Bing Battles Google

Trailing far behind its Google competitor, Bing has recently announced its new innovative ideas to gain a competitive advantage over the Google power house. Controlling more than 50 percent of the market, Google is continuing to possess online dominance by offering countless visual designs to appeal to browsers world-wide and providing high-speed search results. However, Google’s leading competitor has recently publicly displayed its visual enhancements and announced other key tactics necessary for the improvement of the Bing Search engine. According to CNN news, the company plan to redesign its browser-based image search and maps to create an optimal visual experience, reducing the latter's reliance on the Silverlight plug-in and instead doing more with the power of modern browsers and HTML5. In addition, the company is extending its operations to mobile devices, such as the iPhone, in order to gain the interest of younger browsers.


The strategic and innovative enhancements made by Bing will provide the company with the ultimate opportunity to gain a competitive advantage over Google. By creating the ideal visual experience will appeal the younger users of the internet especially those fond of virtual sites. The redesign of the homepage of Bing will appeal to user’s visual senses as it provides more clarity and graphics. The site will overpower the simplicity found on the Google Homepage. Yet, will the new additions to the website create more complications for its users?

Although, the Bing search engine will extremely more interesting and aesthetic it may result in slow processing. The complexity of the Bing website will take up more space on its user’s devices especially mobile devices. Yet still, the company is going forward with its design. However, I do not find the purpose of adding graphics to a search engine when users, like me, will overlook the visual presentation. I find it odd that the Bing Company will exert so much effort in the appearance and layout of the site instead of providing beneficial search results. Many users of search engines are primarily concerned with information accessibility and the quality the site provides.

On the other hand, Bing’s decision to extend its service on mobile devices in the form of an app will give the company a great competitive advantage. Many users will download the app for convenience. While on the go, many individuals will use their mobile app to answer any lingering questions on the Bing search engine. Hence, many individuals reading may argue that Bing is not offering a new innovative idea because there is a Google app already in existence. Yet, the two will differ. The CNN news article stated the Bing app on mobile devices “brings some of the design feel of Windows Phone 7 along with some nifty maps, real time bus directions, and an easy way to make beautiful panoramas. You can also easily make reservations via Open Table and take a virtual tour of a restaurant's interior when a restaurant shows up in map search results.” Having the capability to do all those things, stated in the previous sentence, from the palm of one’s hand will surely lure user from Google to Bing. Nevertheless, the question still remains, how much time will lapse before browsers make the big switch?

Singel, Ryan. "Bing Battles Google with Prettiness - CNN." Featured Articles from CNN. 16 Dec. 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

Boyd, E.B. "Bing Battles Google by Re-Designing Search." Fast Company. 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

Even Better Than the Real Thing: Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is one of the many latest technological innovations to grab the attention of the digital world. This phenomenon allows digital information to enter and enhance the real world. In his article, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Paul Skeldon reflects on the use of augmented reality and the opportunities it provides for various companies throughout the world. According to the article, this fusion of the Internet and the real world has a vast array of commercial opportunities that have yet to be discovered. Skeldon remarks that it seems like augmented reality is advancing mostly in the mobile device world.

Mobile device applications are examples of augmented reality in action. For instance, the iPhone application Word Lens can be used to translate between languages. The phone simply has to be held over a page of words and they will be translated into a different language. According to Nick Bilton’s blog, “Augmented Reality on Your Phone”, augmented reality applications have been enjoyable, but impractical because technology is limited. It often provided the information slowly or incorrectly (Bilton). In order for augmented reality to really make a mark and emerge as a critical asset to companies, information needs to become more precise and faultless.

In our current technological era, new methods of receiving information in the most effective and efficient ways possible emerge almost every day. Technology is constantly changing and developing in any way that it possibly can. I think that it is possible for the interactions with our mobile devices and the real world to become a norm in society. Smartphones have already surfaced and become an essential gadget to not only business or technology leaders, but ordinary people as well. The further development of augmented reality will allow our mobile devices to have applications that combine the Internet and real world, so people can easily access virtually any kind of information. This can be lucrative for companies that choose to adapt this technology. It is certainly a useful asset to people.

I find all of these new technological advances to be extremely fascinating, especially innovations like augmented reality, where the virtual world combines with the real world. The capabilities are amazing and it is remarkable that a person can receive so much information in their hands whenever they want. An interesting example of augmented reality in Skeldon’s article was the input of screens in front of Selfridges in London that allowed customers to virtually try on watches. They did not need to go in the store, but simply tried them on via the screen to see if they liked the watch. It is incredible that people have the opportunity to fuse with the virtual world while they are present in the real world. This particular example also demonstrates the commercial abilities augmented reality makes available.

The augmented reality screens also made me think about its impact on people. It is interesting to think about it as an alternative. If people are virtually trying on watches outside of the store, what use do salespersons in the store have? The emergence of this kind of technology can undermine the importance of the salesperson workforce. Some people may not be inclined to seek the opinions of a salesperson because they do not feel the need to enter the store. Personally, I would still like to see what I am buying firsthand, but others have different opinions.

These screens also made me think about the overall ability of technology. It is obviously very important to this era, but we have not mastered it yet. Can we rely on technology the way that we rely on each other? I do not think that we are that comfortable with technology yet. I think that we are growing toward relying on technology more and more as it becomes more developed and advanced, but it has not been perfected. I am also a supporter of human interaction and communication. It seems that some of these augmented reality applications make it easy for people to disregard interacting with each other, and instead figure out things for themselves. I think it is important to communicate with other people and learn about their individual insights.

Augmented reality can definitely be a profitable innovation for many companies. With the rapid advancement of technology in this era, information will only become more accurate and available to us.

Works Cited

Bilton, Nick. "Augmented Reality on Your Phone - NYTimes.com." Technology - Bits Blog –

NYTimes.com. 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

.

Bonsor, Kevin. "How Augmented Reality Works" 19 February 2001. HowStuffWorks.com.

20 February 2011.

Skeldon, Paul. "The Potential of 'Augmented Reality' - WSJ.com." Business News & Financial

News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com. 15 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

?mod=WSJ_Tech_Above_Video#articleTabs%3Darticle>.

Real-Time Technology in Healthcare

Today, advancements in information technology and its uses have been highlighted mainly in the business world; however, what many people do not realize is that while IT is extremely useful and prevalent in many business, it is also maiking strides in the world of healthcare. New portable technologies have been being introducted to the world that makes patients' lives mcuh easier and their treatment mush more efficient. These new technologies possess the ability to monitor a patients status, relay that information to the appropriate personnel, store that real-time information into a database, and, most importantly, send a number of alerts to the appropriate people if an emergency were to occur.

This new tecnology and how it can be used is revolutionary to the healthcare industry. One example fro mthe article "Innovative Technologies, Creative Approaches are Changing the Landscape of Healthcare" by John Papandrea cites a prime example of one of these great technologies. He writes, "Today, small, lightweight devices (about the size of a cell phone) allow diabetics to monitor--automatically and remotely--their blood sugar, blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels, among many other measures. This information is then transmitted wirelessly allowing them to be accessed by the patient's healthcare providers or families."

This use of technology in healthcare can prove to be useful for many people and their families. As a patient, the ability to know what your health status is at all times can save a number of visits to the doctor, and a lot of time. It also removes the slight margin for error that paper documentation of certain tests can cause, i.e. false positives/negatives of any sort. Another instance where I feel this technology is groundbreaking is for parents of younger patients. This technology allows parents the security of know the status of their child's health, and the child a little more freedom to do what he or she please with out the time constraints of their condition. Also, in a case of an emergency, the real-time notifications of any abnormal changes in a patient's health can be extremely comforting all around.

While the front-end comforts and lifestyle improvements for patients and their families is a great part of these new technologies, the back-end of these new systems is what can really allow them to flourish. Easy access to real-time health records can make certain consultations to check certain statuses in a patients health completely avoidable, and other required consulations with doctors much more efficient. Also, in the case of an away-from-home emergency, this new technology can save time, which in some cases could be of the essence, by avoiding the need to contact different mediums for a patients information; the technology would allow it to be updated and accessible. Finally, the real-time results and health statuses allow healthcare providers to be provided with the necessary information to make proper and immediate changes to a patients care if that become s necessary.

These new information technologies allow for an easier lifestyle for patients, a better health management system, more communication between doctors and patients, and most importantly, instant responses to any abnormal occurrences.

Papandrea, John. "Innovative Technologies, Creative Approaches Are Changing the Landscape of Healthcare." HealthNewsDigest.com. 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Guest_Columnist_710/Innovative_ Technologies_Creative_Approaches_are_Changing_the_Landscape_of_Healthcare.shtml.

Defense Intelligence Agency to Enhance IT Services

In this era where every company is trying to gain a competitive advantage over others, the use of information technology is vital in staying ahead of competitors. The United States government definitely falls into the category of companies attempting to increase their effectiveness and quality of their IT components. In a recent article published on BusinessWire, it was noted that the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has struck a deal with an IT firm BAE Systems to strengthen their IT performance. The article states that, “DIA and BAE Systems will achieve a dramatic reduction in recurring enterprise operations costs through innovations in services automation, knowledge management, remote management processes and information-sharing” (Ramjug).

I feel that the DIA is doing something very smart by investing into new technology that will help with the functionality of many of the organizations activities. The growing segments of information technology and security have many organizations investing money into these aspects. While the DIA may not be a bottom line company, that doesn’t mean they cannot invest in ways to reduce costs. Cutting costs through knowledge management and information-sharing can be accomplished with the use of many growing IT technologies. Ubiquitous/Cloud computing is a new technology that is allowing more people access to information. The use of cloud computing would allow more people in the organization to access the information they needed, which would cut out the time wasted for waiting to receive the information. As Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power.” Businesses want to protect their knowledge and information, making business intelligence a vital part of many organizations. What is so great about ubiquitous computing is can also add to the security of a business’s information. This new availability and sense of security for the DIA could prove to be a very worthwhile investment.

Over the past couple years, businesses have been focusing a lot on their relationship with customers and their service to them after a purchase. Another aspect that the DIA is looking to enhance is customer care. Many businesses and organizations are using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in order to enhance the satisfaction and therefore loyalty of customers. This goes along with the last primary support function in the value chain, service after the sale. One can clearly see the measures taken by businesses to restore service after the sale by the many articles that condone businesses for outsourcing customer service. CNN and Businessweek have had articles published discussing the negative effects of outsourcing customer service. “Sending jobs overseas may be good for the bottom line in the short term, but frustrated customers will vote with their wallets,” says Bruce Weinstein of CNN. “The problem with outsourcing customer service is that this practice creates nothing but negative word of mouth” (Weinstein). Jeffrey Pfeffer wrote for CNN about how big companies such as Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, and Dell have all tried outsourcing customer service but received such bad results that they brought their customer service programs back to the U.S. Bringing customer service back to the U.S. and CRM are helping businesses to get back on the good side of customers and restore their trust in the companies.

Works Cited:

Ramjug, Peter. "DIA Selects BAE Systems to Enhance Information Technology Services | Business Wire." 22 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

Pfeffer, Jeffrey. "A Penny Saved, a Customer Spurned - Mar. 1, 2006." Business, Financial, Personal Finance News - CNNMoney.com. 01 Mar. 2006. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

Weinstein, Bruce. "The Ethics of Outsourcing Customer Service." BusinessWeek - Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice. 27 Sept. 2007. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

Nordstrom's Entrance into "Flash Sales"

In a world that is rapidly developing new technology and innovations such as smartphones, tablets, and almost all things digital it would only seem appropriate that this type of technology would make its way into the retail industry; and that is in fact exactly what happened. In a recent article by The Wall Street Journal titled, “Nordstrom Joins Fray, Buys ‘Flash Sale’ Site”, Rachel Dodes discusses this radical new development and states that “the deal marks the first acquisition of a flash-sale company by a mainstream retailer. It comes as chains are working to expand their online presence” (Dodes). In an effort to boost sales and further immerse themselves in the business of online shopping, Nordstrom Inc. chose to buy out HauteLook Inc, an already successful company in this “flash sale” market, for an estimated $270 million in stock (Dodes).

For those who may not be familiar with this term “flash sales”, they are “the latest business byword in the American e-retail sector. In fact Flash Sales is touted by both buyers and sellers as the easiest method to off-source stocks. . .Simply put, flash sales are a time-limited offer of high discounts. The system is a win-win for both retailers and consumers: retailers can build brand loyalty and at the same time, well, sell surplus stock within a short span of time” (Grenword). The idea behind this type of sale or business is an excellent way for retail companies to sell off excess products or other items that simply need to be sold. This type of sale is also a great way for companies to draw customers into their site and is an overall strategic marketing campaign.

Nordstrom chose to allow HauteLook to run independent and not integrate them into the already existing online site for Nordstrom. This was most likely due to HauteLooks existing stellar reputation, which roughly secured 3.1 million visits in the U.S. in the last month and places HauteLook in second in popularity among flash sale sites overall (Dodes).

In a retail business perspective, I find this news to be an excellent idea for Nordstrom and certainly major steps in the right direction for their developing online presence. If one actually thinks about the concept behind “flash sales” it is easy to see its widespread appeal and vast benefits for any online company with merchandise that they are eager to sell. This technology has great potential for Nordstrom and this step into the “flash sale” world demonstrates how willing this company is to meet its customers needs and as a result boost sales. President Jamie Nordstrom stated that “‘if customers are telling us they want to use technology to shop, then we have to be competent at that’” (Martinez). Also important about this buy-out was that Nordstrom understood that it would be too costly and time consuming to develop their own flash sale site and therefore purchasing HauteLook allowed for a much smoother and quicker entrance into this market.

As a consumer and someone familiar with online shopping, I have to say that I have not yet been involved in a “flash sale”. However after coming to learn a good deal about them and understanding that its basically a win-win overall, good for both customer and company, I could easily find myself purchasing items from a “flash sale”. And even better to know is that these “flash sales” are not limited to just retailer stores; many electronics, travel packages, and other great items are almost always available for sale on other “flash sales” sites.

Work Cited

Dodes, Rachel “Nordstrom Joins Fray, Buys ‘Flash Sale’ Site.” The Wall Street Journal. 22 Feb. 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/ SB10001424052748703561604576150770985132088.html? mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews>

Grenword, Amanda. “What is Flash Sale? The New Business Mantra.” Hubpages. 22 Feb. 2011

http://hubpages.com/hub/What-is-Flash-Sale-The-New-Business-Mantra>

Martinez, Amy. “Nordstrom to buy flash-sale website HauteLook.” The Seattle Times. 22 Feb 2011

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/ 2014255945_nordstrom18.html>

Verizon Wireless Wants to Be Your Landline

As the digital age ensues, technology is developing at a faster rate than ever before and changing the very nature of pre-existing industries. In the last few years, cable companies and telephone providers have entered into grueling competition as fiber optics and advanced internet connectivity has begun to bridge the two industries together. The first great threat to landline providers was Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), allowing users to get a telephone signal through their internet provider. As internet and wireless providers seek to capitalize on home phone plans, Verizon Wireless has unveiled a new device called Home Phone Connect. Using a device similar to that of MagicJack, Verizon Wireless now offers a service plan to connect a landline through this device for a flat rate of twenty dollars monthly.
It seems once again that Verizon has engineered a new way to reduce competition and achieve a competitive advantage in yet another aspect of the communications industry. After pioneering FiOS and giving cable companies a run for their money, Verizon Wireless now seeks to maintain a competitive advantage of your home phone. By employing advanced wireless technology Verizon’s new IT development may just become the next big home phone provider since Vonage. Using this technology provides users with more reliability and better features than either traditional landline service or VoIP. Unlike VOiP, Home Phone Connect will not use your broadband connection but rather after setup telephone service is provided by the Verizon Wireless Network. The device has fail safes in place for power outages that will continue to allow you to use your landline despite the circumstances. A feature that VOiP can not beat.
Although this seems like a simple new device, it is innovating Verizon’s development as they move away from copper-reliant technology and increase it’s broadband and wireless technologies. This device is one step in the right direction of moving towards video, voice, and data running seamless wirelessly. In addition this technology provides promising profits for Verizon Wireless and other wireless providers who adopt this technology. After breaking even on the product costs, Verizon will easily turn a tidy profit with the twenty dollar fee as voice usage won’t hog bandwidth usage and will negligibly effect operating costs. Another advantage of Home Phone Connect for Verizon Wireless and other firms that may adopt similar technology in the future is consumer accessibility. People prefer bundle packages with their TV, internet, and home phone provider. Bundle packages offer pricing incentives and an easier way to receive and pay bills. With the development of Home Phone Connect, Verizon can now offer bundles for mobile and home phone services.
How successful this product will be is yet to be determined, but one thing is for certain: competition in the communications industry is about to increase once again. Adopting this technology will provide thousands with inexpensive landlines, but more importantly has sparked research and development further into wireless communication capabilities with potentially endless benefits waiting to be discovered and utilized in our everyday lives.

Works Used:

Higginbotham, Stacey. "Verizon Wireless Wants to be your Landline." 21 Feb 2011: n. pag. Web. 22 Feb 2011. .

Melanson, Donald. "Verizon makes Home Phone Connect service available nationwide." 17 Feb 2011: n. pag. Web. 22 Feb 2011. .

TV Industry Taps Social Media to Keep Viewers’ Attention

The TV industry has become increasingly aware of its viewers’ “two-screen” behavior, in which the viewer will be watching the program through their television screen, then commenting on the program moments later through social media sites. In order to capitalize on this behavior, many major television channels such as ABC and CBS are trying to join the forces together to improve viewer ratings. Executives are aware of the multi-tasking attitude of this generation, so they are trying to find ways to adapt to consumer behavior. It seems to be working since the Grammy awards had its highest rating in a decade this year.

A possible reason for this is the “water-cooler effect” where the discussion of the shows before and during makes them more interesting to watch. This is making TV interactive- where it only used to be shared with the people you were physically in a room with; you can now easily connect to millions of people through Twitter and have a shared experience. (Stelter) Previously, watching television alone was seen as antisocial, but with the new ways communication, viewers make television watching a social interaction. In my opinion, this is sad that people feel this kind of communication is a replacement for face-to-face interaction. I agree as though social networking while watching television may enhance the program, it should not be replacing live social interaction.

Dick Costolo, the chief executive of Twitter, is also being as bold to say that his social networking site will dull the importance of digital video recording because viewers are feeling more pressure to watch events live because of the Twitter conversations. Since so many people are tweeting during the events, many viewers feel they have to watch immediately because they will miss out on something. I can personally relate to this because I have seen the season finale shockers of my favorite television shows on social networking sites such as Facebook before I have had the chance to watch it myself, which forces me to watch the show sooner than I originally would. I am eager to watch the program before someone else can spoil it for me online.

One of the most prominent digital video recording systems, TiVo, is feeling the pressure to compete with the interactive experience. With the Oscars coming up, they do not want to be left in the dust by social networking sites. They have offered three different programs to enhance their viewers’ satisfaction for this awards show in particular. They have made the nominated films available for download so that viewers can catch up before show airs, created easy access to past winning films to flashback to the show, and allowed for the option to search for a favorite actor or director and watch their films. (marketwire)

It seems to me that all aspects of media are trying to find new ways to appeal to customers, and now the TV industry has found a way to capitalize on social networking. According to advertising executive Randall Beard, “the best form of advertising is a recommendation from a friend or family member.” When friends and family members are able to join together on a social networking site, and make recommendations for millions of people to see, that is effective advertising for the TV industry.

Works Cited:

Stelter, Brian. "TV Industry Taps Social Media to Keep Viewers’ Attention." www.NYTimes.com. 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Stelter, Brian. "Water-Cooler Talk About the Water-Cooler Effect - NYTimes.com." www.NYTimes.com. 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

"TiVo Has the Oscars Covered Beyond the Red Carpet." Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Searching for Information Online; Lawyers Facebook the Jury

Social media/networking websites such as Facebook, Myspace, and blogs are now being used as a part of jury selection in many courtrooms across the United States. Both prosecuting and defense lawyers are scouring these websites as a way of finding out personal information about the jury pool that could signify which side individual jurors might side with during a trial (Campoy). The question is whether or not the information gathered from these sources is actually credible in judging a juror’s character. Is the person that the lawyers see online the same person they will see in the courtroom?

Lawyers investigating social networking websites to help build their cases in trials is not a new phenomenon. Almost since the birth of these new social media outlets in the beginning of the 2000s they have been used to gather information about defendants, witnesses, and all other people involved in individual trials. As defense attorney Rick Robertson says, “Through what people post of Facebook you can get some perspective on how they would feel about excessive drinking by one of the parties, or about extramarital affairs.” (Dosst)

What makes lawyers any different? Personally, I agree with what these lawyers are doing. Why is that a witness can be analyzed, judged, and scrutinized based on things that they have posted on the Internet for the whole world to see, but not the people who are actually judging them. Some legal experts believe that the traditional way of having lawyers interview members of the jury pool one-on-one to see if they are suitable to be impartial in a trial is the way it should be. According to Jason Shultz of Berkeley Law School, "There are a number people who post who they want to be, as opposed to who they are." (Campoy) Forgetting about the component of jury selection, this argument seems to present a problem for anyone using social media to create a character of anyone involved in a trial. If we were to discredit judgments made by lawyers using information from these websites to select juries, than there are probably many pieces of evidence that can be discredited in trials across the world that are centered around a person’s “online character.” Just because someone makes their Facebook status something obscene or tweets an extreme opinion to their friends it doesn’t mean it is whom they really are, but it must be taken into account.

Whether or not the information attained from social media websites provides an exact truth as to a juror’s character, it must be considered in jury selection just like it would be if it were a defendant or witness. In many cases the information gathered on defendants, plaintiffs, or witnesses from social media websites have won or lost trials. For example, if a person brought a lawsuit for injuries received during a car accident, and then the next day said on Facebook that they wanted to go on a skiing trip that upcoming weekend (regardless if they actually did any physical activity) they would have a much harder time proving their case. (Oginski) Even if what is said on social media websites is not a truthful representation of a potential jurors’ thoughts, actions, or opinions it is the responsibility of a lawyer to be safe rather than sorry. A juror may be a different person in the social media world than they are in real life, but as a lawyer I wouldn’t want to wait until a trial that may include serious issues such as fraud, rape, or murder to find out.

Works Cited:

Campoy, Ana. "Searching for Details Online, Lawyers Facebook the Jury - WSJ.com." Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com. 22 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. ml?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEADTop>.

Dosst, Arezow. "Lawyers Use Facebook in Jury Selection: Robertson - Koons, Fuller, Vanden Eykel & Robertson, P.C." Home - Koons, Fuller, Vanden Eykel & Robertson, P.C. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. selection-robertson>.

Oginski, Gerald. "Twitter & Facebook Comments-Can They Be Used Against You in a New York Negligence Trial? | The Law Office Of Gerald Oginski, LLC." New York Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyer Representing Injured Victims | The Law Office Of Gerald Oginski, LLC. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. facebook-commentscan-they-be-used-against-you-in-a-new-york-negligence- trial.cfm>.

The TV Industry And Social Media: The Water Cooler Effect

It is that exciting time of year again where millions will be glued to their TV screens for the 2011 Annual Academy Awards. Many viewers gather around the living room with friends and family fervently making predictions as each award and the nominees are announced. As this year’s hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway say the following words, “And the winner is…” viewers will be doing more than just jumping in excitement or cursing is disbelief, many people will grab their cell phones, if not already in-hand, and immediately update their Facebook status or Tweet their feelings on a recently announced decision. In today’s world, this course of action is not second-guessed but rather second nature, which social media can take credit for. Today, keeping with the Academy Awards example, it is realistic for a person to know who won the award for Best Picture, even while not having watched the program on ABC. Furthermore, it is not even that this person would log online the next day when it is all posted. This person would have real time updates to their smart phone, just by checking through their Twitter or Facebook or any other social networking site.

Through this realized potential, TV networks are figuring out just how they can capitalize on such power. In the Times article written by Stetler, he describes this media effect as “people gathering around a water cooler”. Television executives are just a step behind listening in, and hoping that they are continually being talked about, this as an extension means their shows are being watched. Television executives are continually trying to find ways to have more viewers tune into their stations. The Grammy Awards last week had the highest rating in a decade, proving that social media can inflate already big events, but give a chance for smaller shows to earn their spot in limelight. ABC/Disney Television Group vice executive president, while speaking about the multi-tasking that occurs while watching TV states, “how do we tap into that and create a whole different consumer experience?” Stetler goes on to talk about Debra Lee, chief executive of BET who claims, “we can now tell when something’s a hit almost immediately — by seeing how many of the trending topics on Twitter belong to us.” It is this new consumer experience that social media has proliferated.

Social media is not only a goldmine for TV executives or anyone that needs a new marketing strategy but a breeding ground for new ideas. For those of you who have a Twitter, you can agree with me in the fact that there are some incredibly absurd but also some very interesting things to follow. The topics range from news stations to your favorite sports teams to famous celebrities who have been verified to jokesters like Lord Voldemort and Chuck Norris. I think it can be agreed that you can find some time each day or so to see what these people are tweeting about. One of these people happens to be @shitmydadsays, and for those of you who don’t know that just happens to be a Twitter account, which had 2 million plus followers, turned hit CBS show garnering 12.5 million viewers. Further, CBS has reached a deal with @shhdontellsteve, another Twitter account that follows the antics of a guy’s roommate. Don’t Tell Steve will be joining the CBS comedy line up sometime this upcoming year. Its almost hard to believe that if you just decided one day to tweet about the crazy things your dad says or even the crazy stuff your roommate does, you would be given a contract with CBS for a hit TV show.

As our generation especially decides to continue standing around the water cooler, the TV industry will continue to propagate and feed off the potential that social media has provided for them. As more people become accustomed to their smart phones and continue to use their social media, there is an endless possibility to what the TV industry can achieve. The industry has already begun to make apps for you IPhone and IPad for specific shows to use as a research database. We can only imagine what lies on the horizon for the TV Industry and how we will be apart of its future thanks to social media.

Works Cited

"CBS Turns Another Twitter Account into a TV Show." Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide. 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Abell, John C. "Numbers Can’t Begin To Describe Twitter’s Impact | Epicenter | Wired.com." Wired.com. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

"'New York Times' Bans the Word 'Tweet' | The Awl." The Awl - Be Less Stupid. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Stelter, Brian. "TV Industry Taps Twitter and Facebook for Viewers." NYTimes.com. 20 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Cloud Computing: “One technology phenomenon not to be dismissed”

As we discussed in class, cloud computing is an emerging technology used to access shared information, resources, and software at any time and in any place stored by a third party, a.k.a. the Internet “cloud”. The power and significance of the use of cloud computing is emphasized throughout Michelle Price’s article “Pinning Down the Cloud” in which this “Web-enabled phenomenon” is compared to the Industrial Revolution. Cloud computing is growing to be the not so secret- secret weapon of the economic world.

Growing up in what is classified as the Information Age, I inadvertently familiarized myself with the basics of cloud computing through the utilization of email. Little did I know then (circa 2003), emailing on my first AOL account, and little did I know a few weeks ago, downloading the Twitter app on my Smartphone, that I was participating in the revolution of IT infrastructure and the distribution of information, especially one sizable to the Industrial Revolution. During the 18^th and 19^th century major changes in agriculture, manufacturing and transportation impacted socioeconomic and cultural conditions of our world. But how can cloud computing possess as much potential to enhance productivity on such a large scale as the steam engine had? And how could I not be aware of such a change occurring? What it is doing is “increasing productivity, creating jobs, and developing businesses and competitive advantage to generate an addition $1.04 trillion in economic value and 2.4 million jobs in Europe during the next five years” (Price). George Hu, an executive vice president of a cloud computing company states, “it is the first technology that can service companies of all sizes” making it possible for small companies to utilize the same IT strengths as their larger competitors (Price). Right before my eyes the “world is shifting from an IT product led world into an IT service led world [with the introduction of cloud computing]” (Price).

Of course, the use of this IT model nails each dimension of personal information time, location, and form on the head. People want their information then and there in a functional format. It is a matter of instant gratification that cloud computing can provide and the 21^st century loves instant gratification, even craves it, if that is not too much of an exaggeration. This can be more than appreciated in the business world because, as we have all heard before, time is money. Alan Goldstein, CIO for BNY Mellon Asset Management, appreciates the enrichment of business agility provided stating, “[that with cloud computing] you’re able to more rapidly deploy infrastructure and applications and to scale-up horizontally. That ability to be able to rapidly provision is really meaningful in terms of expediting speed to market”(Price)- key words here, rapidly and speed. With the attractiveness of agility come the benefits of cost efficiencies. Using cloud computing eliminates the necessity of purchasing servers and the up keep that comes along with them.

However, like all business decisions, it needs to be decided whether the benefits outweigh the risks, or what might be considered worse, the unknown. Many companies are hesitant to hop on or into “the cloud” bandwagon because it is unfamiliar territory. Many CIOs are concerned with security issues that may arise with unreliable cloud providers. I remain skeptical when presented with the IT tool of cloud computing because I am not confident the system will not shut down risking the loss of important and private information. How would an individual or large-scale company bounce back from massive amounts of lost data? In this case the benefits would not outweigh the costs. Remaining optimistic, I believe cloud computing to be a solid outlet for backing up information and resources and changing the economic and cultural world forever.

Works Cited

Price, Michelle. "Pinning Down Cloud Computing." Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com. 15 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. .

Maltby, Emily. "Small Companies Look to Cloud for Savings in 2011 - WSJ.com." Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com. 29 Dec. 2010. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. .

Using IT to Drive Innovation

Over the past few decades, the underlying technology in computers and communications has improved dramatically and drastically. In order to take advantage of this constantly improving technology, companies must constantly change their business processes and the way they organize and execute decision-making. Many companies properly utilize the technology and adapt strategies based upon new innovations in technology. Some companies, however, need to revamp their business processes and properly utilize technology to become more efficient and productive. Erik Brynjolfsson, director of the MIT Center for Digital Business at the Sloan School of Management, says: “Most companies still aren't using IT effectively to do things like measure the success of promotions or the performance of supply chains—data that can inspire changes that fatten revenues and ultimately benefit consumers.”(Talbot)

A decent amount of existing companies have done a stellar job in effectively using IT in their business processes. Companies such as Amazon.com and Cisco have “fundamentally changed their culture, are data-driven, and use the data to drive their decisions.”(Talbot) For example, Amazon.com runs approximately two hundred tests and experiments on a daily basis. They test various algorithms to help with product recommendations, and they make constant visual changes, such as changing the placement of the online shopping cart, to keep the site fresh and exciting for customers. Even offline companies, such as Harrah’s—a major casino business—have used IT to improve business. They collected detailed data about customers and their preferences and habits through the use of incentive systems such as the Total Rewards card. They found that different demographics preferred different incentives, which allowed them to alter their offerings based upon location and customer base. Harrah’s has since improved its position as a third-tier gaming casino to a world leader through its use of IT.

In contrast to successful companies like Amazon and Harrah’s, a lot of industries need to catch up in their use of IT. “It's fair to say that in most industries 70, 80, 90 percent of the companies aren't even close to using IT to the potential it could be used.”(Talbot) Sectors such as education and healthcare have not quite learned how to embrace IT. In his article, David Talbot goes on to describe how he things companies should improve the effectiveness of IT: “It starts with the digitization of analog business processes, but also includes a shift toward decentralized power; broader information sharing; tighter linkage of performance to compensation; more emphasis on high-quality people and screening people who are hired; and more investment in training and education for the workforce once hired.”(Talbot)

With the vast amounts of technology available in this day and age, it is a DEFINITE necessity for companies to discard old processes and work new strategies with IT support. Companies need to utilize the tools—and the data—at their disposal in order to improve the way they run. “According to [Google CEO] Eric Schmidt, there was more data created in the last two days than in all of history until 2000.”(Talbot) Clearly the scarcity of data does not pose a problem to companies, rather an inability to properly manage the data to implement business strategy. Companies need to sink more time, money and effort into adjusting to the new age where IT runs rampant.

Works Cited:

Alfreds, Duncan. "Education Needs Technology." 24.com. News

24, 15 April 2010. Web. 21 Feb 2011. .

Bowman, Dan. "U.S. Healthcare." Fierce Healthcare. Fierce

Healthcare, 23 June 2010. Web. 21 Feb 2011. .

Talbot , David. "Using IT to Drive Innovation." Technology

Review. MIT, 16 Feb 2011. Web. 21 Feb 2011. .

Telepresence: The Telegraph of the 21st Century

Last year alone, $228 billion dollars were spent on the 427 million business trips that Americans took according to the Global Business Travel Association. With all the substitutions provided for face-to-face communication, such as videoconferencing or email, the number of trips continues to remain astronomical. As an attempt to advance current technologies even further, and eliminate the number of business trips taken, inventors began to focus on the idea of telepresence through robots. Telepresence allows people to feel as if they are fully present at a meeting or location, when in reality they could potentially be in a different country. This takes video chatting to a new and advanced level because people take on the form of “humanoid robots” (Bennett) with a screen for a face, and camera eye that allows the surrounding environment to be observed.

Although email and phone calls have served to be a superb form of communication amongst business members who live in different regions, it is necessary to look potential clients in the eyes, virtually or in person. As said by Rich Redelfs, a partner at the venture firm Foundation Capital that uses telepresence, "A lot of what we do in venture is, we invest in people. You want to look somebody in the eye and say; do I trust this person enough to write them a multimillion-dollar check? We feel we can do that with telepresence" (Redelfs). Telepresence provides the ability for people to look into each other’s eyes when conversing. It also makes people feel more present because their colleague’s robotic bodies can be seen. This eliminates the issue of only being able to see floating heads during videoconferences. With that being said, it is no surprise that telepresence unit sales have risen 60 percent over the past two years, and will continuously grow until cheaper alternatives surface around 2015.

Will this technology change the face of the corporate world? Will it eliminate working from an office building completely? When looking at the success of previous technological advancements such as the video chat or even email it can be suspected that this too will become a vital key in business practices. Broden even suggested that the 21^st century is still awaiting a monumental technology when he said, “The 19th century had the telegraph, the 20th the fax machine and the Web...” The use of robots as human replacements has a strong potential to become the major technology of the 21^st century.

What is stopping everyone from transforming into a company that relies on telepresence? Simply put, the price and minor defects in the technology. This technology is so new that it is expensive and subject to minor problems. To purchase Polycom’s immersive room a company has to be ready to pay between 200,000-600,000 dollars, or around 6,000-15,000 dollars for Anybot or Vgo’s robots. However, these costs may be well worth it if travel costs per company are significantly reduced, while also helping the world “go green” in an effort to “increase its (your companies) global impact without increasing its carbon footprint” (Cisco).

I consider telepresence to be a long-term investment that will aid in a company’s communicational skills, environmental involvement and allow them to leave a global impact without leaving their homes.

Works Cited

Bennett, Drake. "I'll Have My Robots Talk to Your Robots - BusinessWeek."

BusinessWeek - Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice. 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. 4217052022321.htm>.

""Go Green" with Cisco TelePresence." Cisco. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

om/en/US/slutions/ns669/networking_solutions_products_genericcontent_green_solution.html>.

Philips and Microsoft Collaborate to Streamline Radiology Workflow and Process

The companies Philips and Microsoft announced recently that they will work together to create a more efficient radiology workflow and process. The goal of their partnership to is allow a radiologist to easily see a complete patient history by accessing only one IT system. Currently a radiologist must open multiple IT systems such as I-site PACs (picture archiving and communication system), ADT (admissions, discharge, transfer) data, as well as other systems in order to obtain a patient’s history[i]. Philips, which developed the I-site PACs, a database which holds patients images, will be connected to Microsoft Amalga, a database which will access the patient’s stored on other systems[ii]. The new technology will allow the user of the I-site to access the patient’s history without opening other IT applications.

Due to the increase in medical imaging, hospitals are looking for ways in which to create an efficient workflow in the radiology department. As one article stated, “The entire imaging cycle includes identifying the patient data, conducting the imaging exam according to proper protocols, and then streamlining and processing the data in a timely manner”[iii]. The aim of Philips and Microsoft is to streamline the process, creating a quicker way to access the patients data stored on various applications.

I think that Philips and Microsoft are making a smart move in using IT to simplify the workflow of radiology. As a Dr. Chang stated, “What good is it to have a patient scanned in two seconds if I don’t read the study for four hours?”[iv] The doctor makes a good point that the efficiency of the whole imaging process is based not only on the amount of time used to take the scan but also on the doctor’s ability to view the image and analyze the results based on the patients history. With one click the user of the Philips and Microsoft system will be able see a patients scans as well as their medical data stored on other applications[v]. This easy access to patient’s data will greatly reduce the amount of time it takes the radiologist to analyze the results.

In addition, the development of this technology fits in with the value chain model, increasing the efficiency of determining the results of a scan and returning that answer to the physicians. With the technology developed by the partnership of Philips and Microsoft, the aspects of taking and returning the scans will be speed up in the primary process of the radiology value chain model. Overall this will result in a quicker and more efficient way to handle the image analysis done by radiologists.

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[i] "Philips and Microsoft Collaborate to Streamline Radiology Workflow And... -- ANDOVER, Mass. and REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/." PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

[ii] "Philips and Microsoft Collaborate to Streamline Radiology Workflow And... -- ANDOVER, Mass. and REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/." PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

[iii] Bolan, Christen C. "Best Practices in Radiology Workflow Scranton Gillette Communications: ITN and DAIC." Imaging Technology News (2010). Scranton Gillette Communications: ITN and DAIC. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

[iv] Bolan, Christen C. "Best Practices in Radiology Workflow Scranton Gillette Communications: ITN and DAIC." Imaging Technology News (2010). Scranton Gillette Communications: ITN and DAIC. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

[v] "Philips and Microsoft Collaborate to Streamline Radiology Workflow And... -- ANDOVER, Mass. and REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/." PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .