Recording Every Move You Make

Looxcie and Google Glass are the two most recent innovations that are making smaller and smaller cameras. Looxcie already has theirs on the market while Google Glass is trying to get theirs out to the public. 

By having a camera small enough to fit on your glasses lens, people are able to film their lives 24/7. People are able to record things such as skiing and skydiving and even record sound. There is also a live-stream video option people can choose to use since there is instant connection to the internet. People get all this with just a click of a button.

However, with all of this comes the issue of privacy and how legal is this? With the cameras being so small, people could easily get away with recording something they should not, and getting away with it since other people might not notice the camera. There is a difference between Internet bullying or filming something illegal (such as abusing an animal/person) and filming yourself and friends on a ski trip, or the fact that such cameras could be used by for positive purposes by journalists or law enforcement. It is also good use for things such as interviews or speeches since many people get scared to speak in front of a bulky camera, but where do you draw the line with technology?

With these cameras lies responsibility of the owner. People need to know what to post, what not to post and what to record and what not to record. Also, with technology constantly changing, our legal system needs to catch up with it for privacy issues.

Twitter and TV Ratings; How They Impact One Another

As anyone with a Twitter account knows, the night a special episode of any show airs, we're all bound to read about it via Twitter. From Pretty Little Liars; a show about a group of teenage girls, to Breaking Bad; a show about a Chemistry teacher making crystal meth, our twitter feed is constantly being filled with reactions, speculations, and criticism of each and every show.

Some see this as a negative point of social networking sites (unless, of course, it is their favorite show to watch); however, many sources show that Twitter has a very positive impact on TV ratings.

Twitter not only lets users read about a TV show while its airing, but often times these shows will advertise via their own twitter account run by an employee of the TV company. This gathers more viewers for the show by showing interest factor and allowing people to see others opinions which will maybe be the deciding factor for yet another viewer.

I think that possibly one of the most beneficial parts of TV shows being talked about via Twitter and other social media is that it gives people a chance to give their feedback and opinions on this episode. Everyone likes to talk about something once they have a reaction to it, and Twitter allows this with ease. Especially with our new technology-- such as iPhones, tablets, kindles, and much more-- there is hardly anything difficult or complicated about getting one's opinion out on social media.

We'll see where Twitter takes TV shows; will there be a negative impact somewhere down the road or will it keep boosting ratings for companies? In the technologically advanced world we're living in now there is no way to know, so we will see as we continue to progress in all aspects of social media.

Twitter and Crime; Even Bad Guys are Social

“Political extremists, criminals and gang members are advertising their wares, flaunting their exploits and recruiting new members in 140 characters or less, according to law enforcement authorities, criminologists and security experts” (Bello and Diblasio, USA Today).

  To some, Twitter is a place to meet and engage with friends over cyber space, and to others, it is a way to network your career in a professional atmosphere. In addition to all of the social and professional uses for Twitter, acts of criminal advertising, and even recruitment have become increasingly prominent within the Twitter-sphere. Twitter is being manipulated by certain individuals to promote illegal activities such as prostitution and the selling of drugs, as well has to boast about crimes that have already been committed. 

  The threat of criminal behavior has moved from the streets to social networking sites, causing many law enforcement agencies to set up accounts on various social media sites to allow them to monitor criminal acts occurring online. Believe it or not, the rise in criminal behavior online has actually proved to be beneficial for law enforcement officials. Through extensive monitoring of social networks, police have gathered quite a bit of evidence on crimes that have already occurred, and even made several arrests because of it.

  The way I see it, Twitter is a double-edged sword. When used “correctly” Twitter is a great place to socialize and network, however there is always the select few of the population who can take something like a social networking site, and use it for “evil”. In my opinion, it was only a matter of time before Twitter and other social networks alike, were manipulated for purposes other than what it was intended for. I see this trend of criminal activity becoming a more prominent issue in the future, but I also see this occurrence as becoming more and more beneficial as a resource of deriving evidence and stopping. 

Bello, Marisol, and Diblasio, Natalie. "Twitter: The new face of crime." USA Today 29 09 2013, n. pag. Web. 29 Sep. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/29/twitter-crime-dark-side/2875745/>.

Apple's Latest and Greatest

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Apple is on the cutting edge of technology (yet again) with a lot of discussion of their iPad5 will soon be introduced.

This shouldn't come as a shocker to most of us. Why? Because it's Apple, thats why. The company is always on the cutting edge of technology and there is not much that they haven't done with technology.

Apple is not only revolutionary in the products they produce and offer, but the way that they introduce these ideas and go through the process to continue evolving the world of technology. The iPad5 is set to be introduced in October as an "October surprise." The iPad5 is set to be smaller in height, width, and depth, and includes an extra microphone on the back of the device.  The more streamlined device is sure to please iPad and Apple users!

How to cite a Tweet for your school paper!

Ever sat down writing a paper stumped on where to start and with no idea what to write about, I think we have all been there.  But then you think I saw a Tweet that would relate perfectly to the assigned topic and help me prove my point and get started?  Well, wait no longer, there is now a MLA and APA approved format for that!

You can now properly cite the Tweet as follows: 

But in time the number of tweets, you would want to cite would be tiring, so Ben Hedlund created a website to help with that, you can just enter the URL and be on your way to citing all the sources you want.

But as we sit back and reflect, do we think this has taken Tweeting to far?  Does inserting a Tweet into a paper look professional and prove a point or is it mere opinion and unprofessional?  Twitter has definitely created a new mean of communication and as Megan Garber said Twitter is a "new paradigm".

What are some opinions on the topic? Anybody think they'd do this for a paper at school, or still think it isn't appropriate and will stick to the original rules?




http://mashable.com/2013/09/27/tweet-citation-generator/

And I Thought it Couldn't Get Any Better

What do you do when your'e bored? lonely? or just want to catch up on your favorite TV show? Well I prefer Netflix and I'm sure I'm not the only one! I use my Netflix account faithfully to watch some of my favorite movies and of course to spend countless hours catching up on all the seasons of different TV series.

In fact, my roommates and I found the time to watch three full seasons of Weeds in less than a month. If that isn't crazy enough to grasp; how about the fact that each season contained 70+ episodes? This may come off surprising to some but to many this tends to be the common story of many who have become emotionally attached to their Netflix account.

Netflix has been a huge enjoyment for so many people with the creation of an application that allows people to view tons of movies and TV series for a monthly cost. It has become super convenient for account members to be able to catch up on their favorites shows before a  new season comes out. I didn't think it was possible for something so amazing to get better but little did i know Netflix had something Super up their sleeve.

They are offering what they call "Super HD"  which will allow for a better viewing enhancement for all their members. This was an expansion from their original idea which limited this to certain members. There are still some kinks to get squared away but Netflix is working to fix it.

Touchdown Twitter!

If you tuned into the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football broadcast tonight you may have noticed a considerable presence of the fast-food giant McDonald's. Tonight marked the debut of a recent McDonald’s, Verizon Wireless and NLF-Twitter Amplify partnership.

This strategic partnership, which is part of Twitter’s Amplify program, has the potential to extend the already mega-lucrative reach of the National Football League to additional markets worldwide. Furthermore, this partnership will allow for highly engaged fans to have access to exclusive content via Twitter. Such content will include game footage from NFL.com, as well pertinent match-up analysis. In addition, this medium creates an additional channel for trusted partners to pump advertisements into the palms of consumers.

To add a bit of perspective to this recent partnership, we must consider the enormous popularity of the NFL across the media landscape. According to The Nielsen Company, the 2012 NFL regular football season reached 200 million unique viewers. This statistic is truly staggering when you consider that it represents nearly 80 percent of television homes and 69 percent of all potential viewers in the United States alone.

Twitter, as an ever-growing social medium, has once again stepped up to the plate and smacked another massive home run.

Fighting For Your Attention!

It’s that time of year again, where the new shows roll out and the competition to break through the clutter begins. There are many different tactics that broadcast stations use to promote their new upcoming shows.      

Some stations use star power to promote shows. NBC is using Michael J. Fox in “The Michael J. Fox Show”, CBS using Robin Williams in “The Crazy Ones”, and ABC, standing on the shoulders of the blockbuster hit “The Avengers”, is promoting “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”.

However, the most interesting tactic I read about came from Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow” promotion. The Marketing Department at Fox came up with a clever idea of having a “real” headless horseman roam the streets of Manhattan. To accompany the horseman they also set up representation of part of the set in Madison Square Park where visitors could stage mock fights with the Horseman.

These tactics of breaking through the clutter so not to be forgotten by the viewer are becoming increasingly more important. The competition no longer just lies with other broadcast networks but with cable shows, and even newer digital sites like Netflix.

Here is a link to the article for your own viewing:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/business/media/networks-go-to-extremes-to-promote-new-shows-for-the-fall-season.html?ref=media&_r=1&