Ernie Menold- Article # 2

A CNN article by John Sutter states that within 5 years, people could not be carrying wallets and strictly relying on their phones for e-payments. Phones could also have such capabilities as: open doors for access, show identification, and show bus/train/subway pass. Like mostly every other new technology, this advancement has been going on for some time over in Asia, namely- Japan. Forrester Research took a survey of 963 people, and found that 15% were buying items in physical stores, but with their phones as the means of payment.

At the end of 2008, the International Telecommunication Union found that 2 out of 3 people own a cell phone. This number is rapidly growing annually. Even more rapidly is the growth of cell phones with internet capability. This all proves that e-commerce capability in phones is in the near future. The International Telecommunication Union stated "By 2012, 190 million people will make mobile payments." The U.S. definitely has the potential to develop this new type of payment, for devices like the iPhone have brought about a new age of what can be done with a phone. Some apps do what this article is talking about- namely, move money from saving to checking accounts, check bank statements, ect.

There is a serious problem with having all that information in a phone though. Walking around with a device to access to your checking account and personal information poses a serious threat. People that normally seek to pick-pocket wallets may look to steal phones, where they can not only spend your money, but at the same time steal your identity. Of course there would be passwords and security measures in order that this not happen, but hackers become more intelligent with technology.

Forrester Research believes that the recession will hold this development back. For just like the birth of the credit card, where every single store had to adapt and pay for the utilites to accept credit cards, now they would have to invest in accepting the technology for e-payments over a phone. This adaption could take a while.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/24/tech.cell.phone.wallet/index.html

DJ Cisek- Blog 2

Microsoft has announced that they are one year away from releasing Window’s Multipoint Server. This server will allow users to connect to another computer with only a keyboard and mouse. Now users will be able to remotely run multiple coinciding processes all from one computer. Although this software has yet to been released to the public, Microsoft plans to offer it exclusively to the education sector.
Through this press release, we begin to see the results of Microsoft’s strategic planning. Suffering a large percentage of sales in the personal computer industry, Microsoft looks to protect its stake in the educational field of computing. Microsoft is specifically feeling the heat from its biggest competitor, Apple, who operates the majority of their computers on Mac driven software. This aggressive move to develop and sell this software helps protect Microsoft from loosing a sector it helped to create. Schools across the country will have a continuing need to buy efficient computers with an effective operating system. Through this new software, Microsoft hopes that teachers, faculty, and administrators will continue to choose Windows.

Looking to separate themselves from Apple, Microsoft looks to differentiate through price. Macintosh software does not currently allow for one personal computer to be used as a hub for remote users without their own personal tower. For Mac, it is one computer tower and only one user. Microsoft will change the game with one tower and multiple users. All that is needed are additional monitors, keyboards, and mouses.

So why make a product like this now? Ira Snyder, the general for the Multipoint Server, understands that there is a great demand for such software in today’s markets. On her blog she writes, “In the World of education, shared resource computing has great potential to extend the reach and utilization of affordable computing for students.” The financial woes on Wall Street have carried over into the classrooms of our schools. Over the past several years, school budgets have been cut due to the recession. Although technology has continued to improve, many schools continue to operate with antiquated operating systems that are slow and prone to crash. The Windows Multipoint Server will now allow schools to update their operating systems for a much more attractive cost. Considering that ten remote users can connect to one full-equipped computer means that schools have the opportunity to cut their technology budget ten fold. This is great news for Microsoft, who hopes to increase sales in what was previously a stagnant market.

Finally this is a great public relations move for Microsoft. Many technology companies have been blamed for not being price conscientious. In this case, Microsoft looks to cut costs for schools while at the same promoting education for our young people. Windows Multipoint Server should help bolster revenue for Microsoft, while at the same time enhance its corporate image. This should be a strong counter attack to Mac who has dominated commercial airtime criticizing windows for it’s antiquated ways. When advertising begins for this new operating system, it should help to shed some of the recent negative press and show that Microsoft has a genuine concern for developing the next generation of young bright minds.

Works Cited
Fried, Ina. "Microsoft to schools: Share a PC." CNET News. 12 Nov. 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .

Harry Bodozian - Article #2

In an article I found on computer world.com that was reported on October 30, 2009, Owen Fletcher reports that China has one of the developed a new computer that can potentially be classified as one of the fastest ever created. The article is entitled, "China claims supercomputer among world's fastest," this computer has been recognized as Milky Way and has the technology to process one million billion calculations per second. This is a measure that is registered in FLOPS which means floating operation points per second, it is stated in the article that the computer will be used for bio-medical computing, seismic data processing during oil exploration and for the design of "aerospace vehicles." The computer contains far more memory and processing that anything else created, it has over 11,000 microprocessors from Intel and Advanced Micro Devises and its exclaimed that the cost to build one of these processors would cost at least 600 million yuan, which when converted to United States dollar would be $88 million.

I am continually impressed with the technological advancement on the current era. With the first introduction to the desktop computer, to the further trend of laptops, to now this. Potentially could the supercomputer outdistance the laptop? I don't know we'll see where time takes us yet for China to introduce this advanced system allows them to thoroughly outdistance themselves technologically from other countries. This begs the question about the United States, are we falling behind to China technologically? China has so many advancements everyday that it is pondering to think if the US will ever be able to compete with them. I am not understating IT in the US, it is just there is everyday evidence that China continues to impress all with there advancements.

In the end I am a supporter of the supercomputer. Although I am content with the current technological devices, there is always room for advancement and it seems that the capabilities of the supercomputer are pretty endless. This article reminded me of that YouTube video that you showed us at the beginning of the year where one slide said that in the future computers will be smarter and be able to out think the human brain, up to this point I see the supercomputer as that piece of technology that will surpass human intelligence.

This article can be found here:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9140141/China_claims_supercomputer_among_world_s_fastest

Chris Nealon Article #2

On October 29^th 2009, Brad Stone wrote an article for the New York Times titled, “Amazon PayPhrase Tries to Make Paying Online Easier”.  The Article beings with Stone providing a brief description of what a PayPhrase is, and how Amazon.com is implementing it into their online checkout.  The article states that a PayPhrase is a certain phrase that a person can use to access Amazon.com and pay for purchased goods without using any credit numbers, just simply providing your “special” pin and your phrase.  The article then quotes the General Manager of Consumer Payments at Amazon saying, “They do not have to share credit card with another third-party Web site, they do not to have to be signed in, and they get this consistent experience wherever they checkout” explaining how PayPhrase will also be implemented to other online checkouts supported by Amazon, such as Buy.com and DKNY.  Stone then presents his objections to the idea, questioning the fact that since each phrase must be unique, it will not be long until people are forced to register for a phrase that is nearly impossible to remember (example given; “relentless dentist”).  The article is concluded with the author predicting the future for Pay Phrase saying, “Although Amazon is not integrating PayPhrase into its mobile shopping tools right away, it certainly will at some point. With PayPhrase, Jeff Bezos and his crew may be looking into the future, and preparing to seize a cut of the mobile payments business”, implying that perhaps PayPhrase will be used with voice recognition to make mobile purchases in the future.  The article in its entirety can be viewed at:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/amazon-payphrase-tries-to-make-paying-online-easier/?scp=1&sq=payphrase%20amazon&st=cse

            Like many other aspects of new technology, I have mixed feelings towards PayPhrase.  I believe that it is a good idea in the sense that a consumer will no longer have to spend the extra time providing a credit card number in checkout, and will be able to make fast effortless online purchases.  With that said, I don’t know how secure this system could possibly be, I feel as though replacing a credit card number with an obscure phrase could not be very safe, with hackers ability these days there could already be a program to discover someone’s PayPhrase which is basically their bank account.  Also, I feel as though being able to buy something with just typing in a word could start to cause people to spend money they really should not be spending, there is something to be said for having to provide your personal credit card number to make a purchase rather than just a two-word phrase.

            In this technology-dominated world we live in, there is a constant need for innovation, and Amazon.com has certainly shown innovation with their implementation of PayPhrase.  But systems like PayPhrase really start to make me wonder, is the basis of our consumption simply who provides the most convenient service?  If they are doing away with credit card numbers now, who knows what the future holds, perhaps someday, somebody will be able to make a purchase by nodding their head at a computer screen.  Has the world really come to a point where there is a necessity to spend thousands, possible millions of dollars on a system that saves a consumer five minutes?

Matt Barry Article 2

The article that I read was titled, “How Komatsu Innovations keep its Machinery Selling” and it was written in “Business Week” by Kenji Hall.  In this article, Kenji Hall discussed a Chinese Construction Company named Komatsu and how it uses technology and IT innovation to help speed up Business ventures and reduce costs.  Back in 2001, Komatsu created GPS systems, which they put in every one of their pieces of construction equipment.  They used these GPS systems to track where each one of their pieces of equipment were throughout the World and what types of jobs those pieces of equipment were doing.  They originally used this information only to prevent theft.   Now however, Komatsu has found many ways to use the information from the GPS systems.  Through the GPS systems, Komatsu can tell which one of its pieces of equipment has the most wear and tear, and which ones will need maintenance soon.  They can also use this information to calculate what the resale value will be when they go to sell the construction equipment that they own.  These GPS systems can also track how much is being produced at each construction site.  This tells the company where they need to slow down production and also where they need to speed it up.

This IT innovation is huge for the construction industry.  By knowing when their equipment needs to have maintenance done, they can complete that maintenance before the piece of machinery completely shuts down.  Because of this, all of the workers will be able to stay a lot more productive because they will always be working.  If they did not have the GPS system and one of the pieces of machinery shut down, then workers would be sitting around for a while with nothing to do.  Now with the GPS system, this will never be the case.  This IT innovation is also a big step for construction companies because it will be able to calculate the resale value of all of the construction pieces.  This will save the company a lot of time and allow them to complete more tasks than they were able to prior to these GPS systems.  Also, the fact that the GPS system can tell the construction sites are producing will really help out Komatsu.  It will tell them which sites are moving slowly and also which ones are moving ahead of schedule.  This will allow them to allocate their resources effectively and save money without wasting some of their assets.

One other technological advance that Komatsu is using is fuel saving pieces of Construction equipment.  One example of this is the diesel-hybrid electric excavator that they created.  Items like this will help Komatsu reduce costs while also protecting the environment.

Komatsu is greatly using technological advances and IT to their advantage and they will continue to be better off because of it.

            

Google Offers Users a Peek At Stored Data by John Eckstein

The article I read was called Google Offers Users a Peek At Stored Data it was written by Miguel Helft and published by the NY Times. The article talks about the new Google Dashboard that has been created to give users a better look at what data Google is collecting on them every time they use the products Gmail, Picasa Web Albums, Web History, Checkout, Reader and YouTube. Shuman Ghosemajumder, business product manager for trust and safety, said that all this information was already available but scattered and that Dashboard brings it all together for an easy to use interface for users. Dashboard also allows you to easily be linked to where you can adjust some privacy settings for the different products using dashboard. This isn’t available for all users just ones that are logged into their google account. Ari Schwartz, chief operating officer of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said, “It is a significant step forward in terms of trying to unite the user experience for people who use Google products.” Shwartz also said that Google’s Dashboard “mirrored efforts by Facebook” to give some better view of user’s privacy.

I think that this seems like a step in the right direction for a better system of user privacy. As mentioned in the article most of this availability already existed but it was just to hard to get to or even know about. I had no idea that as a user you had a way to adjust some privacy settings. This all is definitely a positive step forward but I still think there is a long way to go with privacy control for users. I think that every time Google or any other system or company takes data from you you should be made aware. Especially when the data is very private or personal.

I think that data collection is great so companies can figure out whom to market to but I also think that a user should be able to know what information is being collected on them as soon as it is collected. The problem with this from the users point of view is everyone uses the Internet, especially Google so it would be so hard to stop using unless they gave more rights. I could see maybe in the future a new search site that would be free of data collection and make their money some other way. I think that this Google Dashboard might raise people’s awareness of what is being collected on them and push people to demand more protection. I think this is a move that had to be done with the ever rising need for privacy control but I also think that this has started a trend that is not going to stop until a user has a great deal of control over their privacy.

My article can be found at:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/google-offers-users-a-peek-at-stored-data/

Nick Velich- Blog 2

The article I read was titled “Human behavior: the key to future tech developments” and was about researchers in the field of digital ethnography. People in the emerging field of digital ethnography are trained to study and watch how people in a society live, and more importantly analyze their need for technology. Digital ethnographers often work with companies in order to figure out what the designers need to do to best fit the needs of certain people. Companies such as Microsoft have taken advantage of the work of digital ethnographers in order to expand their market. For example, studies of digital ethnography in rural India led to Microsoft’s creation of Multi-touch technology in order to suit the needs of India. Nokia has also taken advantage ethnographic research by recognizing people in India’s need for a phone with a flashlight, that was dust-proof, and had long battery life due to lack of power in many areas. By using research of the needs of certain people, Nokia was able to create one of the top-sellers of all time in consumer electronics history.

The research done by companies, such as Microsoft and Nokia, relates to the information technology component customer relation management. By figuring out the needs of the customer, these companies were better able to create products that were more useful to their clients. Both of these companies first analyzed the needs of a specific area, India in this case. Then by accommodating these needs they created a high-selling product. Both companies used research to determine who was buying a particular product and why they were buying it. By answering these questions through customer relation management techniques, these companies were able to better suit the needs of their clients and in-turn, create a stronger business.

I strongly support the research and information technology used in the field of digital ethnography, coupled with customer relations management. As a customer of companies like Microsoft and Nokia, I am directly benefitted by their decisions to improve their services to customers. The more research that is done by companies, the better their products can be in the end; in-turn, when these products are improved, the customer becomes happier as a result of a better product. The only downside to digital ethnographic research could be the invasion of privacy it may cause. Research is constantly done in this field and at times it could breach comfort zones of its subject. All-in-all I do not believe this to be a substantial issue, and the benefit in the end of better technology and support outweighs this potential issue.

The research mentioned in this article was done particularly in the developing world. According to the article, the market for cell phones in particular has been saturated in developed countries such as the United States; by targeting countries with a smaller market which have the arising need for this technology, companies are able to expand the market from a local market to a global market. By doing digital ethnographic research these companies can analyze the needs of these developing countries and cater to their needs directly. The customer relations management technique of ethnographic research is a vital component to every business and had an overall positive outcome for both the company and the customer.

Brian Kalaf, Blog 2

"Airline Industry Gets Smarter With Bags"

The problem of lost baggage has been irritating customers and costing the airline industry billions of dollars annually. To combat this annoying dilemma, airlines have been creating and implementing new ideas. Instead of just increasing “manpower,” the airlines have been becoming “smarter.” This implies that the airlines are using new technology. In several airports around the world, some companies are beginning to institute new tracking technologies, which include scanners and luggage tags. Personally, I believe this is a brilliant idea, considering airlines are facing the some of the worst debt in their history. Moreover, by introducing new technologies to prevent lost luggage, the airlines may alleviate this problem, which has lost the industry an insane amount of money. Also, this new process may encourage more people fly because the airlines won’t have to charge customers to check each additional bag. As I mentioned before, one way to track the luggage is to use scanners and barcodes. This was introduced almost twenty years ago, however, not all airports found around the world obtained the necessary technology to ensure compatibility. Although it seemed like a great idea, it never proved to realistic. Some airlines, including Lufthansa, have used this program and shown that it could indeed help this problem. As the bag is unloaded off the tarmac, it is scanned and an automating system sends it according to where it needs be next, whether that is another plane’s cargo hold or a baggage terminal. It has proved to work the majority of the time, however it is purported that the bags are scanned improperly about 15% of the time. This increases the likelihood that a bad will be lost. Again, this solution seemed to be imperfect.

Currently, however, companies including IBM, Motorola, Vanderlande Industries BV are teaming up to create a new resolution, which most notably includes the implementation of an Information Technology known as radio frequency identification tags, or RFID tags. These devices are attached onto items, in this case luggage, to be tracked using the emission of radio waves. According to Brian O’Rourke who is responsible for aviation services at IBM, the RFIDs are “99% accurate.” The tags are easily tracked because the sensor gives off a unique signal, thus making the item’s location known. The installation at terminals, which may cost up to a few million dollars, is largely paid for by the airline itself. Some of them are seemingly reluctant to make investment of this size. However, I believe that the investment will clearly be worth it, because airlines (on average) spend over three billion dollars annually on lost baggage. If the usage of RFID tags are near flawless, it would be baffling that the airlines would not make the investment.

In conclusion, I feel that the implementation of RFID tags is not only a great idea, but also necessary to airlines. Because some airlines are battling the largest debts of their history, the usage of this system can save them billions of dollars and possibly save them from filing for bankruptcy and ultimately prevent them from shutting down.

Article Found: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125426756348250917.html

Paypal Spreads Its Wings

“Paypal Spreads Its Wings”

Paypal is using information technology to open their business to more consumers. They are trying to break away from the confines of E-bay, and are trying to cater to all e-commerce. Although E-bay is a huge player on the internet, it only accounts for less than 10% of all e-commerce. The goal for Paypal, as the President Jeff Jordan puts it, “We want to be the standard for online payments.” Paypal is extending their services to large online retailers and small businesses that are trying to expand their payment options. They are allowing third parties to use their services to conduct e-commerce. Paypal’s popularity has been growing since the early 2000’s and was bought by E-bay. Paypal’s main competitors are E-bay and Amazon. Both of those companies are offering similar payment options within their sites to rival Paypal’s market share over e-commerce.

Paypal’s use among third parties opens their revenue tremendously. They were once limited by the number of online sites that used Paypal. Now Paypal is being used on Twitter and applications in Blackberries and Iphones. Paypal is trying to expand their reach in the e-commerce business. Eventually Paypal can be used for payments like paying rent and paying salaries.

Some say that Paypal is taking steps toward becoming their own credit card company. They signed a deal with GE Consumer Finance so that they now can offer lines of credit to their customers. Paypal has more subscribers than American Express has, 72 million to American Exress’ 65 million. Credit card companies are still not too worried about the moves that Paypal is making because of familiarly to credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Tim E. Attinger, Visa's senior vice-president for product development and management still is not afraid of what Paypal brings to the table. "Visa has built a pretty strong relationship with large merchants and small mom-and-pop operations," he says. "And at the end of the day, consumers want to put as much of their purchases [as they can] on the payment vehicle they know and trust."

I think the expanding use of Paypal is good for the consumer because it provides a safe and effective way to make transactions online. In a world where identity theft is a huge issue, Paypal safeguards your personal information and doesn’t allow the seller to see your information. Using Paypal in applications in the iPhone could bring a level of safety to everyday purchases. Pizza Hut allows you to order pizza for delivery over the iPhone. Using Paypal to pay for that pizza gives the consumer a level of confidence that their transaction was made securely.

More e-commerce options gives the consumer a choice in the way they make their online payments. Paypal offers a safe and reliable medium between the seller and the buyer. The more mainstream Paypal becomes, the easier it will be to use for everyday items and it could become an option that people use as frequently and as easily as credit cards or cash.

Matthew Boruch

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_21/b3934111_mz063.htm

Rob DiGiovanni-Article 2

The article I read came from ComputerWorld titled “How Raytheon’s IT Department Helps Meet Green Goals.” Raytheon is a technology and innovation leader who specializes in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. The article talks about how Raytheon used green IT strategy to achieve its goal of reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts. Sustainable or “green” IT is a term used to describe the manufacture, management, use and disposal of information technology in a way that minimizes damage to the environment.
In my opinion, it is very important for companies like Raytheon who produce industrial goods to be concerned about the environment. These types of companies give off many harmful toxins when their products are manufactured. As a result to this, a major concern in the world has been global warming and it’s our job as a society to be more responsible and find ways to conserve energy. I think the government will eventually have to impose limits on carbon emissions, so that the environment doesn’t get in too bad of shape. Although IT helps companies operate, it also uses a lot of energy and research has shown that power consumption by computers accounts for 2% of the global carbon dioxide emissions. Luckily, there are many ways in which IT can make operations greener for any kind of business. Technologists can help reduce the amount of paper employee’s use for printing and install tracking systems to measure plant emissions. IT systems can also help save energy by regulating heat and air conditioning in office buildings.
Raytheon has long pursued environmental initiatives. It has adopted PC power software management software which reduces energy waste by powering down machines when they aren’t in use. They have also virtualized many of their servers which have enabled them to avoid building a major data center which reduced power and cooling costs. These functions are significant technologies that have helped Raytheon operate more efficiently through energy management and have helped the environment in the process. Basically, the benefits of using green IT can help an organization and the environment at the same time, so it is in the best interest for companies to go “green”. Simply, reminding IT staff to shut down their PC’s turn off lights, and using recycled materials can make a huge impact.
I believe that the advantages of green IT are more beneficial than if a company were not to make the necessary sacrifices. In reality, going green actually saves organizations money in the short run because a company can reduce the amount of travel and commuting of individuals and just have more video conferencing. Also, a company could try and use less paper by using email on a more frequent basis. Another advantage of green IT is that your company will get a good reputation of being environmentally friendly and not just a technology-focused program. I think more companies should make the effort and try to operate in a way that conserves energy and helps the environment.

Gerry Kennedy - Article 2

The new iPhone application market has been growing significantly, thanks to online companies allowing users to create their own. These companies do not charge much compared to what it would cost for an application to be coded and programmed from scratch. Most companies have a monthly rate, some with an additional starting fee. Many of the users creating their own applications were looking to market their services or products by connecting directly to their potential customers. The article gave an example of a wedding video business that was able to create their application in a single day, leading to new sales and leads.

To be honest, I had never heard of these do-it-yourself websites until I read this article. A couple of weeks ago, my roommates and I were sitting around our common room brainstorming ideas of ways to get rich fast. The subject of iPhone Apps came up, but was immediately dropped when we realized we would not be able to program or code it ourselves. With these companies, any idea can become a possible future app in the iTunes Store.

These online companies allow smaller firms or local businesses to advertise or promote their services affordably. This is great way of connecting users to information through available means of technology. In the past, these applications may have only been for larger companies with a greater budget, but now anyone looking for new ways of acquiring business can participate.

The article mentioned that some of the do-it-yourself websites use the GPS location of the iPhone in order to send out advertisements to potential customers. It gave the example of a grocery store sending mobile coupons to customers while they are inside the store.

As a student at Loyola University, the Crazy Man Restaurant Group comes to mind. After subscribing to their text specials, I began to receive weekly texts with special deals at S’Ghetti Eddie’s and Alonzo’s – restaurants less than five minutes from my dorm room. I would not be surprised if they were to invest in an application to promote their deals on pizza, subs and drinks.

The applications could be far more effective than investing in other means of marketing, such as in magazines and newspapers. Those types of advertisements are offered to the general public and may not reach their intended customer. However the iPhone applications can be connected directly to their desired customer. I think their personal phone is as direct as it gets.

While there is some belief that the do-it-yourself websites may not be as efficient as hiring professional programmers, the websites have an increasing demand and are looking to match what the programmers can do.

Kharif, Olga. "Do-It-Yourself iPhone Apps - BusinessWeek." BusinessWeek. 1 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2009. .

Blog 2: “Google and Bing Race to Search Social Media”

The article “Google and Bing Race to Search Social Media” describes the competition between search engines and social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter. The search engine sites, namely Google and Microsoft’s Bing, have recently taken measures to capitalize on the success of the social networking sites by allowing for users to “tap into the real time conversations” by following tweets and comments without actually logging into the networking sites.

Bing has already implemented the website bing.com/twitter, through which search engine users may enter tags or keywords and see real time public Twitter messages pertaining to the topics. The feature, implemented on October 21, 2009, is not currently a part of the main Bing search engine, but may included if it proves successful. Bing has already discussed similar options with Facebook and the incorporation of public posts to the search engine will soon be a reality. Google is already responsible for representing the social media site MySpace in its search engine, and will soon be incorporating Twitter in a similar fashion. Additionally, they will be implementing a social search tool through which users will have access to the information posted by friends.

I think that this is a great use of information technology on the internet. According to the article, the web traffic of Facebook has grown to three times the size it was a year ago, while Twitter’s traffic has grown to ten times the size. On the other hand, the web traffic to search engines has grown at a much smaller rate of 15%. The search engine sites have taken advantage of this statistic by making the effort to re-direct the web traffic. They are trying to aid users in keeping up to date with the desired “real time conversations” without logging in and continuing the increase in traffic to the networking sites.

These developments will not benefit me until the Facebook searches have been implemented, since I am not a Twitter or MySpace user, nonetheless, I am looking forward to the changes. Today’s world is based on technology and communication and I think that sometimes we are too caught up in the technology aspect. I find that many times when I log on to Facebook with a specific purpose, such as finding information, sending a message or posting a link, I get caught up looking at pictures or posts that I would otherwise have no interest in, and end up forgetting what it was that I wanted to do in the first place. I think that the ability to use search engines without logging on to the networking site will end up giving us the same information in a significantly smaller amount of time, allowing for more personal real time communication in the form of physical conversation. The less time we spend in front of a computer screen, the better.

Kahrif, Olga, and Aaron Ricadela. "Google and Bing Race to Search Social Media." Google and Bing Race to Search Social Media - BusinessWeek. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 2 Nov. 2009. .