'Digg'ing for Popularity

Finally, a site like no one has ever seen before…a refreshing popular media reference offering information on everything from gaming to science. Digg enables readers to access any kind of information by submitting stories and having readers vote and comment on the stories appearing on their screen. If you like something that you see, you press the little ‘digg’ button with the thumbs up in the left hand corner and the stories that are ‘dugg’ mostly during the day appear on the front page of the site.
Never having used Digg before, I decided to take a look. As I meandered my way around the site, I found some very irrelevant information that couldn’t possibly be a top priority in someone’s day. However, some of the stories are there for pure entertainment, such as one I found about things not to say in a work setting http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/12/16/cb.worst.phrases.work/index.html?eref=rss_latest. As this might not be hard-hitting news, it was interesting, and entertaining, to me. Is this what Digg is aiming for? Finding the weirdest collection of interesting stories from different news sites? Are they making a step to deviate from the normal boring news website?
Whatever the answer is, I’m impressed and I’ve officially joined Team Digg. For a young mind like mine that is easily distracted, it’s entertaining and stress relieving to see a serious news story and then, right below it, see an add for the top talk show appearances of 2009 followed by someone saying why some gift cards are better than others. My tangential mind loves bouncing around between these random topics, but I can see how mature adults (or even more serious college students) would prefer to view a site like The New York Times, a site with cutthroat journalists who are potentially hiding their true feelings because they want to get their measly paycheck. With Digg, the possibilities seem endless. Since the Times is dry at times and Twitter gives me a headache, I’ve found a new home for news in Digg. Yay, me.
So, Digg made the first move and created something original that had not yet been attempted. They’re at least making a small profit thanks to the ads in the corner of the page…and they’re not even pop-up ads! Digg just keeps ‘digg’ing it’s way deeper and deeper into my heart…

Seriously, Stop ‘Tweeting’ Everything…

Ok, so at first, Twitter started out like Facebook, a mature social-networking system that was initially aimed toward businesses. I remember when Twitter was first introduced, I was working at a marketing agency and one of my jobs was to look into Twitter and see if it could benefit the company I was working for. Then, it seemed like an effective way to promote a new product or keep business contacts. However, Twitter has quickly escalated into an overwhelming mass of ‘status updates’.
While I thought Twitter was a step in the right direction for businesses, I didn’t feel like it was as cool as Facebook, so being the stubborn person that I am, I refused to join. That was until my Communications class where we had to focus on promoting our in-class blogs where I decided to finally join the twitter craze.
To my disgust, I found that I got a headache from the constant Packers and Indiana Pacers updates every 5 minutes. I found a video sharing similar feelings to mine… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfG2Em8SHk4. In this video, the man talking discusses the chaos of Twitter and how confusing it is.
I’m beginning to see a parallel between social networking systems that start out being elitist are becoming a playground for middle school students as well. Take Facebook, for example. Facebook started out as only being available at a couple schools, then all colleges, then high school students, then middle school students, then parents, then PETS?! The whole concept of communication is being lost when people create Facebook accounts for their dogs and cats. But how did such an exclusive company like Facebook expand to so may outside groups? Sure, it’s true that Facebook is now extremely popular. But look at the transition that has happened thus far with Twitter, starting out as an opportunity for businesses to market their products and attract potential buyers to someone like me tweeting about Dowling volleyball or Wisconsin every chance I get. Ah, how the mighty have fallen…
Is there ever going to be a social network that will remain exclusive? Let’s hope so…and let’s hope I meet the criteria, because I want to be part of it!

Pandora...Competition for Apple??

Every night when I come back to my dorm room, my California roommate has Pandora blasting out of her computer. Being the technology-challenged bookworm from Wisconsin, I had never heard of Pandora before. Pandora is an online site that allows you to choose stations that only play certain genres. If you like rap, there’s an all rap station. To be difficult, I thought it’d challenge the system by saying that I like only Lil Wayne rap. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is a station that plays only Lil Wayne music.
When you enter the Pandora website, you type in a band or genre type and it pulls up stations and related bands that you might be interested in. Being the picky person that I am, I personally get frustrated with Pandora because more times than not I don’t like the bands they pick out, but that’s just me. The normal people of the world seem to be fascinated by Pandora and it’s ability to read our minds.
Pandora seemed to be doing well, until the launch of a similar site called lala. As soon as you enter the lala page, a list of popular songs pops up and you can click on them to listen and it also shows new releases that came up in the past week. To be honest, its layout is a lot like iTunes, which makes sense because Apple and lala are working together. On the left side of the page, specific genres are listed. In my first interaction with the site, it has already blown my mind more than Pandora because I can actually pick and choose each song that I want to listen to…and I don’t have to pay $1.29 per song on iTunes.
While radio is still popular in cars, it had been dwindling in a social environment. Thanks for sites like Pandora and lala, this might all be changing. The only thing on my mind is why would Apple partner with a company that could potentially be their competition? Do they see Pandora as that much as a threat? Or do they just want to keep up with technology? Oh well, I’m not worrying about it for now…let’s just enjoy the free music!

Facebook, Farmville Taking Over Our Minds

In today’s day and age, Facebook is considered to be an extremely popular form of social networking that enables friends all over the world to reconnect and communicate. The concept itself is very cool, and Facebook has quickly become a new American pastime. However, there could be evidence of the classic ‘too much of a good thing’ happening here. While it may be true that Facebook is entertaining and that it keeps us up to date on our friends’ recent events, our generation has taken ‘Facebook stalking’ to a whole new level. People have started to go over the top with their use of social network sites like Facebook. Controlling girlfriends frequently check up on their boyfriend’s activity, bosses of companies check out potential new employees, and creepy boys are able to pose as girls through the internet in hopes of seducing males online (http://www.jsonline.com/news/39091967.html)
So, how much is too much? This video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROYzrm5SBM, the character Alice makes fun of Facebook. The video explains a story how Alice’s boyfriend Timmy changed his relationship status from ‘In a Relationship’ to ‘Single’ and how that violates the first rule of Facebook. The story continues to say that Alice wanted to get even by posting embarrassing pictures of Timmy, cautions that too much information should not be included in posts, and continues to say to not steal other people’s Facebook friends.

The video may be ridiculous and over the top, but it really isn’t that far from the truth. Social networking is becoming an obsession, and people of all ages are abusing Facebook. For example, Facebook recently launched a game called Farmville in which users are able to create farms and harvest their crops. What started out as a fun game turned into an obsession, and this is proven by the men’s lacrosse team here at Dowling College. Everyday in the cafeteria, I see the boys constantly checking their iTouch because they fear their crops will die before they get back to the dorm.
If Farmville is affecting 20 year old boys this way, think about how it’s affecting younger users of Facebook that are more likely to get addicted to computer games. These young users, and even the lacrosse team, should be focusing more of their time onto school and their education during their formative years, not on harvesting virtual crops.
Luckily, we’ve convinced numerous of the boys to disband their Farmville, and some of them have been holding up very well, whereas others have given in to the temptation and have created their own Fishville.
How much is too much? What happened to the Facebook where college students across the country are able to communicate and share photos? Help!

Magazines Not Going Down Without a Fight

While it may be true that the print magazine industry is dwindling down, the news is not dead. According to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/business/media/16adco.html?_r=1&ref=business, the magazine industry has been very busy in getting themselves involved with electronic readers, tablet computers, which are quickly becoming popular in schools, and iPhone applications. While it’s true that not every magazine company is making this stride towards electronic success, there are specifically two magazines, Esquire and GQ that have created iPhone versions of their magazine through an application. Because the iPhone is a popular form of new media and it is continuously growing and changing with technology, the magazines’ creation of this partnership with applications are going to serve to be very profitable in the near future.
At first, these applications were free to download, the overall layout of the magazine was nothing special, and the product wasn’t something that people would want to pay a monthly subscription for. However, as technology has expanded, these seemingly boring old applications were recreated, and they’re better than ever. Actually, they’re so good that Esquire has decided to charge a $2.99 fee. And, although it may seem like very inexpensive, publishers reminisce to days when magazines were less than a dollar and were very popular in circulation. Seems like they’re hoping to reignite a similar fire in today’s electronically obsessed world.

There are two factors in contributing to how successful this launch of this new application trend, one being the hope that tablet computers continue to gain popularity and the other being that readers are still interested on reading magazine material on these new computers. Personally, I feel like the tablet computer is on a rise, especially with college students that are interested in actively pursuing magazine content, both news and entertainment. However, the one drawback with this is that college students are generally very poor and won’t want to pay $2.99 for something they can read at a local Rite Aid with no charge. This is where the potential success of the iPhone applications come in, because, generally speaking, owners of iPhones would probably be more likely to be willing to purchase a magazine for $2.99 because they spent $400 on the phone and $30 a month for additional internet fees. But, of course, this is only an assumption because I am a college student who owns an iPhone, and I certainly would never pay $2.99 for an online magazine at this time in my life.

So, while some may think that magazines are dead, this really isn’t true. They’re struggling, but constantly searching for new ways to improve their readership.

Nook Mania

My earlier entries have indicated that I've been all about the preservation of books despite technology's desperate attempt to make anything and everything completely digital. However, a recent article was distributed in my Communications class, and my opinion drastically changed. Created to compete with Amazon's 'Kindle', the 'Nook' was thought up by Barnes & Noble. Some general information was learned when reading this article, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/technology/21nook.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=nook&st=cse, but the article doesn't do this amazing new product any justice. Reading the article, I automatically assimilated the Nook with other electronic readers that are out there already. But when I saw the advertisement on a YouTube clip, my mind was changed forever.

Sure, this new contraption doesn't exactly help in the area of preserving books, but it's the new frontier of reading. It contains millions of texts and publications to choose from and allows readers to make text larger, book mark pages, and even annotate with notes on the pages. And with one charge, the battery life of a Nook lasts for 10 days! Fashionable covers are also available for separate purchase, and pictures can be downloaded to make the Nook more personal.
Ok, so how did I go from fighting for preservation of books in class to rooting for the Nook? The answer is simple, and I cant honestly say that college life has deeply affected my change in opinion. I keep thinking how inconvenient it is when I leave one of my books all the way in Brookhaven, and how much easier it would be if all my books were in the same place. Being the owner of the Apple iPhone, I'm used to having multiple technology outlets available to me whenever I need them, so I think I could quickly get used to everything the Nook has to offer. The one issue I had initially was that I love highlighting texts and annotating all over the margins, but then I found out that this was able to be done on the Nook as well.
The way I see it, we can either fight this new wave of exceptional technology or we can embrace it. A recent site I found, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/25/nook-review-8-reasons-you_n_333048.html, is discussing different people's views on what will be successful and what won't, and the Nook seems to be doing pretty well in comparison to other existing e-readers out there.
Personally, the Nook changed my views on electronic reading. Instead of cramming valuable texts into a database on a computer, the Nook seems to have personalized electronic reading to a point where I am convinced it is going to be successful. For Christmas this year, the first thing on my list to Santa is a Nook. Is it on your list?

Is Balloon Boy Hoax the Way to Go?

It's a bird, it's a plane...nope, it's actually a poorly constructed aircraft designed by Richard Heene, a Colorado father who has apparently been scheming ways to get his family a reality television show. On Thursday, October 15, news stations were frantically covering the story of the six-year old boy that was supposedly trapped in this balloon. Many viewers across the country, including myself and all my roommates, tuned in as we waited for the balloon to land on the ground and see if little Falcon Heene was all right. When the balloon landed, the initial reaction was relief that no one was injured. However, the reaction that followed was suspicion. Why did newscasters spend all afternoon following a homemade UFO with nothing inside it? Why were the media outlets so eager to cover a story with absolutely no solid evidence? All valid questions...and questions were still burning when the Heene family appeared on Larry King Live.
Everything seemed so scripted, and Falcon dropped the bomb that the whole thing was for 'the show'. The Heene's desperate attempt for publicity worked surprisingly well, minus little Falcon's slip. I mean, think about it. They may or may not get a reality show out of it, but for at least a few days they had everyone in America talking about how ridiculous they were. Personally, that isn't exactly the way I'd like to be talked about, but in their minds, being in the public sphere in a negative light is better than being left alone. So I am reminded of the Kanye West/Taylor Swift incident at the VMA's earlier this year. It seems like people are going out of their way to make fools out of themselves just to get publicity. So my question is, why are we letting them win? We're essentially enabling them to get what they want. Sure, it gives us a source of entertainment...we're amazed how far some people will go and we get a kick out of watching them make fools out of themselves. But keep in mind that these same people who we are 'supporting' by showing interest are the same people who were aiming to manipulate us in the first place. I say we stop this most recent media trend in it's tracks and stop batting an eye at people trying to promote themselves and focus on giving our attention to people who deserve the attention.

Print Is Not Dead! Thank You, Advertising!

Finally, magazine companies have found a way to be somewhat successful by using unique advertising techniques to make their issues seem special and rare. In a recent article in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/business/media/12adco.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=espn%20body%20issue&st=cse, ESPN the magazine is featured. It's no secret that print journalism has been suffering lately, so workers at ESPN took it upon themselves to come up with a new technique to attract more readers. They were quite successful when they stumbled upon critiquing their Body Issue by having the athletes pose in the nude. Although nudity can be known as an attention grabber, it wasn't the only surprise the body issue had in store for us readers. It also featured athletes who had been injured and close up shots of their injured body parts. Disgusting? For some. But seemingly interesting, refreshingly different, and 'awesome' for stereotypical male ESPN Body Issue readers. This issue was a success, and the company claims that it's just another ordinary issue with some added bonuses, and that advertisers should know that every magazine could get this circulation as well. Good try, but we all know that the October Body Issue is the most popular issue of the year, and advertisement agencies aren't stupid...they know that this issue receives more attention than a regular issue. My advice to ESPN: don't push away the only thing thing that is helping you stay afloat right now by trying to fool them. And my advice to advertisement agencies: keep promoting magazines that you feel have an opportunity to be successful, because I think we're underestimating the print industry. I don't think it's going down without a fight.

So...This Is A Felony?

After reading a recent article in the NY Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/media/06adco.html?_r=1&ref=business, I was actually afraid to post this entry. Apparently, I have such a huge impact on the web that every single comment I leave on Facebook or every tweet I make about Brett Favre being a traitor could be dangerous and drastically affect the good of all mankind. Oops, my bad. But really? Don't get me wrong, it's one thing if someone is explaining how to make a weapon over YouTube and buying thousands of pounds of nail polish remover, that I completely understand censoring. But what about plain janes like me, college students who are doing a class assignment? Or, God forbid, young adults that want to make a difference and want their voice to be heard? Are they going to be punished or constantly monitored? That's a little creepy. So beware viewers of my blog, you are being watched right now...
Wait, I thought technology was the new marketing strategy of this generation? Sounds to me like we're holding the future of our business endeavors in shaky circumstances if that's the case.

Who Needs TV? Not Me.

With the combination of being a full time college student, a college volleyball player, and a college kid hoping to have SOME social life, it's difficult to sit down and take an hour to watch my desired TV shows. In high school it was so easy with the luxury of DVR...if I was busy, it was easy to just record the show and watch it some other time when I wasn't busy. Well, here at Dowling, I am always busy, so I have literally watched zero shows since I have been in New York. Sure, it's been a little difficult not watching Gossip Girl every week, but I grew to accept that since we had practice every single night until late, I'd have to get over it. Wow, was I wrong. While doing some aimless web surfing on our weekend off from volleyball, I stumbled across sites where you can watch episodes online! For some people, this is old news. But for me, it seemed to temporarily fix all my problems. In a few hours, I was able to catch up on every episode of 3 shows that I haven't seen in about 2 months. I loved it, and TV is becoming less and less of a factor for me, so I wonder if this transition is affecting other people as well. I mean, I'm sure I'm not the only busy college student in Long Island who can't afford DVR...well scratch that, Long Island kids probably can. But what is becoming of TV? If it's this difficult to arrange watching show times, are people going to stick with their computers instead of buying TV's? Sure, I was against the conversion of books and computers, but I'm actually in full support of TV episodes and movies being played online. In browsing some of my fellow bloggers on the web, I came across a blog that also promotes online television and even takes the promotion a step further. This blog, http://www.tvchannelsfree.com/blog/2009/10/free-tv-shows-online/, discusses the numerous benefits of watching television online and helped to further convince me that online television is the next big thing.

Away With Books? Already?!

When I was younger and first considering career options, I planned on becoming a reporter for a newspaper. I figured I would put my love for writing to good use and began taking every possible opportunity to involve myself in every print journalism facet that was open to me, and I found a comfort zone when I was the Sports Editor for the school newspaper. But especially over the last year, it's quite evident that advancements in technology are sending the print industry into a downward spiral. So, why the change? Even though I will always love the written word, being a college student has opened my eyes to the benefits of online media advancements and has ultimately shifted my focus to the online industry.
I'm usually not one for change, so this step was a big one for me. But the one thing I can't seem to handle is the talk about books becoming obsolete as well, as according to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/books/29beas.html?_r=2&ref=business&pagewanted... Don't get me wrong, there are definite benefits of online reading. One prime example is textbooks. Consider the amount of money that college students spend each semester on text books, and imagine how this number could be decreased if the same books were available online. So having these books keyboard accessible not only saves money, but it's also helpful when lugging books from class to class and if a student misplaces a book.
Okay, so the benefits are clearly mapped out, blah blah blah. But am I the only one being skeptical here? Something has to be said for the preservation of famous documents. I compare it to keeping a scrapbook. If you keep pictures and put them together into events, you're going to remember things that you may have forgotten. However, if you solely rely on memory, you might not remember some of the details or be able to relive the experience. This also proves true with hard copy books vs. online books. Holding primary sources and old newspapers that once played a major role in history can make the assignment more real than just words on a printed page.
Is it really worth cheating history to make advancements in technology?