Internet "Kill Switch"

The president of the United States has extraordinary power in our country. He is ultimately the one that decides where our money goes, where our troops are stationed, and countless other things.
Well who would have thought that he would have the power to cut off internet power throughout the whole country with one switch!
A new Senate bill has proposed that the president could have the authority to "seize control or even shut down portions of the Internet." That idea is completely insane in my eyes! Why would the President need the authority to do this. I believe that nothing should be kept hidden from us.
It's crazy to think that technology is this advanced and that a "Kill Switch" is possible. This just comes to show us how powerful the internet can be, how much information can be found in a short amount of time.

 So powerful and advanced that the president might be given authority to obtain this "Kill Switch!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/internet-kill-switch-woul_n_615923.html

Best Buy "Buy Back" Commercial - Technology moves fast

3D TV in our living rooms

I never would have thought that we would have the luxury of having 3D tv's in our living rooms. The first time I heard about 3D, it was a huge story that was gossiping around in the school hallways.
It was all about "are you going to go see the movie in 3d?" and things like that.
Now, technology has really out done itself by creating a tv and phone that don't not even use glasses to see the picture in 3D.
Intense.
What's next?!
Technology needs to slow down a little bit. I feel that every time I go out to get the next big thing, something else is already about to come out. We keep wasting our money in these innovative ideas, but it feels like it's never good enough! Something newer always has to come out and make us regret our decision. It's like that Best Buy commercial that shows how society feels.
Will post the video later!


http://books.google.com/books/about/3D_Television_3DTV_Technology_Systems_an.html?id=nB-N-IkFgdsC

Ipad

Since the Ipad has been invented, it has changed the way we use technology. We can catch up on the news, read newspapers and magazines, all with one tap on the screen. It is constantly being updated with new compatibles. It would certainly not be too farfetched to say that a business can be managed through an Ipad. The Ipad has slowly started to replace computers and laptops. Anything that we have done on these traditional devices can now all be done on the lightweight Ipad. Who knows what the makers of the Ipad, Apple,  and other competing companies have in store for us in the future. I am certain that these companies will continue to out-do themselves as they have in the past.
I think people are starting to expect more from not only Apple, but other companies as well. Apple has been setting expectations for companies all over the world, and it seems like they are always a step ahead of everyone.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?entry_id=93059

YouTube

As I was doing the assignment for class, I hadn't really thought about how easy everything was to do. For example, interviewing my friends was so much harder than I expected, and uploading the videos were easier than I expected. Few years ago, I would have expected for the uploading process to be much, much harder.
YouTube has made uploading very simple and fast. They now have created an app for phones to have the YouTube experience at hand and with a single click, or touch.
Some websites even claim that YouTube is not only just a video source for home videos and fun things like that, but could even be the next NBC or another Napster.
Personally, I use YouTube for one purpose; Music.
I listen to music daily, and search videos all the time. If I don't use Pandora, Youtube is next on my list.
I love that it gives you the option to purchase the song that you're listening to. I see where people are thinking that it might be the next Napster.
I think YouTube has to start thinking outside the box a little bit and create something that will really set them apart. There are so many people trying to become the next big thing and if YouTube doesn't keep up, it'll be easily forgotten just like Myspace was.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_15/b3979093.htm

ATT at the top of the ladder

It's crazy to me how ATT has come such a long way. I remember there were so many cell phone companies like Cingular and US Cellular. I remember when I was in middle school, my best friend had a cell phone and she was one of the only ones I knew that had one in school. It was US Cellular and it looked like a huge block. Then for some time I remember phones being tiny and that was the cool thing to have. But now, it seems like everyone has forgotten about the size and is now more focused on the important things. I have a blackberry and believe me when I say that I hate it 100% of the time! The only reason I have it is because it's so easy to communicate with my whole family since my mom has a mexican blackberry. It's so easy to stay in touch with my family that lives in Mexico.
I had heard some rumors going around that supposedly the new iphone was going to have something similar to "blackberry messenger". The only reason I still have my blackberry is because of BBM.
Anyway, I think that the new iphone is going to be a must have on my birthday list to be completely honest. I'm just hoping it comes out soon!

Google +

I have been trying to get the hang of Google + and I haven't been very successful. I think it might be a little more complicated then facebook is just because I am so used to using facebook.
It's crazy to me that facebook has more than 750 million active users! That is insane. I think facebook has become a main stream of communication between many people. For example, I have family all over Mexico and back home in Laredo, so facebook is an easy way to get updates from them, like pictures of my niece and new born cousin. It also gives people a chance to meet so many new people and talk to one another easily. Another example is having questions about a given assignment and not having anyone's numbers. You can easily get on facebook and talk to someone about it instantly.
I think facebook overtook myspace because facebook learned from all the mistakes that myspace made. It got an advantage because it got to see what didn't work and what did work for myspace and what users wanted. "The design was predominantly blue and white, and the company rolled out features piecemeal: email, instant messaging and then live feeds of their activities. The platform was unadorned, intuitive, structured to reflect how people were already communicating online – and in contrast to MySpace's anything-goes approach, it was soothingly Spartan." 
It's hard to say if Google + will beat facebook because it's not like you can just join. You have to be invited to join so it makes it a little bit more elite and sophisticated. Aside from facebook, anyone is welcome to join, create pages and can even create fake profiles. 
I think people are so obsessed with facebook simply because they like to know who's with who and what's going on at all times. It's a huge gossip chain and even if people don't like to admit it, that's why users are so addicted. Another reason is all the advertisement. It's not like it's random advertising that you're not interested in. Facebook knows what you like.


http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/19/how-facebook-learned-from-myspaces-mistakes/

The Social Network

-------------Some blogs I visit at least once a week.

In class on Monday, we got a chance to see The Social Network.
I've seen this movie about 3 times and each time I feel just as surprised and taken back with all of what Mark accomplished just by being upset and drunk.
Facebook has become not only a social networking site, but an advertising site as well.
Every day, my friends post different links and music videos for everyone to listen to; Without realizing we're actually becoming more aware with what's going on and fun new things we wouldn't have had a chance to learn about if it weren't for facebook.
Even with bloggers, they share their personal life for everyone to see and we choose to read what they write. I visit about three different blogs a week about fashion and they help me so much with my knowledge about fashion. Since I can't travel the world as much as I would love to, I simply follow blogs like leblogdebetty.com or seaofshoes.com. Which by the way I completely recommend! Great sites to look at (well, if you're into fashion).
I think technology gives the world a chance to live outside their mind and force everyone to be a little more creative.
Like we discussed in class, many people now graduate wanting to start their own business, rather than just stick themselves in an already well established business.
I think that the internet and technology, especially facebook, gave everyone a chance to be their own boss, their own CEO, and reach for their dreams.
I know there's not going to be a stop to technology...how much is too much?
How far are we willing to go?

Can't Keep Up! Google + Trial

I feel like there is always new things coming out that it is so hard for me to keep up no matter how hard I try!
I recently got an invite to join Google + and I joined today.
I only have like a few friends in "my circle" but it looks very similar to facebook.
You can update on what's new and comment on people's links and posts. You can also choose who you want to stream your updates with, if it's just your family or your friends, you have that option to not share with some people.
I haven't tried the video chat yet but I saw that you can chat with multiple people at a time or chose one single person to chat with.
I'm sure there's a lot of new things that I haven't gotten a chance to understand yet, but so far so good!
If anyone wants to check it out, just comment on this post and I will gladly send you an invite :)

Technology in Fashion

Technology has actually become an extremely important factor in the fashion world today. Many people are relying more and more now on technology to create their companies and make them be more successful.
I have heard that stores are now creating a new system that gets rid of the typical problems that goes on in the dressing rooms. These new advanced fitting rooms are supposed to make consumers life's a lot easier and will actually make shopping a lot less stressful. They have come up with a "responsive mirror" that reminds you how each item looked on you by showing you a picture. It also lets the shopper know what other sizes there is of that item just incase the item doesn't fit and also let's the shopper know other similar styles of it. It doesn't stop there though!
They tried taking this idea a step further and thought about how shoppers sometimes shop alone. Usually when a shopper tries something on, they take a picture and send it to someone else. What this mirror does is not only take pictures of you, but acts like a sort of chat room. You can add friends and family and send them pictures of the outfits you just tried on! Cool, huh?
It keeps getting better!
If your friend or family members don't like what they see, no problem. The website in which they are using to see you will give them other options of merchandise from t he store you are at, giving them the option to choose a completely different outfit and the computer will put the garment over the picture as if you were trying it on! Amazing.
Can't wait for this to get in Texas. I know this will save a lot of my time while shopping.

Here is a link for more information:
http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/22/style-shopping-retailer-forbeslife-cx_jp_0722style.html
And two videos I thought reflected this mirror:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G4G55E7fcM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35pRdcjTaTY&feature=related

Day 1 of Intro to Information Systems

Today was my first day back in school and I could honestly say that I was not looking forward to it at all, but after sitting in class for three hours, I started to think that this class wouldn't be so bad after all. In todays lesson, we learned about Apps and their affect on technology and the world. I guess I never really thought about how much a person, not only from our generation, uses them in their every day life. It's amazing how apps not only help smart phone users to get access to whatever they need faster, but can enhance toddlers and even babies with education. There are even some apps that can help parenting become a lot more less stressful and scary. I don't know if I would personally use them since I don't have any babies, but I'm sure future parents would want anything at all that would make their life's a tad bit easier. Joe Britton from a website called Business Insider wrote a small excerpt on how apps and technology has changed today's world. To read it, press the following link: http://www.businessinsider.com/technology-and-its-impact-on-education-2011-6
Personally, as a smart phone user, I use my Facebook app probably every day without realizing how much faster it is than surfing the web. I have other apps like Shazam, Twitter, and the Weather Channel and use them on daily basis as well. It's so much faster to press one button and have the weather for the entire day and even week in a matter of seconds. Same as Shazam, if you like a song and don't know the name, you can instantly press a button and have the name of the song in an instant. Our generation wants everything now, and we are used to having everything given to us so much faster. In fact, we kind of expect it to be given to us quicker because we realize how fast technology is growing. If you picture yourself without having any of this new technology, it's actually kind of scary.
Would we be as aware of what's going on around the world as we are now? Would we go out of our way to pick up a newspaper and make the time to sit down and read it?
Yes, people might say it's sad that cell phones have now become a mini computer, but who ever said that was a bad thing? It's helping the world in so many ways by making us more aware of our surroundings and helps us stay up to date in day to day situations.
It would be very interesting to go one day without the use of computers and internet. Would that be something anyone would be interested in doing? I know I wouldn't!

Monday, June 27, 2011
Intro to Information Systems
University of the Incarnate Word