Lifeline

We are living in an age where we are constantly connected to the rest of the world no matter where we are.  With the help of cell phones people can access you whenever they want.  It used to be that if you were home you were able to have a telephone conversation and if you were out then you were socializing with face to face communication or you were running errands without being on your phone while checking out at a cash register.  Now, if your boss needs to get in touch with you they can email, text, call and expect to be able to reach you wherever you are.  With the help of smartphones we can now be constantly connected to the internet and receive breaking news updates or facebook updates from our friends.  However, I don’t necessarily think that this constant connection is a negative concept.  While I find that it is nice to be able to shut my cell phone down occasionally and just be in the “live” moment where I’m not distracted by the buzzing of my cell phone, I just read an article about a girl who was able to connect with her mother in what she thought could be the last moments of her life. 

A couple weeks ago she was just a teenage girl at a camp for youth in Utoya Island, Norway and now she is a survivor of a mass shooting that killed 76 people.  After the shooting began Julie Bremnes texted her mother to ask her to contact the police and she stated that there was people dying at the camp.  http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43911634/ns/today-today_news/t/chilling-text-exchange-provides-window-norway-terror/- this article shows the text conversation that Julie had with her mother in what she feared was her last moments.  Luckily, Julie was able to stay hidden and out of the gunmen’s sight. 

I remember hearing similar stories after 9/11 of family members receiving phone calls from their loved ones who were on the plane and who desperately wanted to say goodbye. With the help of technology they were able to do just that.  While this may not be the most uplifting of my blogs I think it’s important to remember that while technology can sometimes seem daunting and at times even scary to think we are carrying a constant tracker in our pockets or purses- these items can be our lifelines in event the scariest of moments.  

Back to School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHN5Z-djWcw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glquKfXhLFo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayTnynojdtE

It’s August 3rd and for almost a month the back to school commercials have been in full bloom.  Every year we see new clothing, school supply, and technology advertisements so we can prepare both ourselves and our children for the school year ahead.  But, when looking to purchase big technology pieces like a laptop, who really makes the best kind?  And, are some laptops better for certain majors rather than others?  What if the only thing the buyer cares about is the price?  Well here are a few articles I found on purchasing a computer. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43902197/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

http://kb.doit.wisc.edu/showroom/page.php?id=3045

Netflix

I have been a loyal member of Netflix since 2006.  I have enjoyed being able to keep a movie for an extended length of time without the fine of a late fee and also being able to stream an unlimited amount of shows and movies from my computer or my PS3.  However, since Netflix has made some changes to its plan, I have changed my membership to include only the streaming feature. 

For a long time Netflix was the only company in the industry who ran a program like this.  You could rent 1,2, or 3 movies at a time, watch one and pop it back in the mail and in a couple days you would receive your next DVD from your queue.  You could keep the DVD for weeks on end and so what if you didn’t have a chance to watch it- there are no late fees!  Just like we are seeing the decline of bookstores and music stores, there are very few movie rental stores left.  Blockbuster has closed all of its locations in the vicinity of my home.  They then created a plan that was similar to Netflix and then after Red Box came along they created a Blockbuster box where you can rent a movie for $1 a day (same as Red Box). 

I just visited the Blockbuster site where they have a specific advertisement for Netflix members who are looking to switch.  Though, there prices don’t seem to be too much different than Netflix, some members may switch just because they are angry. 

  

There are also many new websites that offer streaming plans: hulu, amazon, and even Walmart are now streaming television shows and movies.  http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/07/26/walmart.movie.streaming/index.html- this article discusses Walmart’s new plan that they rolled out this past week.  Has anyone used any of these other sites?  I know you need special viewing boxes for Hulu, Amazon, and Walmart.  

Facebook- A Self-Esteem Crutch?

I read an article this evening titled, “Don’t Overload Your Social Network.” The article spoke of how people can use social media as a crutch for their self-esteem. Just because facebook says you have 500 friends, doesn’t really mean these are your true friends. The article mentioned that there has been research that states when you view facebook and your notifications your brain releases Oxytocin. This is the same chemical that is released when you are in love. The article also provided tips regarding when you should avoid trying to build your self-esteem through facebook and other social media outlets, such as contacting friends you haven’t seen in a while, keeping in touch with exes, and contacting your family. Reading this article immediately made me think of a commercial I had recently seen.

I find this commercial entertaining and also a bit sad because I think our generation and the next are becoming more and more reclusive. We do not have to even leave our homes anymore and while I recognize that is a bit of an exaggeration, in a way that's where it seems that we are headed. You can purchase anything you need online, even your food for the week and have it delivered to your door. You can work from home and hold meetings online with the use of skype and other online meeting tools. There is constantly new ways to not have to actually speak with someone- including the use of texting. Instead of calling your friend to tell them some big news- some people post it on facebook. And in a way this article makes sense that people gain some gratification by seeing that people are acknowledging their status or their new photos. And, I can be guilty of this as well- I enjoy seeing that a friend of mine commented on a photo or left me a message. But, hopefully people won't lose the gratification that comes from actually meeting up with friends or holding a conversation over the phone.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/07/27/social.network.overload.netiquette/index.html

I killed my Wii...

So this week I did a bad thing…I killed my Nintendo Wii.  I’ve never been a gamer- as a kid I had a gameboy but it pretty much collected dust.  I’ve never had the patience to figure out what I needed to do to get to the next level of a video game.  So it’s funny that I now find myself sitting in an apartment looking at a PS2 that is collecting dust, a brand new PS3, and a dead Wii.  I had bought the Wii for my fiancée about 2 years ago for his birthday- he likes video games and I wanted to stream Netflix.  I have loved being able to watch tv shows and movies through that program but this week I accidentally didn’t shut it off when I thought I had powered it down.   You really need to hold that power button down for a long time!  So when my fiancée tried to use it later in the week all he got was a blank screen- it had over heated from being left on for 4 days. 

So after “googling” how to fix a wii that has overheated I found this website: http://gameolosophy.com/consoles/wii/wii-black-screen-of-death-how-to-fix-wii-errors/.  If you look at problem number 2, I followed the steps it provided and unfortunately nothing has worked.  I personally am fine with not replacing it as we have the Ps3 that plays blu ray discs and can stream Netflix, however, my fiancée has games that he would like to play on it so he is debating on either sending it back to have it fixed or just waiting until the new version of the Wii comes out.  I found this great blog about what the new Wii will entail and it includes a trailer for the new gaming system.  

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2011/07/02/what-is-the-wii-u-a-console-tablet-or-controller-iwata-explains-its-all.htm.  At this point I think its better just to wait until the next version comes out next year.  It seems like it has a lot more features to it that can be utilized for many different types of games and internet use.  

Cashier or Self-Checkout?

I stepped into my local CVS last night to discover they had completely renovated it.  They added a new food section with more refrigerated items and also added 3 self-checkout stations.  Self-checkout stations are popping up at many retailers including Stop & Shop, Walmart, and Home Depot.  Since watching Friedman’s lecture, these machines now make  me think of his reference about Southwest Airlines.  Now you can go food shopping, scan your own items, and also bag your own groceries- Stop and Shop and other retailers who utilize this device are putting you to work for THEM!  Stop and Shop has taken it one step further with a scan as you shop option.  This is where you can take a scanner that is available in the front of the store and then scan and bag your groceries as you shop for them.  Then your bill is already calculated when you arrive at the register. 

People I’ve spoken to about this technology in the past have very different opinions about them.  I personally will use the self-check out if I only have a few items and the line is shorter than the others.  Other people see it as a challenge to use, because some items won’t always scan or the belt won’t recognize that you’ve placed something on it and then you need to get someone who works there to help you with correcting the problem.  I have never used the scan as you go option at Stop and Shop, but a couple people I’ve spoken to say that they love it.  They think it makes the experience easier and all you have to do when you arrive at the register is pay your bill and leave. 

I found an article on MSNBC.com about this technology and at the end of the article they ran a pole asking people what they think about self-check outs.  36.9% of people stated that they hate them because they feel like they are doing the work while 34.5% of people said they loved them and 27.6% of people said they just use them when they have to (http://business.newsvine.com/_news/2011/07/08/7043552-what-do-you-think-of-self-checkout-lanes).  I also found a couple youtube clips showing the process of the scan as you go and a comedy sketch about the self-check out options.  How do you feel about these options?  Do you think they are putting you to work for the company you are paying?

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Getting Married in an Online Era

Planning a wedding has been a lot of fun, but I get the feeling it’s a bit different now than it was when my parents got married.  My mom planned her wedding in 2 months and did everything face to face with her vendors.  Now, as she helps me plan my wedding for next summer she is really surprised by how much I can get done online through various websites and through just emailing a vendor. 

Wedding planning has moved almost completely online; for most things I don’t even have to speak with a person- I can book things completely online.  While some things like finding a venue are all still something you would go to see, other items such as, finding an someone to marry us, a band or a dj, dress shopping for both myself and my bridesmaids, picking out the tuxes (not the fittings), and purchases like cocktail napkins and invitations can all be done online. 

The Knot is a website that specializes in helping brides (and grooms) plan their wedding.  There are online discussion boards where brides to be can ask the opinions of other brides on decisions they are trying to make- and these brides don’t hold back!  They provide real wedding examples of ceremonies, receptions, and invitations which is a helpful resource to help someone get creative with their own wedding.  They also have online videos from everything to dress shopping, do it yourself invitations, to honeymoon ideas.  They have a wedding shop where you can purchase favors, gifts for bridesmaids, and reception décor.  If you are planning to register for gifts you can synch your registries from multiple stores to one site http://www.giftregistry360.com/.  You don’t even have to walk into a store to register for gifts anymore- it can all be done online. 

I personally prefer to meet with my vendors to see what their ideas are and to make sure it blends with how I see our wedding day.  I can’t imagine having booked my band without having gone to see them perform and then meeting with the contact person to discuss the details.  I’m an event planner as part of my professional job and I like to know the details and plan for what could go wrong.  So for me while it’s great to be able to read online reviews from other brides I still like to personalize it with an in-person meeting.  

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