First and foremost, I need to pick a theme that fits my business best. After reviewing a lot of different sites, I have found multiple themes that would be perfect for my new site.  Since the site is already built, I would really only need to plug in the content to the theme.  That process is not time consuming at all. It also minimizes things like coding, testing, and compatibility issues.

Next, we need to figure out what plug-ins fit for the vision of our business.  I found an amazing plug-in called WPTouch Pro.  It is similar to On-Swipe but the biggest difference is that it delivers a Web-App mode which is a native application-like experience on iPad. When visitors bookmark your site it is available in standalone mode, without Safari wrapped around it. It basically turns your site into an app.  You can then customize your theme for the app and even create your own desktop icon.

After reading multiple books on creating IOS apps, the process is very time consuming and takes someone who is well versed in Objective C to create it.  WPTouch eliminates the need to learn a new programming language.  I will be able to customize my app to my liking and show potential clients what we can do

Another plug-in is On-Swipe.  It basically turns your theme into a mobile magazine.  Using these two plug-ins give us the ability to create mobile websites with minimal coding and time.  WordPress is so powerful that you really only need to know HTML & CSS to create a beautiful site.

I never considered myself a graphic designer.  This lets my site look amazingly professional without having to worry about the art aspect of the project.

This also gives me the experience of working with WordPress so that I know how to manage  and contribute to future projects.

Just as recently as four years ago, people were meeting on message boards to communicate about a specific topic.  While working at XM Radio, we would communicate with our fans through our website and through message boards that they had created.  As of today, those message boards have either become dormant or taken down.  People now follow the show’s official twitter.  The interaction between fans and celebrities has grown tremendously through Twitter.  I personally have spoken with Jim Carey, Carl Weather, and Jeremey Shockey.  Celebrities are communicating new projects, appearances, and endorsements through Twitter.  They have turned into their own publicists.  Recently, 50 Cent promoted a marketing company on Twitter and encouraged people to invest in the company.  At the close of business that day, the penny stock gained 240% and 50 Cent had made $9,000,000 in one day!

Another impact that Twitter has had socially is the way we shop.  Companies are starting Twitter accounts to announce exclusive deals and sales that are ongoing.  Amazon’s music store has a Twitter account (@amazonmp3) that updates followers on daily deals on music.  Not only does this help the consumer who wants to save a few bucks, it also is great social media marketing for the artist. I feel more people will give a band a shot if they have to pay 5 bucks for an album as opposed to ten.  Now the artist might take a hit on album sales for that day, but it will expose more people to the back catalog and in theory, they will make more money in the long run.

Twitter has also changed the way news is covered and how news breaks.  When Jay Cutler was taken out of the NFC Championship game due to a knee injury, the Twitterverse exploded with people ripping him.  Not only did fans and pundits have something to say, but former players were ripping him for not going back into the game.  Deion Sanders was one of Cutler’s harshest critics through his Twitter account. Deion wrote  “…Folks I never question a players injury but I do question a players heart” (http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110124/NEWS/110129722/1057/SPORTS0908?p=all&tc=pgall) Deion is a lead analyst on NFL Network. He already has a platform to vent his frustrations and criticize players.  But, through the power of Twitter, once that thought popped into his head, it was on the internet for anyone to read.   I will delve deeper into this issue in my next paper about the ethical issues dealing with this matter.

“Social network use has already eclipsed e-mail use. People started spending more time on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace back in 2007; in 2009, there were more users on social networks than users of e-mail.” (http://mashable.com/2010/04/13/mobile-web-stats/)  As of today, only 30% of Americans own smart phones.  A developer understood how many people are not using that technology and created a Twitter client for regular mobile phones.  Twitterfone lets update their Twitter feed using their voice from any mobile device.  This gives people who are not tech savvy the ability to get their ideas and feelings out to the world.  It’s basically a vocal blog.

The impact Twitter has had on us socially has stretched across many different aspects of everyday life.  News, entertainment, commerce and personal interaction are just some of the influences Twitter has had.  The question remains, where will it go from here?  Now that corporate America has embraced social media, my estimation is that it will continue to grow exponentially.

thedigitalagegroup.wordpress.com

Another avenue we need to focus on is the production of apps.  Apple’s willingness to allow Flash on their products makes this task not as overwhelming as I thought it would be. Instead of finding an app developer who charges enormous fees, I can focus on finding an advanced flash developer.  Once that happens, we can offer our clients the ability to create an app for their product.  Whether it’s a site, ebook,  or product.  Since I got my iPad, I have downloaded the apps for sites like Huffington Post instead of visiting the site on Safari.

I personally need to overcome one thing that has been distracting me.  I need to realize this is not going to happen overnight.  The e-book process took a few months.  It was trial and error and I got somewhat discouraged by the lack of progress.  Now that it is complete, I know what I am doing and the process will not be nearly as long the next time around.  That issue will arise again and I need to be ready for that.  So far, I have met with great companies that will be assisting my company and myself both personally and professionally.

One thing that I have taken out of this experience so far is a sense of how business works.  I never would have imagined learning so much about business in a technical program.  When I explained this to a potential client, he thought I was going for my MBA.  I must now really focus on the technical aspects to understand how things work. I really need to lock down and focus on the PHP.  I need this for my site to get all of my potential employees organized.  If this does not happen, the scope of this project will have to change.

After reviewing the production timeline, we are mostly on schedule.  I feel the PHP may be somewhat behind.  I had a different vision for what we would be learning but that may be my fault.  502 will allow me to finalize the business play and the direction of the company.  I will be taking a class in the Winter to keep things flowing.  This two week break for the wedding threw me off track so I don’t want to take off an entire month. I have been making contacts and meeting with potential client.  I also need to improve on how to market this company.

Marcel Duchamp created “ready-mades” to break away from the rule of artistic tradition. The example I am aware of is the Bicycle Wheel.  It is supposed to engage the mind instead of the eye. I really tried to broaden the scope of my thought when dealing with this piece.    I honestly do not get it.  To me it is just a wheel on a stool.  And that is what aggravates me about art such as this.  I find no symbolism in the piece.  I feel like he is just messing with the audience.  The only comparison that comes to mind is Andy Kaufman. Everything was a gimmick to him and he found an angle to go with.

I do find beauty in painting and appreciate what goes into making them.  I hate to use this as an example but I watched Bob Ross on PBS as a child.  While he only did landscape paintings, the technique he used blew my mind.  His finished product looked so detailed yet it only took him half an hour to complete the piece.   Personally, I find that is real art compared to the idiot who threw elephant shit on his version of the Virgin Mary some years back.  That piece was just for shock value.  Much like Marilyn Mason did in the late 90’s.

Most artists are born with artistic talent. Can the same be said for digital artists? A digital artist might have the ability to create an idea in their head, but they still need to learn a skill set in order to translate that vision.  No one is born knowing how to use Photoshop or to create code.   I would say that knowing how to code is, in itself an art form.  You basically have to learn an entire language to achieve your goal.

I really do not agree with the view that digital art needs to be monetized in order to be accepted as a true art form.  How many amazing traditional artists have never sold a piece in their entire life?  How many fine art majors do absolutely nothing with their degrees?  The Internet is both the gift and the curse for digital artists.  On one hand, digital artists can post their pieces online for people throughout the world to see. Yet, their work can be duplicated and taken for free. There are some ways to try to combat the theft such as pay walls and things of that nature.  Most of the time, those deterrents keep the regular audience away as well.

I feel that digital art will take over in the future.  People who never dreamed of becoming artists will be playing around on their computers and will create something beautiful.   My nephew just got a computer for his birthday and he is eight.  The first thing he did was open up Paint and just start drawing.  If kids have the tools, anything is possible.

John Locke from Lost Photoshop Art

Interesting Book That I Am Going To Pick Up.

Cool Visualizer Sound Program

During my sophomore year in college, I was required to take a public speaking class. My professor insisted that we hand all of our assignments in on a cassette tape.  Mind you, this was the year 2003. I could not understand why we were using dead technology.   My professor told us that he only has a cassette player and that is the only way he will be able to listen.  I still to this day don’t understand how a person working at a higher education institution refused to move onto new technologies.  This story is a microcosm for the problem that most universities are facing today.

PROFESSORS

University professors are supposed to be some of the brightest minds that we have.  Yet, they still refuse to change the way they conduct their classes. I think educators teach their pupils the same exact way they were taught.  The problem with that concept is that most professors gained their educations over 20 years ago.   There were none of the resources available then that there are now. Students are far superior to some professors when it comes to technology.  Why is it that the students should be the only ones to learn on a college campus? The educators need to be educated in the way students operate and learn.  On a recent edition of Celebrity Apprentice, former Governor Rod Blagojevich could not event turn on a MacBook laptop. His excuse was that he “never had to learn it”.

I suppose this can be the same reason why professors don’t adapt.  Once you gain tenure, you are not required to change anything.  Professors have no incentive to adapt. This is where the administration comes into play.  Administrators are trying to implement technology to cut costs instead of enrich students.  Adding a Smart Board to a classroom does not make the professor any smarter.

At Pitzer College in Los Angeles, Professor Alexandra Juhasz created a course entitled “Learning from YouTube.” The course consists of students watching, discussing, and commenting on YouTube videos. The course syllabus and videos of the class can be found on YouTube: www.youtube.com/group/learningfromyoutube (1) Professor Juhasz had a vision and created a class that teaches how to use YouTube as a reference.  Most professors don’t see a need to change the way they teach, let alone create all new course material.

The problem with that train of thought is that the professional world does change and adapt.  Companies are implementing new technologies and streamlining the way business is done.  If you are a graduating senior looking for a job and learned antiquated techniques, you are just as valuable to the company as a guy off of the street. I find many universities are teaching skills that cannot be used in the professional world. I learned video editing on Final Cut Pro using the Mini DV tape format.  When I started my first internship at ESPN, they used Beta and Digi Beta tape format and used Avid to edit.  Not once during my tenure as an undergraduate did we learn about those formats and how they are industry standards.

It is not a professor’s job to tell a student how to learn. It is their job to provide the information that is relevant and the student can do what they please with it. David Cole is a professor a Georgetown University.  He has banned laptops from his lecture classes. (2) Who the hell is he to tell a student HOW to learn.  If a student finds it easier to type then write, it should be  their choice to do so. Having a laptop in class has tremendous benefits.  You can instantly research something that is brought up in class, you can just email notes to a friend that might have missed class, and you can use your findings for class discussions. Professor Cole’s reasoning behind the ban is that laptops are distracting and disruptive. You don’t need a laptop to not pay attention in class.  I know that from first hand experience.

CURRICULUM

Many incoming freshmen do not know what they want to do for a career. These kids who don’t declare a major are forced to take classes that are just an extension of high school.  Instead, why not give these kids the opportunity to discover something they may have a passion for? I propose that instead of taking five Liberal Arts courses, they take an introductory course in five different majors.  A business class, a computer class, a journalism class, an art class, and an education class. Now that freshmen can have an idea of what is to come in those majors.  He may choose to become a finance major.  He can then use the remaining four classes that he took as electives in his plan of study.

History classes are something that most students despise. Most history classes follow the same format;  you read about the people who shape history and what their accomplishments have meant to today’s society. Three of four young adults download and view Internet videos daily according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, (3).  Why not  take a different approach and make history interactive. Make the class about writing the textbook instead of reading it?  Students can use a simple instant message program to meet online.  They can share text and video they have found by copy and pasting links to each other. They can then collaborate on writing about what they have learned.  This is not writing code, this is using basic computing techniques and programs to advance your knowledge and make learning a more enjoyable experience.

FUTURE

Obviously, traditional Universities have to change the way they do business in order to survive.  The issue that all students complain about is the price of textbooks.  Some English professors make students purchase entire anthologies in order to read two or three pieces.  I have a vision of an a la carte online community to purchase required material. The university bookstore would be eliminated.  Students could download their material review them on laptops or e-readers.

If universities do not plan for the future, students will turn to an online based education.  StraighterLine.com is in its infancy but they are destined to be a blueprint for the way people gain a degree.  Professors will be able to post a syllabus online and lecture into their webcams.  Students can log in an view the lecture on their own time. Before students submit their work for a grade, they can sign up for instant grading through a web based program called Criterion. Students enter their essays electronically and get immediate scores and comments on factors such as organization, grammar, and mechanics (4). They then can submit their work via email to the professor.

We have all the technology we need in order to install all the ideas I have proposed in this paper.  Nothing needs to be invented or designed.  We need the professors and administrators to open their eyes and realize that this is what student’s want.  If they do not, students will go elsewhere to find what they need. Students need educators who teach for a purpose, not a paycheck.

CITATION

1. “Coolest College Courses.” n. pag. Web. 27 Mar 2010. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/09/coolest-college-courses-p_n_491890.html#s72843
2. “Laptops Banned In Lecture Halls.” n. pag. Web. 27 Mar 2010. http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978092490
3. “Two Significant Technology Trends Sweeping College and University Communities.” n. pag. Web. 27 Mar 2010. http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/159797
4. “Using Computer Programs to Improve Students Writing.” n. pag. Web. 27 Mar 2010. http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/education/2010/march/Using-Computer-Programs-to-Improve-Student-Writing.html

ABSTRACT

After looking up show times, I proceeded to use Blackberry Messenger (BBM) to send the info to a friend.  He responded via email what his choice was.  Finally, I purchased the tickets through Fandango and received an email conformation. Where was I? Sitting on line at McDonald’s.

The emergence of smartphones has turned us into a Matrix like society. We are plugged in all the time and we don’t even realize it.  The smartphone is the device that unites all of us. Text messaging and email have replace the ancient concept of calling a person.  Paper organizers have become outdated due to the calendar application on today’s smartphones.

Obviously the smartphone needed to start somewhere. I am going to look at the first networks developed for wireless technology.  Without the service providers, we would not be able to exchange information at such lightning speeds. Moving forward, I am going to look ay the origins of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The next logical step for companies was to merge the two technologies and create the first smart phone.

ARGUMENT

The foundation for our cellular service started in Japan The NTT Public Corporation in Japan was the first company to offer the first commercial 1G (First Generation) cellular service in 1979.  The technology hit the United States in 1983 after being developed by Bell labs .(1 – History of 1G)

1G was replaced by Global System for Mobile Communication or GSM. The first GSM call was made in Finland in 1991. The technology reached the United States in 1997. While 1G used analog, 2G carried calls over a digital network.  By 2006 GSM had 2 billion users worldwide (2 – GSM)

The term PDA was created by John Sculley, the CEO of Apple in 1992. As is the case now, Apple was ahead of their time.  They saw that the market for information was going to change and built the Newton Memopad. The Memopad included hand writing recognition, memory card slot, fax and email.  The Memopad was plagued with many issues and did not reach the masses as many Apple products do today.

Apple Newton Memopad

Palm perfected the PDA with the Palm Pilot 1000. It was the first device to sync out of the box with both Windows and Mac.  But, the market for Palm’s stand alone PDA’s  dwindled in the early 2000’s and Palm introduced the Treo as their first smartphone.

Palm Pilot 1000

The next logical step was to combine both PDA and cell phone technology. In the early 90’s companies liked to promote their new products in feature films. The IBM Simon was a device that was created in 1992.  It was featured in the Sandra Bullock movie “The Net”.  The device combined the features of a mobile phone, a pager, a PDA, and a fax machine.  The problem with the product was that it was very bulky and had a price tag of $899.

IBM Simon

Another product to be featured in films was the Nokia 9000 Communicator. It actually debuted in the film “The Saint” starring Val Kilmer before it was released to the public in the United States. This device used GSM technology to combine digital voice and data services. (3 – Nokia)

Nokia 9000 Communicator

Both the Simon and the Communicator were historic devices that were the precursors to the smartphone as we know it. The Ericsson R380 was another major development. In 2000,  it was the first device sold as a “smartphone” because of its use of a Symbian OS. (4 – Ericsson) The Symbian OS became the early standard for smartphone operating systems.

2002 was an historic year for smart phones. Both Blackberry and Handspring (later acquired by Palm) released their first devices that integrated phone with PDA’s. Both devices used GSM technology. Handspring released the Treo 180 in two different versions. One included a QWERTY keyboard and the other used a program called Graffiti which used a stylus to input letters.  Blackberry models carried the Blackberry Enterprise Server,  which gave the device the ability to open .doc, .lxs, .ppt, and .pdf files.

Palm Treo 180

Blackberry

The smart phone market was drastically changed on January 9^th, 2007 when Steve Jobs announced the iPhone.  With the productivity of a smart phone with the influence of Apple, the iPhone would go on to revolutionize the entire wireless market.  Features such as full web page display and visual voice mail are still trying to be perfected by other companies to this day.  The App Store let 3^rd party developers create smartphone applications.  Since then, Blackberry has also created a store for applications after the success of the App Store.

Present

Today, the smart phone market is dominated by two products. The RIM Blackberry which has 42% of the market and the Apple iPhone which has 25% of the market.  (5 – Smartphone Market Share) Both devices provide standard smart phone options such as email, internet, camera, and calendar.  In my opinion the Blackberry is a more effective product for conducting business. It has seamless integration with Outlook, which is the standard for corporate email.   The original product was intended with the business professional in mind.

The iPhone market is directed towards the casual consumer. That is why iPhone sales have grown at a steady rate since it’s introduction in 2007.  As a previous iPhone user, I used the device for more entertainment then productivity.   Every single one of the apps I purchased are games and time wasters. They also dropped the ball with not including MMS in the first two generations of the product.  Apple is using the iPhone as the model for their newest product, the iPad. The iPad will be using the same OS as the iPhone. Developers are happy that the iPad will be able to run apps designed for the iPhone. They also will create a new market place for ebooks much like they did for music (iTunes) and apps (App Store).

Our networks are getting faster as well. While GSM still holds the market around the world, 3G is being included in most smart phones in production today. . In addition to WiFi, some units are also integrating Voice Over IP, which allows for calls over the internet. Sprint will be the first American carrier to introduce 4G technology known as WiMax this summer. (6 – WSJ Online) I find that to be hilarious since Sprint has the worst service.  I know this because at one time or another I have been a customer of every major provider in the US.

Future

The future of smart phone is going to be unlike anything we have ever seen. I think the addition of video chat will be the next evolution in phones.  I feel iChat could be the base for the entire format.  A person sitting at home can open iChat and there will be a section for people who have video phones. You click on the person’s name, they accept your request, and you are now video chatting.

This will also change the way business is done.  You would never be late for a meeting again.  If you are on a train and have no power in your laptop, just join the meeting from your phone.  The meeting will have an employee sitting at a laptop and as people join via their phones, they can just project their image. It is just as good as being their in person.

Another innovation would be the perfection of voice commands.  Apple perfected the touch screen, but you still need to physically type if you need to input information. You would never even have to physically touch the phone. You could command every aspect of your phone using a Bluetooth headset.

Conclusion

When we talk about interactive media, you must include the smartphone.  You are using a device the size of a deck of cards as a computer, organizer, and even a secretary.  Companies have added cameras and video recording capabilities to make carrying a digital cameras a thing of the past.  Consumers who rely on cell phones will rush out when the latest Blackberry has been released just for new or updated features not available on current generations phone.

There have been some negative aspects of smart phones.  The old 9-5 job is out the window. If you have a company Blackberry and you get an email at 9pm, you are expected to stop what you are doing and get to work.  I am speaking from first hand experience.  Others cannot unplug. I know some people who get so giddy when their Blackberry goes off, whether it is a text from a girlfriend or an angry email from a customer.

The smartphone market will only continue to grow.  If companies want to expand the market for smartphones, they need to take a page out of Apple’s book.  They will have to integrate more applications that are for entertainment instead of productivity. The average consumer will purchase the device for entertainment and then discover the true features of a smartphone.

Citation

1. History of 1G Technology

“Ictregulationtoolkit.org.” First Generation. Web. 20 Feb 2010.      http://www.ictregulationtoolkit.org/en/Section.2422.html

2.GSM

“PRNewswire.Com.” Two Billion GSM Customers Worldwide. Web. 20 Feb 2010.

http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/06-13-2006/0004379206&EDATE=

3. Nokia

“Nokia.Com.” Nokia 9000 Communicator makes appearance in “The Saint”. Web. 20 Feb 2010.

http://press.nokia.com/PR/199704/775689_5.html

4. Ericsson

“Ericsson.Com.” The First Smartphone from the Ericsson-Symbian Partnership. Web. 20 Feb 2010. http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/corpinfo/publications/review/2001_01/132.shtml

5. Smartphone Market Share

“ComScore.Com.” Press Release. Web. 20 Feb 2010. http://www.comscore.com/index.php/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/2/comScore_Reports_December_2009_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share

6. WSJ Online

Cheng, Roger. “Online.WSJ.Com.” Sprint To Launch First 4G Phone This Summer. Web. 20 Feb 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703787304575075981622180728.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

ABSTRACT

I will first touch on the origins of cell phone service. Without that, we would not be able to download apps to our iPhones and Blackberries.  Then I will move onto PDA’s. Next will be the integration of PDA’s into phones (smart phones)  Give examples of early smart phones and their capability. What technologies were used by what companies? That will bring us to present day and what we are working with now (Blackberry, iPhone, Droid) I will then touch on what I believe the future is.

ARGUMENT

Past

History of Cell Phone Service

1G from NTT in Japan

GSM (2G)

PDA

Where did the term come from?

What is it?

EARLY PDA’S

Apple Newton

Palm Pilots

INTEGRATION INTO PHONES

IBM Simon

Nokia Communicator 9000

1st Phone Sold As a “Smart Phone”

SMART PHONES

Palm Treo

1^st Blackberry

iPhone History and Release

Present

iPhone, Blackberry, Droid, 3G&4G Networks.

What capabilities we have now that we didn’t have then (Apps, BBM).

How smart phones lead to smart devices (iPad).

Future

I will give you my opinion of what I feel the future of smart phones is.

CONCLUSION

I will sum up the affect that these devices have had on us as a society. Some positive (lighting fast communications, business relations, educational) and others negative (addiction, safety hazards,)

I will include a works cited page in my final draft.

Just set up my blog.  Never did it before.  Just trying to find a spot for you to check my work.

Anthony