Category Archives: Technology

Facebook Home: Potentially capable, or dead on arrival?

Posted on by
Reply

Picture this: you go to a supermarket and you’re strolling down the frozen food section. You stop and take a moment to look at the pizza. Mmm – pizza. Just as you’re about to pop your selection in your cart, someone next to you pipes up. They tell you just how terrible that brand is, urging you not to buy it, saying it’s too salty, the cheese isn’t organic, and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Recently, it seems like Facebook Home has become the Internet equivalent of that frozen pizza supermarket debacle.

Facebook Home has been attracting a lot of discussion these days. The new ‘apperating system’ for Android was much-anticipated and the results have been, to put it kindly, lukewarm. The program has only 500,000 to one million installs to its name, a fraction of Facebook’s supposed billion-plus user base.

As of this writing, reviews of the platform average at 2.2 out of 5 stars. Among the criticisms seen, the most common were how the app managed to drain the battery in no time and how the app itself should have had more functionality. The interface has an unpolished feel – but even this minimal version can assure that the phone will die faster than the meme of the week. This knowledge is probably why so many Facebook users haven’t taken the plunge to install it.

I seem to have a bad habit of being critical about new tech, but I believe that Facebook Home has a chance of becoming a more effective program. A few changes are needed though:

  1. For an apperating system connected with such a social media conglomerate, Facebook Home doesn’t truly boast that many features, apart from full-screen status updates. Why not integrate this into the previously established Facebook app, which, by comparison, is pretty robust and fleshed-out? It’s difficult to fathom why users are expected to jump between these two apps – it makes the whole process of using your phone more arduous and annoying. No, an integrated version wouldn’t get that many downloads, but it’d be a simpler option for fans to utilize, and could avoid that sad, half-lit star rating.
  2. The battery problem has to be fixed. These are devices designed to keep us in touch with people – all the time. I understand that there are ways to alter the settings so that data usage and image quality are lower but why does that have to be a step people have to take in order to ensure a more operable program? If people are to continually use this system, it has to be done without the battery dropping like Glass Joe to Little Mac.
  3. Facebook Home is supposed to be a social media centerpiece of sorts for your phone, meaning that it should be usable if calls have to be made. We want the dialer to be easy to access and to appear on the screen, plain as day. It’s 2013 – it’s absurd that users are finding themselves using more effort to make a phone call than they would with an old rotary-dial phone. Users have cited this problem countless times, and I think it amounts to a heinous misstep on Facebook’s part. This device issupposed to help me contact people, right? If this problem can’t be rectified, it’s probably best to consider this system dead on arrival.

If you downloaded Facebook Home, what is your take on it? What chances do you think should be made? If you’d like to leave a comment, by all means!

Google Apps down. How do we function?

Posted on by
Reply

Wednesday morning, Twitter users flocked to the social media site to complain that Google Apps weren’t working. The problems started with Gmail and Google Drive before spreading to Google Documents, Google Spreadsheets, and Google Presentations. Google quickly addressed the situation and users were advised to check the Apps Status Dashboard for updates as they investigated the case.

We are often inconvenienced by crashing servers or website maintenance, but Google? We take it for granted that giants like Google will be able to run their services smoothly, constantly. When they can’t, we’re reminded of how much we’ve come to rely on these platforms. Many people are sure to ask, “what can I do at work if I can’t access my email?”

Users of Google Apps were reassured as their Gmail or Google Drive returned to normal service from the disruption. But this isn’t the first time that Google has been hit by such problems – similar disruptions occurred just last month, and they could very well happen again. As we scuttle back to checking our mail and sharing documents, a question on many people’s mind is, what we would do without Google or social media?

Many companies run entirely on such platforms, such as online marketing companiesor other businesses that are Internet-centered – and if an outage occurs at the wrong time, it could be catastrophic for business. Apparently, only .007% of users were affected, but as an article on Forbes points out, “if Gmail has 425 million users, then the outage would have affected 29,750 people.” That’s a lot, and you could be one of those people.

And this isn’t just about work. The Internet has come to change the way in which we interact and solve everyday problems. In the past few days, we have seen the good that has come from social media. After the bombings at the Boston marathon, runners and spectators flocked to social media sites to let family and friends know that they were okay. Thousands of Bostonians used a Google Drive document offering a place to stay or food to anyone that was affected.  There is no doubt that these online services have been of great benefit to us in crisis situations and when the need for communication is dire.

It raises the question: As we become more dependent on these services, will we know what to do if Google or Facebook fails us at the wrong time? It is important to remember those (what seem like) prehistoric times when social media didn’t exist. Take advantage of these awesome new ideas and innovations – but have a backup plan. What’s yours?

New apps make your smartphones smarter as you get drunker

Posted on by
Reply

If you’re like me, you like to have fun, knock back a few drinks with your friends, and party the night away. Simple, right? Yes, this all may seem very carefree – but, shockingly, mistakes, misjudgments and social faux pas are made while under the influence. Consuming alcohol, as you may know, seems to have some kind of mysterious effect on our judgment and our ability to make smart decisions. This is perhaps the reason you can’t enter into a contract or operate a motor vehicle while under the influence. But what about when it comes to operating a phone?

Yeah, there’s an app for that. Fortunately for the tech-savvy merrymakers among us, several available mobile apps can help you avoid making those disastrous drunk-dials and texts. A couple of students from the University of Virginia created an iPhone app called “Drunk Mode,” which will block your phone’s contact list for up to 12 hours. Alerts will also go off every half hour, reminding you to drink and act responsibly and not make any bad decisions. Cuz, you know… we forget.

If you have an Android phone, you can turn to the Drunkblocker app to help you out.  Simply tell the app the time you plan to start imbibing, and the time you think you’ll be sobered up. This app also lets you choose which people you want to be banned from contacting. When you try and make a call, you will be given a test to see if you have your good judgment back (or whatever judgment you had to begin with). There’s also DrinkTracker, a blood alcohol content calculator app for the iPhone. Both of these apps also include convenient maps and taxi finders for when your night has reached the spilling-out-onto-the-pavement stage.

It was only a matter of time before we developed apps to babysit and counsel us to avoid those ultra-awkward exchanges. Eventually, smartphones will probably advance to the point where they’ll know our blood alcohol content from a single finger-swipe. Drop your phone more than once within 5 minutes? Instant sobriety test. Your phone will chirrup angrily, “don’t tread on me.” Where’s my breathalyzer app?

If only apps could do all the dirty work for us. What other capabilities do we want our smartphones to have in the future? Here are some choice selections from my fantasy app-development wishlist:

  • Teleportation app (duh)
  • Bottle opener app
  • Laundry/cooking/cleaning app
  • Gas-price reduction app
  • “Flush toilet” and “open door” app – never fear public bathrooms again
  • “Social media agency mode” to repurpose loose content floating around in my brain and convert them into Facebook and Twitter status updates for me
  • An app that creates a surrogate version of me to go on dates and talk to people

Comment below with your suggestions!

Would You Be Willing To Merge With Technology?

Posted on by
Reply

Science fiction has long depicted the existence of androids, cyborgs, sentient holograms, and other technologically based life.  Interpretations on what life would be like with these beings vary greatly depending upon who creates the fiction.  Some portray these tech based life forms as cold, unfeeling, and even threatening.  On the flipside, others conjure up images of these beings with vibrant personalities that can live, socialize, and develop meaningful relationships.  These concepts in fiction are engaging and stimulating, but what if it wasn’t fiction?

I recently read an article that describes how a very wealthy Russian wants to turn the concepts captured by science fiction and make it a reality.  It is a bold move to be sure.  However, according to an article on Mashable, a sincere effort is underway that would allow humans to make a transition from their biological form to a technology based form.  The end goal is said to be achieving an indefinite existence and transcend the limitations of humanity’s physical form.

Dmitry Itskov is aiming to have humans capable of merging with technology in four separate stages.  The transference will start by allowing a robotic body to be controlled by the brain.  The following three stages involve transplanting a brain into a synthetic body, replacing the organic brain with an artificial copy, and ultimately transfer the human conscience into a pool of collective thoughts that can take holographic form at will.

The project that Itskov is looking to see for the future of humanity begs questions regarding the issue of whether it is even possible, ethical, and would spur endless philosophical discussion.  The question I would like to pose brings the issue a lot closer to home.  If the technology existed, would people do it?

People may reject this kind of embrace of technology.  It can be argued that people are who they are because of their physiology.  Our bodies are constantly subjected to chemical reactions and hormonal production.  To take it a step further, one may argue that our personality is a product of the decisions we make because of or despite those reactions.  Take away the biology and what does one become?  The radical change that a person would go through might make them very different.  The change might be compared to a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly.

Itskov states that his goal is immortality.  For the spiritual and the religious, this type of transformation may only introduce another set of boundaries restricting spiritual transcendence.  The new existence in technology might look like a prison, preventing a different kind of moving on.

To play the devil’s advocate, a variety of technology has become so much apart of every day life many would be lost without it.  The widespread popularity and use of social media may indicate that many would welcome the idea of being a more intimate part of a network of minds and personalities.  Cell phones are in constant use and are rarely outside of arms reach.  So many feel a deep need to be connected to others, information, or stimulus.  In this light, Itskov’s vision would almost certainly be embraced.

Right now there is no way of knowing if a feat like the avatar project is even possible.  Further more, the article indicates that Itskov has not gotten the support among his peers that he was vying for.  Regardless of whether or not this, or something like it, comes to pass it still begs the question…  Would you be willing to merge with technology?

 

Apple’s Acquisition of WifiSLAM: What’s The Marketing Potential?

Posted on by
Reply

The Internet marketing realm is evolving at a rapid pace. Marketers realize that flooding social networks with ads isn’t the best way to promote brands to consumers. Now, they are learning that it might be more beneficial to focus on specific demographics and social media agencies are following suit.

But let’s be serious—marketers have become obsessed with specificity more so than ever before. They want to know where you are, what you’re doing and when you’re doing it. This eagerness to pinpoint consumer locations and actions could be one of the reasons why Apple bought WifiSLAM, an indoor location tracker company, for $20 million.

WifiSLAM has the potential to identify your exact location within a 2.5-meter radius. According to its company profile on Angel List, the software uses “ambient WiFi signals that are already present in buildings.”

Google already provides indoor mapping technology, but it’s limited and mostly available in airports or malls. Apple could use this newly acquired technology to catapult itself back in the game after the devastating fail from its Maps app. But instead of using this highly sensitive GPS location software to strengthen it’s own mapping capabilities, Apple should take another route. How about close proximity-based marketing and brand engagement?

If Apple wants to distinguish itself from the rest of the marketing industry and prove that it’s a truly innovative company, it might want to start branching out from its traditional focus.

Potentially, brands could collaborate with social apps (like Facebook or Twitter) using Apple’s super sensitive GPS technology, which could allow consumers to check-in at specific sections within actual stores. Once checked in, brands could provide offers for related products. For example: Say you were at Target and Sony was offering a specific sale for followers on its television sets. You could check-in to the electronics area using Apple’s software and look at the available offers. When you find the Sony offer, you could redeem it on your phone and use it at the checkout.

A service like this could set Apple above the rest and thrust it into the online marketing industry. It would allow consumers to use offers for in-store purchases and promote engagement with brands.

Though Apple has not specified any details regarding the WifiSLAM acquisition, I have a feeling its part of a big plan that could change the future of proximity-based marketing.

Wii U May Need a Virtual Overhaul

Posted on by
Reply

Just because you love something doesn’t mean you can’t critique it. I feel like diehard fans of the Wii U have been quiet about the problems faced with Nintendo’s handheld gaming device. I could ignore the drought of games with this system in addition to the limited amount of storage space compared to the competition.

Well, Nintendo has seemingly made an attempt on correcting such problems; however, it’s an attempt that is as sad as being beat by your little sister at “Super Mario Kart” for the fiftieth time.

If you were recently at Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) this year, you might have stumbled upon a flyer that outlined the differences between the current Wii U and the company’s last mega-seller, the Wii. I understand what Nintendo is doing, since it has to move more consoles, especially with stories about retail outlets scaling back on support being seen. However, this list isn’t the way to go about it, primarily because it makes the Wii U seem like only an upgraded Wii as opposed to its own system. The Wii U is an entirely different monster, yet casual players may not invest in seemingly a more powerful version whereas serious gamers have other systems to look forward to.

Nintendo is trying to perform damage control in terms of reputation management and it’s not working.

The Wii U is not a hopeless case; as an owner, I can tell you that there is a great deal of potential with the system. There has to be work done on the major problems, though.

1. Games sell consoles, ten times out of ten. If you bought a PlayStation 3 back in 2007 solely for the Blu-ray support, you might as well have bought the Blu-ray player and saved that extra money on student loans. With Wii U’s aforementioned game drought, some big titles have to come down the pipeline.

2. Create more solid intellectual properties which serious gamers can invest time into. You can only play Mario and Zelda so many times before you’re clamoring for something new. It wouldn’t hurt Nintendo’s reputation by featuring a darker, more prominent mascot to shake the proposed kiddie image a bit.

3. Air commercials more often on TV. Buy advertising space in public for people to see. Showcase the Wii U has its own system instead of a supposed upgrade to the Wii. Any of these actions would be much more impactful than Nintendo currently twiddling its thumbs.

A Little Something You May Not Like about “Likes”

Posted on by
Reply

Sherlock Holmes was notorious for taking the smallest, seemingly most insignificant details, and deducing a great deal about someone.  The conclusions that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s hero jumped to were fantastic.  Dr. Watson never ceased his amazement and readers, likewise, were left wondering what thought process lead Holmes to such scarily accurate conclusions.  What if you were the subject of such analysis?  Wouldn’t you feel a little exposed after Sherlock used his incredible deduction skills to reveal your inner most secrets?

Robert Lee Hotz wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal that claims people are likely putting out a lot more information about themselves than they realize.  The focus of the article centered on “Likes”.  Through a deep analysis of the Facebook Like, Hotz holds the contention that analysts can review an individual’s likes and extract a plethora of knowledge on a whole host of subjects.  Political ideology, religious affiliation, marital status, and personal habits were all deduced with a high degree of accuracy.

Sherlock…Eat your heart out.

But, unlike the Great Detective, the study was reported to have a margin for error, revealing that the sword of social media is double-edged.  Many use social media for the obvious reason for socializing, and therefore sharing personal information.  Often times it has the favorable outcome of positive experience and valuable networking.  With Facebook, the use of the Like option is common practice and natural extension of socializing.  However, it is a reasonable assumption to say that the vast majority of people still have information they don’t feel the need to share.

However, there are groups and organizations that would jump at the chance to have a formula or specialist able to break Likes down into useable information.

Marketers, investigators, and potential employers would find the temptation of reading people more effectively hard to resist. A particular “Like” might convince a prospective employer that you may not be the right fit.  Office holders would need to exercise caution with each “Like” because it is subject to vicious scrutiny.  A couple of unpopular “Likes” might lead to some pesky rumors and gossip for any high school student.

Even if a person is not particularly insightful, people still have a habit of jumping to conclusions based on your preferences.  Those conclusions, especially if wrong, could come back to haunt the Facebook user.

While not everybody is Sherlock Holmes, it couldn’t hurt to beware of Professor Moriarty.

Natalie Sexenian liked this post

Adapting to Survive the Digital Evolution: Will We Need Glasses To Be Social?

Posted on by
Reply

Social media is constantly evolving as well as the technology we use to access it. This technology (e.g., smartphone, tablet, etc.) affects how we interact with the world by forcing us to change our behavior patterns to function with it. Thus, user interface is essential to mobile marketing so online marketing companies should keep this in mind when they’re developing their marketing plans.

Throughout the years, we’ve adapted our behaviors to use laptops, smartphones, and, now, tablets. Since the birth of the first affordable personal computer, we learned how to use a floppy disk, then a mouse, and trained our eyes to scan the picture on a monitor to locate different features, like a button on a start menu. Today, we’re abandoning those behaviors so we can use tablets, a lighter, more mobile alternative with a touchscreen. Social media emerged from the ‘digital primordial ooze’ and is evolving rapidly and mobile technology is more pertinent.

Recently, Google introduced its new project Google Glass, a pair of glasses that uses voice recognition to access the Web. Though the project is still in the testing phase, Google hopes to revolutionize the way we interact with the Web. It’s a novel approach to allowing people to intimately experience the Web, but I’m curious about how this will impact social media. It will influence the social experience if:

  • The price is right: If it’s too expensive, then only a small handful of people will be able to experience the Web this way and it will have little effect on social media.
  • The voice recognition software works for everyone: Think Siri—if you have a speech impediment or a thick accent, the software could misinterpret your commands. For it to impact social media, the software has to be sophisticated enough to understand you under any and all circumstances or the ability to learn how you speak so it can adequately perform your requests.
  • It doesn’t lose its appeal: Similar to the Surface or a Windows-based phone, if you don’t have enough apps or functions, you’ll run out of things to do and move on. Constant innovation will be its saving grace. New features or add-ons to existing features will be key to social media because it will provide numerous ways to access social networks and use social networks.

Ultimately, I think Google Glass will be too cumbersome for people to use for social media because speaking will hinder your response time and continuously responding to tweets, for example, could be an arduous process. Instead, Leap Motion Controller might be more useful because by using “3D gesture control” to interact with your computer (i.e., think Tom Cruise’s computer in Minority Report), you’re still using your hands and fingers to access the Web.

Social Networks Are Amazing Running Tools!

Posted on by
Reply

Running can be calming and therapeutic as you twist and turn down dirt pathways decorated in fallen leaves. The air brushing past your face is refreshing and the only sound to accompany you is nature cracking, whistling and chirping. There’s only one problem: your space-foam mattress covered in a down bedspread, scattered with feather pillows and sitting snugly in a temperature-controlled room.

 

You are in luck, my lazy and comfortable friend! Apparently, social networks like Facebook and Twitter can give you that little boost of motivation to get those legs pumping. In an article from the Washington Post, writer Clare Trageser from Runner’s World magazine recently examined how social networks contribute to our running lives, pushing us farther and faster than ever before.

 

The article explains: “Trageser details her own efforts to break a half-marathon personal record through a running group she joined on Meetup.com. The members connect on Facebook, share training plans and pep talks in online forums, and post inspirational photos on Pinterest.” Yes, it is fun to run alone and feel great about being active, but it is even grander to share that with your friends. Plus, if you are feeling a little lazy on a Sunday afternoon, maybe a picture or blog post can get the blood flowing.

 

There are even a handful of applications that will track your running routes with details and let you post the results to your Facebook page. Nike+ Running and MapMyRun are two social media marketing apps that can help you boast about your latest run. It works wonders the other way around too when you like to be competitive with friends.

 

The reason why social networks help is simple. The article also quotes James Fowler, a medical genetics and political science professor at the University of California at San Diego, who states “the best way to get someone to start running is to make it social.” Just remember, the next time you’re lying in bed, starting to feel guilty — your Facebook page can show you the way!

 

Do you currently use any apps or social networks to engage with fellow runners? Share some personal and motivational stories.

Will Mobile Apps Replace in-store Shopping?

Posted on by
Reply

Over the past few years I have done most of my holiday shopping in store, but due to my busy schedule I find myself using my cell phone more frequently to help me find that perfect gift. I started to use different shopping apps to help me find possible gift ideas, and also to shop around and find the best possible price on the web.

 

This year it is like in store shopping is a thing of the past due to the increasing popularity of shopping through mobile apps. According to IBM the number of mobile sales went up six and a half percent from last year at this time of year.

 

The use of social media apps could play a huge impact in the deals consumers can find using their mobile devices. The simple click of a button will allow mobile users to log onto apps like Facebook and Twitter to see current online promotions as well as online coupons. Facebook even offers a gift sharing program which might be an awesome Secret Santa option!

 

The use of social media sites such as Facebook, and Twitter (both apps on cell phones) can be used to alert consumers of upcoming sales and current promotions as a form of social media marketing. This can be done by posting or sending out a tweet to all of your followers that notify them of the sale or promotion; they can click on it and shop right from their phone. I found and used a great app called Black Friday shopping when I went to Best Buy after Turkey Day. This app allows the user to view deals by store and the flyers that they have out. While browsing through the flyer the user can click one of the pictures in the flyers and it send them right to the website where you can purchase the product.

 

Looking at the study conducted by IBM showing the increase in mobile shopping by 6.5% from last year, I can predict that the use of apps will lead to the growth in mobile shopping in the near future.

 

Now what effect will this have on in-store shopping, in-store jobs, and the recovery of the economy? I wrote a blog discussing the impact of digital shopping on storefronts and quite honestly, there is a chance that jobs will be created but most will be lost.

 

What do you think will happen with the rise of digital shopping? Should the storefront be sacrificed for a better deal?