As I mentioned in my introduction video, I know very little about technology. So prior to the RFID discussion in class, I had no idea what that was. Something that I didn't even realize at the time was that there is an RFID chip located in my car!
We have RFIDs to thank when we avoid the long toll lines during our road trips! E-ZPass is a system which works in a pre-paid mode where the driver pays access fee for a month and gets his or her vehicle fitted with a transponder that is placed inside their windscreen. In the event that the driver whose vehicle is fitted with E-ZPass comes near a toll the part that has the E-ZPass goes though a tailor made booth possessing a unique antenna.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
More About eBooks
Believe it or not, you can now actually wirelessly download eBooks from your local library if you have an iPad or Andriod tablet.
A company called OverDrive Inc. has released a free app from Apple's App Store which allows users to borrow books on the go from the tablet. You can already borrow an eBook from a library using an eReader, including the Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook, but you'll need a PC and a USB cable for downloading and synching. Amazon's Kindle doesn't allow borrowing eBooks from libraries.
Of course the biggest plus is that this is free. While Apple iBooks, the Kindle, and the Nook's books are priced at approximately $10 a piece, you can borrow from libraries with this specific app for free since the library will still pay for licensing just as they do for physical books. However, if the book is checked out, you will need to wait till it is returned to check it out yourself.
A company called OverDrive Inc. has released a free app from Apple's App Store which allows users to borrow books on the go from the tablet. You can already borrow an eBook from a library using an eReader, including the Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook, but you'll need a PC and a USB cable for downloading and synching. Amazon's Kindle doesn't allow borrowing eBooks from libraries.
Of course the biggest plus is that this is free. While Apple iBooks, the Kindle, and the Nook's books are priced at approximately $10 a piece, you can borrow from libraries with this specific app for free since the library will still pay for licensing just as they do for physical books. However, if the book is checked out, you will need to wait till it is returned to check it out yourself.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Online Coupons and Discounts
The combination of the recession and the obsession society has with their technological devices, has made shoppers become more savvy and has allowed them to save big bucks.
Coupons that arrive in your mobile inbox are hot right now, giving shoppers a less cluttered way to ask for a discount. Sites like Coupon Sherpa not only share big discounts for travel, jewelry, books and more - they also have their own iPhone app. Just flash your iPhone display to the cashier to redeem lots of member-only perks or one of hundreds of savings offers that are available to the public. If you're shopping online, keep an eye out for discount codes that can be entered for instant savings, free shipping or gift add-ons. Sites like CouponMountain collect these codes for you, and can save you a lot of money. You now can even text to save! Many companies are now rewarding customers with coupons and even gift cards when they text to a specific number.
Coupons that arrive in your mobile inbox are hot right now, giving shoppers a less cluttered way to ask for a discount. Sites like Coupon Sherpa not only share big discounts for travel, jewelry, books and more - they also have their own iPhone app. Just flash your iPhone display to the cashier to redeem lots of member-only perks or one of hundreds of savings offers that are available to the public. If you're shopping online, keep an eye out for discount codes that can be entered for instant savings, free shipping or gift add-ons. Sites like CouponMountain collect these codes for you, and can save you a lot of money. You now can even text to save! Many companies are now rewarding customers with coupons and even gift cards when they text to a specific number.
Differences between Verizon iPhone & AT&T iPhone
As many of us know there are different Blackberry models for Verizon and AT&T. Is this the same for Apple's newest iPhone 4?
Why of course. Unlike the different appearances of Blackberry models, the iPhone 4 has virtually the same feature set. However the differences between the two lie in the technology behind it. the first difference is the antenna inside. The Verizon iPhone is compatible with the 3G EV-DO standard (not 4G LTE despite the carrier's huge launch of 4G-compatible devices at CES), with data download speeds of up to 1.4Mbps. The AT&T iPhone is compatible with the UMTS standard, which can achieve download speeds of up to 3Mbps. Since the Verizon iPhone is not based on the latest 4G LTE standard, the AT&T iPhone can theoretically achieve faster download speeds than the Verizon model. But because AT&T's network is less reliable, the speed would actually depend on where you live and how good the coverage is at that location. Lastly, Verizon iPhone users are not able to multitask while AT&T users can surf the Web while talking on the phone.
Why of course. Unlike the different appearances of Blackberry models, the iPhone 4 has virtually the same feature set. However the differences between the two lie in the technology behind it. the first difference is the antenna inside. The Verizon iPhone is compatible with the 3G EV-DO standard (not 4G LTE despite the carrier's huge launch of 4G-compatible devices at CES), with data download speeds of up to 1.4Mbps. The AT&T iPhone is compatible with the UMTS standard, which can achieve download speeds of up to 3Mbps. Since the Verizon iPhone is not based on the latest 4G LTE standard, the AT&T iPhone can theoretically achieve faster download speeds than the Verizon model. But because AT&T's network is less reliable, the speed would actually depend on where you live and how good the coverage is at that location. Lastly, Verizon iPhone users are not able to multitask while AT&T users can surf the Web while talking on the phone.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Social Networking in the Business World
While social networking has gone on almost as long as societies themselves have existed, the unparalleled potential of the Internet to promote such connections is only now being fully recognized and exploited, through Web-based groups established for that purpose. What is social networking? Social networking is the practice of expanding the number of one's business and/or social contacts by making connections through individuals.
It all started with BBS, Bulletin Board System, which gained popularity though the 80s and into the early 90s that were online meeting places which allowed users to communicate with a central system where they could download files or games and post messages to other users. Compuserve and the ever popular AOL followed which let members in the AOL "community" create profiles and list details about themselves which was one of the service's most forward thinking features. Between 2003-2004 came three extremely popular networking sites: LinkedIn, Myspace, & Facebook. LinkedIn was a more sophisticated approach and allowed business people to connect with other professionals. Myspace and Facebook took off and were targeted more toward teens and college students but have been rapidly expanding to people of all ages as well as internationally. The United States, China, and Germany are the top three country with the most unique visitors for social networking sites and have growth rates from 23%-47%.
In 2010, the marketing expenditures for social networking were about $2 billion; however, by 2015 the budget is expected to increase to an astonishing $24 billion. Advertisements on Facebook allow companies to specifically target consumers based on their interests, activities, as well as their school or location. If a user "likes" something on Facebook, the company can track other online interactions. There is also a ton of free publicity especially through the site, Twitter. Different tweets can stimulate consumers interest in products and allow them to follow them specifically and keep customers up to date. Additionally, you can form Twitter endorsement deals for example, Kim Kardashian receives $10,000/tweet when she tweets about which products or services she uses to create buzz. Since everyone these days are constantly on these social media sites, it is a great way for companies to also deal with public concerns, informing customers of new product launches, and build customer trust.
It all started with BBS, Bulletin Board System, which gained popularity though the 80s and into the early 90s that were online meeting places which allowed users to communicate with a central system where they could download files or games and post messages to other users. Compuserve and the ever popular AOL followed which let members in the AOL "community" create profiles and list details about themselves which was one of the service's most forward thinking features. Between 2003-2004 came three extremely popular networking sites: LinkedIn, Myspace, & Facebook. LinkedIn was a more sophisticated approach and allowed business people to connect with other professionals. Myspace and Facebook took off and were targeted more toward teens and college students but have been rapidly expanding to people of all ages as well as internationally. The United States, China, and Germany are the top three country with the most unique visitors for social networking sites and have growth rates from 23%-47%.
In 2010, the marketing expenditures for social networking were about $2 billion; however, by 2015 the budget is expected to increase to an astonishing $24 billion. Advertisements on Facebook allow companies to specifically target consumers based on their interests, activities, as well as their school or location. If a user "likes" something on Facebook, the company can track other online interactions. There is also a ton of free publicity especially through the site, Twitter. Different tweets can stimulate consumers interest in products and allow them to follow them specifically and keep customers up to date. Additionally, you can form Twitter endorsement deals for example, Kim Kardashian receives $10,000/tweet when she tweets about which products or services she uses to create buzz. Since everyone these days are constantly on these social media sites, it is a great way for companies to also deal with public concerns, informing customers of new product launches, and build customer trust.
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