Cell Phones, Gadgets or Toys?!

So my friend called me the other day and wanted advice about getting a new cell phone. She could not decide what to get a Blackberry or and iPhone. Our generation has come down to the simple option between Blackberry and iPhone based on the fact that it is impossible for people to use a simple phone, one that just dials phone numbers or simply text messages.

We have come accustomed to the neat gadgets that come along with these new phones, from cameras to music to having Facebook on your phones as well as Blackberry Messenger. These tiny inventions do more than just dial a number and connect us to people; they are high tech telecommunication devices far from what they used to be.Think back to the rotary phone people probably never imagined they would ever reach the heights they have today they come in pretty colors and have many features that people have to stress about what high tech features are best, they have just too many options.

I came across an article the other day about the iPhone reaching a new plateau, it now comes with the option of being a medical buddy, not only are people able to do all the fancy things that accompany a regular iPhone but they can now check their blood pressure or monitor their blood sugar level by simply attaching a plug to the iPhone adapter and they are good to go.

What will they come up with next.

Add a comment March 26, 2009

The Reign of Skype

Launched in 2003, Skype has quickly become the new and preferred way to make calls online. It is relatively easy to use, quick to set up and, the best part, free!

With so many telecommunication companies charging extravagant amounts of money to make calls, Skype is a good alternative for the Internet savvy and the Internet dull.

What is truly fascinating about Skype, however, is the fact that it handles more international calls than AT&T.

With reasonably affordable rates, Skype is taking over the telecommunications industry. Its users number in the millions; over 33 million active daily users and over 370 million user accounts as of 2008. And, Skype is adding roughly 30 million subscribers each quarter, according to some estimates. And this success has not gone unnoticed;eBay recently completed its acquisition for a cool $4.1 billion.

What Skype represents, however, is the looming threat of software taking over a traditionally physical market. What I mean by this is that we can expect more applications handling real-world needs in the future. Slowly but surely, everything around us is being digitized (like newspapers, for example).

Still, Skype offers an alternative to those pesky long-distance charges. From a student perspective, Skype is a blessing. Not only can we speak to our parents and friends from back home, but we can physically see them as well!

At any rate, Skype is, at the end of the day, another example of the online world expanding into our lives. And why not? Its convenience is unparalled, its ease is obvious.

Long live Skype!

Add a comment March 26, 2009

The Death of Print

Newspapers beware, the end is near.

More and more daily newspapers are shutting down the presses. The reason? Some will say low viewership, others will claim the global economic crisis is to blame, however I will bodly state that the death of print is a direct result of the birth of the Internet.

In 1981, in MTV’s first music video, The Buggles prophetically claimed that “Video Killed the Radio Star”. The significance being that MTV accurately predicted the decline of radio in favor of the video medium. The death of print is somwhat similar; the Internet is slowly taking over.

CEOWorld Magazine claims that “going green” is another reason why printed media is declining. But the truth is, online news sources have many advantages over printed news, such as storage capacity, accessibility and quick and timely updates. When a major event happens, the newspaper will have you reading about it the following morning. USATODAY.com, however, will be updated within minutes. Our 21st century lives are built around convenience, the faster and cheaper we can access anything, the better.

Another major appeal to online news sources is the fact that, aside from your Internet subscription fee, it is generally free of charge. Whereas newspaper have to charge their readers a fee (albeit, nothing unreasonable, like $1.50), online news sources make up that revenue from advertising and other forms of online revenue generating concepts.

Finally, interactivity is also much more possible in online news stories than printed ones. True, readers can send in their opinions on certain articles in the editorial section of a newspaper. This, though, is very limited and oftentimes your thoughts and opinions are limited by physical space on the newspaper page itself as well as the competition that other readers present in terms of which pieces get posted. Online articles, with the advent of the Web 2.0 era, are seemingly limitless. Most online articles offer an input method on the bottom of the articles where users can share their opinions and are not limited by space and/or other users.

Overall, it is unfortunate that newspapers are going the way of 8-Tracks and VHS, however this is inevitable. While some readers will show some form of attachment to their local papers, the nostalgic factor itself will not suffice to keep these papers going. Perhaps a sign of changing times, the death of print can be viewed as sad, perhaps tragic, however I will argue that we should not stop it. The Internet will only continue to expand into all facets of our lives and to fight it would mean to fight technology itself.

Times certainly are a-changin’.

1 comment March 26, 2009