Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Texting- the good, the bad and the ugly!


For this weeks post I wanted to go along with my article about Texting. Texting can be a very good thing and a not so good thing. There are alot of reasons we all like texting. Its easier then calling, you can have longer conversations through out the day, it takes away from those awkward silences and its more convenient like say if your at work or in class you can just text someone if you need them.

But with texting there can be some disadvantages, such as the common misunderstanding text. If you mean something to sound one way, the other person receiving the text might not take it the way you meant it to be causing conflict. I think is this the major problem with texting. It also very distracting, you know when your talking to someone in person and they start to text someone, its annoying. And i'm sure its annoying for teachers when students are texting doing class.

I also think texting and facebook or twitter is becoming the only way people can communicate. I feel like so many people would rather text then call someone to talk. I think texting has also made emailing more popular because now no one wants to sit on the phone and talk when they could email or text.

I think its very interesting how before the telephone, people have to communicate by telegrams or writing letters, well isn't it kind of going back to that way. The telephone was invented so people could communicate easier, well now texting or emailing is kind of like writing a letter, but only faster.

I think texting has changed the way we communicate. Texting invented other apps like black berry messenger. Now you can text, email, bbm, facebook chat and tweet! I think its funny how many ways you can talk to people instead of being face to face or on the phone.

Troubleshooting those ill-advised texts

This weeks article i picked is about texting. I thought this would be appropriate to write about since texting over the last years has become the thing to do.


http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/11/17/texting.troubleshooting.netiquette/

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Online Shopping


The Neiman Marcus link that I posted introduces a new concept in the world of apps. You can download their Christmas catalog for your iPad and look at the killer gifts that you can’t afford! Haha. The reason for them making this available is the same reason any other company releases a seasonal catalog, to make money.

The reason why I posted the link is because it fascinates me how many people actually make online purchases. Personally, I have only purchased a couple of things off of the internet because it was my last option, but the article talks about how much revenue they make off of their online store. They stated that 85% of Neiman Marcus’ direct sales are from their online store.

My cousin from Columbus who came in town the other day to celebrate thanksgiving works for The Limited, which is a retail chain that owns The Limited, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. She controls the online store and updates everything constantly. She had to be online at 4am on Black Friday so that she could update the website when their sales started. She told me that their online store decides if they are successful for the year, meaning that the majority of their sales are from the website. She also said that an app for easier browsing is in the works.

I guess I just didn’t realize how popular online stores have become because I enjoy going out and actually have the chance to touch and see in person my purchases, plus I enjoy people watching. In the near future we’re probably going to have many retailers putting out apps for our smart phones so we can shop anywhere at any time of the day. I’m kind of frightened.

Neiman Marcus

Neiman Marcus App

This high end retailer is keeping up with their customers.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Convergence Culture hitting Japan

I know that the weekly writing should possibly stray away from the article, but I feel that this piece is rather important. Cultural convergence seems to peek out at me while reading it. The definition of a convergence culture is one culture in a form of contact or other interaction with another country. The two cultures at play here are the North American makers of the iPhone (Apple) and the entire Japanese consumer market. Apple is introducing a new product in the cell phone industry of Japan that is taking the market by storm, the iPhone. Like stated in the article, foreign developers passed up Japan for its "insularity". For those of you who don't know what insularity means, like myself, insularity means the state of being isolated or detached. With Apple introducing it's best selling cell phone product now in Japan, this cultural convergence is impacting the sales of application immensely.

For years the Japanese cell phone market has been ruled by high established cell phone companies that would easily dominate any newcomers. With the iPhone being established into the culture now, there is a sway in power.

Since the introduction of the iPhone into the Japanese cell phone market, application sales are sky rocketing. Games such as the best selling game app, 'Angry Birds', which cost consumers only $0.99 to purchase has had 27 million downloads. With the numbers of sales that apps are producing through smart phones, the advancement of new applications are soon to come. An analogy that seems to suit America would be that the U.S. is striking gold in this market looking for something new. Even Japanese developers are getting in on this new market. If you didn't read the article already, Japanese developers topped 3 billion application downloads globally in less than 18 months. Who would have thought that apps could have this big of a role in other cultures. It's definitely a topic that should be watched in the near future.

THEE article of the week

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/27/japan-iphone-craze-global-app-developers_n_788808.html

Apps are now hitting Japan. Apps are starting to look like an even playing ground for companies. This could be real interesting in the near future!

Impulse Shopper? Make sure you download this app!!

Article: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/business&id=7811379



The first step to recovery is no longer admitting you have a problem...but downloading an app to help you with your problem even more!



One day after Black Friday, a new app has surfaced to help you impulse shop "responsibly". The leading application is called PriceCheck by Amazon. The app allows for the smart phone to take a picture of the bar code and scan it. Upon scanning the bar code, all matching codes will pop up showing which store sells that product for the cheapest amount. This app will put more pressure on stores to sell a product at its true value so they don't lose customers.



In my last blog, I talked cultural perspective and how it affects the community in ways of interaction and values. I don't think that this app is too harmful. I know that it could be very beneficial to shoppers like my Dad, the kind to go to seven stores pricing things out just to go and buy the product from the first store they went to. It also helps the bargain shopper know where to frequent. I am interested to see if Wal-Mart really sells their products at the lowest possible cost.



The negative affect of this blog is relying on your phone for even more. That is what all apps do, make you rely on your phone even more than before. Instead of having the day to yourself to shop, your phone will have to be with you and on, which takes away the whole "day to yourself" aspect.



With all apps, this one can service the community for the better, if used with responsibility. Through writing my blogs and reading those from other people, I do feel that some applications are beneficial to today's society. It is a matter of how people use them. Technology is ever evolving. No one will stop it. Dealing in the cultural perspective, technology has effected the community mainly for the better. Relationships can be built based off apps. You and your circle of friends are more than likely going to have the same apps. The same applies in the work environment, depending on your job you and your co workers will use the same apps. It is very mainstream and has even crossed into the church. A lot of my friends with Blackberry's all have the Bible application. It works as a bonding method.



Overall, I say apps are a wonderful thing. But with all good things you have to know when enough is enough.