Ok, here’s another new technology gimmick for everyone: Augmented reality. This is the stuff in 3D movies that make things appear to jump off the page–literally. It allows you to see computer images superimposed on your surroundings, just by looking through a special viewer–currently a special set of goggles, an iPhone, or even a webcam. The technology has been around for years, but now it’s cheap enough to put in paper-thin screens. Here’s what people are saying/doing with it:
Apple: They’ve made an iPhone app for Londoners to help them locate the nearest subway stop. You just look through your phone at the world beyond (there’s a camera view), and it will point you in the right direction.
The Atlantic: It just published an article describing how special augmented reality goggles will help you spot people with different political views than you, people of the same clubs and organizations, or people with whom you may have a mutual acquaintance. In the future, you’ll even be able to pull up their Facebook profiles through your augmented reality lens.
John Mayer: He just made an augmented reality music video.
Esquire: Last but not least, the popular men’s mag will release their December issue with an augmented reality cover. Robert Downey Jr. becomes part of the first “Living, breathing, moving, talking magazine”–when you hold it up to a webcam, that is.
This isn’t some far-off, “maybe” technology–it’s here. But would you buy it? Would you be part of a magazine that uses augmented reality to sell their product? Does this change the definition of the “magazine?” Would you opt to work for a traditional magazine if they still exist when we hit the workforce?
That means that nearly everything we communicate as social beings is conveyed through cues like body language, facial expressions, and other physical gestures. Tone of voice and other sensory signals besides sight just add dimensions to the rich communication among people.
When you can't see someone's face or hear them speak, how can you determine what they really mean?http://www.advancedsourcecode.com/images/expressions.jpg
Now that social media has become nearly mainstream in the developed world, how does this statistic hold up? Though nonverbal, how does the robust communication on the web fit into our world?
Social media involves text, video, audio, and photography. Surely that will change as technology evolves, and programs like Skype bring us closer to real human contact. But not quite.
Last week, a friend of mine Tweeted (and #fb’ed) asking about the etiquette of a friend request from a person he neither knows nor has mutual friends. My gut reaction? DE-NY.
Our classmate, Nate Granzow, had the same advice but with a different experience: “I had a guy send me the same thing the other day. He followed up with a message about how he was going to fuck my life up.”
…That’s a worst case scenario, but seriously: denying a Facebook friendship, a Twitter follow–or ‘worse,’ the dreaded defriending–can be a touchy subject.
CNN reports that recent research shows that our “digital egos” can bruise just as easily as our actual egos do, if not more: “People tend to think that these relationships are trivial and not very deep, but this is what we’re moving towards, having a lot of our communications play out over the Internet,” Purdue University social psychologist Kip Williams said. “That’s the way it’s becoming; this is how we interpret our worth. People care how many [online] friends they have.”
Qwitter: Post with Care.
A third-party website called Qwitter has even been created to allow Twitter users to track who has unfollowed them and after which post it occurred….Yikes.
Under what circumstances do you unfollow or defriend someone? What’s the etiquette?
What’s your reaction to being the unfollowed or defriended?
Do you agree or disagree that online friendships is the direction our society is moving toward?
You’re probably asking, “What the heck is NaNoWriMo?“ Well, the short of it is to attempt to write a 50,000 word (about 175 page) novel from midnight November 1 to the end of November (midnight November 30). Started 10 years ago by Chris Baty in San Francisco, the event has grown over the years into a worldwide phenomenon that is completely run by donations. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The whole point is to write until your fingers fall off without editing, which I know I need to learn to do just to get a cohesive article written.
So who in their right mind would attempt such a foolhardy goal? Keep reading →
Want that job in New York but don’t have the money to get there? Worried about being too impersonal via phone? Although many people may think of Skype, a free way to call and web cam (with other Skype users), as a way to communicate with friends and family, it can also come in handy for those interviewing for jobs and internships.
A recent article by Time noted “How Skype is Changing the Job Interview.” And this fact is very true. Although some companies will pay for the transportation and accommodations of its job candidates, in this economy it’s not always a guarantee. Also, as a college student I don’t have the cash or free time to fly to Boston, and I feel that phone interviews are not the greatest way to showcase my personality or enthusiasm.
Personally, I love Skype. But, there are some things that we must keep in mind when preparing for a job interview and being interviewed via Skype:
Dress for success:
Just because you’re interviewing in your bedroom doesn’t mean that you should sport your pajamas–dress appropriate. That means avoiding clunky jewelry that will make excessive noise and also appearing fresh but not ready for a night on the town by being appropriate when applying makeup. For men: although you may loathe putting on a suit or donning a tie, at least you can take it off immediately afterwards. Also, with careful and strategic camera angling, you can avoid slacks and dress shoes altogether (just don’t stand up and be wearing boxers–please). Don’t forget to smile and actually look at the camera when responding (this is your “eye contact”). Keep reading →
DuPont is a company that is using social media the right way. DuPont uses science to make things like fireproof suits and bulletproof vests – and they have to test this stuff.
Shows like Myth Busters keep a stable audience, and Dupont’s Science Story videos are a lot like the television show. Even though they started sharing their test videos two years ago, and still have a steady audience. Gary Spangler, the E-Marketing leader at DuPont says the average person was spending eight minutes on the site – when they only had five videos average three minutes in length. In other words, people liked the videos and watched more than one.
Spangler says the goal was to target younger audiences who don’t necessarily use traditional media outlets. I think this is a great way to get an otherwise unknown brand in front of young people. A lot of companies try to do this, but not as successfully. I think DuPont found the right videos and used the right platforms.
Volkswagon is launching its newest model of the GTI, and they are spending 1/120th of the money they spent on advertising for its predecessor, the 2006 model, and they are expecting success. Sound too good to be true? It just might be, no one has ever tried what they are about to do.
Their plan: The automaker is launching a new iPhone app to announce its newest vehicle. Read the release. The cost: $500,000 total in advertising. (They spent $6 million in 2006). Their strategy: It’s a gamble. They think that the highly targeted app will reach the demographics of their audience, more effectively than a TV ad campaign—and for less money. AdAge agrees with their logic. The problem: Even though there are 500 million iPhone users who be a seemingly great audience for this endeavor because of their interest in technology and more expensive products, there is no way they will all download the app. And why would anyone want to download advertising? Well, Volkswagon has created an interactive advertisement, or a racecar game that highlights the specific features of the car—and of course, it is free. Download RealRacing GTI today.
In a time of uncertain finances, this new advertising strategy could be revolutionary. Volkswagon is testing the waters, and it will be interesting to see if we have gone into a new age of advertising.
One thing can at least be said for trying something so outrageously new: Imagine much free advertising they are getting from pulling a stunt like this. Many critics believe if anything, it is a smart PR move.
Do you think that advertising could shift towards this new realm of possibilities? Would you download an advertisement?
As the internet expands it continues to push us in new directions. As a result, innovation of design and delivery of content is in high demand. Flash animation is one of the ways we see this, both in online advertising and web sites.
These two web sites are a great examples of this innovation: www.zunejourney.net, and wonder-wall.com. They both have an unique way of interacting with the user, while still being extremely well designed.
So, what do you think about these uses of flash animation? How do you think this will affect advertising and the way we interact with web sites? It is exciting to think of the possibilities, but do you think animations will change things in a negative way?
If Youtube were a journalist, it would win a Pulitzer. If Youtube were a newspaper, it would beat the New York Times. And if Youtube were the President of the United States, it would receive a Nobel Peace Prize – just like Obama. But for a better reason:
Youtube gives everyone a voice.
Whether you’re in Iceland or Sierra Leon, with internet access, you can let the world know how you feel about certain issues through Vlogging – or video blogging. And Youtube never discriminates (except against copyrighted materials). Ultimately, Youtube is a channel for the underrepresented to express their views, and for those with a curious mind to explore and understand diverse opinions. Compare this quality with the U.S. mainstream media today and you’ll know why Youtube deserves some praise; it gives voice to the voiceless and tells the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
Take, for example, the representation of Asian-Americans in the U.S. media. Many times it is tied to decades-old stereotype and generalization. But Youtube offers Asian-Americans a channel to spread the accurate image of themselves. In August, CNN featured Wong Fu Productions – an independent production company working full time to create online content. Its videos get millions of hits. Its concert tickets sold out. Asian Americans love its channel for realistic depiction of Asian American lifestyle. Wong Fu even expands to include the selling of merchandise.
That’s why Youtube is better at including different perspectives than regular print media. I believe people become more accepting when they are exposed to different point of views. And Youtube helps by making itself accessible for everyone (with internet access).
What about you? Have you found any Youtube channel that provides a perspective you wouldn’t find on regular U.S. media?
Since its creation in Aug. 2008 by Martin Gee, a former San Jose Mercury News employee, the Newspaper Escape Plan Facebook group has evolved into quite the forum. Printosaurs and media gurus alike are invited to discuss issues, share resources and give tips to those in journalism. The “common interest—self help” group calls the newspaper industry an “abusive relationship” and urges members to transfer their skills to a new industry more deserving.
day. He followed up with a message about how he was going to fuck my life up.”
