Twitter the 140 character limiting social networking tool as been bought over by Google? What does this mean?! Have I not been keeping up with the news? Fortunately, you are not the only one. This acquisition has not been completed. However, news have reported that Google and Facebook has placed in bids for the social networking tool, with valuation as high as $10 million.
Interestingly enough both Evan Williams, Twitter’s co-founder, and Dick Costolo, the company’s chief executive, have repeatedly told newspapers that the site it not for sale. However, the site, despite the roll out of its advertising product and promoted tools during 2010, is believed to have made a loss last year, despite revenues of $45 million.
Is twitter really worth $10 million? It is said that, "Google wants total access to Twitter’s data so it can make real-time information an integrated part of its offering and not just an add-on. Since 2009 the search giant has been indexing Twitter users' tweets to add a real-time element to its search experience. Eighteen months on from that non-exclusive deal, Google has yet to create its own version of real-time search.
And similarly, Facebook, which was rumoured to have been interested in buying Twitter two years ago, would benefit massively from full access to Twitter’s rich data hose, in its bid to become the social web, within the web."
Dispite is countless benefits of keeping up to date or the first hand news, many of our lives have been ruined by twitter. Here's a video to share with you!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The future
It sparked me that in probably 10-20 years time. Everything will be different. Just look at now, we are using cards to tap our way onto buses. Searching for information to do homework (like this blog) or even research papers never even having to leave our house. Do projects through skype and never really needing to physically meet your group mates. The world has certainly improved in terms of connectivity. However, there lies the question of does it really improve our relationships? From my previous modules, I have learnt that it takes 4X faster to get closer to someone online. That's like spending 25 years with someone and equaling it to knowing him for 100 years. Reasons quoted were increased self-disclosure, more time spent online to name a few. It is scary to think our kids will probably be meeting their life partners online.
This video shows you the power of the internet:
So what are we really going to be like in the future? Here are some quotes to kick start this thoughts:
More than 1 billion users of mobile phones already have access to the Internet and this number will grow to 4 billion in the next few years" In the future, I see the whole world being interconnected via mobile devices. In the future, everyone, even those in rural areas, would have access to the mobile phone as that would be the primary device through which we communicate and carry out tasks on a daily basis.
"... As the Internet becomes the fundamental economic instrument"
In the future, consumers and businesses rely strongly on the Internet to function. Without the Internet network system, the world would not be able to function. Consumers will buy their daily necessities online and have them delievered to their doorstep daily via a sophisticated delivery system, operated by the Internet. Businesses would become ultra efficient with the future Internet and there might be no need for 5-day work weeks in the offices anymore due to flexible work arrangements made possible with Internet mobile technology.
My hope is that we will never be too reliant on the internet and inseparable from our devices, that we will still have the time to rest and relax with your loved ones, strolling on the beach or enjoying natures goodness.
This video shows you the power of the internet:
So what are we really going to be like in the future? Here are some quotes to kick start this thoughts:
More than 1 billion users of mobile phones already have access to the Internet and this number will grow to 4 billion in the next few years" In the future, I see the whole world being interconnected via mobile devices. In the future, everyone, even those in rural areas, would have access to the mobile phone as that would be the primary device through which we communicate and carry out tasks on a daily basis.
"... As the Internet becomes the fundamental economic instrument"
In the future, consumers and businesses rely strongly on the Internet to function. Without the Internet network system, the world would not be able to function. Consumers will buy their daily necessities online and have them delievered to their doorstep daily via a sophisticated delivery system, operated by the Internet. Businesses would become ultra efficient with the future Internet and there might be no need for 5-day work weeks in the offices anymore due to flexible work arrangements made possible with Internet mobile technology.
My hope is that we will never be too reliant on the internet and inseparable from our devices, that we will still have the time to rest and relax with your loved ones, strolling on the beach or enjoying natures goodness.
SIRI and the new multimedia
People spend time queueing, taking leave, or even partnering with the friends to be first in line for launch time or I have also even witness some who camp overnight just so they can be ahead of everyone else in getting the new Apple product. If this is not evidence of successful marketing, I do not know what else is. Since this communication module focuses on communicating with the use of the Internet, let us look deeper into some of Apple's marketing strategy with the use of multimedia.
With a variety of print ads, video ads, use of audio, use of text and so on, Apple uses a large variety of means to reach out to its audience. Not only are they prevalent online but they are also commonplace offline. The hype created is in no doubt probably the best in the world right now. People believed that the iphone 5 would be out but however it only lead to dissapointments. Below is an example of a very powerful video ad regarding Apple's iPhone 4S:
Apple has very smartly incorporated various ways in just one ad to promote its iphone 4. These include the use of animations, use of clean, sharp and clear images, music, statistics and facts, images, illustrations, cool new applications such as SIRI and emotional and logical appeals to name a few. Although some of it applications are already in Androids, people feel Apple does it better. Perhaps, APPPLE knows about some psychological effect we do not. It has all come together to produce a very powerful video ad that I myself feel like getting an iPhone after watching this!
With a variety of print ads, video ads, use of audio, use of text and so on, Apple uses a large variety of means to reach out to its audience. Not only are they prevalent online but they are also commonplace offline. The hype created is in no doubt probably the best in the world right now. People believed that the iphone 5 would be out but however it only lead to dissapointments. Below is an example of a very powerful video ad regarding Apple's iPhone 4S:
Apple has very smartly incorporated various ways in just one ad to promote its iphone 4. These include the use of animations, use of clean, sharp and clear images, music, statistics and facts, images, illustrations, cool new applications such as SIRI and emotional and logical appeals to name a few. Although some of it applications are already in Androids, people feel Apple does it better. Perhaps, APPPLE knows about some psychological effect we do not. It has all come together to produce a very powerful video ad that I myself feel like getting an iPhone after watching this!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
When trees are no longer needed
Will there come a day when trees are no longer needed to make paper? Would it be possible that we no longer read our traditional newspapers in print but online? Online journalism has certainly increased over the years, with sites such as blogger and STOMP, we now have the power to publish our own information, to shape our audiences thinking, there is no longer a need for physical papers, we can access it anywhere, anytime...
These are some of the pros of online journalism. However, will this day happen anytime soon? I believe not. Although the benefits are countless. Books and newspapers bring about a tactile feel that a ipad cannot express. For example, a handwritten note brings about more emotions than an E-card (that reminds me, I should write some cards for Christmas)
At the same token, technology has not yet replaced the easy of the physical papers. If I would like to cut out an advertisement for example. I might be able to print screen and print it out. But for a newspaper all the user needs to do it tear the ad out.
Limitations of online journalism also includes a lack of credibility. Because everyone is able to share their news online i.e. STOMP. We have people questioning how to sit, stand, walk and eat. Although rational issues might be discussed, there are a handful or irrational, emotions-filled arguments that will impede societies progress. All in all, I believe that it will never replace the newspapers we have today. But who knows, in the future technology might give us an answer.
Internet and Politics
The recent GE election showed the prevalence of the internet in politics in Singapore. Compared to the past, this GE election 2011 saw the use of webpages, twitter and Facebook. Interestingly enough, it was found that Singaporeans used not to be interested in politics but increasingly they have taken up social media platforms to satisfy their political cravings.
Portals such as "theonlinecitizen" or "temasekreview" are some alternative views beyond the current party. Many of the politicians speeches and agendas were also uploaded onto youtube. This makes it easy for anyone to gain access to these speeches. Its like being at the rally itself with the comfort of our own home, the flexibility of our own time and the ease of supplement information.
Here are some highlights of the women candidates:
The political arena is definitely changing in Singapore with the internet as the main source of information for citizens. The increased seats for opposition party in parliament is perhaps some of the signs that internet use is important. However, as much as the position parties had many video and hype on the internet, it was not proportionate to the seats won.
This was reasoned that Singaporeans still trusted traditional media like Newspapers and Television over the internet. But they felt that the internet such as twitter gave the most up-to-date information. This was best seen when the results were announced over twitter much faster than on television.
The internet would probably be the best tool to reach out to the population but traditional approaches such as going for walkabouts or house visits will have to be coupled together in order to be effective. But one cannot deny the potential of internet use and I'm definitely interested to see how the internet will be used in the next GE election.
Portals such as "theonlinecitizen" or "temasekreview" are some alternative views beyond the current party. Many of the politicians speeches and agendas were also uploaded onto youtube. This makes it easy for anyone to gain access to these speeches. Its like being at the rally itself with the comfort of our own home, the flexibility of our own time and the ease of supplement information.
Here are some highlights of the women candidates:
The political arena is definitely changing in Singapore with the internet as the main source of information for citizens. The increased seats for opposition party in parliament is perhaps some of the signs that internet use is important. However, as much as the position parties had many video and hype on the internet, it was not proportionate to the seats won.
This was reasoned that Singaporeans still trusted traditional media like Newspapers and Television over the internet. But they felt that the internet such as twitter gave the most up-to-date information. This was best seen when the results were announced over twitter much faster than on television.
The internet would probably be the best tool to reach out to the population but traditional approaches such as going for walkabouts or house visits will have to be coupled together in order to be effective. But one cannot deny the potential of internet use and I'm definitely interested to see how the internet will be used in the next GE election.
Friday, October 28, 2011
To learn online, the new learning
We all know the benefits of E-learning, how its easily accessed from virtually anywhere, there are no limitations of time and space constraints etc. But are these benefits overly emphasized? Is there something more than meets the eye?
Here are some successful stories about E-Learning building E-learning sites lest you might not have heard about it:
This was even featured on the popular Lifehacker blog - "we introduced Articulate Online to the market, we launched with it 30 tutorials — each in the 1- to 3-minute range — on how to use each feature of the new product. We continue to receive very positive feedback from customers and lots of “Wow! How’d you do that?” questions."
A series of blog entries that include some examples of thinking outside the PowerPoint box and leveraging branching when building courses with rapid elearning tools. You can find links to some more great examples in each of these posts in the series:
Here are some successful stories about E-Learning building E-learning sites lest you might not have heard about it:
This was even featured on the popular Lifehacker blog - "we introduced Articulate Online to the market, we launched with it 30 tutorials — each in the 1- to 3-minute range — on how to use each feature of the new product. We continue to receive very positive feedback from customers and lots of “Wow! How’d you do that?” questions."
A series of blog entries that include some examples of thinking outside the PowerPoint box and leveraging branching when building courses with rapid elearning tools. You can find links to some more great examples in each of these posts in the series:
- Yes, Rapid E-Learning Can Do Branching
- Click & Read E-learning Courses Don’t Need to Be Boring
- Curiosity Might Have Killed the Cat, But Learners Love It
There are also have a number of demos of the kind of elearning you can build with "Engage". Don put together this example that highlights some of his favorite features of Engage:
Finally, our most popular forum thread — with more than 23,000 views, this is obviously a really hot topic — is called "Examples of articulate in action" which is chock-full of links to other great customer examples of elearning.
So what are some disadvantages of E-learning?
Access - Not everyone has access to the internet. Even so, we require computer skills, internet browser knowledge and email access to fully participate in E-Learning. Although computer literacy is improving all around the world.
Motivation - The site being available all the time might cause you to have low levels of motivation to visit the site because it is always there. This means students must have high levels of motivation and responsible for their work. Or a very interactive website.
Isolation - Students might feel isolated during their learning process. Instructions are given through the computer but there is no way for feedback to a physical presence that can help you with your questions. And with little interaction with others, some students might fall behind or even become bored.
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