Obama's Blackberry

President elect Barack Obama is currently in the process of a presidential transition. This doesn’t only entail picking a new desk for the oval office and drapes for the windows. It requires getting used to an entirely new lifestyle. One change that everyone is talking about is how Barack Obama will have to relinquish his BlackBerry. Apparently, “aides are concerned that his unofficial conversations would become part of the presidential record, subject to subpoena and eventually made public as part of the country's historical record” (Schneier). What does this mean for the privacy of the president? And, more importantly, what does this mean for us?

Everything we do in this day and age is recorded and one day our irresponsible cyber-actions might come back to haunt us. Most of us who live in the information age acknowledge that everything we do is being documented, but we don’t care, yet. Mark Foley learned his lesson when he sent inappropriate e-mails to underage Washington pages in 2006. Even Paris Hilton and Sarah Palin have had their phones and e-mail accounts hacked, respectively.

I am not concerned about Barack Obama giving up his BlackBerry. This is not a sign of the times; it is a sign of becoming president. Everything Barack does will be closely monitored and secured under the Presidential Records Act. “The President-elect will have to get used to handing his glass to a Secret Service agent every time he has a drink outside the White House. The agent carries a small bag in which to pop the glass and later he destroys it. The idea is to ensure that no unauthorized person has access to the Presidential DNA, but it is not clear how an enemy would use it.” He can never even go to the bathroom by himself anymore. So when it comes to Barack’s privacy and public access, the BlackBerry is only one more thing that every president will have to agree to sacrifice.

We should be concerned about our own privacy and how to ensure private matters stay private. In his article, Brian Schneier makes a great point that “privacy isn't about having something to hide; it has enormous value to democracy, liberty, and our basic humanity.” We shouldn’t have to worry about deleted Facebook pictures posted in 2006 if we are looking for a job in 2012. Furthermore, conversations that happened at an earlier date can be misinterpreted by a third party to prove false accusations.

Perhaps Barack should work on laws to ensure our privacy in a technological age that’s advancing exponentially. If he is so technologically savvy, he should be able to identify the ensuing privacy issues and protect our rights accordingly.

Sources:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122722381368945937.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/11/09/barack-obama-what-life-will-be-like-for-new-us-president-115875-20881650/

WiMAX Innovation (Blog 2)

WiMAX, also known as WirelessMAN, is literally the future of telecommunication and at the forefront of how internet, cell phone, and television users collect and share data and information. WiMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. In short, it is the newest form of wireless data transmission; WiMAX has the ability to store and transport just as much information at similar speeds to cable and DSL, however its true beauty and innovation is in:

1. It is obviously wireless.
2. This wireless way of communication does not sacrifice broadband width ability or speed.
3. This wireless network can stretch much, much further than other known applications or systems.

Recently, international police forces and news stations have begun using WiMAX to communicate among stations and individuals in the field. Whether it’s the instantaneous ability for a news reporter to film something directly onto our televisions through their news network, or for a cop to film a hostage situation directly to SWAT so they can prepare while being transported to the site, WiMAX is all the innovation we need.

While the success WiMAX has already achieved is great, the majority of it is from international sources. The fact is, the US is completely behind on wireless innovation, and some of that may be due to having invested heavily in other technology that is already obsolete compared to WiMAX. Currently, Pakistan is the world leader in technology innovation regarding WiMAX thanks to Motorola.

While WiMAX has been highly successful in foreign countries, part of that is due to individual private companies such as Motorola enacting it. In my opinion, low profile foreign countries are the perfect way to try out expensive equipment such as WiMAX. Motorola currently has WiMAX systems in Brazil, Mexico, its center in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and has started work on other multiple places throughout the world.

As previously stated about England using WiMAX for its police and news stations, Motorola has obviously started to sell packages of the system to individuals as well as private contractors/companies. While private individuals (cell phones) would create the most money for Motorola on its WiMAX system, I believe its initial future is in private companies. If WiMAX can put its time, effort, money, and ability into perfecting large money producing systems for companies and private sectors such as police, fire fighter, or news stations, then individual consumers are sure to follow.

With success in private companies, WiMAX will definitely be able to bring its product over to America on a broader range with help from cell phone carriers such as Motorola or AT&T. As soon as consumers see the importance and usefulness of WiMAX’s broad communication abilities, business people alone will not be able to survive without it. As a few sources have stated online, WiMAX is the last great telecommunication innovation.

links:

http://4g-wirelessevolution.tmcnet.com/topics/4g-wirelessevolution/articles/46004-wimax-will-america-catch-up.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wimax

Energy Efficiency's Secret Weapon (Blog 2)

Every manufacturing company has a significant expenditure on energy, without it there would be business. With the skyrocketing prices of oil and gas these days it's getting worse. According to industry professionals the laws of supply and demand are beginning to work, even still energy is not cheap. If only there was a way for the energy industry to make its self cheaper without losing efficiency. Well now there is. Industry leaders have focused much of their time and money into information technology to make their businesses more efficient and easier to communicate with. The article states that "67% of U.S. oil and gas companies plan to spend from $1 million to over $20 million on manufacturing operations software." (Blanchard, P. 33) Which would increase efficiencies for not only the energy industry but for all manufacturing companies in the U.S. because they wouldn't have to spend as much on energy for production. 

An energy company, Energen, has incurred outside sources (SAP) to increase automation in the transaction process and at the same time eliminate any inefficiencies in that process. Energen is now able to leverage its buying power, track customer costs and understand the productivity costs of maintenance; at a lower price and more efficiently than ever before. The software allows for intracompany communication to find out what particular sector would be more efficient to increase or decrease. However, not all companies are using the same strategies. The IT software and how its used various from organization to organization. ConocoPhillips uses an estimating system that generates information from different types of software and estimates productivity and costs. It's mainly relies on the feedback from similar strategies and its outputs. While some oil companies are using Wiki tools to retain and encapsulate the knowledge from experienced workers and pass it on to those who are less experienced. It's done through interaction between experienced workers over the internet, the company then saves the information and passes it on to its less experienced employees to benefit from. 

There is expected to be even more types of IT strategies to increase efficiency and reduce costs. It will not, however, but one specific type of hardware or software. It seems the trend is moving more in the direction of multiple imputes from may different types of technology and the amount of data that can be handled is getting greater and greater. The use of IT in the energy industry is already helping many different types of companies become more profitable, when they really harness the use of these specific IT strategies and uses, it will allow our economy as a whole to boost enormously. Simply because energy will not be as expensive and firms can use that extra capital to improve other areas of business.

"Energy Efficiency's Secret Weapon: Software"

 By: David Blanchard

Blog 2: Women's Career Choice

The article “What Has Driving Women out of Computer Science” by Randal Stross explores why statistics from recent years show that women are not joining the computer science field of study. Women have come a long way and could choose any career path they wish at this point. What is so specific about computers that are turning away women? To add to the mystery, approximately around 1980 the amount of women in the computer studies sky rocketed, but then, up until now, it has fallen. For reference, the article is dated November 15, 2008.
Unknown to myself, and possible more people, during the 1990s the gaming industry pushed to have games aimed for girls. The stereotype that boys are always in front of the computer or TV however was proven true. The project for girl games failed. Most girls aren’t up for participating in this type of entertainment.
I believe that the statistics are surprising. I don’t feel that it harms anyone if women are just not interesting in this career. The key to the decline in women majoring in computer science careers is that there is no external force preventing them. This issue would be larger if, for example, the males are stopping women. One of the hypothesis for the decline is the image of a nerd or geek Most girls seem to relate sitting and dealing with computer aspects a job for a smart person who doesn’t get out much or isn’t social. Unfortunately, this is a stereotype. Just because someone has a passion for computers and works really well with technology doesn’t mean that they don’t have a social life or get out of the office daily. Whether the decline is solely caused by the nerd stereotype or not, it is a shame that young girls do not realize the potential in this field. We are all hurting ourselves if all the girls go into nursing, as the article indicating that it was popular. We are not all going to get jobs. Also, if a girl has a passion for computers, they shouldn’t ignore it based on social images. In the article, it was mentioned that most girls who do follow this career path have family members that are engineers or related to technology somehow.
I disagree with the way things have been going; our world is growing technologically. To keep up with businesses and the competitive world, women need to keep up with computers and technology as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/business/16digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology

Blog 2: Intelligent Computers

We are currently living in a world where the human brain is still the most complex piece of hardware out there available for use, but slowly but surely, the computer is overtaking it.  Lloyd Watts is currently one of the leading individuals in the creation of these incredibly smart computers.  His company, Audience, which is located in Silicon Valley, has already created microchips for headsets that are able to enhance the sound of conversations in crowded places by basically removing the background noise.  They have based this microchip on the working of the human inner ear.  With this advancement already being made, it is not difficult to imagine a computer that rivals or beats the mental capacity of the human brain.  Many people actually believe that Watt's ideas and innovations will completely change the way computers are designed.  Computers clearly can do certain things, such as mathematical computations and other operations much faster and more efficiently than the mind of a human, but they are still lacking in conceptually understanding and sorting out that information the way a human brain can only do.

In my opinion, it is almost scary to think about just how quickly computers are becoming more and more intelligent.  Do we really want our computers to be able to work in the same way that our minds do?  I do not want to make it sound like some kind of science fiction horror story, but computers that are able to work like a human mind are a slightly disturbing thought.  However, most scientists believe that this innovation will not come quickly.  Most realize that the workings of the human brain are far too complicated to make this technology arise without difficulty.  However, I do not doubt that this technology will be upon us before we know it.  I do believe that in the long run these computers will benefit us just as computers today do, but it is important that all the kinks are worked out before this occurs.  If a computer is able to access situations and make decisions based on this processing, then we have to make sure that they are working properly in all aspects.

It was even expected that the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects agency was going to offer IBM a 4.9 million grant for this purpose.  Clearly this funding from the government shows that they are looking to use this potential advancement to the advantage of the country.  These include monitoring battlefields and observing weather patterns.  It is reasonable to assume that soon more and more money will be invested in these intelligent computers, which will be able to do so much more than computers now can do.  Although, I assume at first these computers will only be used by the government before they make their way to individual sale to consumers.  While these scientists may be right about these intelligent computers being years or even decades away, the assumed eventual creation of these computers will certainly change the way we think about them.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_48/b4110092474021.htm?chan=technology+index+page_top+stories

Piracy on the Web

Disney has been having some problems with bootlegged copies of Pixar’s animated feature, “Wall-E,” on a Chinese YouTube like website, 56.com. “Wall-E” was only recently released on DVD, but has been appearing on 56.com since the beginning of November. Ironically, 56.com has investors from Steamboat Ventures, a subset of Disney. This isn’t the only newly released full length feature to end up on the Chinese site; movies like “Horton Hears a Who,” “Iron Man,” and “Kung Fu Panda” have also been uploaded. It’s evident that the Chinese piracy laws are in no way enforced since sites like Youku.com and Baidu.com are also putting up copy written material, with no real consequences.

Chinese piracy accounts for $512 billion worldwide and it’s been a constant effort to protect copyrights in all industries. The pirated goods rob industries of billions of dollars each year through worldwide sales. The new use of 56.com to put up full length features of its investors is just the newest way the film industry is losing out. The protection of intellectual property is supposedly the concern of everyone involved with the sites, but the continual promises of better strives against piracy has so far resulted in nothing more than the mere words.

Representatives from the websites claim to be introducing new antipiracy software to check and remove any copy written material. But besides being new and not fully functioning, the amount of material put up daily on sites like 56.com will absolutely compromise the effective use of the site. 56.com has invested in a new program from Vobile Inc. The program is meant to scan all material and stop any material with a copyright from being uploaded. While efficient in newly added videos, the program encounters serious complications in all the videos that are already on the site. It is a massive undertaking to go through the billions of videos posted that almost needs to be manually managed. Vobile also happens to be another company invested in by Steamboat. It’s apparent that Steamboat is more interested in promoting its investments than actually attacking and rectifying the piracy issue at hand.

Steamboat executives have expressed the chance of shutting down 56.com until any copy written videos could be removed. But because the about 180 million people in China watch online videos, the idea was quickly rejected. Steamboat as well as other investors felt it was more important to have a presence in the market while simultaneously helping to alleviate the piracy boom rather than completely shutting down the sites. Steamboat should mainly be concerned with the lax piracy policy of 56.com, a user is asked to take down any pirated material within 24 hours of being notified. The policy seems more of an empty threat and puts more control in the users’ hands than Steamboat and Disney probably like.

Article Location:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122722555475645951.html

Addition Sources:
http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=827825

Blog 2: Once Wimpy, Cellphones Got Game

The article, “Once Wimpy, Cellphones Got Game,” from the Wall St. Journal discusses how technological “soothsayers” predicted that the market for video games on cellphones would greatly expand. Writer Chris Lawton goes on to explain how initial efforts by companies like Nokia to develop this software resulted in the first line of “primitive” cellphone games. Then Lawton moves on to explain how companies are now using IT to improve the quality of games that can be played on cellular phones. Lawton explains that the cellphone industry’s use of new technologies such as GPS, touch-screens, and faster processors in their products has encouraged the mobile-gaming industry to develop new compatible software. This new gaming-software technology will supposedly allow users to play longer and more detailed games that have better graphics. So now, smaller gaming software developers like the company Polarbit are being sought after with large corporations, such as Sony and Nintendo, to develop more sophisticated technologies for use in cellphones.

In this was, Lawton shows that communications giants like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung are using the advanced software in the games played on their phones to tap into this $500 million dollar mobile-gaming industry. The article moves on to discuss how specific companies like Electronic Arts and Gameloft are providing full length and graphically accurate cellular-games to cell phone providers. The importance of this new more capable software is also evident in the way cell phone manufacturers are catering to the gaming-software needs, such as widening LCD screens, and adding sufficient memory.

I first found that the features and complexity of these new game-software programs seemed to be very innovative. They allow users to download more applications, play games without pressing a single key, and even participate in games with friends via e-mail or text. I’m sure that the entertainment these features could provide would attract a wide variety of consumers.

I can see how implementing this new software technology in cellphones could be entertaining to consumers; however, I don’t see a lot of reason as to how they could be beneficial. Having played the old “primitive” Nokia games such as Snake, I think it is very interesting that companies would bother spending so much money in researching how to improve these games. The original games did there job of keeping users occupied and providing a simple challenge for the time being even with its dull graphics and straightforward game-play. I don’t think that games need to be much more sophisticated on cell-phones because consumers can easily play on a gaming console such as Xbox or Playstation instead of settling for a game on their phone. In this sense, if even the earliest games were effective, then why should companies spend excess money on developing new games?

I personally think that this increasing interest in the computer games for cellphones will only make companies raise the cost of the phone itself to supplement for the increase in cost for IT research. For example, SonyEricsson, whose products are usually retailed at around $100, is coming out with a $350 phone. This price increase reflects the fact that the new phone is meant to be compatible with newer gaming-software. Furthermore, I think that in charging customers around $10 to install each game on their phone, companies are only trying to find another way to get money from customers in the same manner as purchasing ring-tones. Since the ring-tone market has clearly slowed, I feel like adding improved games is only a way to entice customers to download further applications and features for their phone that may not be necessary. So although the concept may seem entertaining, the addition of this new IT may not actually be completely valuable for consumers.

Coca-Cola: Building a Better Design Machine?

Coca Cola currently utilizes a web-based design tool that allows users to create customized marketing ads globally. This system cuts the time it takes to reach the consumer and also saves the company a lot of money. The process for creating the marketing designs is quite simple. A user must simply log into the system, choose a template, select the desired images, and then choose from one of seven languages to use. The file created is then sent to the coca cola printing facility where the information is uploaded into the printing machines. An experienced user can reportedly produce an ad in ten minutes.
This design machine is part of a larger trend termed digital asset management systems. These commonly web based applications are banks of marketing information that are easily tapped into. They store information like logos, texts, images, and the alike for people to choose from in creating their designs. The first of these systems was created in 2001 for IBM.
In the past, it took a team of marketing professionals several weeks to produce one such ad. Due to this fact, coca cola also routinely employed ad agencies which charged hefty fees for their services. With the advent of this system, coca cola no longer needs to hire these agencies and can produce hundreds of ads in the time it used to take to make one. The design system also cost less to launch globally than one ad costs to create. The company did not disclose the amount it paid to these agencies or how much it saved in switching to the system but the number is most likely in the millions. With the globalization of the system, about 3,000 employees of coca cola and its affiliates can access the system from anywhere and create ads.
Benefits other than saving time and money are improved communication across the organization and improved brand control maintenance. By allowing so many people from all over to access the system, the flow of ideas has been amplified. A worker at a coca cola affiliate could create an ad in a few minutes and then send it to someone across the globe. That person can then tweak the ad as he or she sees fit to produce the desired result. The speed with which these ads can be created also improves the communication with the customer. Marketers can strike while the iron is hot and bank on emerging trends, rather than wait till they are a few months old to try and capitalize.
Improved brand control maintenance is crucial for any consumer product company. With the advent of this new technology, the overall image the coca cola wishes to convey is more easily achieved. With 450 brands globally, this is a major challenge for coca cola. It must make sure that the marketing techniques for each of those brands reflect its overall strategy. The beauty in the web based system is in the fact that it allows that strategy to be applied to local markets and target more specific demographics with ease.

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081013_466588.htm

Blog Two: The End of Instant Messaging (As We Know It)

A recent article from Businessweek Magazine announced that the technology of instant messaging “as we know it,” the pop- up boxes that the millennials have grown up with, will soon be obsolete. The decline in desktop chatting, as reported by AIM, has prompted companies to take a more active role in the growing social network environment. In recent months, the technology of instant messaging has met its match: the once loved IM’s may soon be replaced with other real-time conversation methods, specifically programs that are attached to browsers, and do not necessarily have to be loaded to a desktop like the familiar AOL instant messenger (AIM).

While there is some convenience in frequenting your favorite social network and chatting or catching up with friends in real time, there is still something more secure about signing onto AIM and seeing that well-known buddy list pop up, especially for those who have not invested time in social networking sites or browsers with chat features. Let’s be serious, some older individuals are just getting used to AIM chatting as it is, but it seems more obvious every day, technology waits for no one.

For those of you who have engaged in such social networking sites, specifically facebook, I am sure it is safe to say that you either have initiated conversation, or have received the little box that popped up in the right hand corner of your page with the new facebook chat feature. This feature gives you direct access to anyone on facebook at the time. We can all admit it is entertaining to see what old friends are up to, even those who you have not seen since first grade, but what happens when you are all of a sudden in a real time conversation with them because they see you are currently active on your facebook pages? The web may not be prepared for all of those awkward conversations. As this is coming from a frequent AIM user, times will eventually change, as users may not want to be bothered with separate programs just to talk to someone you can easily talk to on the web. Bridging that gap between secure AIM conversation to web-based conversation will be something that companies will have to attend to in order to attract the optimal amount of customers.

This concept of web chatting also brings forward the desire for companies to keep users on their sites for longer periods. Web advertising will be an enormous new outlet for companies to sell their products or brands, if all real-time conversation becomes web-based. This is a major opportunity for advertisers to cater their messages to specific target markets that are present on certain sites and to track the habits of individual users to make user specific banner ads.

Overall, real-time chatting on the web is definitely coming to the forefront and will most likely find much success with a strong customer and advertising base; however, there will always be a group of die-hard AIM users that will utilize the program until it truly becomes obsolete. Where will you chat?

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2008/tc20081116_918455.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories

New iPhone Apps Help Drivers Beat Speed Traps

Many would agree that the Apple iPhone is one of today’s most popular electronic devices. Thousands of people waited in line outside the Apple store on June 29, 2007 to ensure that they got hold of this new device. When I first heard about this phone, I thought it was just another touch-screen cell phone equipped with internet access and the ability to upload and play music. Obviously, I was very wrong. Currently, the iPhone is stocked with over 8,000 applications available for users to download, each at a reasonably low cost. Some of the applications are meant to entertain but others are extremely useful and practical. The newest of these applications—released only last week—are NMobile and Trapster.

Do you consider yourself to have a lead-foot while in the driver’s seat? If so, you will really appreciate the NMobile and Trapster applications. These two functions can reduce your chances of getting an unnecessary speeding ticket, along with all of the consequences that accompany them. Both the NMobile and the Trapster provide an up-to-date, detailed map of speed enforced areas. With this application, a map of your current area (made available through the iPhones GPS system) will show points indicating local speed traps; upon approaching these traps, a sound will alarm to remind you to slow down.

How do Trapster and NMobile know where each speed zone is located? Both applications track speed-enforced zones differently. The Trapster application allows members to report rigged stop lights and heavily monitored police zones. In order to ensure that each specific point is in fact a speed zone, the user must rank the accuracy of that zone. Therefore, if many users rank the same spot multiple times, Trapster can assume that there is indeed an active speed enforcement zone in the area described. On the iPhone screen, the point will show up as a red or green dot. Red dots indicate credible speed zones while green dots indicate the less credible. The NMobile application also encourages users to report supervised zones. However, they verify the accuracy of each point with credible news reports and public records. There are currently over 200,000 members who participate in the reporting of the 100,000-noted speed enforcement zones.

The newest application became available last week. Since then, an estimated 1,000+ iPhone owners have downloaded this application. It is an extremely practical feature hold, and the price to download it was recently reduced from $9.99 to $4.99, making it extremely affordable. NMobile and Trapster were both created with an optimistic view that users would drive at a reduced speed. Although this application seems to solely benefit users, My one concern is that people will “abuse” this application while driving. This means that because drivers are now aware of speed-enforcement zones, they may be more likely to drive faster in areas that are not monitored—assuming that they will not be caught.

As much as our society tries to force people to slow down while driving, it is a very difficult task to accomplish. Overall, I agree with NMobile founder, Shannon Atkinson, who considers both programs “a good thing”, while encouraging drivers to slow down.

This article can be found at http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/new-iphone-apps-help-drivers-beat-speed-traps/.

An innovative way to cut energy costs!

Reliant Energy, a reseller of electricity, has set up a high-tech device, called Insight, in the home of their 1.8 million customers. Insight lets individuals track information about the cost of the electricity they are consuming. This device wirelessly communicates to a home’s utility meter to measure things such as how much per hour electricity is costing, or the total cost of electricity bill so far, and how much it will be at the end of the month if consumers keep using the electricity at a consistent rate. Insight will also warn consumers how much the bill will increase if they crank up the heat or air conditioning! By setting up Insight in Reliant Energy’s customers’ home, the company is able to offer fixed monthly electricity prices if the homeowner keeps the temperature the same all month. (For example, if a consumer set their thermostat at 72 degrees and keeps it there the whole month, Reliant Energy will only charge them $200.) Reliant Energy also suggests the best time to use household appliances or other utilities to cut consumer costs. For instance, they found out a way for people to save money by doing their laundry at 8pm instead of 3pm! The company hopes to not only gain more business, but also encourage customers to cut back on their use of electricity.
I believe this innovation is great. It helps homeowners limit their cost, and people be more conscious about the resources they use. This in the long-run can be very beneficial many people. Homeowners often do not look at way to cut their utility costs, or think far into how they can conserve their energy uses. Being more aware of how much energy you are consuming, and realizing that that amount of consumption comes at a cost will help alter people’s consumer behaviors. If a person is aware of the monetary cost for keeping the lights on while they are not in the room, they are more inclined to be more conscious of flicking the switch when the lights are no longer needed.
Mark Jacob’s, the CEO of Reliant Energy believes that “nothing influences behavior better than knowing the true price of what you’re buying.” I agree with this statement because when people are conscious of how much they are spending, and they know ways to reduce costs, they are going to be prone to do so. Moreover, if they know that their actions comes with a consequence, (in this case it is monetary, and environmental,) they are more inclined to change their behaviors.
Most of all , I believe that this innovation has come at a great time. Many people have growing concerns regarding the economy, the environment, and families’ shrinking income. This product can directly and indirectly help issues regarding those three topics. For example, individuals, homeowners, and businesses may be inclined to cut costs in any way possible, due to the down turning markets. An individual benefits from reducing their use of energy because it will promote their economic security, a business stands to benefit from energy conservation because it will increase their efficiency and maximize profits. Moreover, Wikipedia suggests that energy conservation can result in an “increase of financial capital, environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort.” Additionally, one stands to alleviate economic problems by reducing energy consumption because they are inevitably reducing energy demand, which can lead to the reduction of energy imports as well as the need for new power plants. This will help the efficiency of choosing the best way to produce energy and eliminate energy shortage. Energy conservation has multiple benefits to the environment. By conserving energy, one is reducing emission, which can lead to reduced climate changes and our rapid approach to seeing the effects of global warming. Moreover, there are increasing amounts of studies that are linking the environmental issues to cancer and other medical problems. By taking smalls steps such as these to be more environmentally conscious, current and future generation stand to benefit.
Insight has both a information component as well as a technology component. The technology is being able to calculate the different variables of cost for users, and information component is that the product can inform users on their energy usage. This data can be used to make information knowledge. By knowing that your energy consumption is costing you so and so dollars per hour, per month, etc, you can use this information to tweak your usage how you see fit. This technology can stand to make many changes in people and business’ lifestyle. Lastly, I am confident that Insight has the innovative power and opportunity to be very successful.

Blog 2: Can Google tell you when your sick?

The power of Google and its search engine is quickly entering all aspects of our increasingly online world. Imagine if Google knew before anyone else that an outbreak of the flu could put you at risk of getting sick. Google could alert your doctors and public health officials before you potentially became ill. I certainly would have no objection to any tool Google had that might reduce my chances of becoming ill, would you?

Thankfully, we may not have to imagine anymore. At the start of this year’s flu season in the United States, Google’s philanthropic unit revealed a new web tool called Google Flu Trends. Google Flu Trends stems from the simple idea that people who are feeling sick will likely turn to the Internet for information, typing their symptoms into Google. “The service tracks such queries and charts their ebb and flow, broken down by regions and states,” allowing the service to detect outbreaks and notify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in real time.

I am in favor of Google Flu Trends. The flu is more than a cough and a cold. Symptoms may include high fever, fatigue, sweating, shortness of breath and vomiting. The article states that between 5 percent and 20 percent of the United States contracts the flu each year. What many people do not know is that the flu can be deadly in some cases. During my senior year, I was hospitalized for an unknown illness. The doctors spent hours taking blood tests, antigen detection tests— the swabbing of the nose and throat-- and x-rays in order to determine what was wrong with me. Shortly after the doctor suggested a spinal tap, the results came back that I, indeed, had the flu.

When the flu is widespread in a community, the diagnosis can often be made by simply identifying symptoms without further testing. This is the goal of Google Flu Trends.. By the time the community grew aware of the outbreak, I was already ill. I was out of school for two weeks and low on energy for even longer. Any possible way to receive an earlier warning of an outbreak could put prevention and control measures into place more quickly, preventing the cases of influenza.

Some public health officials say that many health departments already use other techniques to keep daily tabs on disease trends in their own communities. Gathering data from visits to the emergency room may be effective, but not compared to the number of people that visit the Internet when they feel ill. Many prefer the Web to a visit to the doctor until the symptoms become worse. The Web saves time spent at the doctor’s office, money spent on the appointment and stress wondering what the results of tests will come up. My roommate this past weekend looked up what the spots on her tonsils may be in an attempt to avoid the health center. A new tool that will monitor disease trends will only benefit the health departments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/technology/internet/12flu.html?ref=technology

Blog 2: Credit Cards with built in Security

A new credit card by Visa, no longer just contains the tamperproof signature strip and the embedded chip. New security features built into this credit card are intended to help improve security in online payments. The Visa Credit Card, will contain an eight-digit display and a 12 button keypad. The Visa cardholder will be able to generate a single-use security code to validate an online transaction. You are able to retrieve the security code by entering a four-digit personal identification number. Since the security code is a one time use only, even if it is intercepted by an outside source, it will not work. The card can also identify the validity an e-commerce web site through a challenge response mechanism and then will report if the web site is genuine or not. The cards battery should last for about 3 years if it is used 20 to 30 times per week. The cards will no longer contain embossed numbers on the front of the card because it already contains a battery, keypad and display. 

I think the idea of the Visa credit card with extra security features is a great idea. It will cut down tremendously on the amount of fraud from online shopping and will allow online shoppers to feel more safe and secure. A downfall of the new credit card is if someone was to find out what your personal identification number is. If someone was able to get ahold of this number, it was be extremely easy for them to make many purchases online and find out your personal information. Also, since this card is not going to contain a magnetic strip, I assume you won't be able to use it for in-store purchases. People don't like having to carry multiple credit cards with them. People will have to carry their regular credit card when making an in-store purchase and then have another card that they will use when purchasing things online. All in all, I think the new Visa credit card will eventually become something that is very common to people. It is much safer for businesses and consumers to make purchases which will make online shopping experiences much more enjoyable for both. 

https://www.computerworld.com/action/article.docommand=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=business_intelligence

&articleId=9119758&taxonomyId=9&intsrc=kc_top

Blog 2:Betting on a Hole in One in the Virtual World

Terry Leiweke, the chief editor of the Golf World Series, has a new idea in mind. Leiweke sees men everyday that pay thousands of dollars to enter such golf tournaments, and thinks that with millions of users on the internet, even capturing one percent of the internet segment would create a lot of money. Although Leiweke is the candidate to make something associated with golf, it is strange that he would create a computer game. Leiweke does not even use a computer, let alone know how to create a game, but he is counting on finding a marketing partner that will help him develop his idea. Mr. Leiweke also turned golfing into gambling in the real world by seducing gamblers into the game. Each person puts up 10,000 dollars, and the 25 players compete for a 250,000 dollar prize. He projects a revenue for next year of 10 million dollars with the online game, up from the 3.5 million dollars he earned last year without it.

Mr Leiweke has tested this game already, and it appears to be a huge hit. In the beta version, 1 million people have played, averaging 18 minutes a play and 5 plays a week. He will charge 10-15 dollars for a subscription to the game, and sell virtual parts to the gamers.

(article from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/business/smallbusiness/13golf.html?ref=technology)

I think that this is a great idea, but could get a lot of golf lovers into big trouble. My dad loves golf and would be playing this game non-stop! He also enjoys gambling. The Virtual Game would be cool, but the downsides are strange: it deters people from going to play themselves and get some exercise, and it is dangerous for heavy gamblers.

I'm not sure how the game will do. Although many people are computer fans, the competition is obvious, with Ninetendo wii, playstation, and other virtual game systems that offer golf games. To me, it also seems a little crazy to spend money on virtual golf gear--then again, to spend 10,000 on a golf game also seems pretty steep. With Second Life and other Virtual Worlds, it is not too bold to say this game will skyrocket among the virtual, technology-loving community.

Therefore, I cannot predict how the game will do, but I say go for it. I think it is a great idea.

The Importance of MIS as a Major and as a Career (extra credit)

On Friday afternoon, Brian Sullivan and Matt Lazenby from the company, Sogeti, came to Loyola to speak to students about management information systems as a major and a career.
Brian Sullivan is a Loyola alum, graduating with a Marketing degree. He has worked at Sogeti for twenty-six years and cannot stress enough that technology is all about business. Matt Lazenby was an English major with no technical background until he entered the real world. He later received a MIS degree, which aids in all business scenarios on a daily basis.

The presentation was not so much about learning new information about MIS, but reinforcing the idea that technology is prevalent in all areas of business. The four main themes of MIS are competition, communication, direction and opportunity. The film clip for competition was a cheetah chasing its prey, but losing the race to a human that ran faster. The purpose of the clip was to show how competition comes from places one is not prepared for, so be prepared at all times. The clip for communication was a Swedish man who thought a captain was “thinking” instead of “sinking.” Effective communication is vital because one needs to interpret information and explain it in a way that others can understand. The direction clip showed an animal running extremely fast, but ultimately ran right into a tree by lions. One can run as fast as possible, but without direction, one can become dinner. The idea is to have goals. The clip for opportunity was from Dumb and Dumber when Harry and Lloyd turn down the opportunity to travel with girls in bikinis. It is necessary to take advantage of all opportunities that come everyday.

In between reviewing the four major themes of MIS, Brian had quotes from previous Segeti employees that majored in MIS and what their current careers are. Brian McManus graduated from Loyola with an MIS degree, and is now the Senior Operations Manager at UnderArmour. He is in charge the e-commerce business and focuses on creativity and marketing. Brian is an example of a MIS graduate who now has an incredible occupation doing something more along the lines of marketing. Brendan Kelleher graduated from Loyola with an MIS degree as well and worked at Baltimore Gas and Electricity until this past month. Brendan contacted Brian McManus and now works at UnderArmour. This supports the thought that a MIS degree does not solely relate to technology, although information learned will help daily. In addition, the relationship between Brendan and Brian illustrates the strong network and communication between Loyola alumni.

I enjoyed the presentation for various reasons. Brian Sullivan was a motivating speaker and did a great job of relating MIS to the real world and ideas that would interest the audience. His advice was to participate as much as possible because the real world revolves around participation. I also took pleasure in his view of restaurant servers since I have waitressed for many years. He feels that servers have strong people skills, which is particularly important in business, and that they hold the satisfaction of others in their hands. Servers are responsible for making their guests happy. Because servers are not usually held to that level of importance, my side job at Bertucci’s seems more valuable now. MIS has proved to be an informative class for me this semester and I am more aware of its significance in the business world. Knowledge of technology will defiantly benefit me in any career I enter after graduation.