Nokia puts in-vehicle infotainment into high gear

As gas prices increase rapidly, the demand for vehicles by consumers is steadily decreasing. Yet, will there still be a low demand if consumers had the ability to control the actions of their vehicle by a simple press of a bottom on their mobile device? Well the professionals of Nokia along with many other well-known vehicle manufacturers agree that the connection between mobile devices and vehicles will be highly demanded. All the companies strongly believe in the new innovative idea of electronically powering vehicles.

Recently, Nokia and a countless number of car and electronic firms collaborated to form the Car Connectivity Consortium—an international effort to harmonize the electronic magic that will power your future vehicle (Eaton). Some well-known firms including Nokia, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Alpine, Panasonic, LG, and Samsung are involved in bringing the future idea into reality. The Consortium is not a secret or closed off association instead they highly encourage the involvement of other companies from various industries especially powerhouses such as Google. Through collaboration and the interchange of ideas the firms anticipate on producing a highly clever, super equipped vehicle that provides an unimaginable car experience. Thilo Kieslowski, Vice President Automotive at Gartner, stated “Integrating smartphones in vehicles gives drivers a seamless connected lifestyle experience (Pressnokia.com).”

Specifically, the features of the car will include the ability to control the mobile device through your car, in-car computer and wireless broadband, and digit display-screens. More surprisingly, the new vehicles will have wireless charging for mobile devices (Eaton). All the features included in the vehicle will be an advantage for all drivers. The ability to control the mobile device via car will increase safety on the roads. Drivers will no longer have to be concerned with impairment and lack attentiveness due to handling a mobile device. According to the National Safety Council, every year about 1.4 million traffic crashes are caused by the use of cell phones (Halsey). Nonetheless, there should be a decrease in traffic accidents due to the use of a mobile device because of the newly produced vehicles.

Not only will the futuristic vehicles benefit the consumers but increase the profit for many of the firms participating in the production of these vehicles. However, there is always a disadvantage to every advantage. With the high use of technology featured in each vehicle, the total cost of each car may increase to an unaffordable level for the average American. Thus, if only 10% the population is able to purchase the vehicles then safety of the roads will remain unchanged. In addition, the technical innovations to each vehicle may increase the probability of battery exhaustion within the engine. Nevertheless, operating issues of the vehicles may cause skepticism by many consumers. Without a doubt, vehicle owners will choose a long-lasting, reliable vehicle over a highly technical vehicle. Even if there are operating defects, there will be immediate solutions given by the Car Connectivity Consortium. More than likely the vehicles of the near future will be affordable and run with efficiency as the creative, intelligent minds of all professionals a part of each firm join forces. Unsurprisingly, our future is looking bright.

Eaton, Kiton. "Nokia Leads Ride Pimping Initiative With Apps, Smartphones, NFC, Wireless Charging Fast Company." FastCompany.com - Where Ideas and People Meet Fast Company. 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

Iii, Ashley Halsey. "28 Percent of Accidents Involve Talking, Texting on Cellphones." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - Washingtonpost.com. 13 Jan. 2010. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

"New Car Connectivity Consortium Aims to Put In-vehicle Infotainment into High Gear « Nokia – Press." Nokia – Press. 13 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

Microsoft Debuts Systems Management Update With Cloud Computing Pathway

Cloud computing is one of the hottest topics in the world of information technology. While it is an amazing concept to think about, it can also be a very frightening one. The thought of having all the information of a company on the “cloud” could be unnerving for those in charge of its security. Microsoft recently unveiled its Systems Center 2012 at their management summit in Las Vegas. The system is “a way for business to begin transitioning their traditional IT systems to private and public cloud computing services (Whiting).” Microsoft aims to provide a better way of managing the virtualized databases that make up cloud computing. The system, along with some of its variations (System Center Service Manager 2012 and System Center Data Protection Manager 2012), is set to be released later this year (Whiting).

Microsoft is taking a step in the right direction with their Systems Center 2012. With companies starting to move towards cloud computing, Microsoft is creating a product that enables businesses to make the transition from traditional IT systems to the cloud. In a time like this when many companies are trying to look at bottom line strategies to cut costs, Microsoft is giving the industry what it wants. According to the assistant commissioner of the General Services Administration, “moving to the cloud is easier, more cost-effective, and safer than many federal IT pros realize (Montalbano).” The more good press cloud computing can get, the better off Microsoft will be. This can be a big help in getting the company back to where they were during the dot com phase of the early 2000s when their stock price was almost double what it is today. Microsoft has been preparing for the release of this project for a while. Not unlike Apple and its vision for the iPad that started back in the 1990s, Microsoft envisioned that the world will be turning towards cloud computing. For this, they strategically started acquiring companies such as Opalis Software and AVIcode a couple years back (Whiting). I think that this was a very smart decision by the company considering the products of both companies have impacted the success of the Systems Center 2012.

I feel that cloud computing will be one of the types of technologies that take off on a chain reaction. It seems to me that once a couple major firms or organizations take advantage of the high-tech idea it will catch on like crazy. Also, I feel that it will be easy for people to link up virtual databases to one another, therefore turning the process into a chain reaction; once it gets started it will grow rapidly. And to help out this exponential grow, Microsoft will be getting feedback from its first customers on how to make their product better and more usable by all other companies. The combination of these events and the pursuit of knowledge sharing will soon take off and be here before we know it.

Whiting, Rick. "Microsoft Debuts Systems Management Update With Cloud Computing Pathway." CRN. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

Montalbano, Elizabeth. "Cloud Computing Is Safer Than You Think." GSA. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

"Wi-Fi Tracking at Airports"

How often can you say that you travel using an international airport? And how often while traveling and using this airport do you have at least one wi-fi capable device handy? (ie. smartphone, laptop, portable gaming device, etc) The chances are that almost all persons these days traveling via airport will have at least one if not more of these wi-fi items with them and this idea is exactly what SITA realized and is now using to aid airports and airport officials. In a recent article by Christine Negroni of the The New York Times titled, Tracking Your Wi-Fi Trail, she discusses a new technology that is able to track “travelers’ movements based on the Wi-Fi-emitting devices they” carry (Negroni). Originally tested from Geneva, Switzerland, the wi-fi tracking technology will be implemented in the Copenhagen International Airport in the coming weeks. Once installed, the technology is said to aid airport officials and allow them to use the “information to improve the design of the airport, direct the flow of passengers or shift employees to improve the efficiency of security or immigration checkpoints” (Negroni).
Created by SITA, specialists in air transport communication and IT solutions, the program shows different colored dots for arriving passengers and departing passengers and the system is stated as being able to pick up on passenger locations “within about 10 feet or so of accuracy...this is enough to see where passengers congregate, how much time they spend in stores and restaurants and where there may be bottlenecks. It will also enable airport retailers to communicate with travelers directly” (Negroni). Also interesting is that the technology is in a sense a “two-way street”, in which passengers can download an app to their smartphone and locate the shortest security lines, find deals at in-airport stores, and find the quickest and less congested routes to their desired gates. SITA as well as the airport have a focus on the customer and want to present them with the best and most efficient travel experience and therefore in a 2010 “SITA Passenger Self-Service Survey, when asked what makes for a pleasant trip, passengers ranked short queues in second place after punctuality” (SITA).
I find this technology to be very essential to travelers and important tool for making for a more successful trip experience. I have traveled many times, both with my family and on my own, and certainly find that dealing with lines and congested areas can be exhausting and adds extra stress that is not needed while traveling. If this technology can actually aid the passenger in a way where it presents them with a quicker less congested route or displays a security line or other lines that are shorter and quicker then I can say that this technology is a strong improvement for air travel and a great thing for all passengers. One issue I have with this technology however is that it begins to encroach on the line of privacy and the idea of tracking begins to give the user a feeling of less control. Dave Bakker, senior vice president for SITA Global Services, commented on this and stated “that only devices were followed, not individuals, and so the program did not intrude on travelers’ privacy. ‘We do not know who is behind an individual dot other than that it is an inbound or an outbound passenger.’” (Negroni). If this is actually true and the technology is strictly used to better the airport and the passenger’s experiences than I am eager for it to reach more airports and become a more widely used system.




Works Cited

Negroni, Christine. “Tracking Your Wi-Fi Trail”. The New York Times. 22 March 2011


“Passenger tracking by SITA and Bluelon to revolutionise services at airports”. SITA. 22 March 2011

Microsoft Debuts System Management Update with Cloud Computing Pathway

Microsoft has announced a new systems management system with a cloud computing pathway designed to help businesses transition from old IT technology to new cloud computing services. Cloud computing technology allows a business to buy one application to install which their employees can access the companies files from a web based server. This will save the companies money due to the fact that they will not have to keep their software licenses current or worry about if the license would allow new users. The web based server would be the host for all of the programs that an employee would need to access for their job. However, a company would have to be careful with the security of their programs due to the fact that they are stored on the web.
The cloud is composed of a group of computers which handles running the applications, doing the majority of the work rather than the local computer. The use of cloud computing would result in a drastic shift with computers. Many emails which are based on a web server are examples of this cloud computing technology. Microsoft’s systems managements system will capitalize on this cloud computing technology and use it to aid businesses.
Although two key aspects to cloud computing software is virtualization and server consolidation, the most important service that the system provides is intelligence on how the apps are doing. Microsoft’s new system will not only provide the oversight necessary for these applications but all the intelligence on how the applications are functioning. In addition Microsoft will provide public as well as private clouds for their customers. The private clouds would only be accessible through the company.
One key aspect of the cloud computing pathway is that business managers are now able to collect and redistribute virtualized data resources into groupings, known as clouds, for business groups to use in self-service models.
The new system will also feature a Systems Center Orchestrator which manage and organize the workflows throughout multiple systems and tasks. This system was acquired when Microsoft bought the Opalis software. The systems center orchestrator is based on the automated technology of the Opalis software.
Microsoft has combined these advances in technology to create their new systems management system. The advances in technology that they have used came from the different software acquisitions Microsoft has made. Customers now have technology which makes it easier to improve and manage their virtualized workloads.


Works Cited

"HowStuffWorks "How Cloud Computing Works"" Howstuffworks "Computer" Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

Whiting, Rick. "Microsoft Debuts Systems Management Updating with Cloud Computing Pathway." CRN. 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011

Security Flaws of Cloud Computing

When you hears about cloud technology, what comes to mind? Is it the cheesy Window's commercials? Or, better yet the grand idea of being able to access any of your files from wherever you please? While these concepts, among others, may come to mind upon first hearing the term "cloud" in a technical context, I am sure you didn't think of it as a great way to find the kid who stole your computer. However, one college student from Bentley University, named Mark Bao, was able to do just that using his cloud back-up program called Blackblaze. In short, Blackblaze is an online service that allows you to save any files you please onto it's server for $5/month.

What Bao did was set-up his cloud system so that anything he saves automatically goes to Blackblaze. This was convenient at the time, and then became the reason he caught the kid who stole his laptop. This is so because, once it was stolen, the thief kept unknowingly saving files to the cloud, leaving his e-mail address, files, and his name at the hands of Bao. Bao evidently reported the name, retrieved his laptop, and got plenty of revenge.

Not only does this event introduce a new way a cloud system can be used, it introduces indirectly addresses the security risks of the concept of cloud systems. One thing that seemed to shout out to me was how easily Kao was able to access the thief's files because he did not wipe the stolen computer well enough. This screamed out because the first thing that comes to mind is the security of having a used computer. The ease of Bao's accessing those files present the question of how easy it to do this same exact thing to someone who purchases a new computer? Hypothetically speaking, if the computer is not cleaned to the fullest extent, something that is completely plausible, then how safe is purchasing a used computer?

Also with respect to security, one of the key uses of a cloud system is to keep your files secure from being deleted and, more importantly, being accessed from other parties; especially in the event of a lost or crashed computer. This event actually questions the legitimacy of this security because if the thief was easily able to save to Bao's cloud drive, then he must have had the ability to access the drive. This presents the question: if someone was unintentionally able to have access to a cloud, then how severely can someone intentionaly trying to access a cloud drive attack someone's files.

While this story speaks to the benefits that a kid was able to reap from his cloud systems, I feel it actual presents some of the major flaws, particularly in the security aspect, of a cloud system.

Sources:

Hill, Kashmir. "To Catch a Computer Predator." Web log post. Forbes. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. http://blogs.forbes.com/kashmirhill/2011/03/22/to-catch-a-computer-predator/.

http://www.backblaze.com

Times’s Online Pay Model Was Years in the Making

Last week, The New York Times made it clear that they are taking new strides to keep up with the advancing technological world. The newspaper announced their plan to make readers pay for an online subscription, stirring much debate within the company and among its readers. The new pay model will take effect on March 28, and will charge users $15 for a four-week subscription. However, readers are allowed 20 free articles per month before they have to decide if they want to pay the subscription rate. This is the newspaper’s attempt to somewhat maintain its major flow of visitors.

Many people are opposed to the idea of paying to read The New York Times online, but others think differently. The resistance to this new plan does not want to pay because they have not paid before. The newspaper has placed itself in a difficult position by allowing their journalism to be read for free in the first place, because it will be hard to take that luxury away now. People in support of the online subscription plan argue that there is tremendous value in online newspapers because information is extremely timely. Also, our advancing technological era allows accessing newspapers online to be very easy and convenient. Several people own some kind of computer, whether it is a desktop with a monitor, a personal laptop, or the newest innovation from Apple, an iPad. Both sides have logical points, so it will be interesting to see if the new move will attract online subscribers or not. Would you be willing to pay a monthly bill for a newspaper you can access online?

Personally, I do not fully support the Times’ decision. I understand that we are now part of a world full of new technological advancements almost daily. However, I do not find it necessary to charge the public to read an article on the Internet.

First off, the newspaper has attempted to have an online subscription plan very similar to this new idea in the past. From 2005 to 2007, The Times experimented with a model called TimesSelect. Readers had to pay for access to opinion columnists like Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd and for The Times’ archives. This program produced $10 million in revenue, with 227,000 subscribers at $49.95 a year (Peters). However, after examining this new trial, the company realized that the limitation on access to the site eliminated potential for more readers and advertising. TimesSelect eventually came to an end, and when it did, traffic to The New York Times website almost doubled. Currently, the website has more than 30 million domestic visitors a month (Peters). As a firm believer in learning from the past, I see something very similar happening for the newspaper this second time around. Although our economy is showing improvement after a major slump, we are recovering very slowly. Many consumers are not ready to be spending unnecessary cash because they just do not have it anymore. I do not really see the Times showing much more progress with this endeavor than they had last time. Do you think many readers will be willing to pay for this journalism?

I also feel that it depends on personal opinion. I would not pay for an online subscription because I would rather read a newspaper in print. Therefore, if I had to pay for anything, I would pay for the printed subscription of The New York Times. However, I do not purchase it now and will not purchase it when this plan comes into effect. I am sure I will use the 20 allocated articles I am allowed to read per month, and should be satisfied with that. I do not really think this is the best idea for The New York Times, but am anxious to see the future results of this new online subscription plan.

Works Cited

Peters, Jeremy W. "The Times Announces Digital Subscription Plan." The New York Times. 17
Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011.
.

Peters, Jeremy W. "Times’s Online Pay Model Was Years in the Making." The New York Times. 20 Mar.
2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011.
f=technology>.

Sprint Puts Google Voice Everywhere

As technological advances continue to modernize the world around us, the area of telecommunications continues to benefit from research and development. Gone are the days of an expensive landline provided by AT&T or Verizon. Today we talk, text, and video chat inexpensively. Telecommunication programs relying on solely a broadband connection such as Skype have afforded new and inexpensive opportunities to those who wish to communicate to their loved ones without a headache of a bill. As these programs continue to develop, cellphone and landline providers are finding themselves in a daunting situation. Google has made it’s tip toe into the telecommunications industry with Google Voice, a web based application that allows people to make anything Google (gmail, etc.) part of your telephone service. The application allows user to make calls through their PC to other PCs or American phones for relatively low prices or free. In addition, this application allows users to make inexpensive international phone calls. Besides these feautres, Google Voice allows users to set up any of their telephone devices to ring when their cell phone is called, and for their gmail inboxes to be alerted as well. Overall, Google Voice adds a level of functionality to the telephone/cell phone unseen before. As cell phone providers face ever increasing competition from such applications, Sprint announced yesterday that it will be the first service provider to incorporate Google Voice on it’s Android smartphone. Doing so will allow users to sync their Google Voice account with their Sprint number, a feature that has since been unavailable and caused others to avoid the service.
By incorporating such technology Sprint is attempting to make itself unique as a wireless provider. In the American market, Sprint has been lacking in maintaining a competitive advantage against wireless giants Verizon and AT&T. Without bargaining chips such as the iPhone and superior service ratings, Sprint/Nextel now has something to offer to potential customers. They exclusively combine your Google Voice with your cellphone, making your PC or Mac, home phone, cell phone, and e-mail inboxes interchangeably connected forever. It is rather interesting to see a wireless provider adopt such technology, because of the risk on profits involved. By allowing users to tap into such technology via their mobile phone, Sprint faces a loss on certain features that users can access cheaply or free through Google Voice rather than through the Sprint Network. Although for many service providers this could be worrisome, Sprint has offered a relatively cheap unlimited talk, text, and data plan for quiet some time. At the end of the day, Google Voice should help to increase its customer base and attractiveness while strengthening profits. The article focuses on Sprint’s adaptation to Google’s technology; however, a final note of interest lies in honing in on Google. What exactly does this mean for Google as a company? Carefully considering this business transaction, it would appear that Google is expanding its efforts to another level in the wireless industry. There are speculations that in the future Google plans to use Sprint as a means of expansion to eventually become their own wireless provider. For now we can only wait to see how Google Voice effects Sprint’s network and allow the technology to do its job.

Works Used:

1. Peckham, Matthew. "Sprint Puts Google Voice Everywhere." 21 March 2011: n. pag. Web. 22 Mar 2011. .


2. http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html


3. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703858404576214351604164430.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews

Carrots, Sticks, and Digital Health Records

Everyone has had to deal with medical records sometime in their life. Whether they are getting forms filled out for school or camp, or transferring to a new doctor, they are obviously prominent in medical affairs. In his article, “Carrots, Sticks, and Digital Health Records,” Steve Lohr outlines the possible national shift from paper records to digital records. He states that “the goal is to improve health care and to reduce its long-term expense by moving the doctors and hospitals from ink and paper into the computer age.” However, the new struggle technologically is to decide how much the government should be involved with this. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) have proven to have helped physicians and their patients already, but there are also many cons to having all doctors switch over to this technology. I am definitely able to see it from both sides because I was a receptionist in a pediatrician’s office for three years and I was in charge of dealing with patient records.

I think that there are many advantages to putting all patient records in electronic form. Overall, this could make the office more organized, because you would not have to deal with numerous filing cabinets and preparing the charts for the day. There would be no misplaced records, no risk of the files getting damaged, and the amount of paper used in the office would be cut down exponentially. Further, there would be no risk of misunderstanding poor handwriting, whether by a doctor, nurse or other health provider. As shown in the picture that accompanies the article, with the recent tablet technology, doctors are able to easily input data while in the room with the patient (Lohr, 2011). A report from The New England Journal of Medicine “found that doctors who use electronic health records say overwhelmingly that such records have helped improve the quality and timeliness of care” (Lohr, 2008) You would be able to ensure that patients come in regularly, without having to look through their chart and making a phone call. You would be able to make contact with them through the database. Although most of the functions of the data are merely for convenience, one use could revolutionize health care. They call his use a “learning health system” and it would be able to connect patient data, confidentially, to analyze treatments and get warnings on drug interactions (Lohr, 2011). This could increase the health of their patients tremendously. “82 percent of those using such electronic records said they improved the quality of clinical decisions, 86 percent said they helped in avoiding medication errors and 85 percent said they improved the delivery of preventative care” (Lohr, 2008).

However, I do think that there are many downsides to this type of technology. First of all, it is extremely expensive. Although the government is working to get incentives for medical facilities to adopt this type of technology (estimated at $27 billion), it is still very expensive for the doctors to take this on. It also may not be easy to use, and you would need to be completely versed in the new software to be able to work it effectively. For many doctors it is simply not worth the time and effort that you have to put into it to be able to use it. Dr. Paul Feldan, a doctor from New Jersey, said that “the initial cost of upgrading the office’s personal computers, buying new software, and obtaining technical support to make the shift would be $15,000 to $20,000 a doctor. Then, during the time-consuming conversion from paper to computer records, the practice would be able to see far fewer patients, perhaps doubling the cost” (Lohr, 2008). This shows that, although many doctors are pleased with the idea of this technology, it could be too costly, both in money and time, to actually go through with it. Also, there is no “one size fits all system” that can be used for all practices. This makes finding a program extremely difficult. Primarily because one may not be able to find software that runs the same way that they ran their manual system to run their practice. Also, most of these systems are designed for larger practices or hospitals, so they cannot be easily converted to a small practice environment. They are not able to make a one fits all system, and this is going to hurt their efforts dramatically (Deutsch). 54 percent of doctors said that finding a system that fit their practice was a “major barrier” to adoption (Lohr, 2008).

Overall, I think that adopting electronic health records could help doctors and patients, alike. From an office management perspective, most doctors’ offices are significantly behind the rest of the world in their automation efforts and at some point common sense says that this pain should be dealt with. However, there are many different problems with taking on a system that could be costly and difficult to implement.


Works Cited

Lohr, Steve. "Carrots, Sticks, and Digital Health Records." The New York Times. 26 Feb. 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.

Lohr, Steve. "Most Doctors Aren't Using Electronic Health Records." The New York Times 19 June 2008. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. .

Deutsch, John. "HTR Stories." EMR Software & Medical Billing Software Reviews, Ratings & Comparisons at Health Technology Review. 6 Nov. 2007. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. .

Verizon's Next Step in Innovation

Verizon Wireless is constantly searching for ways to best utilize their leading 3G and 4G LTE mobile networks. Last month, Verizon began construction near Silicon Valley in downtown San Francisco of its Application Innovation Center, or AIC. This center will allow developers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and others to work on innovative applications (Fine). Executive director of Ecosystem Development at Verizon Wireless, Brian Higgins, said, "The goal of the AIC is to engage developers, pro-actively share Verizon Wireless' technical and marketing experience and expertise, and ultimately bring truly innovative applications and services to all of Verizon's customers. As the mobile ecosystem grows, the AIC aims to play an important role in bringing in new developers and nurturing new ideas."

Verizon’s already existing LTE (Long Term Evolution) Innovation Center has greatly benefited Verizon in many ways. It has spurred development for products, services and solutions. These include, but are not limited to, home monitoring and control, health care, visual collaboration, and gaming. The AIC will follow a similar collaborative model in the respect that companies will spend time creating, optimizing, and polishing their ideas, eventually turning them into applications for wireless customers. Verizon Wireless partners will now be connected to developers for a collaborative approach at innovation (Fine).

For a company like Verizon having the reputation of fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest most reliable 3G network, innovation is very important. Verizon’s goal is to apply the power of their technology to the challenges faced by society by improving to be the best it can be, while also stressing the safety of its users. In Verizon’s words, they say that, “Our networks play a central role in energizing the marketplace, stimulating innovation and improving the quality of life for our customers. (Verizon)” In order to continue to meet their goals, Verizon is at a constant need for new ideas, but not just any ideas, the best ideas. The AIC is the next step for Verizon’s innovation for new technologies that meet these goals.

Innovation is an important aspect of any company. New ideas are what fuel them to survive in a competitive world and without innovation, a company will not keep up with technology and thus slowly but surely fade away. Verizon takes great pride in its expertise with technology and its ability to collaborate the ideas of all its developers to create the best applications possible. And how can it be argued? Verizon is the leading network in the nation and continues to be following this strategy. The most important aspect is that this shows their care for their customers. For example, Verizon has developed products specific to the needs of people with disabilities. They also show a great deal of care for their employees, providing over $3.8 billion in health care benefits for over 830,000 employees. All of this is possible because Verizon is so advanced in its field. Is this the way all companies should go about innovation? Perhaps not exactly, but it’s certainly a good place to start. Having specific innovation groups will certainly spur growth and improvement.

Works Cited

Fine, Richard. "Verizon Wireless to Open Application Innovation Center In... -- BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and SAN FRANCISCO, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/." PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

"Verizon | Corporate Responsibility | Results | Innovation." Verizon | Corporate Responsibility | Doing the Work. Web. 22 Mar. 2011.

Mass Opinion Business Intelligence uses Facebook and Twitter

Mass Opinion Business Intelligence is one of the up and coming tools businesses have been using to evaluate customers’ opinions. Kia Motors is one of the companies that have begun to use this technology to gage customer sentiments. Mass Opinion Business Intelligence examines posts through blogs, Twitter, and Facebook to determine how the customer feels about a product, service, or marketing campaign. This technology allows companies to look at “real time” opinions so companies have an accurate idea towards customer sentiment. This technology does not simply examine the text of the posts; it goes even further in an attempt to examine the tone to each message (King).
WiseWindow is a company that specializes in Mass Opinion Business Intelligence. Recently, they have been looking into the airline industry. They discovered through customer opinions, that Southwest’s new advertising campaign is not as effective as their previous one. WiseWindow determined through their technology that Southwest’s campaign “Bags Fly Free” was a much more effective campaign, by examining customers’ opinions on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Through this technology companies can gather even more insights into customers’ behavior (King). WiseWindow stated that soup companies were able to determine that their competition did not solely rest with other soup companies. They were able to determine that an alternative to eating soup at lunch was fast food (WiseWindow).
When examining public opinions for most companies negative statements from customers are a sign that sales will decrease. However, this circumstance does not apply to everyone, such as music artists. Even if there is negative public opinion circulating about them, their sales will still increase (King). Companies such as WiseWindow help sift through the opinions that will have a negative impact on sales. WiseWindow also helps companies to determine when a new marketing campaign begins to affect sales. They claimed that a beverage company was able to tell that their new marketing campaign was effective weeks before the numbers showed up in the sales simply due to gathering information from social media websites (WiseWindow).
Mass Opinion Business Intelligence is allowing companies to receive immediate feedback from customers even without them knowing it. I believe that the demand for this technology is going to greatly increase over the next couple of years. Social media sights such as Facebook and Twitter are used so frequently that companies can gather a lot of extremely useful information about their customers’ views. Kia Motors wants to change the public’s opinion on their products. They are seen as an automobile manufacturer that provides efficient and cheap cars, however they also want their customers’ to think that their products have a cool design with new technology. Through MOBI technology Kia will be able to see if their marketing and product changes are getting the results that they wanted (King). The best part of this technology is its ability to determine the tone of the posts. I think that by examining masses of these messages companies are going to gain a lot of insight into their customers’ wants and needs.


Works Cited

King , Rachael. "Sentiment Analysis Gives Companies Insight Into Consumer Opinion." Businessweek 01 Mar 2011: n. pag. Web. 21 Mar 2011. .

"The WiseWindow Story." WiseWindow. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar 2011. .

High-tech apps help drivers evade police

In order to evade new incriminating technology, used by law enforcement to catch illegal acts when they are not around, the general public has turned to a new technology of its own. Phone, computer, and GPS applications have been developed that can detect the cameras in red lights and speed zones. While some police officers are against these applications, others believe they will make drivers more alert and aware while they are driving.

            It can be argued that these new features even the playing field for drivers, but it can also be argued that they are very dangerous. Law enforcement is spending a lot of money to catch driver breaking the law, even when they are present. James Vlahos says, “In the era of computer-controlled surveillance, your every move could be captured by cameras, whether you’re shopping in the grocery store or driving on the freeway.” Many people feel cheated by these technologies and it is likely that a large number will start using the applications that combat them. However, in order to use these applications they will have to be paying attention to their electronics while driving. This can cause problems, as they will be distracted from the road.

            According to GoMo news, “Chetan Sharma Consulting (with a little help from GetJar) has predicted that the number of mobile apps downloads will increase from more than 7 billion downloads in 2009 to 50 billion in 2012.” The size and growth of the app world is difficult to grasp until we see applications as diverse PhantomAlert, which can be downloaded to detect speed and red light cameras. If we are using apps to evade law enforcement, the possibilities for their uses are endless. With these new applications the question of app regulation comes into play. Should companies allow these apps to be used and sold for their products, if they could perhaps cause some harm like undermining police? As the app world grows, it will be more and more difficult to control. People should begin to question at what point apps stop being a positive thing that make life easier, and start to be only about making money.

            Electronic applications are also starting to use social networking to their advantage. Trapster is an application that provides counter-law information based on what is submitted by other users. Similarly, PhantomAlert alerts drivers about DUI checkpoints that are reported to them from drivers who use their application. It seems that these applications are making it easier for people to work together in opposition of law enforcement, and it is giving them another platform to do so.

            It is difficult to discern when the line between useful and harmful is being crossed. For many people who actively develop these apps, they are only worried about profit, and often don’t care about the full long-term effects. I would not say that these applications used to counter new police technology are necessarily bad; there are policemen who are in favor of the apps. However, they should definitely be monitored. Today, almost anything is possible, and everything is right out our fingertips. The original purpose of apps was to make our lives easier. If we are not careful, apps will soon become more of a burden.

Copeland, Larry. "High-tech Apps Help Drivers Evade Police - USATODAY.com." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-03-21-1Ascofflaw21_ST_N.htm>.

Dennis, Tony. "Growth in Mobile Apps May Have Hidden Dangers." GoMo News. 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011

Dennis, Tony. "Growth in Mobile Apps May Have Hidden Dangers." GoMo News. 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011

Vlahos, James. "Surveillance Society: New High-Tech Cameras Are Watching You - Popular Mechanics." Automotive Care, Home Improvement, Tools, DIY Tips - Popular Mechanics. 1 Oct. 2009. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/4236865>.

What is on your “mynd”?

Neuromarketing to change the world of advertising

Welcome to 2011: a year when, according to Larry Dignan, “advertising [just] got creepier” (zdnet.com). Introduced circa 2002, but not widely accepted, neuromarketing combines neuroscience and marketing to observe consumer behaviors through brain mapping. NeuroFocus is now presenting a gadget called the Mynd (picture above) (zdnet.com). This wireless device is modeled off the typical EEG headset, minus the necessity of gel for the sensors, and is used to scan brainwave activity across the entire consumer noggin. With its ability to connect with Apple’s IPads and IPhones and other Blue tooth devices, the Mynd is revolutionizing into a “portable brain scanner” (fastcompany.com). Portability opens the door for new testing environments beyond the lab, which often unnerves test subjects. In theory, researchers envision the Mynd to be used at home, outdoors, and in public venues. It is even predicted that data collected from this emerging technology will be able to be shared through social networks sites, such as Facebook. This device has the potential to serve as a huge competitive advantage for any company that invests: hopping onto the bandwagon and into the consumer mind. But why are advertising companies so interested in the Mynd? Because they are very much interested in seeing what is going on in ours.

The Mynd has the capability to monitor consumers’ responses to advertising techniques and media concepts. Thus, allowing the advertising companies “to gain critical knowledge and insights into how consumers perceive their brands, products, packaging, in-store marketing, and advertising at the deep subconscious level in real time” according to Dr. A. K. Pradeep, CEO of NeuroFocus (zdnet.com). Advertisers will now be able to eliminate bad data collected through consumer surveys (I think we all can admit to our own minor discretions on while filling out product review forms) to improve their strategies and better implement their business goals. The Mynd puts the power is in their hands, and on our heads, to delve deep into the consumer psyche. If effective, companies will be giving us what we don’t even know we want! Creepy is right. Clearly the goal is to improve product lines and the advertising of these products to be more attractive to consumer. I’ll be curious to see if the Mynd could be used to stimulate, perhaps even 180, a struggling economy.

Larry Dignan leaves his readers with a final thought of the beneficial possibilities of the Mynd in management, especially come time for bottom-up management reviews. The Mynd would pick up on what subordinates really thought about upper management, leaving no room for lies and inefficiencies. Perhaps Loyola and other universities will consider adopting the Mynd technology for conducting Professor and course reviews at the end of the semester- especially after online reviews proved inefficient this past Fall semester.

I find it debatable whether or not this technology could cross the line as invasion of privacy because thoughts we don’t even know we are thinking are being taken from our subconscious mind. Personally, I am not too sure how eager I would ever be to strap on a Mynd.

Works Cited

Dignan, Larry. (2011, March 21). Get ready for neuromarketing: advertising just got creepier. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/get-ready-for-neuromarketing-advertising-just-got-creepier/46305?tag=content;selector-blogs

Zax, David. (2011, March 21). Thinking cap: "mynd" is the first dry, iphone-compatible, portable brain scanner. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/1741403/mynd-neuromarketing-ipad-iphone-neurofocus-brain-scan

Ohlden, Anna. (2011, March 21). Neurofocus announces world's first wireless full-brain eeg measurement headset: mynd(tm). Retrieved from http://www.science20.com/newswire/neurofocus_announces_worlds_first_wireless_fullbrain_eeg_measurement_headset_myndtm-77370

Cell Phones give hotel guests the upper hand

It’s hard for our generation to remember a time without cell phones, but the hotel industry sure misses those days. In a world without any personal telephones, hotel guests were forced into using the overpriced room telephones. Now, virtually no one uses those phones because they are too expensive and everyone has a cell phone anyway, and that is seriously cutting into the hotel industry’s profits. This is only a small part of the growing epidemic of switching from landlines to cell phones, with current companies such as AT&T and Verizon losing revenues on their landlines.

In the prehistoric days of no cell phones (1980s and early 1990s) hotel phones were estimated to generate 2% of profit, but now with cell phones, the cost of the room phone is three times as much as the benefit. There may be the suggestion to simply rid of landlines all together, in hotels and in homes. However, this is not logistically possible due to safety concerns. If there were an emergency, a phone needs to be in the room. Also for non-emergencies such as wake-up calls and room service, the room phones are of use. Jim Abrahamson, who runs InterContinental Hotels' operations in the Americas, said, “It’s too early to call the death of the phone.” But that doesn’t mean its getting there, and it doesn’t mean that other things are headed in that direction as well. Pay-per-view movies are slowly being replaced by cheaper options on laptops and other devices.

In another article, Jennifer Horton discusses this phenomenon and points out how pay phones have almost become obsolete, except for in airports, and landlines may soon be on their way. As of late 2007, 16% of U.S. households had no landline at all, compared to just 5% in 2004. In New York and New Jersey, landline usage rates are down 50% or more. Even businesses are ditching their landlines for more economical options, like WiFi and VoIP(voice over Internet protocol). Such companies as Ford cite many benefits including saving money on local and long-distance phone charges, freeing people up from their desks and preventing having to lay new cables. At these increasing rates, it’s difficult to dispute an inevitable end to landlines all together.

I think most of us have already considered this concept, but to me the actual numbers are staggering. I was aware that cell phone usage has overcome landlines, but in my mind, most homes still had them even if they did not rely on them. The fact that they are declining completely at such a quick rate is surprising. Also, it is hard to fathom the predicament that hotel industry is in because they are not able to get rid of the room phone, but at the same time, they are costing them much valuable profit. I agree with Abrahamson in that I do not think the phone is ready for its funeral, because I think there are still some old-fashioned folks who will keep it around for a while longer, but I cannot argue the alarming statistics and think with the coming generations will come a change in our reliance on cell phones rather than landlines.

Works Cited:

Chernikoff, Helen. "Cellphones Give Hotel Guests the Upper Hand | Reuters." Reuters. 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. .

Horton, Jennifer. "Will the Landline Phone Become Obsolete?" Howstuffworks "Electronics" Web. 20 Mar. 2011. .

“Simplicity Wins”: Mobile Research & Advertising

In times of crisis, whether it was Haiti after its earthquake or recently Japan in the aftermath of its own earthquake and tsunami and nuclear reactor abnormalities, people around the world selflessly lend a helping hand to those who are affected by such devastation. Tons of food, water, clothing, are donated as well as monetary donations pour in. Last year, the Red Cross offered a solution: text the word “Haiti” to 90999. The Red Cross is now offering their service of “Text2Help” by texting “REDCROSS” to 90999 to help the victims in Japan. A donation can be made from any place you get a signal and you don’t have to enter in a lot of information to give a quick and meaningful gift. By accepting donations through the mobile sphere, the Red Cross can reach a wider audience during times of disaster when support is needed immediately. Supporters are not limited to writing a check and putting their gift in the mail nor having immediate computer access and entering in credit card information the donation can be made instantly from a mobile phone. This is when it became clear to most of those in the realm of business that text-messaging could work for them too.

A company named Zoove has been available to AT&T and Verizon users since last summer but intend to extend their services soon to both Sprint and T-Mobile cellular systems as well. Zoove has developed a system called StarStar (**) which allows a string of 2 to 12 letters that can identify companies or their products. As opposed to texting a message, the customer dials ** followed by the companies registry and will receive a voice or text message in return. For example, if a customer is looking for girl scout cookies they can type **GSCOOKIES which advises the caller to download a map of where girl scout cookies can be purchased. Joseph Gillespie, president and CEO of Zoove, states, “We now work on 95 percent of all U.S. mobile phones.” The StarStar systems also aids in data mining for companies. This includes data collected on location mainly. A user who dial **TAXI could receive a text with the three closest companies or advertisers could tailor their promotions to the designated region. The amount of data mined from the dials that people make would be invaluable to marketers. Zoove promotes it technology based on its simplicity, Mr. Gillespie says, “Our thesis is that simplicity wins.”

According to recent surveys, we are given a notion that smartphones will surpass computers in 2012 and that by 2013 cell phones will be the most common device accessing the web. This makes it so understandable that marketers are investing in mobile advertising; it will be the best way to reach consumers. Contrary to most belief, Search is the most common activity by mobile web users followed closely by social networking. Further, a recent study by Harris Interactive shows that nearly half of mobile app users click on ads accidentally. Also mobile apps do not have a generation gap, they are popular amongst all ages. The study showed that 2/3 of mobile app users selected ads that had coupons or deals as their preferred in-app mobile ad type. This has many important implications for marketers, mainly that they should look into in-app advertising seriously. Dunkin Donuts and Burger King have both successfully implemented this type of in-app advertising deals or discounts. When Dunkin Donuts advertised a free deal, most users saw this and drove over.

As a personal user of a smartphone I can see this type of advertising becoming essential to any companies marketing strategy. With the more and more time I spend on my phone, whether it be for work or for personal use, seeing a coupon for Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts could never hurt. It would actually make me want to take initiative and go use it. With such strong growth in the smartphone market and the increasing sales of the iPad and tablets, mobile advertising will soon become an essential part of companies marketing plan.

Works Cited

Taub, Eric A. "Zoove, a Mobile Start-Up, Aims to Upstage Text-Messaging - NYTimes.com." A Guide to the Media Industry - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com. 13 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. .

"Technologies in Market Research: Mobile Research." Web log post. Luminosity Marketing. 07 Jan. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. .

"Text2Help Faqs." American Red Cross. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. .

"What Matters Now: Mobile Advertising." Luminosity Marketing. 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. .