My Name is Karina, and I'm A Googler

(After 2 posts for our Info Systems class in which I’ve clearly stated my positioning as a nincompoop when it comes to technology and all things techy, I think it’s safe to move forward without any more hedging and with the faith that anyone reading this knows I am not a technological genius. What I’m trying to say is that I’m not going to excuse my knowledge any more because it’s starting to sound a bit ridiculous.  On that note, just remember that this is all new to me so if I say something that sounds obvious to you, remember that it took the parting of the red sea and the opening up of the sky for me to figure out what was going on.)

So, Google.  Let’s swan dive right in to this evolving simplicity.  Back in 2004 when Google first filed as an IPO, they took on their motto, “Don’t Be Evil” and claimed that their goal was to “develop services that significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible.”  That is quite a hefty goal.  I think God may have even said something along those lines.  Well, mine did at some point somewhere in the Bible and I know after all my years of catechism I still have no clue where in there it is.  So, even if that motto no longer exists, lets see if we can analyze 3 major issues with Google that either helped or hindered it’s ability to achieve it’s goal.  I’m going to focus on privacy, advertisement and future projects.

Privacy is a touchy subject and a big one these days.  One of the main issues that hold people back from going fully online is privacy. We see this everywhere from paying bills online, to online shopping, to using Facebook to Foursquare to Buzz.  My mother, for example, refuses to pay her bills online because she is afraid of identity theft.  As I understand it, however, most identity crimes initiate from paper-based sources and not online hackers.  So, if that says anything, it’s that doing things online may be safer than the old fashioned way (kind of like keeping money in a bank is safer than keeping it under your mattress…another concept that some used to have trouble accepting).  So, how did Google risk losing our trust through loss of Privacy.  Turns out, when Google launched Buzz, their application created to compete with Twitter, they didn’t quite catch the privacy flaw.  Essentially, the people you follow and those who follow you were able to access each others profiles. On top of that, the Buzz mobile application was publishing address and telephone information.  So, Google is clearly working on the issue, but maybe not fast enough.  In situations like these, it’s hard to regain the trust of the consumer.  Google will still be used by most of these consumers, but Buzz will be long gone from the lexicon.  So, based on Issue #1, I don’t really have much of an opinion on Google. We all make mistakes and they were bound to come across some sooner or later. Let’s see how they clean up after that one.  

Advertisement is another major point for the internet and Google definitely shines here.  Unlike any other site, Google has mastered how to advertise online in a way in which they can profit. The are 3 main ad programs: AdWords, AdSense, and AdMob.   AdWords are the ads that pop up on the side panel when you do a search on google.  They are generally related to the search you are initiating.  The company advertising on Google pays according to how many times their ad is clicked.  Pretty much anyone can advertise there and the order upon which you are placed is according to how much you are willing to pay per click.  AdSense, on the other hand, is when an organization or individual allows Google to advertise on their site.  So, for example, I run AdSense on this blog. Every time someone clicks on the ads, Google gets money and I get a miniscule percentage. Finally, AdMob, a mobile advertising application.  Google recently finished the $750 Million deal (much to Apple’s chagrin) which will enable them to expand into the world of advertising in the smart phone arena and battle it out, head to head, against Apple (who recently bought Quattro when Google outbid them for AdMob).  The stakes will be high here, and it will be interesting to see how users respond to these ads.  Thus far, the ads are being positioned in a positive way, insinuating that people are annoyed they can’t see the ad and the site or the application they were using and this will help solve that problem.  Personally, the issue has never been running two programs at once…so much as just never having to receive the 2^nd one. I understand the benefit of ads, however, so I’m interested to see where this will take us.  Either way, Google does win on this end. 

When it comes to innovation, Google is always coming up with new programs and applications.  A recent one which has been commented on in nearly every blog is Chrome (which is a speedy home base, application running, life enhancing web browser).  What I found most fascinating, however is how they are investing their own money on the trading floors.  As Douglas MacMillan put it, “The bottom line: Google built a state-of-the-art cash-management system to improve returns. It may use that money on future deals.”  OK, so not quite Gordon “Google” Gecko in the Greed is Good sense, and they aren’t sitting on a pile of apple cash like Jobs does, but they are playing it somewhat safe in a risky environment to make sure that the future allows for more innovation.  That, in and of itself, seemed like the core of innovation and like a promising jump off point for a company I would now totally and 100% invest in.

Fast Company did a nice financial breakdown in which they compared Google to Apple and Amazon.  Based only on this, I would say that it would be smart not to allow your eyes to wander too far from Google.  On top of that, on a more personal level, I use Google for GMail, GChat, Google maps, Google blogger, Google reader, Google sites, Google calendar, Google books, Google translate, and probably more than I even realize.  I feel that these “issues” or just subject matters related to Google are not enough to hinder me from investing in the company. If anything, they draw me to the company more as they serve as proof of its constant attention towards change and innovation and improvement for the user. They help me feel connected and like I have so much more to learn and explore.  I’m still a fan. I can’t help it!

Animating a Blockbuster: Toy Story 3!

Honestly, I haven't really been a huge Toy Story follower but this one has definitely caught my attention...

Animating a Blockbuster: How Pixar Built Toy Story 3






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WOT'S...UH, THE DEAL [Microsoft]?

Having been both a PC and a Mac owner throughout my life as a computer user, I feel comfortable stating that while Microsoft is slipping into the world of redundancy in my life, I feel that it will continue to be a relevant and necessary information systems company in the future (although, they will likely no longer be the pioneers they once were). Let’s get one thing clear (here is my disclaimer): I am not a technologically savvy person and I am basing my opinion solely on my personal preference (as this is an opinion piece after all).

It seems to me that one way to analyze where Microsoft is today is by looking at where it isn’t. Microsoft has a bunch of “enemies,” if you will. The 3 major competitors (apart from itself) that first come to mind are Apple, Google and Oracle. From my perspective, it seems that all these companies managed to fulfill a want in the eye of the consumer, and masked it as a need by comparing it to the inefficiencies of Microsoft. Apple offers design innovation and user-friendly technology. During it’s rebirth, it positioned itself as the computer for the digital artist, making itself the go to system for people in advertising, sales, marketing, film, television, art, music etc. With the right, cutting edge, hip and loyal clientele, the image of the company changed. Mac, the iPod and the iPhone are revolutionary not only for the technology they offer and how they serve as a highway of information (because, at the end of the day, that’s what they really are), but also because they allow the consumer to assume an image by simply owning the product. Similarly, Google has positioned itself as this hip, young, encyclopedic appendix that somehow provides products to its users way before we even realized we wanted them. I use google for everything from email, maps, photos (ha, yes, you can’t see my photos on facebook but you can see them on Picasa…why I seem to trust them more is a mystery), rss reader, work groups, and calendar. When google comes up with their 4Square, I will likely actually try it out as well (I switched from AIM to Gchat seamlessly so the argument that people don’t like switching programs is still yet to conclude in my mind). And, finally, Oracle seems to be the way of the future. I don’t know enough about Oracle and the products but I do know that they are a force with which to be reckoned both in software and in their vision for information storage and, maybe more importantly, information sharing and distribution. With regards to Oracle, cloudware appears to be the thing on which to focus (of course, don’t stare too long…haha, get it? Clouds? Sun? Don’t stare? Not funny? OK…). Clearly a useful tool for businesses, if marketed correctly, cloudware will be what allows us to maximize our autonomy and mobility, reducing friction and increasing efficiency. The key here is how it helps laymen like me (and not just big companies). Like Apple and Google, Oracle will have to make this useful for the people in order to make it succeed and, thus far, it looks to be going in that direction.

Of course, this isn’t about the above 3 competitors. But what do they tell us about why can’t Microsoft keep up? Or, are they keeping up and I’m the idiot who just can’t tell? It’s hard to say from my perspective. It seems to me that Microsoft just isn’t as interesting any more. The value they bring to the market is the same as the value they brought before. Unfortunately, other companies have managed to bring more new value in the last few years, pushing Microsoft from the helm of innovation into a world of predictability. There are the key products upon which we still rely (and will continue to rely for a few more years) but the new products and services they offer are never eye-catching (I’ve never once stopped to look at Bing). I wanted to say that Microsoft lacks interesting innovation, but then I saw this TED talk (because I love all the TED talks) and it has definitely shown me that Microsoft is actually very innovative and just really bad at letting people know:

Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos augmented-reality maps | Video on TED.com

Their inability to communicate their interesting and innovative strides in technology, coupled with the security issues encountered by users has led to a loss of trust in the consumer and, therefore, a shift in loyalty from good ol’ Microsoft to any of the above competitors.

Another interesting project Microsoft is taking on is palm reading. I read in Wired Magazine that Microsoft is shifting into the world of predicting the future by monitoring the actions and habits of individuals. Thus far, this doesn’t seem all that unusual (google and amazon are only two examples that successfully target their market by doing the same thing). Instead of using the information to further sales, however, they will use it to predict the future. Exactly what they plan on doing with the predictions seems a bit unclear. Although, the benefit of such information and statistics is, obviously, extremely useful and a very powerful source to control. It will be interesting to see exactly where this new business approach will lead and what it will do to the Microsoft business model. I have a feeling that Microsoft will stick around, just not as we know it today.

So, Wot’s…uh the deal, Microsoft? Pink Floyd asked this pertinent and ever relevant question on their Obscured by Clouds album in 1972 which I, in turn, would like to pose to Gates. There’s a lot of pressure if you’re the “man on the outside looking in” trying to “turn my land into gold” as you are “growing old,” and you “try to keep up with the turning of the wheel. Mile after mile, stone after stone…you’re on your own.” And can Microsoft maintain their position on the outside? Or do they fall in and become the “man on the inside looking out” shouting “what’s the news and where you been?” since “there’s no wind left in [their] soul and [they’ve] grown old?” Well, I’m pretty sure that the song is not about Microsoft. In my opinion, they were their own competitors and isolated themselves in a way in which now it seems the albatross may be on its way and they are doomed to drown their dinosaur ship. There are lifeboats on board, however. So which one will they take? And will it save them? It’ll be interesting to watch….

What is Foursquare?!

It is no secret that I have a slight dislike for numbers. It may be a dislike based in fear. Or maybe just a dislike built from a relationship with tumultuous history. Or maybe I just love them so much that I hate them because I can’t master something I love that much. Either way, when we were told to look into Foursquare, join it and write about it I had a slight visceral reaction. To be fair, the site never had a chance with me. You put a number in your title and I turn a blind eye. Throw in a mathematical term like “square,” “logarithm” or, I don’t know, “addition,” then you may as well stop wasting your money trying to reach a potential customer like me because you’ve officially been tucked (and chained) away into the Hades of my brain. It’s like when your parents are selectively def to you only I do it with numbers. On top of that, I hate signing up for things online and having yet another account on another website that asks for another log in with another password that has to have another set of random numbers at the end of it and that asks me to type in the stupid random letters in the fishbowl view because, somehow, typing those letters means something. And, hey. Maybe it does. In which case, I welcome enlightenment and will happily include them every time someone tries to read my posts or when my professors need to open my assignments or when anyone opens my emails. Because, if it’s that important, then shouldn’t we all just instigate it?!

(NB – for all non-school readers, the rest of this may prove to be boring…or you may learn something that you feel like posing to your boss as some brilliant outlet for viral marketing or digital distribution or something)

Anyway, I’m digressing. Back to Foursquare. The business model is simple and, thus far, seemingly effective. Launched in 2009, Foursquare claims already to have more than 2 million users. If nothing else, Foursquare is a social networking tool used to disburse and take in information. There are 3 ways to be a Foursquare user: the person posting, the person reading and the company being referenced. As the poster, every time you go to a location and you want your friends to know where you are, you simply mark it on your Foursquare account. On the flipside, if I’m supposed to meet a friend and he says “Starbucks on 82nd Street” but there happen to be 2 Starbucks on 82nd street directly across the street from each other (since one of them is in Barnes and Noble*), then I could log into my Foursquare account and narrow down in which Starbucks he’s waiting. Thankfully, you don’t have to disclose your location to everyone (because, Jose Ramon, like you, I like my privacy too). As is evident by my example, there is the automatic benefit to Starbucks, our 3rd user.

Foursquare makes itself a bit more interesting through this gaming badge thing program that it runs. The way it works is that every time you check in somewhere, you gain points. Eventually, if you check in to a specific type of place enough you will receive a badge. They had a recent issue with their “douchebag badge.” It seems that if you went to Barney’s enough, you ran the risk of getting the douchebag badge. I find this hysterical for two reason: first of all, I actually love Barney’s so it’s funny that I’m on my way to douchebag-dom, and second of all, I love that Foursquare seems to blindly be digging it’s own grave. Or, do they think that all publicity is good publicity? Because, I'm not so sure that I agree. Also, if you check in to the same place more than once, you can be awarded the “mayor” title. Certain restaurants are actually doing mayor specials. Foursquare will even keep tabs on your activities and can draw up stats on your activities and where you check in so you can see your general habits. As of now, apart from being interesting to read about these offers, there is nothing about the badging mayoral system that seems enticing.

The final activity Foursquare offers, and the only one which seems semi-useful to a laymen user, is the navigator type tool that helps you discover the ins and outs of the city which you’re in. If you are on your phone (and that phone happens to have GPS), Foursquare will use the GPS to track where you are and recommend local bars, restaurants, shops around you. It presents you with tips from fellow users about that location. This is where their corporate partnerships mainly come in. They have deals with Zagats, Bravo, Lucky Magazine, and Harvard, to mention a few. Their partnerships allow for greater streaming of information to users and an increase of exposure to clientele for the companies. On top of that, the gps (and even the badging bit) is a passive form of viral advertising, allowing users to think the site is about them even though it’s really about generating profit for the companies. This aspect of the model is definitely worth exploring and dissecting to see how it can be applied in other industries.

Yelp, MyTown, Loopt, and Gowalla, (Google and Facebook are not far behind) all provide similar check-in services. So, who will win? Well, I can’t say but I’m pretty sure it will be whichever site your 14 year old niece/cousin/sister/neighbor and all of her friends prefer. Foursquare has already been referenced on Gossip Girl, giving them a nice step up amongst the tween community on the east coast (GG isn’t so popular out west).

One commendable thing about Foursquare is its success in making itself available to all users, no matter their mac, pc or smart phone preference. Apart from being easy to access by the users (which, interestingly enough, is parallel to their mission for their users to have easy access to each other), the ability to be located on a map visible to your friends, receive badges and become a mayor serve as the 3 major reasons why I wouldn’t join Foursquare. First of all, I don’t want to be found most of the time. Being connected to your network and being able to found by them are very different things. The idea of badges seems dumb to me. Becoming the mayor of a specific location is equally as silly. The main attributes seem to be the user sponsorship of certain locations, the user commentary on those locations and the development of corporate partnerships. The potential of this kind of a site seems to have barely been tapped since, as of now, this online playpen is only populated by the clientele. As soon as the little white rabbit in every company pops up with their clock reminding their corporate headquarters that they’re running quite behind and very late, I’m assuming they will jump in and begin a somewhat ethereal online promoting, cross-marketing, information streaming Wonderland frenzy. I really do envision this like a sandbox in Times Square.

So, am I sold on this site? Honestly, no. Obviously not. Foursquare seems to be scratching the surface of the future. It's a nice tease for what's to come but it seems to be more of an interim-fad geared very well for user #1 & 2 and a good instrument for experimentation for companies trying to figure out how maximize use of the internet and generate profit from it. Although I will not pretend to know what the future will have in stock for us, it won't, in my opinion, be about looking at a screen to see where we are all checking in...since, the screen is kind of what seems to be holding us back a bit. 

I must say, however, that I am very happy to have even looked into Foursquare and had the opportunity to decide that it wasn't for me...it's something I would have never done sans Dans (haha, it rhymes...I know, I'm a dork).  In the end, however, if it had a little more Ferris Bueller and a little less douchey-ness, I would be more driven to explore the site a bit more. Apart from that, however, I’m pretty happy without Foursquare in my life as I wait for the actual next big thing. It’s shocking, I know.

*By the way, the two Starbucks are actually not across the street from each other. One is on 81st and the other is on 82nd street. But you get the point…

INCEPTION TRAILER

I'm sorry but this Inception Trailer looks AMAZING


 And, who doesn't love a dream plot line? I mean, if it goes well then it's amazing and if it goes poorly then you can always just blame the dream plot to be a challenge and at least they gave it a good shot. Not to mention the effects and the cast. Cillian Murphy is by far one of my favorite actors. I would pretty much go see this movie for him and not for anyone else in it.

Sarah Palin says America is a Christian Nation on Bill O'Reilly

I can't believe I just wasted 5 minutes watching this...is this seriously an argument in which Sarah Palin feels like engaging? Clearly she's going full force ahead and making this her niche subject of sorts. If I were she, however, I would watch out. The Free Masons will probably pop up any second arguing that the constitution was, in fact, based on their ideology and not on the bible...I love the history channel. I learn so much from them and then lose all my brain cells after watching the following...

Jon Stewart (and Aasif), I love you

OK, since I'm an idiot and have no clue how to get a video image on to this blog, here is a clip from The Daily Show from this week that I loved:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-april-22-2010/wham-o-moves-to-america