Is "Glass Journalism" the New Face of Journalism?

A web-based journalism professor, Robert Hernandez, teaches at the University of Southern California. This year Hernandez created a new course for his journalism students, called "Glass Journalism." This course is the first of it's kind at USC, and challenges students to tell stories using Google Glass. So what was Hernandez's reason for creating this new course? To change journalists from followers to leaders by using this new platform. "As someone who hijacks technology for journalism, I want to be proactive about shaping what journalism will look like on this," said Hernandez.

The syllabus for this "Glass Journalism" course includes students creating apps for Google Glass to help enhance storytelling and story consumption.  However, this is not the first time Google Glass has been used at the university level. Syracuse and Northeastern University in Boston tasked their students to create Glass Apps relating to social media and healthcare.

Ernest James Wilson III, the dean of USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism realized the courses being taught needed an upgrade.  Wilson created a new strategy that would include updating curriculum to reflect emerging technologies and give students more holistic skill sets. Hernandez and Wilson hoped that this new course would fulfill the goals of the schools new strategy.

Photo retrieved from Mashable.com

This is just the beginning for the use of Google Glass in the classroom. I believe that once the product becomes more available it will spread like a wildfire. Although it has a hefty price tag of $1,500 it is extremely beneficial in the field of journalism. Google Glass would create new opportunities for journalists to record and take photos. Having experienced older methods of journalism involving bulky cameras, and endless cords, I truly appreciate the creation of this new platform.

Read the full story at Mashable.com

Introducing Flappy Bird...again

Photo taken from appadvice.com

It wasn’t until I saw all of the tweets going back and forth on our class blog about Flappy Bird that I decided to find out what all of the hype was about. It was after it was pulled from the market by the creator, Dong Nguyen, so it was a different version, but I was hooked. I just kept thinking that I could do better and “I almost made that one!” I am not as obsessive about this game as some others, which is why the creator decided to do what he did.

Not very long after this app was erased from the store, Nguyen has gone on record saying that there will be another Flappy Bird, even “better than the original”. You have to wonder why, with not much time having passed, has he decided to do this. Could it be that all of the fuss was purposely made to get more publicity for him? That this was his plan all along, to get people to want the app even more because it was gone? It just doesn’t make sense to me why someone would create a second version of something that seemingly caused him so much stress.

 I’m sure that many of us would like to see another “original” Flappy Bird, but only time will tell if people will respond to the up and coming app like they did the first one, and, if they do, then what? Will the creator pull this one like he did the first? However, the creator is quoted in the article as saying that, when and/ or if the game is released again, he will likely put a "warning" to, "please take a break." I don’t foresee people actually paying attention to this, however. The author states that Nguyen nearly disappeared on Twitter after the app was pulled, for what reason it doesn’t say, but it does make you wonder.

Article posted on mashable.com on March 20th, 2014

#Hashtag #Overuse #Causes #Users #To #Lose #Interest

Since the hashtag was introduced back in 2007, it has spread all over the most popular social media sites and networks from Facebook to Instagram to Vine. With the vast popularity, it can be unsurprising that social media advertisers have started using them to help sell their specific brand. That being said, it can also be unsurprising that overuse of these hashtags can lower engagement from users.

In data released by social media marketing company Socialbakers, it shows that the more hashtags used to sell a brand on Facebook, the fewer interactions users have with the post in question. As determined by Statista, a post containing one to two hashtags may receive interactions with 593 users, which decreases to as few as 188 users if the number of hashtags increases to 10 or more.

Chart illustrating how hashtag use affects user interaction

Data like this could cause someone to reconsider the use of hashtags in selling their own personal brand, as well. If overuse can cause users to lose interest, then it could create a negative image of someone’s personal brand that would hurt their opportunities in the long run.

Mashable article: http://on.mash.to/1fSSuvh

To read more: http://bit.ly/1nUodpS

Flappy Bird is Coming Back!

Flappy Bird may soon arrive… again.

By now we all know the story. Flappy Bird was the number one app for most of January and February 2014. It became a craze, and people lost their minds trying to play the game. Flappy Bird became so successful it brought reportedly brought in $50,000 a day in ad revenue. But then its creator, Dong Nguyen, rather abruptly took the popular game off the market. Nguyen said that Flappy Bird would never return, stating he couldn't handle the pressure from its irate game players.

 It seems that Mr. Nguyen spoke too soon. This past Wednesday, in an article on mashable.com, Samantha Murphy Kelly wrote that the Twitter account of Flappy Bird's creator had some buzz-worthy activity. Responding to his followers, Dong Nguyen wrote in several replies that he is re-releasing Flappy Bird and it "will not be the original game [but] a better one." The cryptic game developer, when asked for a release date, tweeted only that the game would be released soon.

I think the entire ordeal surrounding Flappy Bird is overdone. We've all heard about the game repeatedly, and I think part of the hype was the fact that Flappy Bird was taken down at its peak. Even if Flappy Bird was truly taken down for the reasons asserted by Mr. Nguyen, it's a brilliant marketing strategy. Taking away the most popular game in the iTunes App Store at the height of its popularity doesn't make people disinterested - it makes them more determined to play the game. Now, this 'new and improved' version of Flappy Bird has to be spectacular. It has to blow everyone's mind because we're all expecting it to live up to the hype that was placed on its infuriating predecessor. It seems Flappy Bird’s reign of frustration isn’t done quite yet.

Too Many Hashtags

We all know what  a hashtag is. Most of us probably use them on a daily basis with our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts. I personally use them all the time.

Social Media is growing and companies are using it as a way to promote their brands. One would think that the more hashtags used on a post would draw more attention but this is not the case. According to the social media marketing company Socialbakers, the more hashtags on a brands post, the less engagement it receives.

Hashtags are meant to group together topics that are related. I think to many hashtags may take away from what the main point of the post is about. This may be why there is less engagement when too many hashtags are used.

An article posted on March 22, 2014 on mashable.com shows a chart created by Statista that shows how hashtags affect a brands audience engagement. The article can be found here
http://mashable.com/2014/03/21/facebook-hashtags-brands/

Everyone is a Reporter-The Ukraine

Anyone can be a journalist or news reporter these days, all they require is an internet connection. Through an article posted on mashable we are currently finding that when it comes to the political crisis in the Ukraine, social media is providing immense amounts of information. Twitter has provided the world with images of the crisis, but YouTube has provided more than 90,000 videos in relation to the crisis.

These videos have been uploaded since Feb. 1, and they represent 82% more videos than were shared to the service over the previous two months. They also give a look at the mayhem in the streets with unfiltered eyes. More than 200,000 people watched Espreso TV’s live coverage of protests in Ukraine’s capital city of Kiev. Furthermore, the YouTube videos and live streams have reached more than 25 million views between them.

Tom Sly, YouTube’s global head of news partnerships said in a statement, “YouTube is critical to giving people access to immediate and unfiltered information about what's happening on the ground from multiple perspectives…Eyewitness reporters, traditional broadcasters and new made-for-digital news organizations are playing a big role in moments such as the protests in the Ukraine and Venezuela to enable information to reach more corners of the world via YouTube."

I think that the people involved in the crisis or those that have access to information about it, including video should unquestionably share it with the world on any medium they have. News coverage is a business be it print or video, and as such they often have slants and don’t provide proper coverage or filter the information before it reaches the general public. When individuals share their findings there is less chance for bias or slant especially if it is just a live stream of chaos. 

Physical printed media may be making a comeback, knock on wood.

    Social media and everything online is the future, right? Well, according to this TechCrunch article from December, Instagram is thinking of taking a step back in time and offering their own printing services to transfer your favorite square, filtered snapshots onto physical "things" like paper, wood, glass, or canvas. This service is currently available from other websites, but not directly through Instagram. The problem with our recent online lives is that much of the stuff we create calls the cloud or hard drive home. It is rare if any picture taken on a iPhone makes it to a glossy or matte photo print that is safe from something traumatic that may happen on the inter-webs. 

Printing Instagram photos can also be a huge money-maker for the Facebook-owned company during holidays and birthdays. There is undeniably something more personal than tagging someone in a photo online, or writing them a message on their Facebook wall, or an e-card, and it is a physical card with a picture and a hand-written message. Around these times of the year, a picture capturing a special moment can be mailed to someone on a card, or make the picture the gift itself on a piece of glass or wood. This is a huge opportunity, not just for Instagram, but for any social media website who can find a way to make their intangible product a physical reality.   

The Perfect Bracket

An incredible way to personal brand a company can be through advertisements, billboards, as well as sporting events. For instance, March Madness receives enormous amounts of popularity, recognition, and of course, money and a lot of it. Well, one rich man and one rich company teamed up and created a little twist to the NCAA bracket. If one can correctly choose the winner of all the tournament's games, then one will win a billion dollars. 

First, create a Yahoo account and be one of the first fifteen million contestants to enter. After completing your bracket, sit back and enjoy the tournament. Sounds easy, right? Well, a math professor at DePaul University, Jeffrey Bergen told USA today that if you know something about college basketball, your odds are one in 128 billion. Quite frankly, this seems impossible. Since 1998, there have been over 30 million entries in ESPN's competition and none turned out perfect. So, if the chances are so ridiculous, why is Warren Buffet and Quicken Loans creating this opportunity?

Well, Warren Buffet did this for his own personal pleasure. He wanted to be creative and develop an impossible competition for fun. He told ESPN's Rick Reilly, "I just sat right in that chair and I did the calculations. Took me about 10 or 15 minutes. I hope I did it right." This challenge seems literally impossible. However, Quicken Loans is awarding the top 20 contestants a $100,000 prize. 

Quicken Loans teamed up in attempt to personal brand. Before people even can begin their bracket, they must fill out a questionnaire or survey developed by Quicken Loans to broaden their target market and get their contact information. In other words, a big company name participated in the development of the competition in order to gain popularity, publicity, and ultimately, money. 

For more information about the contest or challenge, please click on this link. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/03/16/why-you-wont-win-a-billion-dollars-with-warren-buffetts-bracket-challenge/

Steve Case, Predictions of the Internet

This thursday American Online Chairman Steve Case reflected on the history of internet and it's future. Case started AOL in 1985, when it was launched only three percent of households had access to internet and they averaged one hour of weekly use. During this time internet users were charged for each minute of network use, and it was illegal for the general public to have access to internet.

More than a decade later the internet has grown substantially due to the creation of the World Wide Web. Case stated "our world is arguably more peaceful, more prosperous and better connected as a result of this global medium that breaks down walls and builds connections." The question, however, is what will happen next.

Case based his prediction off of Alvin Toffer's book The Third Wave. Toffer's book discussed the progression from the agricultural wave to the industrial revolution and then predicted the creation of the "electronic" revolution. Case believes that we are experiencing the third wave of internet companies. The first wave of the electronic revolution occurred during the 1980's and 90's. This is when the internet was being built and connectivity began. It was at this time that AOL carried more than fifty percent of internet traffic in the U.S. Once companies began building services on platforms such as Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Netscape this marked the second wave. From here the second wave companies developed such as Google and Amazon. Then the social media revolution took hold, as well as the creation of apps.

Lastly this leads us to the third wave. Case believes that the third wave will be about integrating the Internet, meaning it will become increasingly invisible. This will create even more opportunities, especially for health care, education, and government services. Collaboration and alliances will be at the heart of this wave. Case believes entrepreneurs will have to learn to work with governments, and governments will be able to weigh in on issues like security and privacy.

Read the full article at Mashable.com

Make social media work for you: finding job openings.

Social media sites are a great way to pass the time, share events,
photos and thoughts instantly, but is it possible to make these time
warp sites actually productive for professional growth? Absolutely!
 From Twitter to Pinterest and Tumblr to Facebook, there are creative ways to network and find jobs that match what you're looking for.

Job searching has changed an incredible amount in the past years as social media sites grow in number, popularity and user friendly interfaces. Gone are the days of scouring the newspapers and circling ads in the Pennysaver. Mashable.com recently released an article with tips and tricks to better networking for open positions. View their article here.

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, LinkedIn and Pinterest, are some of the big names in social media today. Use that to your advantage! Because these sites are among the most popular, the possible reach your network can extend is endless. Put some thought into each profile you create on these sites too. It's important to consider who has the potential to see the information. As much as we all would like to think that we can assert privacy over our online lives, it isn't always guaranteed.


Of course with the popularity of these sites it's important to make yourself shine and show your unique attributes. Not surprisingly, mashable.com has an article for that too. Make sure your resume is the most up-to-date and relevant to the position you're looking for. Use this article to help create your perfect your resume.

Good luck!

Creative uses of Snapchat helps company spread their advice

The Do Something organization always strives to empower young people through a variety of social causes. The nonprofit program’s main demographic falls in the 13 to 25-year-old age range, and it didn’t take much time for them to realize that the typical Snapchat user falls in the same window. In following this similarity, Do Something decided to have a little fun while still working towards helping others.

Sending out interactive Snapchat stories, the organization encouraged their followers to text in and vote on a cheap Valentine’s Day date idea for their “snapmaster” Bryce to go on to save some money. After this, the voters were encouraged to enroll in the group’s Would You Rather campaign. This campaign challenges users to make money-saving choices in return for personal finance tips, which many people in their target group do not tend to know. The organization is utilizing the social media in a creative manner in order to help others as best they can. It’s going to be interesting to see if and how other companies follow in their wake.

An example story sent by DoSomething.org

More about Do Something and the Would You Rather program:

http://www.dosomething.org/wyr

To read the Mashable article including a Q & A with the organization: http://mashable.com/2014/03/09/dosomething-snapchat/

Most Americans would choose Internet over TV or cellphones

This article poses the questions, “If you had to choose, would you rather give up Internet access or TV? Email or social media?” So, what were the results? A study conducted by Pew Research found that 46% of adults in America would not want to give up the Internet, followed by cellphones at 44%, then TV coming in at 35%. This is different from years past when people said that they would want to keep TV over the Internet. 

So what caused this change in people’s attitude towards the Internet? I think that it is the rise in social media and internet related activities. Facebook has recently celebrated its ten year anniversary, and is just now starting to show signs of waxing in popularity. I myself know a few very tech savvy people who have gotten rid of their cable service completely and replaced it with technology such as Chromecast and Netflix. This was very interesting to me to hear because, although I don’t typically watch live TV anymore, I still use a DVR to record my shows and watch them later. 

I have found that companies such as Netflix and other sites like Hulu don’t always have the episode that I want to watch the day or even the day after it has aired, and in order to see it, I would need to pay for the Hulu Plus service, which is not something that I want to do as a college student. Having said this, though, I really don’t think that I could choose to give up one over the other. They are both a big part of my life, not only as a college student, but also in my everyday life. I could see why people would choose the internet over TV, though, if you don’t mind paying for the services to be able to get instant access to pretty much any TV show you want, and watch it anywhere, it would probably be worth it. So, if given the choice, which would you choose?

Article posted on mashable.com on February 27, 2014

Twitter Predicting the Future

Social media is at it again! A few months ago Google was able to predict flu outbreaks and now mashable reports that Twitter can predict HIV outbreaks! Where does our privacy fit into these data collections?

UCLA researchers have harnessed the power of social media for detection and prevention efforts of HIV. Their work “suggests a link between geographic outbreaks in the U.S. and tweets with phrases that indicate drug-related and sexually risky behavior.” Words such as “sex” and “get high” were some of the phrases that the researchers’ algorithm used in order to predict outbreaks. They collected more than 550 million tweets that they ran through the algorithm and they then ran statistical models to assure if the locations matched places where HIV was reported.

There was a significant relationship between the tweets and locations, but they used outdated data from 2009 which is obviously a weakness in their study. The researches would require frequently updated HIV data in order to predict future outbreaks.

Sean Young, the co-director of the Center for Digital Behavior, stated, "This is the first [study] to suggest that Twitter can be used to predict people's health-related behaviors and as a method for monitoring HIV risk behaviors and drug use."

President Obama on YouTube?

Even the President of the United States wants to be YouTube famous.

An article posted Thursday on mashable.com stated that President Obama recently met with young celebrities in a kind of "who's who" of YouTube to discuss the current cultural issues that are plaguing our country. President Obama met with 15 of the creators of some of YouTube's most popular channels for about 45 minutes to discuss such weighty issues as health care, anti-bullying, and economic opportunities: and then the YouTubers created and uploaded videos about their experiences. Estimated to collectively have at least 35 million subscribers between the channels, that's a lot of lives reached by a fairly simple experiment.

It's certainly a good idea for the President to reach out to the public - particularly the younger demographic, which YouTube specifically targets (defined in the article as ages 18-34). These are just the kinds of videos that I find myself watching on a day-to-day basis. It's definitely interesting that the President is choosing the middle of his second term as a starting point for what could have previously been a spectacular campaign tactic for young people; however, if the President wants to start publicly discussing the issues with America's youth, there is no better (or more trafficked) website than YouTube.

This makes me wonder about the future of our Presidential campaigns and what it will mean for our youth. Will YouTube soon be inundated with 2016 Presidential candidates vying for our attention with popular YouTube celebrities? Having political figures featured on young  influential YouTube channels could certainly be a game changer for those of us now old enough to vote in the elections. I'm not sure how I feel about having someone whose opinion I value on cultural topics as a sponsored spokesperson for a political candidate.

U.S. Couples Sharing Passwords

There a lot of couples have joint social media accounts, but now couples are going even further and sharing their passwords with each other.

According to a recent survey done by Pew Research Center, couples are more willing to share their their social media passwords with each other than ever before. They are more willing to share passwords than their calendars.

According to the survey 59% of users in a relationship five years or less share passwords and the number goes up to 79%, for couples in relationships ten years or more. Only 10% share online calendars with each other.

I wonder if this is because social media has been blamed by many for breakups and divorces. Many people use social media as a way to find out if their significant other is cheating. Maybe couples think that by sharing their passwords, they can avoid the questioning from their partners.

To view the story posted on February 18, 2013  http://mashable.com/2014/02/18/couples-share-passwords/