Banking Technology

This week iPhone users will now be able to deposit checks by taking photos of it.  Offered through USAA (United Services Automobile Association) bank the user will access the iPhone application, log onto their account, enter the amount of the check, photograph the front and back and submit online.  The check does not have to be mailed or dropped off at the bank.  I find this very exciting because banks are open at the most inconvenient times for anyone who works full time.  Currently USAA only has one branch so it has focused on it’s online services including depositing checks by scanning the image and uploading.  Right now I don’t have an iPhone or bank with USAA but hopefully in the future my bank could offer this which would be a huge time saver.

No photography skills needed

I just bought a new camera online which I am very excited about receiving.  I am using my 5 year old camera which needless to say is a little behind on technology compared to similar models now.  Therefore, I have been paying attention to recent camera technology and this article caught my eye:  “Sony’s Party-shot Can Aim the Camera, Snap Pictures for You.”  I had not heard of this technology and it intrigued me so I read the article to find out more. Basically it is base unit device where you connect your digital camera to extend it’s features. The device swivels and can track people around the room using face recognition technology.  It connects to software in the camera to take pictures when it determines the time is right based on light and composition. According to the article it is being launched in Japan along with 2 compatible cameras.  What an interesting idea when you host a get together, rather than carrying the camera and taking pictures you can set up in on the party-shot and review the photos later.  With a price tag of $157 it seems pricey to have the luxury however, I am sure it will appeal to some buyers.  It amazes me how technology can take over such mundane tasks although the owner still has to sort through all the pictures. Here is the link to the article-http://www.pcworld.com/article/169719/sonys_partyshot_can_aim_the_camera_snap_pictures_for_you.html

Team Hoyt

I have tried to post on a range of topics in this blog- topics I found interesting, sites I like and new technologies.  This post is the one I am most excited to write about.  In our class we have discussed many aspects of new media and the possibilities for future applications.  This post is about an incredible family who live in Massachusetts with father/son team Dick and Rick Hoyt. 

In 1962 Rick suffered a lack of oxygen at birth leading to him becoming a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy.  With the use of a computer specifically designed for him he is now able to communicate and he and his father have completed 984 events including marathons and Ironmans.  His father either pushes or pulls him during the races so they can complete them together. For triathlons Dick swims with a raft behind him pulling Rick towards the finish line.  This family is an incredible testament to hard work and dedication however also a valuable insight into the possibility for technology application.  Rick has graduated from Boston University and now works in the computer lab at Boston College.  He has some controlled movement of his head so the computer he uses scrolls letters across the screen and stops when he moves his head to pick the letter.   Here is a great description from their website about the development of his computer:

“A group of Tufts University engineers came to the rescue, once they had seen some clear, empirical evidence of Rick’s comprehension skills. “They told him a joke,” said Dick. “Rick just cracked up. They knew then that he could communicate!” The engineers went on to build — using $5,000 the family managed to raise in 1972 – an interactive computer that would allow Rick to write out his thoughts using the slight head-movements that he could manage. Rick came to call it “my communicator.” A cursor would move across a screen filled with rows of letters, and when the cursor highlighted a letter that Rick wanted, he would click a switch with the side of his head.

When the computer was originally brought home, Rick surprised his family with his first “spoken” words. They had expected perhaps “Hi, Mom” or “Hi, Dad.” But on the screen Rick wrote “Go Bruins.” The Boston Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals that season, and his family realized he had been following the hockey games along with everyone else. “So we learned then that Rick loved sports,” said Dick.”

The technology that Rick works on now is called “Eagle Eyes” which is using eye movements to, for example- to direct a motorized wheelchair for someone who is paralyzed.  Rick’s life demonstrates the incredible achievement of technology and new media progression.  I loved his description of competing in races, Rick writes:

” What I mean when I say I feel like I am not handicapped when competing is that I am just like the other athletes, and I think most of the athletes feel the same way. In the beginning nobody would come up to me. However, after a few races some athletes came around and they began to talk to me. During the early days one runner, Pete Wisnewski had a bet with me at every race on who would beat who. The loser had to hang the winner’s number in his bedroom until the next race. Now many athletes will come up to me before the race or triathlon to wish me luck.”

When I ran the Boston marathon in 2006 the Hoyt’s were competing. I did not see them during the race but my husband, who was cheering for me on the course, saw them pass and described the huge loud encouraging cheer which accompanied them through the course.  I know how much a marathon hurts after completing 4 and I cannot imagine how much an Ironman hurts, but the thought of running 66 marathons while pushing some one is astonishing.  I think they are an inspiration for athletes and technology developers alike.  Here is a list of the races they have completed and their website-

Our Racing History 1979 – August 31, 2008 – updated August 31, 2008 Total Events 229 Triathlons, 6 Ironman distances, 6 Half Ironman 20 Duathlons 66 Marathons, 26 Boston Marathons 8 18.6 Milers 84 Half Marathons 1 20K 35 10 Milers 30 Falmouth 7.1 milers, 1 Falmouth in the Fall Event 8 15K 212 10K 149 5 Milers 4 8K 18 4 Milers 108 5K 8 20 Milers 2 11K 1 7K Total 984 events Personal Bests 2:40:47 Marathon 56:21 15K 1:21:12 Half Marathon 40:27 7.1 Miler 13:43:37 Ironman Triathlon 35:48 10K 2:01:54 18.6 miler 27:17 5 miler 59:01 10 miler 17:40 5K 2:10:45 20 miler

Biked and ran across the USA in 1992-3,735 miles in 45 consecutive days
Biked the states of Connecticut,Rhode Island, Massachussets,with “Axa World Ride ‘95″
Biked from Pittsburgh,PA to Washington DC with “Axa World Ride 95 “

http://www.teamhoyt.com/index.html

Reflections on New Media

So when I was driving to work this morning listening to NPR I was thinking about how hard companies have to work to keep our attention.  NPR was annoucing  their website and encouraging listeners to visit to check it out.  On the NPR main website you can see recent stories, access book reviews covered on air, view recipes discussed on a show…. a wide variety of options.  This shows a blending of old media (radio) and new media (online access) and gives the listener greater access to information.  It made me think about how companies have to use multiple outlets to reach consumers.  To keep our attention there have to be multiple outreach efforts to appeal to a range of consumers. I worked for Zappos.com previously and the company is well known for their customer retention rate. Zappos has shown how you can take one method of customer outreach (their website) and expand on that by using continually evolving applications of new media- they send emails to customer, there are company blogs for multiple categories, the CEO has a very active Twitter following and they are on Facebook.  This is both amazing and expected for a company that is based online and embraces technology advancement.  Another example I was thinking of are news channels. Their main outreach comes from their broadcast but all have websites and attempt to have consumers interact by posting questions on the site or sending emails.  I feel like all these companies are competing for the most attention and they are only successful if you actually pay attention to it.  There are companies that I love like Southwest and Trader Joe’s but I don’t need weekly updates or to be fans of them on Facebook.  I think they are great but I still have a boundary between my private life and the access I give to companies. I am still of the mindset that I will seek them out when I want to and at that time I want the information to be accessible.  Maybe I am a little old school in this mindset but I don’t like to give too much information out and be contacted when I don’t want to be.   I kind of like this whole blog thing, it makes me read the news differently and makes me evaluate my daily observations a little differently.  When I think of things I frame them into stories to write in my blog rather than just having passing thoughts. Thanks for reading!

Driving Dangers of New Media

Recent studies have shown texting while driving is dangerous- hardly a surprising statistic.  To make sure that I am communicating clearly here is the information:

“The latest report, which came from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute yesterday, reports that the risk of a vehicle crash can be up to 23 times higher when the driver is texting, compared to a driver who is paying full attention to the road. The report concludes that driving while texting should be banned, and that cell phone use should be banned for newly-licensed drivers.”

The introduction of new media is often accompanied with excitement because it transforms the status quo.  However, how is media affecting our society and safety?  I would argue that media has contributed to many declines in our society, here are a couple observations.  The recent study shows how media (such as cell phones and smart phones) are dangerous to use while driving.  Hardly shocking but interesting because using a cell phone while driving is a widespread phenomenon which is legal (with some restrictions) in most states.   I support the ban of texting while driving and reducing the use of phones by new drivers.  Adding to new media observations, studies have also shown that watching TV and spending hours on the computer contribute to physical inactivity and can lead to unhealthy lifestyles.  Instead of being active and outside kids are being entertained by sitting and looking at a screen.  Additionally, the safety aspect of new media has been discussed in multiple situations.  The video “Growing up Online” addressed safety from Internet predators and the rising concern of Internet bullying.  The article The Web of Terrorprovided information about how terrorist organizations use the Internet to spread their message.  I think the fact that texting while driving increases your risk of an accident by 23 times is very significant.  There should be excitement with new technology and new media but there should be an understanding that there are also risks which need to be observed and action should be taken when necessary.

Google Wave

I was going to try to review the new Google Wave but thought this explained it so well:

Trying to describe it to my wife last night I came out with “It’s a cross between Messenger, Email and Facebook”. I still think that’s accurate, but it didn’t really help her! Once you start actually using it things slowly fall into place in your mind, but until you do so, it’s pretty hard to explain or understand.

I think it’s more accurate to say that it’s a bunch of shared IM conversations that are organised like email messages and stored on the server for time immemorial. The upshot of all this is that you can use it in a variety of different ways depending on what you want to achieve. It serves as an IM, IRC and Email server, but you can also do things that you might not necessarily first think of, such as using it as a simple Wiki with shared editing and history . . .

This is probably the most advanced ‘application in a browser’ that I’ve seen. It really does feel like a little operating system living in your browser tab. Using it suddenly makes Chrome and Chrome OS make a whole lot of sense. If you listen carefully you can hear Ballmer’s chairs flying around in the background.

This is from the website- http://searchengineland.com/developer-impressions-of-google-wave-real-time-email-on-crack-22913

Google Wave will be available in September but there are several reviews online already.  Titles like “Google Wave coming, could change communications as we know it” and “Developer Impressions Of Google Wave: “Real-Time Email On Crack”” were very powerful news titles.  Another news review I was reading compared the Google Wave to the transition from rotary dial changed to touchtone.  As we have been discussing new media, diffusion and transformation in technology I think it will be interesting to see the upcoming launch through this perspective.  I can’t wait to try it!

Access to Information

Information access before the internet was very different. I can’t imagine the days when you had to use the physical yellow pages to call a store to see what time they were open or wait for a letter to arrive rather than send an email.  The rapid pace of our society is shaped by our access and instant gratification with information.  This affects all areas of our lives but I want to focus on a website called Charity Navigator which encapsulates information access.  In the past there have been scandals when charities were exposed to spend a larger than expected amount on administration or non profit CEO’s were taking huge salaries when their companies were funded by donations.  It was difficult for contributors to find this information which contributed to the popularity of the website Charity Navigator.  It gives Charities grades and allows you to see how their money is spent.  I have included a link below.  The website has recently announced that they will adjust how they rank charities because there were concerns that charities were compromising safety of workers overseas in an attempt to reduce administration costs.  Overall I think it is a great website because it shows you what you are contributing to and how your money is being used. I think it gives greater insight into information access as well.  The website gives free evaluations and puts the information in the hands of those who seek it.  I think I take for granted the information at my fingertips.  I am accustomed to doing research before making a big purchase and the information is all accessible. For example, before buying my car I was able to see details ranging from quantitative research on crash tests to qualitative customer reviews.  I find that I can make more informed decisions although I know not everything can be trusted online and discretion must be used.  Some people say we are drowning in information overload, any thoughts?  Do you like the information access or is it too much?

 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=10204

http://philanthropy.com/giveandtake/index.php?id=1123

Favorite Website

So if you have not checked out Pandora.com I highly recommend it.  The site is a free internet music radio site but gives the listener the opportunity to tailor the music to their taste by either picking a song or an artist to create the station around.  There are some advertisements but only a fraction of regular radio.  You can rate the songs either thumbs up or thumbs down which further adjusts the way the next song is chosen.  I did a little research and found out that 400 elements of the song are analyzed to come up with compatible songs. You can also skip songs if you don’t like them and tell the station to never play a certain artist again. It also remembers your stations so each time you come back there are your favorite bands/songs to listen to. There are some restrictions like you can only listen to 40 hours a month for free and it is not an on demand service so you cannot request a certain song or make a station which only plays one artist.  Over the last couple years Pandora has adjusted their business model based on governmental regulation of music industry royalties.  About a year ago they stopped providing the service outside the US due to cost.  On July 7^th, 2009 they announced an agreement regarding royalties and limited the hours per month.  When I was in college the free music sites were a huge deal and college campuses were struggling with the amount of bandwidth being used by students downloading songs.  At the same time the music industry started retaliating as they saw their profits decreasing and their familiar business model changing.  I graduated 4 years ago and the landscape has continued to change. A couple years ago some of the free download services were shut down and lawsuits are still on going in an attempt by the music companies to make people pay for their downloads. I think the lawsuits are a thinly veiled attempt to scare/discourage others from downloading music. As more mediums become digital the ability to share is easier.  There is money to be made from regulating copyrights but there is also money in providing free access and then showing advertisements.  Pandora does pay for the music it plays and for right now I am very happy with my free internet radio option.

Apple Monopoly

There have been many controversial articles about the iPhone since it was first launched.  Originally the articles focused around the relationship between the iPhoneand AT&T contract.  The media coverage then progressed to tracking the time after each release before hackers could crack the code and use the phone with other services.  In March, 2009 the phone was released without an AT&T contract but the price discouraged many buyers.  Despite that perceived monopoly I want to focus on the announcement Apple made on July 14th the App Store passed it’s 1.5 billion download mark.  This morning PC World posted an article titled “Apple’s iPhone and iPod Monopolies Must Go.”  The article discusses how the App Store is not a huge profit maker for Apple however, regardless of money making there should be competition in the market. I am not sure if I agree. The iPhone and iPod are successful for many reasons. Apple has set up the platform and other companies, like Palm, could create a similar model.  I am sure in the future competition will rise but I don’t think it needs to be forced.  The idea of monopoly based on successful launches of new products is interesting in the context of new media.  We benefit today from the competition which drove innovation in the past.  New media is constantly being revolutionized by new technology.  However, that transformation takes place on a global scale and should not be micro regulated by government agencies enforcing laws.  The monopoly which Apple has in the market will only last if they continue to provide cutting edge technology and devices which appeal to buyers.  If they are superseded by another existing or new company it is part of the competition.  The articles I referenced for this post are:

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Mobile-App-Downloads-Nearing-20-Billion-Annually-Study-Shows-505048/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/168446/Apples_iPhone_and_iPod_Monopolies_Must_Go.html

So after I wrote about Apple on 7/15 there was a news story released on 7/16 to announce that Apple was denying access for Palm Pre users to use itunes. Previously Pre users could plug in the device to the computer and it would download certain files for example itunes files.  Granted the Pre had found a way to avoid itunes protective software but it is an interesting development in the monopoly discussion above. It reminded me of van Dijk’s comments about power and restriction in new media. It does make it slightly confusing that this is technology that Apple has created and distributed so should it be universally accessible?  In the age of open sourcing I wonder if Apple will ever face a back lash from consumers who embrace technology sharing.  Just a little development in the Apple discussion.

Blogging Transparency

Can you believe what you read on the Internet?  The answer is obviously no but I want to dive into the world of mommy blogging and the wonders of marketing.  It is estimated there as many as ten thousand “mommy bloggers” on line.  These sites can range from sharing parenting tips to advice on the best products for kids- that is where blogging gets tricky.  Because word of mouth marketing is such a strong tool to persuade buyers to try something new companies have found by supplying some influential bloggers with products they can have positive reviews for a low cost.  There are no disclosure laws (although some are being considered) for on line blogs therefore the unbiased advise many readers think they are getting is actually strongly influenced behind the scenes.  It can be a very beneficial relationship for the mom.  For their time and words they are being supplied with free products for their family.  Walmart created ElevenMoms which is a group of moms who talk about products- http://instoresnow.walmart.com/Community.aspx They even have a blog radio show.  The group has grown to 22 and is a powerful representation of on line marketing going digital.  So here is the big question- should the bloggers disclose their alliances whether voluntarily or legally?  Let me know what you think.  Here is an article for reference as well- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124709333507914689.html