The Next New Thing!

There should be some kind of technology that lies on its potential to connect the real world with the internet, and overlaying the information on the world itself. What I mean by this is that create a technology that recognizes the objects around you, displaying information automatically and letting you access it in any way you want, in the simplest way. For example, you are at the supermarket, thinking about what brand of soap is better. Or maybe what wine you should get for tonight's dinner. Just look at objects, hold them on your hands, and this newly created technology will show you if it's good or bad, or if it fits your preferences or not. Need to know the time? Draw a circle on your wrist and a watch will appear and so on. For better understand what I mean by this new kind of technology please watch this video and you will be surprised to see what this new technology brings.



Also I read in today’s newspaper that a guy named Norman Scherer created a new App for iPhone which basically tells the train/bus time. He created a App for MTA which provides trivia along bus routes. App users can wait for trains above-ground, because they’ll know exactly when their train is due. This is something that we see on “L” train line, a time that displays on station saying how long you as a passenger have to wait before the trains arrives. We need this kind of new technology because waiting for bus and trains are ridiculous.

Sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUdDhWfpqxg

Privacy & Confidentiality

Each time we surf on the internet, we are dealing with the Privacy & Confidentiality issues. Sometime we may or may not have control of the information flow. However it is very hard to keep privacy and confidentiality in this 21st century media world. Individual may not realize how valuable their information is, or how much is at stake if privacy is lost. Information about individuals is extremely valuable both in the private and public sector because these companies gather your personal data, your interests, to generate profit. One of the way they collect your personal information is from the social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and so on that we use every day and sell it to the marketing companies or advisers and that’s how we see those ads when we surf the social networking sites which is most suitable ads to the target audiences.

Also it is very important what you post, write, upload pictures on your social networking sites because when you apply for the new job, a lot of companies does background check for their future employers and they can access all your information you have on the internet. You might end up losing that job and there is nothing you can do about it because if inappropriate information.

Most social networking sites that we use these days gives you options to control the privacy by going privacy settings but we do not care and just ignore it. It is important not to write personal information such as phone number, SSN, DOB, and address on social networking sites because a hackers, sexual predators, and strangers can easily access your information and can use it in harmful way.

Protecting the personal privacy is not easy and is not likely to get easier. It is something you cannot avoid unless you stop using new media which is impossible because this is a 21st century, a New Media world.


Source:
http://www.nightcruiser.com.au/wa/perth/privacy1.jpg

Advice to Baruch College

There are few suggestions that I would make to Baruch regarding using new media to improve the College. First, Baruch needs a social networking site where all students and professors can interact with each others. Students do not have to create a new account for that; all they need is their Baruch user name and password to log in. Creating social networking sites for Baruch College is great because students can write any problems that they have such as registration, information about clubs, classes’ recommendation, and so on. And other students who have experienced similar problem can give feedback or even professors or advisor can directly answer it. It is also a great place to built network of friends since not everyone is staying in college after class or joins clubs and so on because of work schedule or other problems.

Second, every students and professors should have a twitter account. It is very useful. You can update the tweets regarding anything related to class, such as homework due, exams, read chapters, read additional articles that are related to class, if professor is going to be absent and so on. I know blackboard is there for this things but NOT everyone is checking their blackboard every day. If they had twitter, simply they can just get updates to their cell phones immediately and knows what’s going on.

Third, books are ridiculously expensive. My management book is 216 dollar. When professor said that every student in this class needs to buy a book, everybody was going crazy just because it was too expensive and couldn’t find used one because they updated the version. If they had eBooks, that would be much better than cheaper for students. They afford it and can print it for cheap. It is also easy to carry if its printable chapters, because most professors wants you to bring book to class.

Forth, I personally never had experienced with online class other than 3-4 times this semester in my New Media class. But I think, having online classes is great idea because not everyone can make it college because of their work schedule. If they have online classes, students can register according to their best schedule and experience the new way of learning.

Next, have a virtual library, campus, classroom where incoming students can check and see how college is. It gives students a better idea about the college.

Also, they need some kind of system where they can inform students about the upcoming events. I know Baruch does sent out emails but I sure many if not most students do not even read that email and just delete just like myself and ignore the important information such as job fairs, workshops, events, clubs, and so on.

Finally, Baruch needs to do something about the escalator and elevator. No matter how early you get to college, you will be late for class just because escalator and elevator are not working and the ones that do work are over packed and have to wait more than 10 minutes. I have been tired of waiting for elevators and getting late for class so I just use stairs everyday going all the way up to 12th floor which I get up way faster than that elevator.

Our Class Wiki - So Far

So far i haven't contributed to class wiki at all. All I did was just created a "HOW TO" page about blog roll in word press. But i am on the process of my research on "How New Media are Used in Business". How businesses are using different types social networking sites and how the marketing and advertising firms using new media to maximize the profit. To find all recent information, I am looking at different scholarly article from online, school library, and so on. The information that I am getting is not that much different from the students that has already contributed to wikis. However, it's more recent and more updated version. I am trying to find information about social networking sites that haven't mentioned in wiki, and if it did, trying to edit it to it with right sources.