http://blogs.forbes.com/edsperling/2010/11/22/using-it-differently/
Ed Sperling interviews Dan Salisbury, CIO at Cadence Design Systems, questioning on how an IT company tries and updates its technology. Questioned on whether they add servers to a company, or cut down, Salisbury mentioned that they have cut down on server usage by a large majority, close to 10,000. In this economy, employees with highly specific jobs are being cut off from tech companies in order for employees with a wider range of skills. Another big field for tech companies is the idea that security needs to be advanced as much as possible. For this, the need to ensure cyber security is very important for a tech company
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Southwest plans for Wi-Fi
Southwest has decided to put Wi-Fi on every airplane that are owned and operated by them. The reason they have decided to do this is to gain more market share than they already have or that is so they say on their websites and other press releases. Southwest after recently acquiring Airtran decided to catch up to all the other airline companies and start providing Wi-Fi on their planes. The reason that Southwest was amongst the last of the airline companies to put Wi-Fi in their airliners is because they decided to focus on other areas. Although this might have been a wrong strategic move for Southwest they have enough of the market share and the cheapest prices due to a locked in 20 year gasoline contract that is cheaper than any of the competition that they due not have to worry about bringing customers who want Wi-Fi on their trip running back to Southwest as soon as this service is installed.
The price is going to range anywhere from five to ten dollars per flight for Wi-Fi. Although many research companies have projected on one out of fifty customers to use Wi-Fi on airliners it is more about brand loyalty for Southwest. Southwest has always tried to be better and cheaper than the rest of their competition and Wi-Fi is just another service they want to offer to their customers
This is a great idea for airliners to do but Southwest is a little late in starting this procedure. Although this will not really effect them in the future it is probably effecting them right now as they are trying to set it up while other companies have it up and running. One way they can find a boost in sales is by making a service like this for free. What this will do is boost ticket sales, which will boost profit by more than what one in fifty Wi-Fi users will. If they provide free Wi-Fi than I believe that Southwest can own most of the market share and have a competitive advantage over the rest.
IBM's Cloud computing
On Monday, IBM unveiled the newest part of a long-term project in Dubuque Iowa. IBM will monitor three hundred volunteer households who consume water. IBM is not building any of the hardware for this, a company, Neptune built the low-flow water monitors that all Dubuque residents are having installed in their homes. These monitors take more readings than normal, about once every fifteen minutes. What this does is it gives the homeowners valuable information about water usage or leaks.
IBM benefits from this service they are providing because they can test new cloud-computing software that crunches numbers for water and electricity consumption from a real community. Also the people who they are testing this long-term project on will give IBM feedback on the service.
This is a great idea but the way they implement this new technology is very important to how well it does on the market. IBM has a three-tiered cloud strategy. First, comes individual consumers who want to watch how much money they spend or check for leaks. Second, IBM plan to offer this service to the government; they will come out with a product soon that will let government officials look at data to see whether the policies they put in place actually work. Third, IBM wants to make a version of the software for utilities companies and larger corporations.
This project has the possibility to become a cash cow for IBM. IBM is trying to push its image as a cloud-computing leader. This new technology will be needed and will be offered by other companies and that is why IBM is trying to get a head start on it. Another reason that IBM wants to get a head start on this is because they offer an array of intangible consulting work. This new IBM cloud computing technology can give them a better image as a service provider that can produce and effect tangible change.
Although this project seems to be like a great service for people and a profitable project for IBM, I feel like it could be too much of a luxury for people to pay extra for. In this time of very high unemployment and recession people may not find this new technology a must have in their homes. IBM should keep testing this new service and release it into the market when economic times get better in the United States. Another way they can release it into the market and still find it to be profitable for them is by switching there three-tier strategy to releasing it to the government first and when economic times get better they can release it to the general public.
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/07/how-ibm-is-using-water-to-learn-the-cloud/#more-39297
Fayek Bseiso
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Facebook Enters a Whole New World of Advertising
It took Facebook a mere two years to reach an audience of 50 million people. Now with a user base that exceeds over half a billion people it is unlikely to meet someone you cannot find on Facebook. This is what makes Facebook such a prime target for advertising.
Among the half a billion people that use Facebook, 200 million people now use Facebook on their mobile phones also, whether it be on a Blackberry, iphone or Andriod. This is what makes Facebook’s new application ‘Places’ so effective. Facebook is basically the same as Foursquare, which I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. Like Foursquare, Facebook Places is a geolocation service that allows people to check in to different stores and restaurants who use this application and get special deals and coupons.
It is free for a business to use Facebook Places just like Foursquare. But the advantage that Facebook has over foursquare is that Facebook is starting with a huge audience. They can use that as a draw for businesses to advertise on Facebook that they are offering deals through Facebook places. When Facebook offers a new application, millions of people are quickly informed through the social network about it. Foursquare, on the other hand, needs to start from square one and build its audience. Facebook’s ubiquitousness is going to make it very hard for new geolocation services to compete with it.
Gap is one of the first big companies to work with Facebook places. “The company outlined a campaign offering a free pair of jeans to the first 10,000 users who check into their local Gap store using Facebook’s mobile application” (Worthman). This is one example of the way companies can reach out to existing and new customers. Another model is one that might be used by a company like Starbucks, who has expressed interest in this. Not only can Starbucks offer a free latte but they can leverage the social network aspect of Facebook as well. That is because on Facebook places when you check in to one of the participating companies your location updates on Facebook place, your friends news feed and your wall. This will allow your Facebook friends to be informed where you are and what places are offering deals, reaching an even greater market. Starbucks is hoping that this product will take the virtual social network to the next level and make it an actual social network where people are sitting at a table, talking face to face, drinking a latte in Starbucks.
The incorporation of cell phones and social networks and their ability to bring people together brings a unique opportunity for marketers and also for the people themselves, who may just get a free pair of jeans or find their new favorite hang out. On the other hand, the convergence of cell phones, social networking and targeted advertising, also has a dark side. While it may make you feel like the world is actually designed just for you, it is only able to do this by knowing where you are, what you like, and who you want to be with. In this world, the idea of privacy is an illusion and everything that is known about you is used to create your day-to-day experience. We may soon find ourselves living in a world where we will have to be suspicious of every seemly random event and whether in fact it is really random.
Facebook Unveils Mobile Deals Service
When I began using Facebook a little over five years ago, it was a very different website. Creating a Facebook was the “cool” thing to do, Facebook had just expanded to high school networks and you had to be “invited” by another kid from your network to sign up. People barely checked their facebooks once or twice a day and the coolest thing you could do was “poke” someone. Today everything has changed people access Facebook from everywhere including work, home or even from their mobile phone. It’s also not just teens and college kids anymore, now every including adults and senior citizens are online. With people spending so much time on Facebook, its not surprising that Facebook has involved and become a prime space for advertising.
According to this article in the Wall St Journal Facebook Inc. as taken it a step further. Before mobile Facebook users, could use the website in similar ways to they could on a computer however now, users can check in to locations and be rewarded. There is currently an application called foursquare that allows user to “check in” using their facebook account. The difference with the new service from Facebook, is merchants will offer incentives to “check in”, such as a discount. A person using the Facebook places app on their mobile phone can look up nearby business and it will show if they are offering any promotions for checking in. This application allows consumers to use their Facebook account as loyalty cards as well as allowing merchants advertising opportunities to attract business. I think this is a great tool for businesses to use. Examples listed in the article, included discounts such as half off a cup of coffee, or a free appetizer. I think that these deals will help bring customers in because they don’t have to do anything. There are no coupons or signing up for emails, they are already “enrolled” by having a Facebook.
GAP Inc is going to be one of the first partners and will be offering a free pair of jeans to the first 10,000 people to check into their store. Other companies that plan to participate include Starbucks, McDonald’s, Macy and Harrah’s. While Facebook is not charging users to take part in this application, they can still make money off on advertisement on their site, and many companies using this app will want to advertise it with Facebook. From the standpoint of Facebook I think this was a smart idea, because many other companies such as Google have created a location application and Facebook needs to stay ahead in its market. From the business stand point of other companies that would be using this application, I also think it will be very effective. This application allows businesses to access millions of Facebook users very easily and affordably, which would otherwise not be possible with this application. They can also reach a bigger audience all at once. Businesses save money on printing coupons and having to distribute them by using Facebook places. They can offer the same incentives to more people with less money, which will give them higher profits. This should be a business goal for any business. Another good thing about this application is companies in the service industry such as Harrah’s can use it, or retail businesses like Gap. I think the possibilities could be endless if a company utilizes the new Facebook places application.
Sources
Wanted: Social Media Sifters
Generation Y, also known as myself and my fellow students, are constantly Updating our "Status'" and "Tweeting" about what color shoes we're wearing today; who knew that our knowledge within this sector of the internet could lead to a possible career path? Companies are now realizing how important social media is in todays business world, especially within consumer products. If a customer is sitting on a delayed flight, they're more than likely tweeting about the poor service they are receiving; but if a company knows how to track this media they can deal with it and even get a chance to change that customers point of view. This is where social media monitoring and analytics comes in. Ryan Finn talks about this up and coming field, and how it is improving the way companies are getting the information they need quicker and directly from the consumer. Companies go to companies, like NetBase, and are using social media analytics software to find out detailed information that is floating around the internet. Finn talks about how a consumer products company wanted to find out why men wear stubble, the NetBase software was able to read, analyze more than 50,000 sentences; it then isolated what the company was looking for, categorized it, ranked in, along with reason in a matter of seconds. The NetBase software is used by major companies such as Coca Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and Kraft Foods; to get an inside look into the consumers mind. Companies are increasing their spending, by about 24%, in this field, this not only includes using the software, but teaching their employees on how to use these social media sites to better their businesses.
Today not only is the internet an expected part of most of the populations life, but so are the social media sites on it. Social media has become a part of Generation Y's daily life, and is quickly expanding to other generations. This makes it the perfect way to find for companies to find the opinions of their consumers, and also gives them the opportunity to find out how to change those opinions. It seems today that a persons life is published on the internet, it has become the new, and constantly updating, biography of the online population of the world. Making it the place to not only find out information on consumers, but a way to attract consumers. The many faces of social media on the internet are great ways to advertise a product, almost for free. As a member of generation Y I will admit to being on my Facebook, Twitter, and favorite blogs daily. So hearing about how social media monitoring is an up and coming field within the business world is very encouraging. As said in the article "We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – New Careers in Social Media for Gen-Y" by Tiffany Harrison on USA Today blog, social media monitors are not just people who understand the basic uses of these social media filters, but those who can get information from the sites. This, in my eyes, gives my generation an extra edge in the job market because we have been around this media for years, and have fully acquainted ourselves with what there is to know about these sites. So even if we don't go into the specific field of social media analysis we already know we will have another way to get information that other employees in our field may not.
The world of social media is something that companies will need to have a strong understanding of if they want to keep up with their customers in today's growing markets.
Sources:
Wanted: Social Media Sifters
We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – New Careers in Social Media for Gen-Y
Today not only is the internet an expected part of most of the populations life, but so are the social media sites on it. Social media has become a part of Generation Y's daily life, and is quickly expanding to other generations. This makes it the perfect way to find for companies to find the opinions of their consumers, and also gives them the opportunity to find out how to change those opinions. It seems today that a persons life is published on the internet, it has become the new, and constantly updating, biography of the online population of the world. Making it the place to not only find out information on consumers, but a way to attract consumers. The many faces of social media on the internet are great ways to advertise a product, almost for free. As a member of generation Y I will admit to being on my Facebook, Twitter, and favorite blogs daily. So hearing about how social media monitoring is an up and coming field within the business world is very encouraging. As said in the article "We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – New Careers in Social Media for Gen-Y" by Tiffany Harrison on USA Today blog, social media monitors are not just people who understand the basic uses of these social media filters, but those who can get information from the sites. This, in my eyes, gives my generation an extra edge in the job market because we have been around this media for years, and have fully acquainted ourselves with what there is to know about these sites. So even if we don't go into the specific field of social media analysis we already know we will have another way to get information that other employees in our field may not.
The world of social media is something that companies will need to have a strong understanding of if they want to keep up with their customers in today's growing markets.
Sources:
Wanted: Social Media Sifters
We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – New Careers in Social Media for Gen-Y
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
McKesson To Buy U.S. Oncology For $2.16 Billion
By the end of the year, the McKesson Corporation is supposed to buy the U.S. Oncology Incorporation for $2.16 billion (Lewis). McKesson provides services and products to health care providers and payers. Not only does McKesson provide medicine and medical supplies, it also has sophisticated workflow solutions, which helps places such as hospitals to run smoothly. McKesson also works to lower the cost of these necessities. Patient care and medication safety is a priority for McKesson (McKesson). U.S. Oncology is the nation’s premier oncology services company. The goal of U.S. Oncology is to increase patient access to safe, high-quality cancer care. This incorporation also works with physicians, manufacturers, and payers, but specifies in the field of cancer. Patient satisfaction is also important to them (U.S. Oncology).
The oncology industry is one of the fastest-growing divisions in healthcare, therefore, it is important for these two companies to put their strengths together in order to deliver technology, business, and distribution services to community cancer practices. The combination of both companies will greatly increase patient/customer satisfaction because they will be able to access information about their medicine, its clinical outcomes and also get clinical expertise in order to help them receive personalized medication. The integrated healthcare IT includes the iKnowMed, an electronic health record, and Lynx, which is a text-based web browser. There are also consultative capabilities and an improvement of the supply chain because the system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources are all being improved because of the combination of these two companies. The products and services from the supplier to the customer will be valued more because of the way they are handled.
I believe that the merge of two companies is a giant step in the world of health care because there are many cases today where patients are not satisfied with their health insurance. There are also those cases where people with dwindling help have no insurance at all because the companies don’t want to risk their death.
Sources
Health Care Information Technology Medical-Surgical Supplies and Pharmaceutical Distributor: McKesson. Web. 02 Nov. 2010.
Lewis, Nicole. "McKesson To Buy U.S. Oncology For $2.16 Billion." Information Week. Web. 2 Nov. 2010.
US Oncology Public Website. Web. 02 Nov. 2010.
The oncology industry is one of the fastest-growing divisions in healthcare, therefore, it is important for these two companies to put their strengths together in order to deliver technology, business, and distribution services to community cancer practices. The combination of both companies will greatly increase patient/customer satisfaction because they will be able to access information about their medicine, its clinical outcomes and also get clinical expertise in order to help them receive personalized medication. The integrated healthcare IT includes the iKnowMed, an electronic health record, and Lynx, which is a text-based web browser. There are also consultative capabilities and an improvement of the supply chain because the system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources are all being improved because of the combination of these two companies. The products and services from the supplier to the customer will be valued more because of the way they are handled.
I believe that the merge of two companies is a giant step in the world of health care because there are many cases today where patients are not satisfied with their health insurance. There are also those cases where people with dwindling help have no insurance at all because the companies don’t want to risk their death.
Sources
Health Care Information Technology Medical-Surgical Supplies and Pharmaceutical Distributor: McKesson. Web. 02 Nov. 2010.
Lewis, Nicole. "McKesson To Buy U.S. Oncology For $2.16 Billion." Information Week. Web. 2 Nov. 2010.
US Oncology Public Website. Web. 02 Nov. 2010.
What if everybody had access to information whenever they wanted it? This is what analysts at Queens University of Belfast are trying to do by creating a human network. This new idea aims to use humans as network nodes. Certain academics at QUB's Institute of Electronics believe that humans can carry these mobile sensors both externally and/or internally. Another way that this can be done is if these sensors are carried inside the next-generation of smartphones. The result is a body-to-body network or BBN.
Suppose you are at a large event with numerous people carrying numerous smart phones. Now imagine everybody at this event trying to go on to a single web page. This would most definitely cause some connectivity issues. This is because the information is being sent and received by one or two sources. With BBN, everyone is their own source. Multiple networks would augment the information into smaller packages thus eliminating the connection issues. Dr. Simon Cotton from ECIT explains his vision:
"It will provide a number of key benefits compared to cellular networks alone such as in disaster situations where cellular infrastructure has become damaged or is unavailable, body-to-body networks could help provide networking for relief workers and civilians. It promotes the concept of 'green spectrum' whereby we can re-use frequency allocations over much shorter distances, meaning that the precious resource of radio spectrum is utilised much more fully."
I found the concept of 'green spectrum' to be quite interesting. It is a term that's based upon the sustainability of our earth's resources and twisted around by describing the sustainabilty of our technological resources. I believe this concept is very important when dealing with information. The spread of any data, signal, message, e-mail, or any information must be done so in the most efficient way possible. Although this technology is very innovative it dose pose some problems.
This emerging technology has all the attributes of being a certain commercial success in the near future. The body-to-body network makes accessing information through the internet a more reliable and seamless process. Although the potential of this product is evident, one must question the ethics behind this technology. The idea of implanting any sort of technology into a human can be seen as a radical ideal that can pose some sort of moral dilemma.
Overall, this technology is very captivating and has a high potential for success. The academics at ECIT explain the benefits of this human network. Dr. Simon Cotton explains his idea of a 'green spectrum'. Cotton's idea of a 'green spectrum' focuses on the importance of efficiency when dealing with data transfers. With many emerging technologies, sometimes there are problems. The problem with having a human network is that there are some ethical disputes. The ever increasing amount of information in this world can even be greater with this technology.
Bradford K. Cebula
Southwest Wires Fleet for Wi-Fi
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39963009#39963009
Southwest has decided it is going to put Wi-Fi on every plane in the fleet, more than five hundred planes. This move is hoping to gain more customers toward joining Southwest on their flights. The price is going to range anywhere from five to ten dollars per flight for Wi-Fi. One research company said only one out of fifty people use Wi-Fi. However, it is the people who have the biggest receipts that will use it the most. Southwest feels installing the service pays off in a brand loyalty because customers feel comfortable with it and they can also be productive. People like it because when they get off the plane they do not have to think and worry about what they have to send out and do. In addition, satellite domes are also being set up on flights to help lure customers towards picking Southwest.
I feel installing Wi-Fi on Southwest is a really good idea. However, I also think Southwest will be the first to make it free in the future; as they do with baggage fees and other services they provide. I think the price might be a little high to the average person but with time, that will decrease. I also feel, Southwest really works very hard at trying to understand its customer and the customers needs and wants. It is very important that you look at this aspect because for an airline company, you constantly need to look at how you can attract more customers and increase revenue and this is a great way of doing just that. I also think in the future everyone will offer this service because it is how the future is going to function. Without it, a company will be at a disadvantage and what is better than to be the first to offer services like this when the competition lacks a service that your company provides! It gives you an advantage in a time when every little detail counts towards gaining customers. For a long flight however, it would not make sense to make the service free because people are going to really want this service, the demand it going to be high. However, with shorter flights I feel you will attract more customers if this service were to be free because more flights are usually shorter ones compared to longer ones and more people can relate to this. Companies need to market themselves toward what people can relate too. Free Wi-Fi gives them just that, just as free food did ten years ago on flights.
Get Ready for Verizon's Dream Phone
Lindsay LoMedico
"Get Ready for Verizon’s Dream Phone"
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/29/verizon_iphone_seidenberg/
This article is about the upcoming Verizon iPhone. Since the 2007 release of Apples iPhone with AT&T, Verizon customers have been awaiting the release of the day the iPhone would come to Verizon. It seems that the wait is almost over. Recently, Apple has begun to sell the iPad with a MiFi card on Verizon’s network. This is a step closer to the release of the iPhone for Verizon. It is estimated that Apple could sell an estimated 8 to 9 million iPhones on the Verizon network just next year alone, as opposed to the 22 million iPhones sold in the United States in the past 3 years. In 2007, Verizon had turned down the opportunity to be the sole provider of the iPhone, but have recently been in talks with Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple). In the years that have passed, Verizon has been building a better, faster 4G network that will be able to uphold the demand of the iPhone. Verizon has been working diligently to try and build their network up to be a better provider than AT&T. Since having the iPhone, AT&T receives many complaints of the service, mainly because of the iPhone reaching out to a lot of the towers and using a lot of the network.
Verizon customers would be very pleased to find out that the iPhone would be joining Verizon. Verizon has been utilizing technology to better their networks, in order to make the service better, especially if they’d be bringing in much more customers using the iPhone. The Internet would be faster and service would be better on Verizon. By carrying the iPhone, and already carrying the iPad, Verizon is increasing revenue significantly and if a deal is worked out, their sales would sky-rocket. The arrival of the iPhone has been anticipated for years. In my opinion, to have the iPhone on the Verizon network would help them out significantly. The only thing that I think AT&T had going for them was the iPhone, because all I hear about AT&T is how the service is terrible. So, I believe that if the iPhone was available on both networks, Verizon would do significantly better. As technology gets better and better, so will the amount of sales for Verizon. Hopefully the release is somewhere in the near future and people everywhere will be able to utilize the technology available with the iPhone, whether they are on AT&T’s service or Verizon’s.
Intel Takes a Wider Role, Making Chips for Others
Intel Takes a Wider Role, Making Chips for Others
For the first time ever in the company’s history, Intel has agreed to manufacture another company’s, called Achronix Semiconductor, microchips. While the plan would require Intel to use a small fraction of its manufacturing capacity, it is important to note that Intel has always kept it microchips for itself. Many see this move as a sign that Intel is stepping into contract manufacturing, a business dominated by the Asian market. Intel has agreed to create chips that specialized in a type of “microprocessor used to accelerate computing tasks like shuttling network traffic and encrypting data.”
I believe that his move by Intel reveals its business plan for the future. While only require very little to do, the move is quite huge. Intel is trying to expand into the chip manufacture industry. I believe that this move will prove to be beneficial to the company in the long run because Intel is a trusted and proven microchip brand. Also, the company has all the necessary resources to make this transition work in their favor. However some expert disagree. Intel has in the past struggled to create major business beyond PC and sever chips. Meanwhile, the Asian companies are making specially designed microchips for Apple, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. One expert, Mr. Richard is quoted saying about Intel’s “ Manufacturing is their crown jewel, and they’re finding new ways to monetize it.” Clearly, Intel needs to think careful before that make their next move and fully dive into chip manufacturing By starting small however, I believe that Intel can gain the necessary experience and learn how to meet the needs of a company other then themselves. Another advantage that I think Intel has is their already state of the art manufacturing. The chief executive of Achronix, John L. Holt, is quoted saying “Intel as a manufacturing partner should allow the company to make faster, cheaper products than its rivals and expand the market for these chips,” clearly giving Intel a competitive advantage. An average F.P.G.A. cost 1,000 dollars; Intel can sell them for 400 dollars. In the end only time will tell.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/business/01chip.html?_r=1&ref=technology
Start-Up Aims at Google
The article, Start-Up Aims at Google, discusses Google’s future competition, Bekko. Bekko will begin serving customers on Monday. Although competing with Google is a daunting task, Bekko has received much praise. It is Bekko’s goal to gain market share by thriving in the areas in which Google struggles. Professionals say that Google struggles because it’s a “proliferation of search results of dubious quality. Sites listed often are filled with content whose source is unclear.” Bekko will attempt to solve this problem by using a “Google-style search algorithm” however will also put responsibility on the users to select website they desire for queries. This will help in making the searches more specific and not overloading them with information. Bekko is also attempting to reduce the amount of spam; their chief executive said, “We’re cleaning this up …using large-scale human curation.” Over the past few months, they have been testing Bekko and created collections of websites, which people can search through. This will help the site to trigger limited searches for certain queries.
I found this article interesting because Bekko could potentially be one of Google’s main competitors. In recent years Bing has become much more popular and I think it’d be interesting to see if Bekko has the same capabilities. Whenever I go online to research a topic, my first instinct is to go to Google. This article made me wonder if maybe someday, Bekko will be my first option when choosing among search engines.
I believe the idea behind Bekko is very interesting. They have analyzed the flaws of the number one search engine and have decided to try to solve those problems, apply the solutions to their own company, and take market share in that industry. However there are some flaws with Bekko’s strategy. Within their queries, certain sites have been identified as “authoritative information sources.” While this is good because the sites they include are the most important with the best academic information, sometimes the lesser-known sites offer the information people are looking for. For instance, maybe someone doesn’t need the scientific definition of some type of sickness but wants to know people opinions on specific medicines offered. Although the information Bekko offers is considered to be high quality info, it could potentially frustrate users because they may not be able to get what they’re looking for. This is a hard problem to solve because it’s hard to predict the type of information all people are looking for. Different people look for different things so narrowing the queries to only academic information may cut their market in half, not allowing them to be competitive with Google.
There are many commercials these days talking about information overload. They point out that if you don’t type in a specific enough term for a search, everything relating to that term will come up. I chose this article because recently people have become very critical of information overload. Before it was more so accepted but as the article stated, search quality is worse now than it ever was in the past. Bekko is making advancements towards helping this quality increase beyond its past level.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704477904575586551374128996.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_RightMostPopular
Blekko launches human-driven search engine
If Google and Wikipedia were to give birth, their babies might look like Blekko. Blekko is a new search engine with results gathered and put together by people not computer algorithms. The users of the site are the ones in charge of assigning tags to web pages indexed by Blekko. This is very similar to the way Wikipedia users keep the online encyclopedia up to date by adding and changing entries as needed except with a search engine. People who use the site are the ones in charge of putting tags on websites that are indexed by Blekko. Blekko claims that it is more efficient than big competitors like Google as well as every other search engine because their search engine is designed to weed out spam along with also weeding out any results from content farms which research trendy subjects than pay writers to write a short synopsis about the given subject. This type of search engine is not the first of its kind but for now it looks like it will be the best of its kind. Blekko isn't the first search engine that attempts to let volunteer editors organize search results. Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, started a similar search engine Wikia in 2008, only to shut it the following year, saying, “it (Wikia) wasn't as successful as hoped.” The difference between Wikia and Blekko is when Wikia came out it indexed between 50 million and 100 million websites. This is only a fraction of how many sites Blekko has indexed which is ranging around 3 billion different sites.
Blekko is one of the best things to happen to the search engine market because if it develops a market share and people start tagging websites then it will be one of the best search engines out. Google is very frustrating because people have to sort through mostly useless sites to find the sites they need. Blekko on the other hand is websites that are tagged by people who have found the information they needed and tagged the website so others searching for a similar topic can use the same website as them. The sad thing for Blekko is that although their idea is innovative it is not sustainable. Google is a huge company that is always looking to expand and make their products better. If Google sees that they are losing people to a site like Blekko then they will quickly act to improve their own search engine to make it better then their competitor or just try to buy it like they did with youtube.com and other things that they were interested in. Whatever the future holds for Blekko is unknown, what is known is the fact that users of search engines like myself are very thankful for a new search engine that is detailed to the person looking for information and not the providers of the information. Although Blekko’s chances of growing and sustaining their business is very slim considering the competition they are going up against, all users of search engines should be thankful that someone is keeping big companies like Google from becoming complacent and making them always find ways to make their search engine better.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39955277/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Monday, November 1, 2010
LinkedIn to Add Recommendation Service
Maggie Ebner
Wall Street Journal
LinkedIn Corporation has recently added a new recommendations service to its website that will allow social networks to post and blog about reviews or products and services to their professional websites. The LinkedIn Chief Executive Officer Jeff Weiner said, “A big part of what we’re working to do is becoming the essential source of information for our membership.” This aspect of the LinkedIn website will help the marketing business as well. The companies that allow the review of their products will get to include a notice in their ads on the site. LinkedIn believes that its recommendations service will stand out from others similar to it because they will be associated with a real professional people that are more trustworthy and reliable. It will also allow members to build out their personal professional identities better and more efficiently. Participation is free and voluntary for companies so there are no strings attached and is purely meant to benefit the members and companies.
In my opinion the recommendation service is a very useful tool for LinkedIn to acquire because it will better connect their member to each other and to various companies that have common interests and needs. Members can share information on products and services quicker and a littler easier. Common information will all be in one place allowing members to have full access to information. Not only will the members benefit but the companies will too. The company’s products and services will be marketed by business professional people that have experience with the product and are a reliable source. The business professionals blog about their experiences with the products and services and allow all other members to view and access the information. Companies will also be able to delete negative posts as well. This recommendation service is very similar to the Facebook “like” page. Some of the companies that are included in the program include JetBlue, Dell, and Microsoft. Along with benefiting companies and member it will be a great asset to the marketing business of LinkedIn.
More companies should adopt tools such as the recommendation service because I believe that it attracts members. The business professionals that are members will be pleased that more products and services are available to them. They also know that they can trust the source that has blogged about them, which makes it even more beneficial. So far all the reviews from companies have been positive and helpful for members of LinkedIn. The recommendation service add to LinkedIn will only strength the website, its members, and companies.
Gawker to Drop Old Blog Look
Online media website Gawker Media founder and CEO, Nick Denton, has decided to dramatically reinvent the style of his website from a blog to a newsmagazine format. The new design “aims to emphasize original work and the growing number of videos on his sites, visited by 17.3 million unique U.S. visitors in September.” Denton owns a compilation of nine blogs that includes Gawker, the sports site Deadspin and his Gadget site Gizmodo. The previously reverse chronological format will be replaced by one cover story with other posts and headlines flanking the right side of the page. The so-called “face-lift” is currently being publicly tested, with many other bloggers and media organizations waiting in the rears hoping to mimic Denton’s newest technology release. Several “have copied such features as his tools for comments and his elaborate back-end analytics system, which in the new design, helps power a live visitor counter at the top of each site.” Many believe Denton to be a risk taker in his implementation of technology. Inevitably, some are hesitant to change, but with Denton’s talent for pushing users “towards a new usage behavior,” he hopes they will eventually be satisfied by the new look. Due to increased competition, bloggers are being forced to reinvent themselves in order to set themselves apart. Denton recognizes the need for this transformation, especially as blogs are becoming outdated, most specifically in relation to huge social media giants like Facebook and Twitter. Thus, Denton started the transition to a new format in October 2009 due to glitches with the reverse chronological format that was currently in place. In coverage of the Balloon Boy Story, the reverse chronological format caused it to keep falling off the page. Denton claims he has become “bored” of the current site and calls it “constricting.” In addition to the new look of the site, Denton wants to create more space to show video ads due to active demand. Gawker’s CTO, Thomas Plunkett, “believes the new design will double the network’s monthly page views to one billion a year after launch.” Currently, Plunkett and programmers are working to improve the speed at which stories slide into view.
Gawker is hoping to be the first blog site to revolutionize itself in hopes of better competing with the big guns like Facebook and Twitter. With Denton’s technology instincts, the new website interface could better cater to users and also increase profitability tenfold, especially with the implementation of video commercials for advertisers and sponsors. While the change is risky, as all new technologies are, Denton seems confident in his ability to lead users into the new site without much difficulty. If all goes well, Gawker could increase monthly views from 17 million to over a billion. It is yet to be seen whether users will prefer the old blog look or quickly adapt to the newsmagazine-type feel.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304879604575582790000433702.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews
Gaming Technology Promotes Education
In the Business Week article “Kati London: Creating Online Games That Educate and Instruct” on Businessweek.com, Barrett Sheridan profiles game designer Kati London and her influence on the education of young children. As a designer at the gaming company Area/Code, Kati London has been hired by various companies to create games with an educational background. Most recently, she has been commissioned by the UK Transport Department to create a game that will teach children the safety rules of the road. In the game, titled Everland, players must “play as Pathfinders navigating a dangerous fantasy world.”[1] In this world, players face monsters similar to automobiles on the road with speeds and statistics matching actual data taken from traffic. London and other designers like her are using the technology of gaming and video game design to educate their audience in a new and exciting way.
I found the topic of this article to be both interesting and innovative, as it combines the growing habit of child video game use with the always high need to raise traffic safety awareness among children. By implementing an educational lesson within an entertaining game, the UK Transport Department found a way to effectively spread awareness. What separates this technique from previous video games that include morals is the fact that London’s game uses real data from traffic intersections in the UK[1]. London is using this data recording and implementing technology in traffic systems to bring a new degree of accuracy and reality to her final products. London has used this same technology on games with different educational purposes, while other designers have ventured into the same arena. The MIT-Microsoft Alliance has also begun to use this technology in an effort to program games that will teach “science and engineering subjects at the advanced high school and introductory college level.”[2] The staff at the Instructional Materials Center also implemented this technology and strategy to create The Library Adventure Game. The Library Adventure Game involves various levels that when played instruct the user on how to properly compile references through a library network[3]. After installing the game, the IMC “verified that the game is an effective way to provide staff training by giving pre- and post-tests.”[3] While London’s game appears to have a lot of potential in teaching the children of the UK, the IMC’s game and subsequent testing has proved the power of gaming technology in the education industry. This technology, when combined with data from different areas of life, could create accurate and educational games in all area. While London’s game informs children of the risks of traffic, games such as those of the MIT-Microsoft Alliance can teach mathematical equations and other games such as the Gaby the Greyhound tutorial used at Loyola can promote social policies and consequences. While young children often struggle to listen to and remember the constant safety information thrown at them, using data technology to imbed this information in an entertaining game make the process of learning both fun and worthwhile for the player.
Iphone4 and Israel's security
http://www.katonda.com/news/01/2010/2069
This article is about how new and emerging technologies allow information to be uploaded and moved around the world at an incredible rate. This can be an incredible tool, but can be also be dangerous as far as Israel is concerned. The Israeli government fears that with the new Iphone4 and Google Earth application Islamic terrorists can find out new information at an alarming rate. The government can’t do anything to stop or prevent this information and fear it has and will lead to murders.
The article realizes that its not the technologies that are dangerous, but more so who uses them and for what means. In my experience the app Google Earth has only been used to show people’s houses or famous landmarks. That doesn’t mean I could scan over the middle east and see American Military bases. Google has taken steps to reduce the danger by keeping the the satellite images out of date. They get updated from time to time , but currently is up from at least July of 2010. Either way, permanent structures such as a military base or airstrip don’t just get up and move locations. This information, which just ten years ago was only known by governments with the capabilities, can now be shown to anyone who knows to work a computer. This also poses a new challenge to the governments IT branch. Can they step up and get ahead of the curve and counter the terrorists? Either to sabotage their attempt at getting accurate information or to advance their tracking technologies to hunt down and capture these terrorists. A good metaphor used in the article is, IT is a knife, it can chop your vegetables for you but it can also cut you.
The constantly evolving world of IT and technology has constantly answered many of todays problems while creating new ones. In this case technology and the internet have increased the speed in which information is shared at an incredible rate. This can be very beneficial, but also some information that wasn’t intended to be shared can be. Once something is free on the internet there is pretty much no going back. With Google Earth it gives people unparalleled access to see places all over the world that they would normally never reach. The consequence of this is that people who would normally not know where buildings are, etc, now have the ability to learn such information, even mobile now. The iphone4 and the 4g networks are now enabling people to stream video from their phone using applications such as skype. This can be immediately uploaded to the internet, for the entire world to view. This can be from videos coming onto youtube immediately following a sports game, to footage from a terrorist attack. IT has constantly adapted and adjusted, surely within the next 6-10 months new advances will have counter effects or make this advance obsolete. Solving this problem but proposing another, only time will tell what it is.
Ford bets big in digital marketing departure
Ford bets big in digital marketing departure
Chelsea Lambert
November 1, 2010
With the Super Bowl approaching in February Ford’s marketing chief, Jim Farley, has announced that he is directing the majority of his Ford campaign adds towards Facebook, Twitter and YouTube ads. A typical broadcasting ad during the National Football League Championship game sells for around $3 million for 30 seconds. Farley believes this route will be more successful and cost much less. He says, “Customers are spending as much time with the mobile smart phone or online as they are watching TV now, so our advertising dollars have to flow to where the people are.” He projects that the use of this digital marketing campaign will outdo those of any of its rivals. Farley believes that the use of Facebook and Twitter ads will accelerate the word of mouth recommendations to connect with the younger and wealthier generation. He claims that the Super Bowl is a “for unknown brands fantastic advertising opportunity.” Ford is currently recruiting bloggers, social media mavens and facebook friends to submit video applications to drive around in the 2012 Focus. This experiment is expected to create a buzz and help launch the new product lineup.
I believe that the digital marketing campaign of Ford for the upcoming Super Bowl is one that is going to be very successful. The use of digital marketing opposed to the traditional magazine and TV ads have showed a great deal of accomplishment over the past couple years and will only continue to improve. The use of the Internet has become such an essential part of most people’s lives, which is the main reason behind the success of this form of advertisement. The use of Facebook and Twitter not only help advertise many companies such as Ford but they also help connect them with their customers. Not only have these ads shown impressive results for many companies but they have also saved them a great deal of money. With competition among large companies for commercial space during the Super Bowl so high and expensive, it is obvious why Ford’s marketing chief has began to lean towards digital marketing campaigns. Especially with the emerging generation, the use of advertising, such as this, is only expected to show further success. I believe that if other companies take on similar strategies they will also see comparable outcomes. I also believe that the “Ford Focus Global Test Drive” is a very smart business decision for Ford and I assume it will have successful results as well. Ford continues to excel in the automobile industry with the use of such social campaigning due to the fact they know their audience, learn from past campaigns and integrate along with the changing times. As technology continues to expand, I am sure Ford will continue to adapt their campaigns and advertisement in order to succeed in the industry. Most companies have incorporated digital marketing into their company strategies but Ford has integrated it into their events and launches and shown remarkable results.
Ebay Tries to Catch Up in Technology for the Holiday Season
article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703817604575585320835209814.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_RightMostPopular
I found the most peculiar article regarding Ebay’s motion for change in the Wall Street Journal. Geoffrey A Fowler and Scott Morrison discuss the steps Ebay’s trying to take to close the gap in technology with their competitor, Amazon. The article ties in technology and design changes to Ebay’s website that are supposed to be happening sometime around the Holiday season. Ebay hopes to build a product catalog for the products sold on eBay. As already seen on Amazon, they want to have recommendations based on prior searching of products with a feature of the most popular items currently being bought.
If they didn’t make this switch, they would have continued to lose market share, which leads to losing more revenue. After looking on Hoovers.com, I learned that eBay’s main competitors are Amazon, Google and Yahoo Markeplace. I also researched when eBay’s competitors became tech-savy. I found an article on Amazon in Business Week, (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_51/b3863115_mz063.htm), dated all the way back to 2003. This means eBay doesn’t only have to step up with their information technology, but if they want to get things up and ready by holiday season, they better have a timeline mapped out to narrow a 7-year gap within two or three months.
In my opinion, I’m surprised Ebay is still in business. I’m surprised that “sales on eBay were twice as much as those on Amazon last year” (WSJ Article). I think Ebay was too dependent on its old technology that the company didn’t realize the impact the technology could have on its earnings. The shocking part is that they waited 4 years to finally make the change. Technology is constantly changing, and for them not to understand the impact is truly sad. In the article, it also states about this ‘revamping’ starting around 2008. It’s hard to think about it taking two years to recode the software.
The problem with Ebay is that they didn’t know how to use or what its resources were prior to 2008. The article stated that its system involved “25 million lines of inflexibility, soon becoming a liability”. They had a problem with matching the product with the model. This clearly shows a disorganization problem. I think the most important step they took was hiring a new chief technology officer. If the CEO had kept with their current one, I think they would be in a declining state and I don’t believe anything would have changed. The new chief technology officer knows a better way to tackle risk (instead of simply ignoring change). He hired over 100 engineers and purchased Poisitronic Inc. He didn’t stop there, he proposed changing Ebay’s search engine, building a catalog so the company could organize their listings, and steps to help buyers shop more efficiently.
The disappointing part in the article is about how much of Ebay’s inventory is truly in its catalog. They have a goal to “increase the size of catalog to 40% of inventory by the end of next year”. In my opinion, I think by the end of next year another new database or software will have already been developed and they would be late in acquiring it as well. I don't think it's downhill for Ebay, I just believe they're too late in trying to catch up with its competitors.
Intel will make chips for other companies
Intel has decided they will now start to create their computer chips for other companies. In this article, it discusses that Intel will make chips for Achronix Semiconductor, who specializes in making microprocessors that speed up tasks that include "shuttling network traffic and encrypting data". Intel, who is the largest and wealthiest chip make in the market, will now be entering the highly dominated Taiwanese and Chinese contract manufacturing business.
I believe that Intel has done a good move in order to expand there business motives and clientele. Intel in my opinion, will grow from this move when it comes to creating chips for other companies. In the years to come, Intel will only grow with strength if they are to start producing these chips for other large scaled business/computer-affiliated companies. I also believe that it is a good move because they are giving solutions to other companies which in turn gives Intel a chance to prove themselves as the best chip producer. The move will create a larger profit for Intel because they are selling their product to other companies who use these chips in many of today's business related operations on computers. I feel that when a person hears Intel's name, they automatically think core processor, which Intel is known for. The reliability of their chips creates a better opportunity for the other companies because people will know that the product they are receiving, is made up of precision and speed. The companies who purchase the chips will be able to increase the speed of their data encryption and overall speed of networking traffic. This helps to create a smoother operation on the computer based product. I believe that the chips being produced to Achronix will definitely play a roll in the way Achronix grows as a company. Having such a solidly based company producing chips for them will make them a new threat for other micro-processing companies. I do not think that manufacturing chips for other companies will hurt Intel because it only has the capabilities to expand into newer business opportunities as they manufacture. Intel as a company is very large threat to chip producing companies because they have been able to perfect what they do. The only thing that seems to be iffy is when they will have to create specific chips for the needs of another company. I believe that they do have the resources and power to do such a thing, but only time will tell if Intel will be able to please all of their new business partners. Although a small market, the chip manufacturing has competition where a company could possibly out-do Intel or at least maintain speed with them. I also believe that this would be a hard feat to come by, but you can never take out the possibility. I find that Intel's business strategy in this instance is that of a good one. Expanding into a market of manufacturing chips has the capabilities of a large return for Intel. I am interested to follow up on this business decision in the time to come, but it seems that it shouldn't be able to hurt Intel as a chip producer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/business/01chip.html?ref=technology
I believe that Intel has done a good move in order to expand there business motives and clientele. Intel in my opinion, will grow from this move when it comes to creating chips for other companies. In the years to come, Intel will only grow with strength if they are to start producing these chips for other large scaled business/computer-affiliated companies. I also believe that it is a good move because they are giving solutions to other companies which in turn gives Intel a chance to prove themselves as the best chip producer. The move will create a larger profit for Intel because they are selling their product to other companies who use these chips in many of today's business related operations on computers. I feel that when a person hears Intel's name, they automatically think core processor, which Intel is known for. The reliability of their chips creates a better opportunity for the other companies because people will know that the product they are receiving, is made up of precision and speed. The companies who purchase the chips will be able to increase the speed of their data encryption and overall speed of networking traffic. This helps to create a smoother operation on the computer based product. I believe that the chips being produced to Achronix will definitely play a roll in the way Achronix grows as a company. Having such a solidly based company producing chips for them will make them a new threat for other micro-processing companies. I do not think that manufacturing chips for other companies will hurt Intel because it only has the capabilities to expand into newer business opportunities as they manufacture. Intel as a company is very large threat to chip producing companies because they have been able to perfect what they do. The only thing that seems to be iffy is when they will have to create specific chips for the needs of another company. I believe that they do have the resources and power to do such a thing, but only time will tell if Intel will be able to please all of their new business partners. Although a small market, the chip manufacturing has competition where a company could possibly out-do Intel or at least maintain speed with them. I also believe that this would be a hard feat to come by, but you can never take out the possibility. I find that Intel's business strategy in this instance is that of a good one. Expanding into a market of manufacturing chips has the capabilities of a large return for Intel. I am interested to follow up on this business decision in the time to come, but it seems that it shouldn't be able to hurt Intel as a chip producer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/business/01chip.html?ref=technology
SCM Microsystems Announces CHIPDRIVE(R) IT Security Kit for New German ID Card
Millions of people around the world today put their personal information out onto the Internet. Whether it’s through online shopping or logging into a personal bank account, extremely important information is now floating around out there. Naturally, this has created an increase in identity theft and has increased the need for information to be better protected. This article from Market Watch, an entity of The Wall Street Journal, discusses the German government’s response to this problem. They have developed electronic ID cards that will be useful in stopping information theft via the Internet, among other things. These electronic ID cards will provide electronic proof of identity (eID), which protects information transported over the Internet. In order to utilize the eID feature of these smartcards, you need the CHIPDRIVE ID security kit. The government is also making these packages easily affordable to their citizens. The article stated that they would be sold for 24.95 Euros, starting in November 2010.
This article talks about a very new technology that will hopefully spread throughout the world and be incorporated into ID cards everywhere. I feel that this is a very important technology in helping people to get the most out of the internet by making it a more trusted environment that people feel safe using in their everyday lives. In my opinion, more people will utilize the Internet if they know their information is safe, and by increasing people’s use of the Internet, we are taking a step in the right direction because the Internet and technology in general is out future.
While I do think that this revolutionary technology will significantly improve the safety of the information of all members of the Internet community, I do feel that some people will eventually find their way around this firewall just like they have in the past. The article mentions that passwords and usernames are the “most widespread and easily attackable security method used for online transactions.” This technology would significantly improve online security simply by eliminating the need for usernames and passwords as the primary way of accessing information.
This article is a prime example of why information technology is so important. IT constantly has to be ahead of the curve and always changing and working toward something better. In the context of this article, the second this technology is released, people will be working on finding ways around it. It is a continuous cycle that may never end.
In addition to cutting down on identity theft and easily accessible information on the Internet, these German ID cards will do much more. They will make it much harder for people to procure false forms of identification, making the country safer. They will also allow information to be transported in a matter of seconds. Many countries around the world could benefit greatly from this information technology because it would cut down on the number of man hours spent processing information, as well as reduce terrorism. In conclusion, this technology has a lot to offer Germany, and the rest of the world, in terms of Internet and homeland security.
"SCM Microsystems Announces CHIPDRIVE(R) IT Security Kit for New German ID Card - MarketWatch." MarketWatch - Stock Market Quotes, Business News, Financial News. 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2010.
Ads That Let You Check In at Your Favorite Billboard
By: Todd Woody
The New York Times
The train is a very popular mode of transportation for many people. If you have ever taken the train in the city you have seen the huge posters or billboards that are along the walls. They are very eye catching because of their enormous size. A nonprofit environmental law firm called Earthjustice is taking advantage of these eye catching posters by making their own ads that feature adorable endangered species that need help. The ad tells people to “check in now at Foursquare”. Foursquare is a “rapidly growing social network that lets people use their mobile phones to announce their location”. When people “check in” on Foursquare, an Earthjustice donor will donate money. The money goes to protecting the endangered species that are featured on the billboard. People are also able to post their check ins on other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This new approached that they are using is called “location-based fund raising”. Using this approach gives Earthjustie information about what ads were most effective in producing a response from people. It also gives people information about what needs to be done to help protect the environment and what needs to be done to help save the lives of animals that are near endangerment.
This idea is very interesting. If I was standing waiting for the train and looked over to see this little cute animal starring back at me and all I had to do was check in at Foursquare to save the little animal I would. Standing and waiting for the train can be very boring and these ads gives you something to do which makes waiting for the train easier. These billboards are only in California but I think they would be very successful on this side of the country as well. I do not think many people know what animals are endangered or what animals are affected by oil spills or drastic weather changes. These billboards at the train stations give people information and they also give them a chance to help these animals. These billboards also show that by using new technologies like social networks, you can do something to help animals that are on the verge of becoming endangered. The idea of checking in on a social network can also be helpful to marketers in determining where the best place to put an ad would be. If a certain location has more check ins than another, the marketer might want to put the billboard at these locations. Making a connection with fund raising for a great cause and new technologies that are becoming extremely popular is a great way to help save these animals lives. The ads provide information for the people who see them so that they can help
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