have magazines finally smartened up?

Magazines get ready for tablets discusses that magazines such as, Esquire and GQ have finally gone digital. These two magazine companies are ready to become a part of the modern day. They will soon have their magazines available via iPhone. And other magazines Wired, and Sports illustrated have made tablet versions of themselves available. Not only are these magazines available in an easily accessible new way but you only pay a very low rate something like $2.99 per month for a month - to - month subscription. You can interact with these magazines by using a search bar, copying your favorite quote, and even copying you favorite quote to Facebook using the application.

I think that this is a great way for magazine companies to stay up to date. In class we have spoke so many times about books become obsolete, due to the Nook, and Kindle, but we have never really discussed magazines. and in all honesty the only time i really go out of my way to purchase a magazine is when I'm about to jump on a flight, otherwise i don't pay a monthly or yearly subscription to Cosmo. It just doesn't happen, i simply don't have time to read magazines when i am home. but if it came on my phone as an app, or even on a tablet at least it's portable, a little less expensive, and much more convenient. Today everything is really about convenience, no one wants to have to go out of their way to read a magazine, or listen to music, or access the Internet. we just want all of these things to be at our finger tips.

Really guys? its not that serious.

So i just read an article, Viruses that leave people red in the Facebook, and i have to be honest. I think its ridiculous.
Just to give you some brief history, we have all seen those links from Facebook like, "cclick hhere tto wwatch a vvideo of yyourself." and we, being the "way too smart for that" college students that we are. .never click on those ridiculous links. But those crazy 30 and 40 year olds, that are suddenly attacking social networking sites, click on them hoping to see a video of themselves bobbing for apples at the company BBQ. which we know obviously, doesn't happen. and now their Facebook is now sending out similar links. And these people seem to be mortified, by the links there Facebook/Twitter is sending out. And now they're upset because they don't know how people "view" them anymore.
Its ridiculous really, because i wouldn't really care for the fact that my friends would be like, "dude why is Kaitlyn shooting out 250 tweets daily about how if we click the link we can get a $500 gift card to Victoria's Secret." I would be more mad that people had hacked into my account. Its really annoying actually.
I don't think people should really be taking Facebook or Twitter that hardcore serious. On days i have a paper due i write "I'm going to Kill myself" via my Facebook status bar, do you think my Facebook friends truly think i will? i doubt it. I think people should seriously lay off the whole Facebook & Twitter thing. its getting crazy, and all of the older people that are on it are making it really uncomfortable. Most because they turn small situations such as this into overwhelming defamation cases. If you can't stand the heat get out of the Kitchen.

Are major retailers tweeting for increased profit?

On black Friday that just recently passed supposedly major stores such as, Best Buy, Mall of Americas, Toys 'R Us, etc. . were posting sales, and black Friday deals on Twitter. Mall of America was tweeting about what parking lots were full, and where open parking spots were. Disney stores linked facebook to its twitter account in hope of people "becoming a fan" and seeing all the different sales they have going on. Best buy has a "twelpforce", this is a twitter help force, you ask a question, and shortly after someone will tweet back a response to help resolve your issue.

I think its so weird to watch this evolution of social networking, and major retailing stores. they are collaborating to reach millions of people in real time. This gives them the power to let us know about new trending items that have just recently made it to their shelves. Or any sales or specials that are going on. Basically any reason to get us in their store, to help increase their profits.

As mush as i think its good because yeah of course i want to know when express has a sale, i think it could also be pretty annoying. Because i don't really want to see their crap on my twitter feed every day. I don't mind seeing it black Friday or maybe during the Christmas season, but i don't want to see it all the time. If i am curious i could navigate me way over to their twitter page without having to be bombarded each time i log on to my twitter account.

Bail out for the print industry?

Being that this is my midterm blog post i figured i should probably do it big. Therefore, i found two very interesting articles, both similar in content. One is about general newspaper circulation , and the other is about Forbes magazine.

Beginning with the recent decline in the circulation of newspapers, as the article states this is due to the new popularity of reading the news online, and the recession our country is facing. They say that this time last year the rating had not dropped as "sharply." Understandably, within a recession people begin to cut down, even on silly expenses like the paper, or their early morning coffee. instead people wake up earlier, make their own coffee and read their new via Internet. Also mentioned in the article, airport and hotels are apparently the largest distributors of newspapers. (who woulda thought?) And since people are not vacationing due to the decrease in job security, and expense the newspaper industry is suffering dramatically. USA Today lost their top spot in the circulation to the Wall Street Journal, who also sells online subscriptions. Next, a similar situation i am assuming is taking place within the magazine world, since Forbes is having to do ANOTHER layoff. (this is due to the decrease in advertising.) Last year, they had dismissed an estimated 100 employees. Forbes also places the blame on the Internet, as well as, the recession. They predict that the magazine industry will be extremely different after the recession.

My question is do these companies need a bail out? how will they change after the recession?

I think that companies as well as, the people will adapt to the recession and begin by making Internet subscriptions, so you will pay a monthly or annual fee based upon what they would've normally made by selling their copies of printed materials. And in all actuality i think this would be great considering the whole new "going green concept." Everyone seems to be going green, so this would help reduce the diminishing amount of trees, as well as, the pollution the these papers and magazines may produce when they are not recycled properly. All in all, i think although the recession hasn't been plesant, it maybe putting companies n the position to prioritize.

Using the User. . .

Recently companies have been using the user as a part of the company. Twitter for instance, as informed by this article, literally used the people that used twitter to help come up with new ideas for the website. This helped create new links on the website which would allow users to do what they do easier.

Other companies have done this as well, such as flickr. I never knew this but Flickr was originally a part of a big online game. They then realized that people were using the photo application of the game more, so they are now strictly photos. Ford, also another large company, recently began using university students to help come up with new idea for their in-car system.

I think that this may become a new trend among companies. I think it makes there job easier, and helps them realize what the average person wants. I am also assuming it is cheaper. I think it is mostly great for us the consumer because we know that someone similar to us, another consumer, is helping them put these ideas together. I don't think that there is a down side to this, the companies are simply trying to speak to the average person and find out what it is that they can do to make it better.

Told you . . .

So, here we are again. The kindle, the Vook, the Sony reader and now the Nook. Just to be clear i am really posting about all these digital books because the entire class except for a select few think that the book will be around forever. It won't, it's actually on it's way to the endangered species list as your reading this.
Heres my proof, in the article E-Book Fans Keep Format in Spotlight , explains that book sales are down this year, and people of all ages are finding these digital books much more accessible and easier to read. People enjoy the idea of being able to enlarge text. (*For people like my father, text-size could be a serious deal breaker.) And statistics within the article also prove that people tend to actually read faster, and more often. Also, people are downloading ebooks they already have in paperback, simply because it is easier, and less intimidating. People are pumped that they they can bring their digital book and read it at the bus stop, or waiting in a doctors office, and download new ebook where ever they want. And yes, of course you could always bring your plain boring paperback book. But what if you just finished one book out of a series, and want to start another? You'll just pop right into the next book store your come across, and hope they have it? Or really quick jump on amazon and download it.
Lets face it. Times are changing. Out with the old and it with the new, Not to mention the piracy of e-books. That's really what I'm waiting for. Then not only are the readily available to bring with you anywhere, but FREE too. Yeah, its illegal, whattevvvv. So is downloading music/videos off limewire, we all do it.
I think that declining sales as well as the diversity of people using these ebooks says it all. They're doomed. And it will be awesome to not have to go out of your way to stop at Barnes n Noble. Instead we'll sit in Starbucks and download your next book.

Watching TV through your cellphone?

We all know that we can do practically anything on our cellphones. We can use the Internet, text message, watch you tube clips, receive e-mails, cheat on exams using google, and picture messages. But have we ever watched TV on our phones? i now i never have, even though i think Verizon has like some sort of app that allows you to watch TV clips. But its really never been that accessible. Within the article i recently read, TV Stations Start Broadcasting to Mobile Gadgets, they discuss that soon they'll be broadcasting TV onto our phones. I'm assuming that it would be accessible to ALL wireless users, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. I think that this would have a huge impact on cellphone users. Mostly because how many people run home to be in front of the TV for their favorite TV series? I know when entourage is on, i schedule my life around being home for it. Sad, i know. But if it were available on my phone i could watch it on my way home from the city on the train, or at work, on my break outside. whateverr. but i wouldn't have to necessarily schedule my time around it. or pay an extra $10 a month on DVR.

I think this would be a good think not only for the consumer, but the cellphone companies, and TV stations, it may even affect ratings of shows, now that it would be so much more accessible.

Introduction to Vook...The Death of Books?

In class we have discussed "the death of books," and whether it may or may not happen. I was one of the people who said that books will eventually die out. Everything is about technology now. As we discussed also in class, we don't wake up and read the newspaper, we jump online. We don't resort to an encyclopedia to find out about information, we google it. Times are changing, and our average everyday activities are becoming more technologically influenced.

When I was younger I would rent books from the library, or get them from a book store. There really wasn't any other way to go around it. If you wanted to read for fun or for school, those were you options. That was it. And now there are many different options such as, Kindle, Digital Reader, or the newest add-on Vook. Which is the topic most discussed in the article I just read.



I feel that as time progresses there won't really be a need for books any longer. When we have electronic books, and e-book downloads, text books are online, and hybrid video/book, books.

People say "oh but any hacker can go on and edit it, and make it different" or "the is no ORIGINAL copy, nothing tangible." I don't feel that way, I feel like yeah please make everything online. I hate buying books, carrying books, reading books, but i think if it were online there a good possibly. I wouldn't hate it so much. Because i wouldn't ever forget it, or have to worry about lending it to a friend, or lugging them back to the dorms after pay $500.

I think many other people of the new generation would feel this way. We grew up on computers and watched it progress as time went on and still continue too. I am comfortable online. And enjoy the convenience of checking e-mail instead of a mail box.