Do we REALLY want privacy?

Do Social networking sites, the Internet, and text messaging enable intimacy? Technology anthropologist Stefana Broadbent debates that these e-business initiatives do enable intimacy. They allow for people to connect at any place and time. She completely disagrees that schools and workplace ban the use texting and Facebook"ing". She states that these should be accessible as they break down the divide of work and personal life that was created during the Industrial Revolution.

These E-business venture(Facebook and texting), have exploded as people have MANY contacts on their phones but only on average of 80% only contact 4 people, and Facebook the average friends is 120, but only contact about 6. The need for friends on your list has added to the rapid spread of social networking, and texting.These sites and services allow for people to more easily contact the core group, creating a closer tie to them.

To argue with Stefana Broadbent, the question of do we want this divide to be broken down is questioned. Yes, these sites and applications allow us to better contact our friends and family at any time of the day which is nice, but does everyone want this?
Researchers from the University of Guelph studied the details of Facebook creating jealousy and suspicion in sexual and romantic relationships, (http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2009/02/post_176.html). This study states that because Facebook allows for information to be accessible, and people to be contacted at any time creates issues. Although, regardless these aspects do not stump the growth of social networking. In this case we can become closer to the core group, but also to people we would not usually contact on a regular basis (this being good or bad).

Below is the Link for the ted video. The divide is up for debate, do we fight to keep it, or allow to be contacted at any place or time!

If the average amount of youth text messages is 80 a day, it is more believable that privacy is not what everyone really wants.
http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/child-health/average-teen-output-eighty-text-messages-day-3194.html

ONE STOP SHOP!!

A shopping list to Wal-Mart may consist of a wide array of good such as shampoo, milk, a new shirt, cds, frames, art supplies, and now it can even include a coffin!

Wal-Mart and Costco are now offering the sale of Caskets online to undercut competition.
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=121828&ic=48_0&search_query=casket (the link to the Wal-Mart Casket sales)
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=11009034 (The link to Costco's Casket sales)

In a Toronto Star article it states that Wal-Mart is attempting this to boost their online sales, against competitors such as Costco.
Wal-Mart has decided to use the avenue of E-Business to introduce the sale of a new product. These are not sold in stores and strictly sold online alongside Costco! These goods are not allowed to be returned, due to restrictions.
Think of the costs Wal-Mart is saving as they are not required to keep a large selection in stock, and are able to be shipped all throughout America reaching a large market.

Here is a report on Costco and Wal-Mart Selling caskets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRLoCTmuHS0

LIVE IN VEGAS

for a low price of 9.99 feel free to buy into the ebiz adventure of Mariah Carey and her sponsors.
Mariah Carey is selling tickets to a concert shot in September 2009 for her fans to view on their mobile phones, or for the less savy on their computers.
These tickets are for sale by texting a number, and in return you receive the 60 min video of Mariah singing to you on your phone!
Personally i would not subscribe to see anyone live in concert on my phone. But lets see if this idea takes off, it is definitely an interesting initiative to allow people from all around the world to be connected to the musical stage.

Here is a little video from the guy who is promotion Mariah's mobile concert into Asia. this is part 1 of 3. he is just speaking out the reasons for this initative

And a little bit of Mariah, incase you want to text in to see her!

Save a Tree!

In North America, we are definately in a green society which is an awesome step in the right direction!The use of the internet is proof of this.
Even to think of the paper and wasted ink saved by schools using the internet for computer classroom papers (such as blackboard at georgian), the advertising for concerts, and events on social networking groups such as myspace and Facebook, and the money and resources saved on advertising online.
It is amazing how the internet acts as a vehicle to promote this green lifestyle in many ways. Some people may think of this as a waste, or a "gimic", but look at the positive aspects!
The internet even hosts many websites on how to buy into the green lifestyle. As well even computer manufactures see this trend and adapt to it; such as Apple being the ecofriendly computer choice.

Is the internet and advertising online helping? You be the judge of that for yourself!
I think it is a right step in the direction of reducing our footprint!

Streetview?

Take a look at this video;

Why do we need this?
Why do we need to be able to see people walking down the street, their front doors, cars, dogs, cats, etc.
Dont you think this is an invasion of our privacy. If you live in one of the 11 cities this project has been implemented in (Vancouver, Whistler, Squamish, Banff, Calgary, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax WELL you be the judge!
Go check it out and see if you have a good image of your house. Who knows maybe you will be caught on candid camera! If so leave a comment after this blog.

I decided to blog about this mainly because it really boggles my mind how far technology can take us. How a company such as Google has taken on this new ebusiness idea to create more popularity, usage, and revenue with their already profitable Google maps.

As privacy has always been a main threat to the internet world, Google has stressed they are working to eliminate these concerns by the auto blurring of faces, as well as if a person believes they are to easily identified or their property Google will remove the image. But really.. does this work?

Take a few minutes and try this out, you may find it an awesome new tool OR a complete invasion of our privacy.

what can the IPhone not do?

I can make sure I drink enough water, go skateboarding, find my friends, feed my virtual fish, and even turn on a handy flashlight on my phone! Well what more could I want.. with the thousands and thousands of applications offered I am sure I can find more.

The IPhone definitely does not come with large enough instruction manuals, especially about the Applications available to download. You have a complete array of costly and free downloads on many app downloading websites on your phone and the Internet.

It is actually amazing the things you can do, and how technology has advanced. I am new to the IPhone world so I have not gone much farther than maps, a couple games, facebook, and a few other applications such as one called "heyWAY" which is actually an interesting concept, it gives other IPhone users the option to request my location to know where I am with the GPS capabilities linked with the phone.

I did not know the intrigue of these phones/mini computers but now that I have one I do not know what I did without one before!

What can this phone not do?!
Just take a few minutes and browse the IPhone App Store
http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/

Here are a couple good links about the IPhone;

IPhone App Shazam Commercial:


Snoop Dogg Iphone App On Conan Obrien

Invite ONLY

SO i was looking through the Economist magazine to find some good e-commerce news and found this article called, "When Cheap is exclusive", and the article discussed the new phenomenon of "elite" "exclusive" websites selling designer clothes for CHEAP! which sounds awesome, if you are on of the luckiest to be invited.. yes this is an invite only event...
The article talks about the website www.ruelala.com. which sells discounted clothing. The way the company has marketed the site is, they have this event as a member only site which keeps the status of expensive clothes as being hard to obtain.
So i decided to sign up! see what clothes they had to offer.. and I was put on the waiting list, they told me they would e-mail me when they had space.

They have even added an IPhone application so their members can purchase clothing while on the move.

This website has been set up to sell designer clothing and keep the prestige even with the discounts. Such as if you were to go to Winners you know you are buying cheap designer clothing but you are aware by the environment it is a discount store. This Internet website takes that feeling and awareness away, marketing the site as exclusive from beginning to end!

On the beach.. Missed your favourite television show.. Hey, no problem!

I am sure by now everyone has been faced with the HORRIBLE dilemma of being out while your favourite housewives, survivors, or gossiping teenagers have been on TV. And I am sure almost all of us have turned to watching our shows on the computer. Well, why not? Its free...or it may just cost a very cheap price!

Today we are lucky we can be out of the house and away from a television without the panic of falling behind in our “stories”. There is a video on TED.com from the tech columnist David Pogue, where he talks about the internet success of iTunes and the “downloading war” in a very nice song melody he created.



This confirmed to me the realization of how much we rely on the internet for our entertainment. The success of the ITunes store is a perfect example of this. It is the legit way to get music online instead of the not so legal choices of the Limewires and similar websites out there, AND as David put it, “I can type in a track and get album names back while still in my PJ’s and socks”. Convenience, is a crucial C to the Ecommerce and Ebusiness world . With the click of a couple keys we can save ourselves the headache of traveling to the video or music store. Not only is there profit in the sale of the music, television shows, and movies but also in the advertising related to it

DONT FORGET YOUTUBE, stay in touch with the; she said WHAT!, he wore WHAT!, or the he cut of who during her acceptance speech! Stories for FREE while YouTube makes large profits on the traffic that we provide them. And now we can tune in on our mobile devices, especially since Apple Iphone has made YouTube a mandatory application. We are willing to pay for the Convenience, and the online entertainment business is a prime example.