Apple Interface

I believe that the current Apple Macbook is a great product and has few design problems. It is a great starting point and has many features that could be added onto it. One ability that the current Macbook is lacking is the ability to be easily integrated into other electronic devices.

First, I would make it so you could wirelessly sync your iPhone or other smart phone into it. It would connect via bluetooth and you would be able to transfer data and music more easily. There would also be a program or application that would be a kind of interface for the link. It would give you the option to backup data on both devices. It would also allow you to take music off of your phone (or your friend's phone) and put it on the computer. This feature would make the synchronizing of your phone and computer much easier and more efficient. It would also eliminate the need for an extra cable.

The next feature would allow the computer to use a phone (most likely an iPhone) to access the internet from anywhere. Although this is currently possible, you need to have a device that will allow you to use the phone companies' network. This innovation would allow you to connect to the internet more easily. There would be no need for an extra device and you would not need to add any extra data plans onto your current phone plan.

The last innovation that I would add to the current Macbook would be the ability to automatically sync with your home entertainment system. You would be able to wirelessly connect to your T.V., sound system, DVR, and home computer. You could more easily use a T.V. set as you computer screen with no cables, and music etc. would play through your stereo. You could also sync and backup with your home computer easily. If synced to a DVR, you could transfer shows onto your laptop and watch them anywhere you go, and by connecting it to a wireless mouse and keyboard and using a TV as a monitor, you could completely eliminate the need for a home computer/Desktop.

I think that people would easily adopth this new technology. Life would be so much easier if we could eliminate or combine devices. Also, the elimination of cables in other electronic equipment could be made possible by this new technology.

Green/Enviornmentally Conscious "Trend"?

In my business and professional communication class we were asked to invent a product or service and pitch it to the class using Monroe's motivational sequence. I was actually a little bit surprised by what some of my classmates came up with:

More than fifty percent of the class came up with some product or service that improved gas mileage, helped you recycle, or was in some way, good for the environment. Some of the products were far fetched (like a flying car). and some were a bit more novel and simple (like a glass refrigerator so you don't have to open it to see what is inside). About %30 percent of the products reduced fuel consumption, like an exhaust compressor that turns the unburned exhaust gas back into fuel.

These products are all interesting, but the common marketing trend is very clear and potentially useful. The way that fifty percent of the students marketed their products involved sustainability and a kind of scare tactic that we are killing the earth. The marketing implications of this are very clear; people do not want to kill the earth. I think it will be good to keep this in mind as I start my career.

Is Twitter a Social Network, or Just a Marketing Tool?

I haven't decided yet whether Twitter is going to be useful for social networking or not. I know for sure though, that Tiwtter is a very effective marketing tool for celebrities and companies.

I only have a few "followers" on Twitter, so it is not very useful for myself or keeping my friends updated. It is far more useful for me to see follow people on my favorite T.V. shows or my favorite musicians. I am constantly updated about what new project they are working on, when a CD is coming out, or just what they are doing. If I want to tell my friends something that is really exciting, I would just send out a mass text, which makes Twitter not as interesting or exciting.

From a celebrity's standpoint, Twitter is a really good source for free advertising. Depending how many followers someone has, they can send out hundreds of thousands of free "ads" every day. I think it is important to not just use Twitter as a source of advertising though, otherwise followers could become numb to what you have to say.

Whether Twitter is just a marketing tool or a valid social network, it is becoming extremely popular.

The "Long Tail" of Music

Last semester in information technology we learned about a phenomenon called the long tail. It describes the shape of the curve made on a graph. The horizontal axis (in this case) consists of musicians, and the vertical axis consists of how popular the musician is. It creates a sort of long tail off to the left. There are very few artists who are extremely popular (Kanye West, Timbaland, Lady Gaga...) and a ton of artists who are barely popular. These artists who are barely popular individually don't make up much of the graph or total popularity, but combined (because there are so many) they make up a huge segment of the total music industry.

The long tail has become even longer recently because of new technology and how easy it is to make music. Anyone with a mac book that has garage band can create music very easily. The small microphone on laptops works well for recording vocals/instruments. Now, nearly anyone can create music and put it on a site like myspace. Add a little bit of talent to this and maybe $1000 spent at guitar center and you have a very long tail with high quality music. Anyone that has a desire to create original music and put it on myspace can. Very easily.

This long tail of "musicians" may lack talent and equipment that some of the mainstream artists have and more importantly lack the money required to front a major production.

Myspace (And Music)

Myspace seems to be moving towards becoming useless. The overall feel of myspace is so different from facebook and twitter. It seems like a good chunk of the people that are on myspace are marketing something (whether it is music, pictures, some new product, a get rich quick scam, or something like that). It is nearly impossible to get to a friend's page without being attacked by some "mafia" or a glitter greeting or a drink.

Myspace used to be the hot thing, and in regards to music on myspace people used to listen and or care. There has been such an explosion of these marketers who are utilizing this free advertising (by sending friend requests) that the average myspace user is becoming numb to anything on myspace. It almost seems like there are a ton of people trying to get other people to look at their page (who are also trying to get people to look at their page). I wouldn't say that marketing on myspace is dead, but it is not nearly as effective as it was when the site first started.

I feel like this same thing happened when email was newer. My mail used to be full of spam, where now there is almost no spam. There is hope for social networking...