Turned 22!

March 10, 1989 was the day i stepped into this world. And today, i turned 22! YAY, feeling old!!! lol As usual, my birthday is in the midterm week so basically studied for midterms, it was raining to took rain shower as well, went to hunted house, and basically had fun with friends.

Start of Spring Semester 2011!

Today is the first day of my spring semester. Taking 3 classes but its all upper level graduate (capstone) courses. I only have school Tuesday and Thursday. Workload is a lot since its capstone courses but its mostly team work. Professors seems pretty good, let's see how my last semester of undergrad goes. Graduating in MAY!!!!!!!!

Winter break!

Currently winter break is not going that well due to snowstorm. heavy snow piles are all over the road and sidewalks. Pretty cold as well. Therefore, staying home, reading book, watching tv, and drinking a lot of tea!!!! waiting for spring semester to start. Yes its my last semester of undergrad. woohoo!!!

End of Fall 2010 Semester!!!

Fall semester has finally ended! i must say that i survive pretty well even though i took 6 classes! At times, it was hard to handle the work load, however it was manageable. Finals week was crazy because had 3 finals in one day back to back. And team papers were pretty interesting because for some i had an options to pick topic and some i didn't. Overall, my experience taking 6 classes were amazing. If i have to recommend fellow classmate or friends to weather take 6 classes in one semester or not, i would say DO NOT TAKE IT, unless you really really have to.

Ugh!

This semester needs to end already! Can't handle the work load now. Taking 6 classes per semester is not an easy especially when some of the professors are not good at teaching. Staying up every night to keep up with the work load is killing me but i guess its all worth it at the end. About a month more than done with the semester. let's see how it goes!

See ya!

update about my summer

So far, i have been enjoying my summer. Went to Poconos, dorney park, Washinton, west virginia, and Camping. Its been great. I am loving it just like McDonald. LOL . Weathers been okay, sometime its hot, sometime it rains and sometime its both but nothing can stops me from enjoying my summer.

Camping was fun for me. I finally had chance to spend time with all my friends. it was one hell of an time. It rained but we didnt let it ruin our vacation. Playing vollyball, basketball, football (vince broke the water thingy and the water was constantly coming, no way to stop it LOL. Swimming, taking bath in Delaware River. Hiking, few friends were left out because they left little bit early but...

Everyone cooking together was fun, seating near fire at night, playing crazy drinking games at night (it was fun for me because i don't drink and being only the sober one there watching all drunk people act weird is the most enjoying part).

In Poconos, went horse riding, gun shooting/shooting range, golf, camel beach, enjoyed 2 nights there. In Washington, visited all the Museums, and Monument ( All free, no fee for tickets). in Virginia, went to Krishna temple on mountain.

okay, I'll update rest later....

Grades are In.

So i have gotten my grades for both summer classes and i am very happy to see what i got. I got what i expected and it boosted my GPA.

Now its time to put books aside and ENJOY THE SUMMER!

Agenda for rest of the summer...West Virginia, Washington, dorney park, Hershey park, Poconos, Camping, Ohio, PA, Johns beach, rafting, boat ride, basketball mostly everyday at Vallie park and park drive, temple, shopping, eat, movies, and so on.

End of summer classes!

So today was my last day of classes. These 6 weeks went really fast. Even tho it was really short period of time, i learn totally new language (Spanish). I can now say basic things and communicate little bit in Spanish. Music has always been close to me. Its something that i enjoy a lot. i love to play instruments such as piano, flute, and drum therefore, taking music class was a lot fun for me. Learned little background and history about music and how different musical era influenced music.

earlier today i had final for both, Spanish and music. It went great. Now waiting for grades.....

Summer Session I

So currently im taking 2 summer classes: Spanish and Music! Both classes are going great and are having fun but just little too fast. Waking up at 5AM, 4 days a week in summer is not so enjoyable but its not bad. Spanish class is kind of hard for me because its a new language and to learn it in 6 weeks is not easy but its not bad. weather is really good, a bit of a humid but its not bad. Can't wait til im done with these classes and enjoy my summer.

End of Spring '10

So, today i officially ended my spring 2010 semester. It is 7:45 AM. I pulled my last all nighter today for this semester. Just finished writing paper for Management class. It feels good to be over but than again, i am not so far away from going back to school. Yeah that's right, SUMMER CLASS. Oh man, June 2nd, which is next Wednesday i start my summer class. I am taking 2 classes, Spanish and Music. I hope that goes well. So i have 1 good week to enjoy it before i bust my A$$ again...lol

By the way, i did really horrible in my Finance Final yesterday. It was really really bad, like i don't think the material we learned in class was on it. The questions were too long, was giving irrelevant information which confuses you like crazy and time consuming. anyways....

I am sleepy because i haven't slept whole night but yeah i don't wanna sleep because if i do than i am sure i won't be able to wake up til around 6-7PM which is bad because than i won't be able to sleep whole night and this cycle will continue so yeah, you got the point. lol

anyways, i just wanted to blog this since i haven't posted from last 2 weeks...

now off to park, run around little bit, come back, take shower, eat, and go outside?... C YA!

Someone's Else Project

I was very impressed by the presentation done by my fellow classmates and the topics they have picked. Three presentation that i personally liked a lot was:

1) "New Media and Teens" by Michael Chai
2) "Impact of New Media on Advertising" by Mobin Tariq
3) "Virtual Worlds" by Nadia Ayusheyeva

In Micheal's presentation, he discussed about how much media is exposed to teens and the causes of the uprising of new media in a teen's life. Teen spends great amount of time online about 8 hours a day by just looking at pictures, listening music, playing games, watching video and so on. About 24% time average teen between 8-18 year old, spend on SN and about 18% playing games. These impacts on their education, because these heavy user spends a great amount of time on SN and related work and does not focus on school work and therefore they do bad in school.

In Mobin's presentation, he discusses about the impact of new media on advertising. He discussed how before advertising was done in print publication such as newspaper, magazine and so on and still being done but because of increased in new media technology, it is more effective to advertise online. One of the reason is because it's inexpensive, increases revenues, you can directly connect to you market/consumer, and of course, global availability

In Nadia's presentation, she talked about the different perspectives of virtual worlds. She first discussed about the use of virtual world in educational field such as computer programing tutorials, colleges can have virtual libraries, they can have meeting spaces for online university courses, and can use for military training.

Than she moved on to discussed how businesses can use virtual world. Businesses can use virtual world for marketing, recruiting, meetings and collaboration, job training, and research and development.

Each presentation done by the students are very helpful. They each provides us unique information about how new media features are used today than in the past.

My Term Project Presentation

It feels great that its finally over, however i did not present the way i had expected and planned i guess because i was suppose to go on Tuesday but i decided to go today instead. Well there is always next time.

So my presentation was about the "Use of Social Networking in the Work Place". First i talked about the social networking in general and then talked about the five different types of social networking services used today, to determine whether or not allowing employees to take part in these social networking activities at work could create problems.

Also i talked about the risks and downfalls related to using SN at workplace such as, bandwidth, liability, malware, and of course productivity. However, for each of these negative one there seems to be positive reason to use it such as for some businesses, the increased audience, web traffic, and overall consumer participation outweighs these concerns. Therefore, as a business owner it is up to you to decide which one is right for you and your business purpose.

Than i talked about the 5 different types of social networking sites that are being used by businesses and gave brief overview of each.

• MySpace: Perhaps considered the pioneer of social networking and this network is one of the largest out there, and its use in business is questionable.
• Facebook: A major competitor of MySpace, this network, once open to students only, tried to target a niche, but soon realized the power was in a larger market. Maybe better suited for business than its MySpace predecessor, one can still question its benefits.
• Twitter: An entirely different style of social networking as compared to the previous two, this social networking website is more of a productivity killer than any, though it has its benefits.
• Linked In: A newer social networking site on the scene, this one has a primarily business focus, and therefore is one of the safer ones to allow. The business focus helps control the audience and downplays the disadvantages of social networking.
• Windows Live Spaces: Microsoft’s attempt to jump in on the social networking, offering a variety of services and features, may or may not be good for business.

After explaining each SN sites mentioned above, i talked about their use in businesses and how can you as a business owner can take advantages of it and decided which one is more beneficial to you.

Later, i explained the pros and cons of using this SN at work place.

Finally, i concluded my presentation by brief summarizing the main point. :)

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.

My new media class - so far

My New Media class is going great so far. Every single week you write blog, tweet, work on your wikis, and so on. It’s a class where you learn bunch of new things about new technologies, how to work with it and etc. Once we had an online class which was basically read an article and tweet about it, which I personally though was a great idea. However, there were some students in class who never used twitter and for them might have been little confusing but I guess that was one of the reason why professor made us tweet about the article so students can get use to twitter. Also we work on our wikis and contribute to our favorite wikis as well. All required assignments are posted online and its all of the assignments are done online. The discussion that we have in class is great, student involvement, and the video professor uses from the show “OFFICE” as an example is the best. Overall this class is going great.

Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Second life is used beyond just gaming. Second life/virtual world are a place where you can basically do anything that you may not be able to do in real life. It is a place where can interact with people all over the world just like social networking sites but in virtual world you can fly if you want to just like we show in “Office Video” in class. You can dance, kiss, hook up with people, make house, and so on. In virtual world you can buy virtual goods such as buildings, vehicles, devices of all kinds, animations, clothing, skin, hair, jewelry etc. From personal experience, virtual world is pretty awesome and fun. It’s a great place to meet people and talk about it, built houses, invite friends to your house, have party and so on.

These are the different ways you can use virtual world:

You can use virtual world as a medical research or research tool in general to observe how people are acting, treating each other and so on.

You can use SL for virtual tourism where you can show around people about different things such as built model of NYC or museum, park, school, etc.

Businesses can use virtual world to promote their products as well. Also they can use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct training and prototype new technologies more efficiently just like they mentioned in IBM Learning Programs Get a ‘Second Life

You can use virtual world for education purpose where students can learn or share and take a part in activities that are sometime hard to do in classroom. Also you can use virtual world to show upcoming students libraries, Campuses, classroom, and so on.

Another way to use virtual world is for military training where you can recruit potential soldiers.

Cons of virtual world are sexual harassment, use of language because there is no control, security, gambling, strip clubs which might be not safe because kids can have access to it as well.

Pros of virtual world are meet people with similar interest, collaboration, creativity, alternative lifestyle, and so on.

Virtual world forest creativity because there is not limitation on what you create, the possibilities in the creation of an avatar are endless. In virtual world you can even try to be someone else for a while. Virtual world let you do anything.

Future of virtual worlds? Well the future of virtual worlds will increasingly function as centers of commerce, trade, and business. Businesses are already using second life to sell or advertise their product and making pretty good amount of money. For example, “In Second Life alone, transactions have reached a rate of 2.7 million US dollars per month”. Also more and more people will join virtual world and do things that they might not be able to do in real life.

Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/05/second.life.virtual.collaboration/index.html
http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.3336
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/11/1117_secondlife/image/opener.jpg

Twitter Discussion

Discussion on Twitter is very different from the discussion that we can have it on either blackboard or in-class. Twitter is limited to only 140 letters which can be sometime hard to explain to others what you feel. Also if you are replying to someone after few days, it is better to re-tweet with short original tweet so that other person might know what you are tweeting about. I personally like twitter but sometime its difficult to go around and see who replied and tweeted if you have many followers or if you are following many people. Using twitter as a one of the discussion tool i believe is not good idea because not everyone can contribute to it, especially someone who is new.

Discussion on blackboard is very easy and pretty straight forward. Anyone can read and contribute to it without any problem unlike Twitter. One of the reason is because in blackboard, only you class members are able to see it and write it. There is no out side party/students are allowed other than your classmates. And you can write as much as you want unlike twitter.

In-classroom discussion is one of the best tool. One of the reason is because you can explain material in details without worrying about text limit. Also you can improve communication skills because you are involved directly face-to-face when you interact. Also not everyone is tech savvy person. There are students who do not consider communicating online just because they do not feel safe.

Social Networking

It is very important what you post, write, picture you upload in one of those social networking site of your. Because businesses these days would like to know what kind of employee they are hiring and one way to find out is that corporate they check if that individual have any social networking website and find out information about them/their background.

If you look at it from different prospective Social networking is a great tool to build your professional network. Also a lot of businesses are involved with social networking and one of the reasons is because of the billions of users.

Social networking has both positive and negative effects on society no doubt about that. As mentioned in the article “AT&T uses Twitter during service outage” by Marguerite Reardon talks about how AT&T uses twitter to inform their customer about the service outage due to any reason. It is one of the fastest ways to inform their customer. But I was wondering how did they inform their customer who lives in San Francisco about the service outage when they had no internet, phone service, nothing, than how?

According to the article “Social Networking Technology Boosts Job Recruiting” by Frank Langfitt, says that recruiters have started using social networking technology to look for job candidates. Recruiters says "Social networking technology is absolutely the best thing to happen to recruiting -- ever" because with just a keywords they can find the potential candidates for the jobs that recruiters are looking for.

According to the article “How to Find Job Posts on Twitter” by C.G. Lynch talks about how many recruiters and employers have begun posting job openings on twitter. Simply employees can search for the job that they are looking for by putting the symbol “#” in front of the phrase such as #jobs, #career and so on.

Definitely there is a dark side of social networking sites. Most of the time you do not have control over the information flow. Plus teenagers these days spends tremendous amount of time on SN sites and waste time most of the time. It is very addictive and we tend to communicate more online than face-to-face, we missing out our real life communication. We tend to stay home a lot and miss out the different opportunity that’s out there in society.

No doubt these technologies will evolve in the future. SN has great potential to evolve in the business world. Businesses/corporate can have virtue meetings. Reduces time, improves speed, messages can be spread in a second. Employee can have job interview for someone who lives in different country and so on.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10216712-94.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6522523&sc=emaf
http://www.cio.com/article/497918/Twitter_Tips_How_to_Find_Job_Posts_on_Twitter