New Thesaurus
Have we become addicted to the digital world?
Yes, we as a population have become addicted to our gadgets. We can no longer wait to get to a computer to check our Facebook, we have to be able to access it on our phones. A lot of us have messages sent to our phones when friends write on our wall. Recently I was able to upgrade to a new phone. I personally do not want internet or email on my phone. I do not have a good reason to pay for those services. I told the woman at customer service I did not want a smart phone. She told me I had three options. With how many phones Verizon offers, I could only chose three. For being an indecisive person, it made my choice easier, yet it was still frustrating. I did not need a computer, I needed a phone.
There have been times when I seriously considered deleting my facebook. I have done it once before but reactivated it a few months after. I try to unplug from the digital world, but it is not as easy at it sounds. Turning off my phone can be great at the time. But when I turn it back on , I then have to deal with all the messages I missed when it was off. I do not text at dinner, during class, or if I'm spending a lot of time with someone. It's rude. To completely remove yourself from the technological scene would be drastic. Like most things in life, it's good in moderation.
What Makes for An Effective Blog?
A blog that I regularly follow, and would recommend to anyone looking to
waste time is www.11points.com. It is written by a man named Sam
Greenspan, a writer and comedian, living in Los Angeles. The tag line
for this blog is "because top ten lists are for cowards." The blog is
updated every 2-3 days with a new topic composed in a list made of 11
items. Before the start of each list Sam writes about his inspiration
for the current topic.
The ones that I find the most intriguing are the lists that include pictures. All the lists have various images, but there are some lists devoted to just funny pictures. The author then critiques about the list in a humorous way, often including cheesy but funny puns. His lists or blog posts consist of many different topics including sports, music, movies, books etc. Personally, I stay away from the NFL section. By going to the archives the reader can filter what they are interested in. Anyone with a sense of humor will be able to find a blog post that is interesting to them.
Like any good blog there are links to facebook, twitter, rss feed, and a mailing list. There are also links to other blogs that the author enjoys as well.
The blog's background used to be pink, but was later changed to dark purple stripes. The actual writing however is on white making it easier to read. The colors are bright and attention getting. Along the side and top of the blog are little snip its of what the blog is all about. If you click on the about section at the top the author describes the contents of the blog in an eleven point list. Clever.
I do not follow many blogs, but I do find this to be a very amusing site that I try to follow regularly.
check out the 11 points blog
The ones that I find the most intriguing are the lists that include pictures. All the lists have various images, but there are some lists devoted to just funny pictures. The author then critiques about the list in a humorous way, often including cheesy but funny puns. His lists or blog posts consist of many different topics including sports, music, movies, books etc. Personally, I stay away from the NFL section. By going to the archives the reader can filter what they are interested in. Anyone with a sense of humor will be able to find a blog post that is interesting to them.
Like any good blog there are links to facebook, twitter, rss feed, and a mailing list. There are also links to other blogs that the author enjoys as well.
The blog's background used to be pink, but was later changed to dark purple stripes. The actual writing however is on white making it easier to read. The colors are bright and attention getting. Along the side and top of the blog are little snip its of what the blog is all about. If you click on the about section at the top the author describes the contents of the blog in an eleven point list. Clever.
I do not follow many blogs, but I do find this to be a very amusing site that I try to follow regularly.
check out the 11 points blog
Wiki Building
Are wikis useful? Should colleges have them?
Wikis can be useful when I want to find basic, easy, and quick, information about a particular topic. However, some wikis, such as those about the specific twilight characters are too much. When you do a wiki search you want easily accessed basic information, not a life story. Necessary, relevant information should be on a wiki article.
Wikis are supposed to be unbiased information about a given topic. With that being the purpose, Colleges should not have wikis. Students or college faculty will not be able to provide unbiased opinions about the school. However, I do think that the school's website can be biased. But the school's website is the best place to obtain any information about any particular college. I do believe students should share their opinions on their school experience but wikis are not the place to do it.
What is Podcasting?
I am not personally familiar with podcasts, but they sound like an
interesting form of media. From what I just read, they don't seem too
like they would be too confusing. Content being played right when you
want it is incredibly convenient. I suppose the element of surprise is
lost, but at the same time the benefit of choice and speed is very
helpful. I have never utilized podcasts, but I might look into them in
the future. I think that if professors were to utilize podcasts, it
would be very helpful and convenient. It would be especially useful for
adjunct professors who are not always available to students and those
who do not have visuals such as PowerPoints or handouts involved in
their lesson plans. However, it is important that everyone involved know
how to use podcasts and keep up with the technology. Otherwise, I think
podcasts are an incredibly useful form of media.
Marketing Via New Media
Does marketing through new media work?
I believe marketing via new media must work. While I do not have any evidence that it does, I believe it must. New Media is everywhere and comes in all different modes. Even if you aren't on facebook I bet you go on the internet. There are ads all over the place. Sure they are annoying but it gets your attention. Ads in social media are almost like a bad commercial. You still know the jingle even if its annoying. Example would be the fielt o fish McDonald's commercial. It is an easy way to get your ads out there where people will see them. As long as new media exists companies will continue to use it for marketing. It's an easy way to connect with a large group of people with different interests from different backgrounds.
New Media Marketing and Examples
What are types of new media marketing? And do you feel overwhelmed by them?
Every place on the internet is taking advantage of using new media. From the ads on the facebook page to the advertisements before watching a youtube video. They are easy for me to see and sometimes they just pop up on my computer screen with other advertisements. I usually just click out of them. I do feel like I am overwhelmed at times but I usually just ignore them. While I do think print media is fading out I do not believe it is gone yet. I am more likely to trust printed ads then ones on the internet.