And the winner is . . .

By Kelly10/17/2011 Leave a comment

Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google. Four powerful companies. They may have taken four different paths to get where they are today, but they are headed in the same direction. How will they fare when they go head to head?

An article from fastcompany.com highlights what they call “The Great Tech War of 2012.” One thing is certain- each of these companies will need vision and flexibility to hold on to their corner of the market. The way we communicate is constantly changing and these companies will have to anticipate and reflect that change. So who do you think will come out on top?

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Hopefully the Apple won’t fall too far

By Kelly10/06/2011 Leave a comment

It has been an eventful week for Apple. On Tuesday, Tim Cook had his first product launch as CEO with the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S evoked mixed reviews from the public. Many were hoping for the release of the iPhone 5 and were disappointed that the latest iPhone still featured the number 4. While there is no iPhone 5 (yet), a new voice activated personal assistant named Siri did make her debut.

Here comes the sad news. On Wednesday, Steve Jobs passed away. The longtime CEO of Apple lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. The world is abuzz with Steve Jobs tributes, videos and quotes. Jobs was an innovator who had his hand in game-changing products and captivating marketing campaigns. So what does the future hold for Apple?

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Now that’s a smart window

By Kelly09/28/2011 Leave a comment

Keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter can be an expensive undertaking. That’s why these “smart” windows created by South Korean scientists are so appealing! Smart windows switch from summer to winter mode depending on the outside temperature. When it’s hot outside, the windows change to a deep tint to block sunlight from heating your home. When the temperature drops, the glass turns transparent to catch as much natural light as possible.  

While similar technology already exists, this particular window switches transparency automatically based on outside temperature. Most comparable windows require the transparency to be switched manually. Read more about smart windows here.

Posted in Energy Efficiency Tagged , , ,

One step closer to rolling up your television

By Kelly09/15/2011 Leave a comment

The University of California Los Angeles has created the first stretchable organic light-emitting diode (OLED.) OLED’s are used in televisions, cell phones and computer screens. What does this mean for the future of electronics? Just imagine moving day. Instead of gathering your strongest friends to help with that big flat screen TV, just shrink it down, roll it up and off you go! Forget the size of your cell phone- you can make it as big or small as you like! The stretchable OLED still has a long way to go before it will make an impact on our electronics. However, it’s interesting to see what the future of innovation may have in store for us. Read more about stretchable OLED’s here.

Posted in Innovation, Tech News Tagged , , ,

Making the roads a safer place

By Kelly09/09/2011 Leave a comment

The U.S. Department of Transportation is determined to create a safer driving experience.  In an effort to prevent accidents, they recently granted the University of Michigan $14.9 million to test the use of short-range radio in vehicles.

Short-range radio waves will allow cars to communicate with each other and traffic signals. How will short-range radios keep you safer on the road? If you and another driver on a crash course towards each other, both drivers will be alerted. If testing goes well, you may see this safe technology in a car near you within the next ten years. Read more about vehicle-to-vehicle communication here.

Posted in Cars, driving, Safety, Tech News Tagged , ,

This is one mighty pen

By Kelly08/30/2011 1

A new product from Wacom was announced today. The Inkling is a pen that captures your sketches and transfers them into digital form. Insert a piece of paper into the receiver and the Inkling will capture every stroke. You will even be able to save your drawings in layers. Sketches can be saved as JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG, SVG or PDF and can be transferred to Photoshop, Illustrator or Autodesk Sketchbook. I want one! Who’s with me?

Posted in Gadgets, Vector graphics, Web Design Tagged , , , ,

The medium is the message- Facebook vs. Post-it notes

By Kelly08/26/2011 Leave a comment

Communication through Facebook and Twitter has the ability to spread like wildfire. Within seconds, a message can be seen far and wide. Real-time reporting of this nature is powerful stuff. When put into the hands of the people, is instant communication used for good?

Examples of both positive and negative use of social media surround the recent London riots.  Some British citizens broadcasted messages on Twitter and Facebook to encourage destruction and riots in their hometown. Other locals sent messages to organize clean up crews.

In a backlash to social media overload came another powerful medium- handwritten notes. Post-it notes expressing hope for the future appeared on destructed property around Britain. People were upset that their neighborhood coffeeshop/ boutique/pub fell victim to the riots.  

So what is an appropriate response for too much looting? Clean up crews and brooms. Too much social media? A handwritten smiley face :) To read more about post-it note walls, click here.

Posted in social media Tagged ,

The rise and fall of the text message

By Kelly08/23/2011 Leave a comment

Wireless companies have made a ton of money from text messages- $9 billion in sales in 2010 according to this article from CNN Money. However, the money making days of 2010 may be losing momentum. With the rising popularity of smartphones, there has been an increase in applications that provide free text messaging. These apps are giving wireless providers a run for their money. Will there soon be a power shift in the world of texting?  Here are a couple of things to note: Smartphone users are paying for monthly data plans, which makes free texting possible. While some apps are free to download, others cost a small fee (usually under $10.) And you may only be able to communicate with friends that have downloaded the same app. Moral of this story- nothing is really free.

Posted in Text messages Tagged , , ,

50 useful and interesting websites

By Kelly08/17/2011 Leave a comment

There are a lot of websites out there. With so many options, it seems difficult to find the sites that may be useful for you. The solution? Check out Time Magazine’s list of  The 50 Best Websites of 2011.

Keep an eye out for GetHuman.com, a site that provides the phone numbers that big companies don’t want you to find. Phone numbers that allow you to skip the automated menu and connect with a real, live human being! If you are interested in self-improvement,  Howcast.com features how-to videos covering a wide array of subjects. The list is full of websites that will keep you entertained, informed and organized.

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Are you in “social ads” without even knowing?

By Kelly08/12/2011 Leave a comment

Be careful of what you “like” on Facebook- you may become the spokesperson!  For many people, social media sites have become part of the daily routine. While social media is often thought of as a fun way to communicate with friends, be wary of what you are sharing and what your privacy settings are. Facebook and LinkedIn use “social ads,” which show your image and name promoting a third party. For instance, if you “like” Starbucks you may pop up on a friend’s page in an effort to promote the consumption of lattes.  Luckily, we all have rights that can be exercised through our privacy settings. To find out how to opt out of “social ads” on Facebook and LinkedIn, check out these two articles:

How to Opt Out of Social Ads on LinkedIn

How to Opt Out of Social Ads on Facebook

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