Thursday, November 5, 2009
Newspaper Article- Week 11
I am not really sure which demographic this would be good for because I am a younger person and I would not be interested in my friends knowing my exact location every time I sign into my social networking site. The other thing I was worried about was what happens if you purchase the iPhone app and it never logs you off. Would your friends have access to your location that entire time? Honestly, I think this is really nice but who wants someone knowing where they are at all times??
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Week 10- Newspaper Article
Some of the comments I have about this article is how Google is really becoming a monopoly in the technology industry. Google is starting to monopolize the navigation world. They are offering turn by turn directions for FREE! Eventually they say it will solely be supported when more advertisers get on board. One of the reasons I think this idea will soar is because the price is navigation systems is extremely high and that is all they offer. They do not offer all the things phones do. While on your phone you will be able to have a conversation and receive your directions. The only two questions I have are that will the ads that eventually solely support this perk; will they be annoying and distracting? Also will you have to have a certain running power on your phone to enable having a conversation and viewing directions simultaneously?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Newspaper Article- Week 9
Despite the concerns of the telecommunications industry and the agency's two Republicans, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin writing so-called "network neutrality" regulations to prevent phone and cable companies from abusing their control over the market for broadband access. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said regulations are needed to ensure that broadband subscribers can access all legal Web sites and services, including Internet calling applications and video sites that compete with the broadband companies' core businesses. "Internet users should always have the final say about their online service," Genachowski said. The FCC's two other Democrats voted to support his plan. The agency's two Republican commissioners voted merely to start the formal rule-making process, but said they have reservations about the substance of Genachowski's proposal. Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell said he remains unconvinced that broadband providers are engaging in widespread anticompetitive behavior that requires government intervention. The broadband providers insist they need flexibility, free from government intervention, to keep their networks running smoothly and prevent high-bandwidth applications such as streaming video from hogging too much capacity. They also warn that net neutrality regulations would discourage them from expanding and upgrading their networks. "We continue to hope that any rules adopted by the commission will not harm the investment and innovation that has made the Internet what it is today," Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen said in a statement. But companies such as Google, Amazon.com Inc., eBay Inc.'s Skype and Facebook Inc. argue that without such rules, the broadband companies will become online gatekeepers that can prioritize their own online services or those of their business partners - and potentially put others at a disadvantage. That point was echoed by several key Democrats in Congress Thursday. "We need to ensure that special interests cannot erect toll booths on the information superhighway that impede the innovation that has helped power our economy and create jobs," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a member of the House subcommittee that oversees technology and the Internet. Genachowski's plan calls for the agency to formally adopt four broadband principles that have guided the FCC's enforcement of communications laws on a case-by-case basis. Those principles state that network operators must allow subscribers to access all online content, applications, services and devices as long as they are legal. The FCC relied on those guidelines last year when it ordered Comcast to stop blocking subscribers from using an online file-sharing service called BitTorrent, which is used to transfer big files such as online video. Comcast is appealing the decision, arguing that the agency doesn't have authority to mandate nondiscrimination rules, and a court ruling in its favor could undermine the current proceeding. The agency will also have to determine how to apply net neutrality rules to wireless networks, which face bandwidth constraints because of spectrum limitations. This was a very interesting article to me because the FCC is setting votes to begin crafting net neutrality rules. Several Democratic's agreed with the crafting of these new rules. The only problem i have with this is will it overload my computer with unnecessary ads. Will broadband become slower than its regular speed?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Newspaper Article- Week 8
I feel like the net book idea was very smart on someone’s part because it is very convenient for laptop users that are on the go. I use my net book when I travel mostly because it is so small and easily accessible. The only disadvantage to net books period are the lack of disc drive and battery life. Well Nokia has come up with a great invention because they have made a whooping twelve hour battery for their Booklet that will be release in mid-November. The disadvantage to the Booklet could be overcharging the battery and possibly ruining it. Also the one question I have is why haven’t they come out with a battery life of this sort for cell phones??
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Week 7- Newspaper Article
The article states that YouTube appears to be mastering the art of turning video piracy into revenue. The clips of television shows, music videos and other copyrighted content that gets uploaded to YouTube without permission were a source of tension between Google and Copyright owners. Within the last year, several companies stopped insisting that YouTube take down unauthorized clips. Instead they are choosing to claim the videos as their own and allowing YouTube to sell advertising when people watch them. The revenue is split between YouTube and the content owners. Also on October 7th it was announced that Media Company could upload new content into YouTube’s reference library of Copyright audio and video. With the help of Harmonic, Telestream, and Digital Rapids YouTube will be able to convert video and audio content into the digital file that allow media companies to transmit shows on broadcast TV, cable and internet. YouTube is not the first company to offer these amenities but the agreement with YouTube is significant, as the company accounted for 40% of all the online videos seen in the United States in August, according to comScore.
It really comes down to making money. Money is what makes the world go round. Everything runs off Money so it does not surprise me that they have found a way to sell advertisements to make money as if they are not making enough already. I think them allowing own companies to upload their own video they are make a great move. My question is what they will think of next??
Friday, October 2, 2009
Week 6- Newspaper Article
Yesterday Google introduced more categories to its “search options,” a feature that was introduced in May that basically allows users to filter results by time, type of result, and other criteria. It is said that the new search options allow users to filter for results Google found in the past hour, and for books, blogs and news. Google also added the ability to emphas9ize or de-emphasize shopping-related results. It will also allow users of its search history feature to see only results they have seen before, giving them a quick way to find a page they have already seen. It is said that all the new options were intended to give users a quicker way to get to the information they want. Google introduced a string of other new search features in the past week. On Friday, for instance, Google enhanced search snippets for some results, allowing users to jump directly to the information they were looking for inside a Web page. In a search for trans fats, for example, a user might see a Wikipedia entry and links to jump from the snippet directly into sections of the page that discuss the chemistry of trans fats, their presence in certain foods or nutritional guidelines. On Monday, Google began showing its popular hot trends directly on results pages for some of the most popular search keywords at a given time. And late Wednesday, Google added links to discussion forum entries to search snippets from sites that have such forums. For instance, a search for “getting from Rome to Florence” will return a result from a travel site, with links to discussion forum entries on that site that touch on the topic.
I think this will become a very helpful tool. Google is already one of the most used search tools and is known nationwide. I also think that Google will come across some problems and/or bugs if they have not already occurred. They might be overloaded with searches that are very specific or perhaps there might be a case where the user is too specific and has no results thus not being helpful at all. Overall, I feel that this is a great addition to the Google family.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Newspaper Article- Week 5
In the article it talks about how South Korea telecommunications regulator allowed Apple Inc. To sell the iPhone; in doing which will potentially shake up the cell phone market. Only two months before it was released to be sold in China. It took 5 commissioners to meet to allow this to become. They also stated that “The introduction of the Iphone has been keenly awaited in South Korea, where the handset market is dominated by Samsung Electronics Company, LG Electronics Incorporated, and other domestic manufactures. Although it was cleared to sell they have not set a release day. “Soon as possible” says Yeom Woo-jong a KT corporation spokesman. Apparently Apples Iphone is available in 90 countries or territories. One of the larger things in South Korea law requires companies that supply location based services to obtain government permission.
I found this article very interesting because Apple has some of the leading electronics and on the other hand South Korea and China have usually great electronics and a far more advanced than the states are in that aspect. I just found it awkward that they had obtained licensing to sell so late; two years after the original iPhone drop. I guess this just shows the demand of the product even after two years have passed. For an example in the United States every time a newer version; the Chinese or Koreans did not have this option. Also I felt this article was enlighting because I definitely didn’t know it was available in ninety countries. The real question I have is; when wi8l the iPhone be out done? When will something better come out and outshine the iPhone?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Week 4
I feel as though children take a very large influence from what they see on television and if this show has been doing good enough to break even only after two months then they have a fairly large audience watching them. I just fear that children or shall I say young adults will get the wrong impression of what they are trying to convey which is stated above. But the one question I would like to know is what will come out of this situation as far as for Marijuana users??
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Week 3 Newspaper Article
The article speaks about how DirecTV and FiOS service from Verizon Communications have recently announce app stores modeled directly on Apple’s App Store. A few of the applications they have available now are Bible Verses, Facebook updates, and fantasy sports team updates. This article really suggest the modern day people are no longer content with just sitting back while watching television but rather want to lean forward or sit up and interact and customize their televisions.
For years now cable and satellite customers have bee able to get news articles, weather forecasts and sports scores through their set-top boxes. This idea did not really spark many users in fact many of the leading industries concluded that all “most” people wanted to do was watch television. Now with people becoming so interactive and sophisticated with their electronic devices they are rethinking that theory.
So what now? I’m so glad you asked with you now being able to access Face book and FiOS on your television the problem lies with the amount of things you can do. Ultimately I think your computer and television will merge to become one device. The article mentions that the remote is going to be so much more complex if they add the capabilities to add text to the screen and they also mentioned the complex menus going back and forth in between those items. The biggest thing for me is they going to force people to make this change to the new set-top boxes? Will the set-top boxes need to be purchased or can they be rented like most cable devices are (modem & cable box)? Also when you access your Facebook or Twitter will you have to enter your information every time or will you be venerable to everyone seeing your personal Facebook or twitter updates because you will never be logged off?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Week 2 Newspaper Article
The article I choose was written by Manny Fernandez and taken from the New York Times Newspaper on Saturday August 29, 2009. The article title is “Building Department to Track Inspectors via Cell phone and GPS Technology”; as my title did last week it does this week as well, speaks for itself. Within the article it tells how the Building departments will start installing Global Positioning Technology in cell phones to see where their clients are throughout their work schedule. They say the new tracking system is taking place because of the Edward Marquette case; an inspector who was charged last year with faking a report that he inspected a tower crane on the East side of Manhattan in response to a complaint. He never visited the crane, the authorities said, and 11 days later, it toppled and killed seven people.
They say the new tracking system will cause no problems and it is just a simple, new innovative way to ensure inspectors reach their destinations and are held accountable for doing so. Not only will they be able to see who is where they are suppose to be but supervisors will be able to tell who is closest to an emergency if necessary. This is good because its less time the problem is not being fixed in other words the problem is only a problem for a matter of minutes maybe hours because of this technology.
So one would say what is next? Where do we go from here? Some workers are very concerned but if you think of it this way if you are doing your work, like you should be, there will/should be no problems. The other common question is many if not all workers carry their company cell phones with them at all time; would this be a violation of privacy laws? The building department claims they can set the computer to only monitor during set work hours. We will see how this turns out. Like everything else that is electronic items tend to malfunction.