication
"It's not that Second Life itself will become a dominant Internet destination like the Web. Instead, it represents a model that is likely to become the next approach to online content."
[Holtz, S. (2007). Another World. Communication World, 24 (3), p. 16-19.]
Second Life has off and on generated a buzz by sheer dint of its existence. The concept is simple, to take a platform similar to the MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games) and turn it into a networking site. It's like Facebook meets World of Warcraft. Bigger than just a website, it allows both private parties and corporations to create an online presence, a "storefront," in a three dimensional world, rather than simply generating a website. Allowing for interactivity at levels previously unimagined, Second Life (and other platforms like it) bring users to companies in a fashion unprecedented by previous Internet technology. Among these capabilities include real-time presentations, conferences and meetings as well as protests (for example the Italian worker protest against IBM in 2007). Although it has its flaws, it provides a promising look at the future of Internet communication, not only where companies can generate a presence, but where consumers can interact in real time with the company and other users.
[Holtz, S. (2007). Another World. Communication World, 24 (3), p. 16-19.]
Second Life has off and on generated a buzz by sheer dint of its existence. The concept is simple, to take a platform similar to the MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games) and turn it into a networking site. It's like Facebook meets World of Warcraft. Bigger than just a website, it allows both private parties and corporations to create an online presence, a "storefront," in a three dimensional world, rather than simply generating a website. Allowing for interactivity at levels previously unimagined, Second Life (and other platforms like it) bring users to companies in a fashion unprecedented by previous Internet technology. Among these capabilities include real-time presentations, conferences and meetings as well as protests (for example the Italian worker protest against IBM in 2007). Although it has its flaws, it provides a promising look at the future of Internet communication, not only where companies can generate a presence, but where consumers can interact in real time with the company and other users.
Blog #2 Week 7
"As discussed earlier, receiving no reply from an e-mail companion makes a person wonder. Did I say something wrong? Am I being rejected? Did something bad happen to him? Yet another feature of the ambiguity of cyberspace, this black hole experience tends draws out one's anxieties and insecurities."
The above quote was from John Suler's The Psychology of Cyberspace (http://www-usr.rider.edu) and brings to light one of the bad things that happens when communicating in cyberspace. I truely think we have all had this experience at one point or another. Adding to the quote we sometimes think "did my communication even get there"? When communicating with someone else, we need to be sure that we respond in a timely manner so the person on the other end doesn't feel like the quote.
The above quote was from John Suler's The Psychology of Cyberspace (http://www-usr.rider.edu) and brings to light one of the bad things that happens when communicating in cyberspace. I truely think we have all had this experience at one point or another. Adding to the quote we sometimes think "did my communication even get there"? When communicating with someone else, we need to be sure that we respond in a timely manner so the person on the other end doesn't feel like the quote.
A Human-Centered Approach to Online Learning
A Human-Centered Approach to Online Learning
"The online learning environment presents the greatest example of transactional distance and the trappings that come with it. Distance education has been thought of as the physical separation that leads to a psychological and communications gap, a space for potential misunderstanding between the inputs of the instructor and those of the learner." (Moore, 1991)
A Human-Centered Approach Towards Instructional Technology: Impact of Presence and Engagement on Satisfaction in Online Courses (Top Student Paper).Conference Papers -- International Communication Association; 2007 Annual Meeting, p1-1, Bimal Balakrishnan and Keston Pierre
One reason that so many traditional students fear taking online courses is that they are afraid that there will be no social presence or instructor presence to guide them. This student research paper examines the need for social, teacher and meaningful engagement for learner satisfaction in online courses. Without a human-centered approach, students struggle to engage with the course material. Students in traditional classes might be more willing to enroll in an online course if they knew that a human-centered approach was valued and encouraged by their educational institution
Microsoft OneNote Helps Students with Organization & Time Management
In regards to utilizing technology online to making your online learning journey easier at Regis:
According to Dr. Spero, Professor at the University of Toronto, “The demand for having electronic materials has skyrocketed; students are quite vocal in requesting the Microsoft technology (Microsoft OneNote) in the classroom” (Microsoft, 2005, section, “More Effective Note-taking”). At a cost of about $100 for the software, utilizing Microsoft OneNote to be more productive is a small investment with the potential for great returns. Adult learners who combine the use of OneNote with the use of another popular technology, a Personal Digital Assistant, will increase their time management skills even more. I have utilized this product a couple of times and find the notebook feature and the ability to drag and drop multiple sources of information in order to reference later very appealing. It helps to reduce time looking for documents or sources because you can have all of the relevant information in one tab. I would recommend this software to anyone who is looking at buying a new computer and needs to purchase Microsoft Office products anyways.
According to Dr. Spero, Professor at the University of Toronto, “The demand for having electronic materials has skyrocketed; students are quite vocal in requesting the Microsoft technology (Microsoft OneNote) in the classroom” (Microsoft, 2005, section, “More Effective Note-taking”). At a cost of about $100 for the software, utilizing Microsoft OneNote to be more productive is a small investment with the potential for great returns. Adult learners who combine the use of OneNote with the use of another popular technology, a Personal Digital Assistant, will increase their time management skills even more. I have utilized this product a couple of times and find the notebook feature and the ability to drag and drop multiple sources of information in order to reference later very appealing. It helps to reduce time looking for documents or sources because you can have all of the relevant information in one tab. I would recommend this software to anyone who is looking at buying a new computer and needs to purchase Microsoft Office products anyways.
Women's Health In Africa
“The way the world is going, if you are not connected, you do not exist…Access to information is an essential tool for empowering an individual.” Mayer, D. & Pillsbury, B. (2005). Women Connect! Strengthening Communications to Meet Sexual and Reproductive Health Challenges. Journal of Health Communication, Vol. 10, Issue 4, p364
This quote came from an article discussing the issues with women’s health in Africa. Specifically, the article was discussing how to get information out to women about their rights and health in Africa where men generally dominate the world of education and technology. It kind of goes hand in hand with the oh-so-popular phrase “ignorance is bliss”. When I saw this particular quote, I thought it was the perfect explanation for why the internet is important in Africa today. Through the internet, African women have gained so much; they are able to learn about things going on in the world and about opportunities available to them. They are also able to share information with others through the internet. It’s almost as if the internet has given African women a voice and a freedom that they did not have previously. In a place where women aren’t often afforded the opportunity to be educated beyond grade school, if at all, the internet has given them another way to gain valuable information that they may not have otherwise received.
This quote came from an article discussing the issues with women’s health in Africa. Specifically, the article was discussing how to get information out to women about their rights and health in Africa where men generally dominate the world of education and technology. It kind of goes hand in hand with the oh-so-popular phrase “ignorance is bliss”. When I saw this particular quote, I thought it was the perfect explanation for why the internet is important in Africa today. Through the internet, African women have gained so much; they are able to learn about things going on in the world and about opportunities available to them. They are also able to share information with others through the internet. It’s almost as if the internet has given African women a voice and a freedom that they did not have previously. In a place where women aren’t often afforded the opportunity to be educated beyond grade school, if at all, the internet has given them another way to gain valuable information that they may not have otherwise received.
Microblogs, the new blogging
“Microblogs are short text messages -- a phrase or two -- that you send to a chosen circle of friends and relatives, usually describing what you're up to at that very moment.”
Reference: Web Is Now So Filled With Idle Chat, It's Almost Like Phoning
Lee Gomes. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Jul 11, 2007. pg. B.1
Today there are blogs all over the internet. You can find blogs about anything from what someone is doing every day to their political views or even personal things about ones family. With blogs being widely used by everyone it was only a matter of time before someone invented a blog for cell phones. With a cell phone blog, it is now possible to blog from anywhere at anytime letting everyone know what is going on in your life.
Reference: Web Is Now So Filled With Idle Chat, It's Almost Like Phoning
Lee Gomes. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Jul 11, 2007. pg. B.1
Today there are blogs all over the internet. You can find blogs about anything from what someone is doing every day to their political views or even personal things about ones family. With blogs being widely used by everyone it was only a matter of time before someone invented a blog for cell phones. With a cell phone blog, it is now possible to blog from anywhere at anytime letting everyone know what is going on in your life.
Voice Communication in Online Gaming
Quote: "When you add voice, you now have neither a normal online gaming experience or a normal voice experience."
Reference: Karpinski, R. (2008, March 31). Online gaming finds its voice. Telephony, Retrieved October 3, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
I been gaming ever since I was a little boy, and I never thought gaming would be where it is today. I have friends all over the United States and the chat feature in gaming has brought me closer to most of them. I no longer need to call a friend in order to talk to him all I need is my Xbox 360 and an Internet connection. There is no worrying about going over minutes, roaming, or any dumb phone charge a person can think of. I am a person that doesn’t like to talk on the phone so being able to play a game with a friend, and talk to him at the same time through a private voice chat is a one of the best ways for me to communicate. Now don’t get me wrong voice communication in online games has its bad side too. The one thing that I don’t like about it is that people are able to say whatever they want and sometime people just get out of hand, but I guess that’s why they have a mute button for each player. I see the future of voice in online gaming growing in the next couple of months as Xbox plans to make avatars available to gamers adding another way to enjoy voice communication in online gaming.
How Private Can We Be Online?
“Every time we use eBay or write a Gmail, we make a trade-off between body, technology and nature by allowing our data to become part of that organization’s knowledge base.”
Thomas, Sue (2006). The End of Cyberspace and Other Surprises. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, Vol. 12, No. 4, 383-391.
Do we really understand how much information is stored about every little thing done online? A thing as simple as information about the sale of an item is stored, along with personal information. This information, along with all other info stored can be used in the future to help with the development of this product. It shows the demographic that is most likely to purchase this item. If it is something electronic, this item may be able to connect online and find updates to improve itself. Nothing we do is private. We get better service when our information is collected and that is the trade off.
But does this collected information hurt us. While it is possible that it could, it most likely won’t. Most companies aren’t collecting our names and addresses to learn about us in general, but use this information as a demographic so they can better their service or product. They do not know us personally; our name is no different than a number to most. They gather this information to compare how different demographics react or purchase their product.
That being said, it is still important to know what information you are sharing with others and that it can be found, and this isn’t restricted to the internet. You have your name, address and phone number published in a phone book unless you request it to be unlisted. This information can be found by anybody and is much of what companies collect.
While having your information stored into a database may not be harmful, it is important to remain cautious and aware of what information is out there.
Thomas, Sue (2006). The End of Cyberspace and Other Surprises. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, Vol. 12, No. 4, 383-391.
Do we really understand how much information is stored about every little thing done online? A thing as simple as information about the sale of an item is stored, along with personal information. This information, along with all other info stored can be used in the future to help with the development of this product. It shows the demographic that is most likely to purchase this item. If it is something electronic, this item may be able to connect online and find updates to improve itself. Nothing we do is private. We get better service when our information is collected and that is the trade off.
But does this collected information hurt us. While it is possible that it could, it most likely won’t. Most companies aren’t collecting our names and addresses to learn about us in general, but use this information as a demographic so they can better their service or product. They do not know us personally; our name is no different than a number to most. They gather this information to compare how different demographics react or purchase their product.
That being said, it is still important to know what information you are sharing with others and that it can be found, and this isn’t restricted to the internet. You have your name, address and phone number published in a phone book unless you request it to be unlisted. This information can be found by anybody and is much of what companies collect.
While having your information stored into a database may not be harmful, it is important to remain cautious and aware of what information is out there.
Generation Technology: Advanced or Falling Behind??
When referencing how kids study information on the internet according to Dr. Alan Simon, “If it’s good, they go with it. If not, they don’t. It’s called ‘Internet thinking.’ They don’t have a [Walter Cronkite]. We can help kids sort through the internet cacophony by discussing with them what they find there.”
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Moving On: Plugged In, but Tuned Out: Getting Kids To Connect to the Non-Virtual World
Jeffrey Zaslow. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition).
The technology that exists today greatly increases the amount of communication that takes place. Whether a person uses their cell phone to check an email, their computer to peek at their favorite blog, or a business sends a fax to ‘seal the deal’ on a purchase, there is no doubt that the world has become a way different place than what previous generations lived. But can everyone agree that the technology available today provides proper information and communication? Previous generations relied on books, newspapers, and other periodicals to gather information and develop notions. The ‘technological generation’ can be lazy when gaining information for research. I tend to wonder if the lust for new ideas is sometimes lost with the benefits of being able to search Wikipedia, Google, or biased blogs. I can only hope that current and future generations will decipher between opinions and facts on the internet as the ease and robustness of technology continues to grow.
The next iteration of news transformation
"If contemporary American journalism is a lecture, what it is evolving into is something that incorporates a conversation and seminar." - Dan Gillmore
[Gillmor, Dan. (Fall 2003) Moving toward participatory journalism. Nieman Reports 57.3: 79(2).]
The Internet is a transformative technology, one which has the ability to take existing forms of communication and culture and to take them to entirely new levels. One of the best examples of this is the evolution of news reporting since the inception of the Internet. Now not only do news agencies have their own website, but bloggers across the world have in the past ten years begun to comment on the news. The next iteration of news transformation, then, incorporates these two aspects of the news into one coherent whole that not only provides more information to the viewer at the stroke of a couple keys, but additionally makes the news interactive, a forum for learning rather than a static medium for information. This not only allows the consumers of the end product of news to become part of the process, but brings every aspect of the process – the event, the reporter, the reporting medium and the consumer - into a generative cycle that provides a more integrated approach to journalism.
Communication Companies Learning From the Railroad Industry
“Email companies, phone companies, cell phone companies, instant messaging companies, and VolP companies all need to realize that they are in the communications business or they will become obsolete one day (Gerlinghouse, 2006). This quote by Brad Gerlinghouse (Senior Vice President of Communications at Yahoo) made this quote having railroad companies from the past in mind. What do railroad companies have to do with online communication and communication as a whole? Well, Brad reminded a group of business students at Harvard that railroad companies declined because they assumed they were in the railroad business, when actually they were in the transportation business (Gerlinghouse, 2006). The point is that communicating online, or in any form, is here to stay, and if companies want to stay in business and contribute to online communication they better be wise and not rest on their laurels. Innovation, collaboration, and thinking ahead are the ingredients that communication companies need to have if they want to remain relevant in the future.
http://media.www.harbos.org/media/storage/paper.343/news/2006/09/18/News/Techmedia.Latest.Trends.In.Online
http://media.www.harbos.org/media/storage/paper.343/news/2006/09/18/News/Techmedia.Latest.Trends.In.Online
To Print Or Not To Print That Is The Question
"It's going to be really bloody, incredibly devastating," Potts predicts. "And I think there are going to be a lot of major metros that don't make it (Potts, 2008)." This statement is the opinion of Mark Potts, a newspaper consultant, on the future of the print newspaper in an online world. To gain information it is becoming more common to get the news from the Internet than it is from the print newspaper. In a busy world one can find local news as well as world news quicker on the Internet than they can by reading several different newspapers. Online newspapers also give one the ability to read newspapers from areas that they did not previously have access to. It is not just the ease of online news that is impacting print news, but the loss of revenue as well. Print newspapers are feeling the pressure of the loss of advertisers and customers which in turn is impacting the revenue of the newspaper. Only time will tell if Mark Potts is correct or if the print newspaper will rise to the occasion and fight for their existence.
References
Layton, C. (Jun/July 2008). American Journalism Review. Vol. 30 (3) pp 34-39. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/ehost/.
Internet Research....Influences our Purchases
“Nearly half of all retail purchases will be influenced by consumers' research on the Internet.”
Most of us are going so fast in the world today that we do not even realize that we are right in the middle history being made. Technology is changing so fast and we are evolving as a society that I don’t think we are stopping to smell the roses. Moving at such a fast pace is driving the market to change and keep us looking for the next best thing. We can access the internet on the computer and now on our mobile phones, As we continue to evolve in our use of technology, the marketing genius out there will figure out a way better way to deliver us the message. Next time you are in Best Buy, pop out your phone and compare prices with Circuit City or even Amazon and ensure we are getting the best product at the best possible price.
Schatsky, David. "The web's new frontier: how the internet economy is reshaping American business in '07.(OPINION)." MEDIAWEEK 17.2 (Jan 8, 2007): 11(1). Academic OneFile. Gale. BCR Regis University. 1 Aug. 2008.
Most of us are going so fast in the world today that we do not even realize that we are right in the middle history being made. Technology is changing so fast and we are evolving as a society that I don’t think we are stopping to smell the roses. Moving at such a fast pace is driving the market to change and keep us looking for the next best thing. We can access the internet on the computer and now on our mobile phones, As we continue to evolve in our use of technology, the marketing genius out there will figure out a way better way to deliver us the message. Next time you are in Best Buy, pop out your phone and compare prices with Circuit City or even Amazon and ensure we are getting the best product at the best possible price.
Schatsky, David. "The web's new frontier: how the internet economy is reshaping American business in '07.(OPINION)." MEDIAWEEK 17.2 (Jan 8, 2007): 11(1). Academic OneFile. Gale. BCR Regis University. 1 Aug. 2008
Information Overload!
I found one of the more interesting articles that I read as part of my research to be 'Explaining the Relationship between Internet Use and Interpersonal Trust: Taking into Account Motivation and Information Overload' by Beaudoin. This is possibly due to the fact that I was in the midst of information overload as I was conducting my research! I found that:
"The inverse path from perceived information overload to interpersonal trust makes sense in that people's perceptions of information overload can lead to the termination and diminished effects of information processing (Hiltz & Turoff, 1985; Rogers & Agarwala-Rogers, 1975). While Internet use predicts interpersonal trust, it appears that this development can be undermined during instances of information overload."
Was an applicable quote to experiences that I have had while researching using the Internet. I often experience a great degree of information overload while extracting information from the web. This overload leads to a condition of distrust of the information that I am reading. Publishers on the Internet are often very willing to express their opinions but there is no accountability to correlate them to existing opinions. Piling all of these opinions into the various blogs, forums, and websites of the Internet makes searches for information often return many many results, without corrolation between the sources or frequently any follow-up as ideas are objected to.
Researchers should bear this in mind as they are seeking information on the web. Using good researching skills is imperative as is maintaining a level mind.
"The inverse path from perceived information overload to interpersonal trust makes sense in that people's perceptions of information overload can lead to the termination and diminished effects of information processing (Hiltz & Turoff, 1985; Rogers & Agarwala-Rogers, 1975). While Internet use predicts interpersonal trust, it appears that this development can be undermined during instances of information overload."
Was an applicable quote to experiences that I have had while researching using the Internet. I often experience a great degree of information overload while extracting information from the web. This overload leads to a condition of distrust of the information that I am reading. Publishers on the Internet are often very willing to express their opinions but there is no accountability to correlate them to existing opinions. Piling all of these opinions into the various blogs, forums, and websites of the Internet makes searches for information often return many many results, without corrolation between the sources or frequently any follow-up as ideas are objected to.
Researchers should bear this in mind as they are seeking information on the web. Using good researching skills is imperative as is maintaining a level mind.
Earning online degrees
“Earning an online bachelors degree is a perfect way for individuals that are currently employed full time to further their careers. By studying online individuals can keep their regular job and still earn a degree in record time” (Jackson 2007). This almost sounds like a “sales pitch”! When I looked into going back to school I did not want to take classroom studies because I did not think I could attend classes on a regular schedule. I thought it would be EASIER to take online classes. Online classes are more expensive and I have to believe require more work. Yes it is a convenience to work from home and I am learning so much and enjoy every online class I have taken at Regis but there are times that I think that promoting online classes is a sales pitch to get people who cannot attend classroom studies (old guys like me) on a regular basis to give the institution more revenue. Education is what you make of it and it doesn’t matter if you take online courses or classroom courses. I definitely would promote online classes for the education you get opposed to the convenience.
References:
Jackson, Joyce, (2007), Advantages to Completing An Online Bachelors Degree, retrieved from internet http://www.study-online.net/articles/1620.html
References:
Jackson, Joyce, (2007), Advantages to Completing An Online Bachelors Degree, retrieved from internet http://www.study-online.net/articles/1620.html
Internet Addiction
“Internet addiction has become a prevailing problem in the modern wired society.” (Liu, C. and Kuo, F. 2007, pg 799.)
This article published in CyberPsychology & Behavior states that Internet addiction has become more prevalent not just domestically but globally as well. Although the article itself had a very scientific abstract based on Interpersonal Theory, it’s not difficult to figure out in laymen’s terms just how this technologically advanced tool has changed the world around us. Although “addiction” is not necessarily a word that most would want to accept as true with regard to the Internet, it seems as if this term is here to stay. Children and teenagers are addicted to such web sites as MySpace and Facebook. Adults can find themselves in trouble on gambling and pornography web sites. Some individuals who have social anxiety often use chat rooms – even if only innocently – to communicate with others in a way they normally would not be able to face-to-face. It is easy to understand why the Internet can have such an effect on people. Unfortunately, it can – and has – become a breeding ground for more problems for those who are truly addicted.
http://web.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=21&sid=50e7dbce-3685-4ea5-acc7-b93c6a56107a%40sessionmgr7&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=27949165
This article published in CyberPsychology & Behavior states that Internet addiction has become more prevalent not just domestically but globally as well. Although the article itself had a very scientific abstract based on Interpersonal Theory, it’s not difficult to figure out in laymen’s terms just how this technologically advanced tool has changed the world around us. Although “addiction” is not necessarily a word that most would want to accept as true with regard to the Internet, it seems as if this term is here to stay. Children and teenagers are addicted to such web sites as MySpace and Facebook. Adults can find themselves in trouble on gambling and pornography web sites. Some individuals who have social anxiety often use chat rooms – even if only innocently – to communicate with others in a way they normally would not be able to face-to-face. It is easy to understand why the Internet can have such an effect on people. Unfortunately, it can – and has – become a breeding ground for more problems for those who are truly addicted.
http://web.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=21&sid=50e7dbce-3685-4ea5-acc7-b93c6a56107a%40sessionmgr7&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=27949165
First Article Review from Week 5 Cyberspace Class
“In 2002 and beyond, we can expect to change the way we communicate with patients” (Baum, 2002, pg.1). Doctor Baum’s quote six years ago is nothing less than prophetic. In the past, if you were to go to the doctor for a blood test or x-ray you would have to wait a few weeks to get your test results. In addition, you would also have to call the doctor’s office to discuss your results with your doctor. Nowadays, no one has time to play phone tag. Besides, phone tag is very inconvenient. In fact, playing phone tag is down right bothersome. Because of technology and the internet many doctor’s offices have been able to avoid the waiting inconveniences of the past. Doctors can now send a confidential email to a patient within 24 hours if that patient wishes to communicate by e-mail. The internet may have its critics; but any type of technology that can make the average doctor’s visit more comfortable and efficient is something all of us can appreciate.
Times, U. (2002). Consider communicating with your patients online: develop guidelines, patient-selection criteria, and methods to protect patient privacy. Retrieved July 28, 2008 from http://find.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/itx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resul..
Times, U. (2002). Consider communicating with your patients online: develop guidelines, patient-selection criteria, and methods to protect patient privacy. Retrieved July 28, 2008 from http://find.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/itx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resul..
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