IT Doesn't Matter...?

This morning I printed and read Mr. Carr's article, "IT Doesn't Matter", and was slightly confused as to the point at which he was getting at. At first glance I would have named it, "America's 20th Century Innovations, Bustling Corporations, Electricity Grids, and Railroads".

I say this only because he spent the majority of his time, and arguments on things of the past to relate to his overarching point that companies who spend too much of their revenue on tech will ultimately fail. He did make a solid argument regarding big corporations which have contracts with vendors which require them to purchase heavily laden software CPUs. The point however, is that the majority of employees do not utilize all of the processing power of the CPUs, only email, docs, word processing, and multi-media. As Mark and I walked to class this morning, we discussed this and its relation to Cadets here at the Academy.

IS is constantly working and assisting Cadets with computer issues, primarily the upper class who still are using Dells from the Dinosaur Ages. We get these motherboard defects, and blue screen of death notices all the time and as a result are out of a computer for weeks to months on end. In order to resolve this issue, I would recommend that the IS Dept looks at the Air Force Academies strategy with regards to issuing net books as opposed to full on lap tops or PCs. All Cadets need is word processing, spreadsheets, and the Internet and 3G as well as WiFi connectivity. This would satisfy every need of Cadets, without the hassle of losing a computer in the heaps and heaps of hardware in IS. 

T-Mobile G2X

The new T-Mobile G2X is truly a thing of beauty, something so renown that it has guys like Mark Leahey rolling and tossing around at night....

In all honesty however, this phone is dope. With a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor you are guaranteed speed faster than any other phone on the market as well as a whole new level of multimedia including, but not limited to, gaming, movies, and application interface awesomeness. 


This is an LG produced phone, and is available under the "T-Maybe" service provider with Android 2.2 currently installed as the primary software, upgradeable to 2.3 as it is introduced by the end of the summer. 


"When you hold it in your hands, there is no doubt that the T-Mobile G2X is a premium handset. At 4.9 inches long by 2.5 inches wide by 0.4 inch thick, the G2X features smooth rounded corners and is clad in a matte soft-touch finish on the back, with a seamless piano black face and attractive gun metal gray accents around the sides. At 5 ounces, the G2X also has a certain heft that gives it a solid and luxurious feel in the hand.

To prove the strength of the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor even further, LG has included the Nvidia Tegra Zone app with the phone. The app lets you easily find, purchase, and download games that take advantage of the Nvidia processor. The G2X comes with Nova and Need for Speed Shift, and we have to say that both games performed very well in our initial tests. Graphics were very smooth and we experienced zero lag time during gameplay.

Because of all this power, it's no surprise that the G2X comes equipped with multimedia features galore. It has a Micro-HDMI port so you can hook up the phone to a big-screen television, and with mirroring mode, you can see on the TV whatever is on your phone. If you want to go wireless, the G2X also supports DLNA, a technology that lets you share media on your phone with other DLNA devices wirelessly. The G2X also comes with T-Mobile TV, a T-Mobile service that gives you access to live and on-demand TV." -CNET Reviews

To analyze this phone real quick, I am stoked for the newest model of the G series to be produced by LG, not HTC as before. I personally owned a G1 as it was introduced a few years ago, the first phone to run on Android BTW, and it sucked! The prognosis was that the hardware was built like a rock, but the innards and software was super inconsistent and slow. Although I currently own a Galaxy S, I may choose to upgrade to this in a bit. Super sleek and sexy!

Overarching Web 2.0 Considerations, Recommendations, and Proposals

critical analysis and recommendations for improvement. each specific critique followed by a specific recommendation for improvement

To begin with my critical analysis and recommendations for improvement, I must first bring forth the trend I have noticed throughout all of the surfing companies with regards to their web 2.0 footprint. Although decently established on many of the social networking, blogging, and micro blogging sites the industry for some reason displays too much information which is extremely hard to track and follow. It seems as if they want to keep their consumers informed, but the way in which they go about doing it is extremely hard to keep up with.

Some of these companies include Quiksilver Inc. and Skull Candy, who sponser many events and continuously offer products to the public. After observing my twitter feed this morning it was noticed that by 11am EST, Quiksilver had already posed seven times with Skull Candy taking the lead with ten posts. This method of communication can be thought of as an information overload in the sense that those on the other side of the computer screen cannot keep up.

To shed light on Von Zipper, they fall into this trap as well but not just through Twitter, but Facebook as well. The only disconnect is that they do not continously update their feeds like the other companies, but on the other hand only advertise, announce, and publicize a new product once its on the market, or congratulate a team rider if he or she wins a competition. Although a decent strategy, the problem lies with the days of lag; the downtime between posts which may leave consumers frustrated or confused as to why they are not linking to another page or expressing their creativity with promotions or deals.

A recommendation for this would be to simply cut down on the multiple posts a day and conserve the good information and promotions for weeks that they deem important.  

does the organization have a solid & effective Web 2.0 strategy? Compare/contrast with competitors.

As a sunglasses/goggles/apparel company appealing primarily to the extreme sports market, Von Zipper is swimming in a field of competitors offering the exact same products. From Quiksilver to Hurley, or Electric to Spy, or even Anon to Dragon, Von Zipper has to maintain quality and performance in order to retain loyal customers, and even steal some away from the others listed above.

Unlike many major corporations selling copious amounts of products(Nike, Adidas, Microsoft), Von Zipper has three things to sell. With a very defined business model, VZ went international back in 2002 and haven't turned back since. Their product life cycle consists of development, production, distribution, and sale. Seems simple right? Now try tossing in advertising, salaries, promotions, and sponsorships... Not so easy huh.

Electric Opticals website is pretty bad, it is really awful actually, and I can imagine why. They offer a superior product, but focus too much of their time and money on product development and production to worry about how savvy and visually appealing their website is. A recent acquisition of Volcom, Electric specializes in sunglasses and goggles manufacturing and distributing.

Spy Optics offers an identical product to consumers world wide. If you didn't personalize what was stated earlier about this market, I hope these pictures help. The market for moto/snow/sunglasses and goggles is extremely horizontal, and the barriers to entry are slim to none. There are new brands exposed yearly, offering up products to trade shows, conferences, and expositions in the hope of becoming the next new brand of a Fatherly company like Quiksilver, Hurley, or Billabong.

Since both competitors, as well as VZ were all acquired companies under huge brands deeply embedded in the surf/snow/moto community, the financial reports are pretty hard to come by. It will take another week of some extensive research to weed out the companies reports and filings but it will be done. That being said however, each product has its own loyal following. For example, I rock the Von Zipper Clutch sunglasses everyday. They pose an attitude which may be "too cool for school", but when it comes to goggles I shred in nothing but the Electric EG1s. They offer durability and comfort while giving the rider a style so swag that the majority of riders on the mountain can't overcome or match.

Provide recommendations for establishing, improving, and maintaining the company’s Web 2.0 strategy

A solid implementation strategy for Von Zipper to utilize in order to find a way to better reach their followers in a web 2.0 context would be to offer promotions based on their feeds and updates. Currently they rely solely on strict product line updates, which personally I follow but not to the T which probably goes for all other 18-25 year old users as well, but if they were to start offering free promotions or deals based on those feeds I know I would definitely stay locked on their profile.

Bands utilize this technique well, in that they might offer 15 free tickets to a show to those who reply first after a post. The first and only time I was able to win tickets was when I was 17, ten days before my 18th birthday, when the band Soldiers of Jah Army(who are absolutely huge now) posted a similar update. Although this feed was on Myspace, because I wasn’t yet 18 I couldn’t get the tickets... Bummer.

Discuss associated risks of Web 2.0, how to mitigate.  Dispel any Web 2.0 related myths and misconceptions that may arise from your proposal.

As for risks involved with web 2.0, I feel as though VZ has nothing serious to worry about. As long as they maintain a steady flow of information without excess garbage, consumers will be satisfied with what they see and continue to use and purchase their product.

Color

So my weekly update starts with an excerpt from CNET:
"What do you get when you mix together a killer domain name, a founder who sold his last company to Apple, a philosophy that borders on "Minority Report"-like futurism, and $41 million in venture funding? Well, it might look something like Color, the photo-sharing app for iPhone and Android unveiled Wednesday evening by erstwhile Lala founder Bill Nguyen".

The basic concept behind Color is that it allows users who constantly utilize the application to view the images taken by others in the same general vicinity. Through use of machine learning, the app as specific to the user will amass contacts that you may not know, but share the same habits as. 

A quick example taken from the article reads, "You'll be able to see the Color photos of the guy sitting two tables away from you at Starbucks, but when he finishes his caramel macchiato and leaves the coffee shop, you can't see them anymore. But if you spend a lot of time in proximity to someone--an office-mate, for example--that person's photos will gradually begin to stay in your contacts list for longer. It's an "elastic network," Nguyen calls it. "The whole goal is to say hello."

My initial thoughts on Bill Nguyen were that of extremely awesome since we share the same thoughts on our future relating to the ideas tossed out in Minority Report. It's a sweet concept, at least as far as technology goes (not the who crime fighting tactics), and I really believe in its validity. That being said however, Color is one of those apps which requires user participation as well as quality of service to run fluently. Without the users, there would be no crowd to supply and source the database of constant photo recognition. Nguyen stated that GPS was old technology, and smartphone technology is not being used to its full potential. This app may not be quite what Nguyen is looking for but does offer a sweet segue into new ideas of location indexing without complete need for GPS.

We'll see how this pans out,  but some threats to consider include privacy concerns and malicious activity. "There's also a distinct idealism to it, as the app is buoyed by the belief that peoples' shared photos will be insightful, provocative, and the sort of things that will prompt introductions. Inappropriate content is clearly banned. "Only public images and videos should be captured," Color regulations state. "Anything captured is visible to those around you and naturally identifiable to you. Color requires real-life etiquette and accountability for all actions. Any violation of decency can result in permanent suspension of service for a specific smartphone." All photos are public and users are encouraged to use it "in the same way as Twitter;" users can block one another if they choose.

This app is free to download and already has a backing of $41 million, let's just see how Nguyen plans to take this reality and make it innovative. 

Web 2.0 and Organizational Strategy

Found some great articles this weekend regarding Billabong's Web 2.0 foorprint and strategic performance in the field. I know my chosen company is Von Zipper, but since they were an acquisition of Billabong all facets of advertising, media, and tech related material resides with the company itself. From a consumer standpoint, Billabong does great business in forms of advertising their product lines. To put it simply, Billabong is a sports wear and casual clothing manufacturer that specializes in innovation through alternative methods of production and promotion. 


As I opened their US regional website  I was greeted with an awesome video revolving around the strange connection between Billabong and organic cotton farmer's in the mid-west. As I watched and learned, I bridged the gap as a result of of the surf and snow company using strictly organic cotton products in all t-shirts the the product line. This is just one example of how they use innovation in their everyday production and sales. 


If it wasn't for their extremely accessable and user friendly website, I probably would have never learned about their process for producing clothing. A long quote taken from their Digital Marketing Manager reads, 


 "Billabong Australia has taken another step into the digital marketing realm by launching a fresh web­site template to be rolled out globally in the next six months. The brand portal engages Web 2.0 principles and encourages the user to interact through messaging, social networking, blogging, email, widgets, video and mobile phones.

Simple HTML promotes faster download speeds and a user friendly one click navigation system gets you anywhere in the site with one move. 'This version three web platform truly engages the Web 2.0 principles and meets the user where they are at,' said Digital Marketing Manager Stirling Howland. 'The main focus is to engage, entertain and con­verse with our user, giving them more control over their experience when dealing with Billabong in the digital space.'

'Version three of the Billabong portal will be driven by high quality, interesting and engaging content de­veloped around our product, events and athletes.' The site also better serves the user who is visiting the site primarily to view product with a new rating system, google maps store locator and Billabong’s largest online product range to date.

On the back of the revamped site launch comes a strengthened brand move into the multi platform realm of social networks and mobile phones."  


This was stated exactly two years ago in 2009, but although out dated the content is extremely relevant. After analyzing their web footprint as well as mobile availability, Billabong has successfully grasped the concept of Web 2.0 technologies and this can be seen through their great success with the changing environment. This footprint is extremely external, with no real content describing the internal software systems used. I'm sure to  keep track of all the programs and sales Billabong uses a complex system, but to date I could not find which one is used. 


 I also was able to find a blog with great information on Billabong's status as a media company. Some of the worthy snippets include, "Billabong is not just a surf brand, it is a media company, says the person in charge of producing the hours of surf-related content.

'This just ups the ante,' says Scott Wallace of the deal announced last week with Sony. 'We are turning into a media company as well as a clothing company.' The strategic partnership between the companies marries Sony’s expertise in video technology with Billabong’s street cred cool. Sony gets access to Billabong’s audience of tech-savvy surfies and followers while Billabong gets help in creating the content and getting it to as many people as possible",

and,

"The surf label produces up to 35 hours of high-definition video a year, drawing on events around the world – there’s almost one every week – and its small army of athletes as the subject.

'We use everything. We cut it up and use it for the web and then we use it for phone content.'

Each week Billabong produces 40 minutes of material to be used on mobile phone networks. When asked if it was working, Wallace is unable to share any figures but says: 'It must be okay as they keep asking for more.'"

An example of Billabong riders filming themselves from the water in epic surf:

And here is a Billabong produced HD video from the beach showing the highlights from their latest contest, the Billabong Pro Pipeline Masters:

That being said, Billabong is really stepping up their game compared to competitors. Todays generation expects nothing less than 1080p, so with that strategy in mind they are able to not only capture video from the shore, but in the water with surfers as camera men. It is truly amazing, some of the quality of shots taken these days that even a couch potato in Idaho can get a basic feeling of what it's like to sit deep in a 10 foot barrel. 

Billabong teamed up with Sony Vaio and introduced this laptop:

FlexDex LED Skateboard

So although not extremely tech savvy, I saw this on CNETs website: An LED illuminated skateboard.


Pretty cool eh?
The article title reads Marty McFly meets Tron with LED skateboard yet the author of the article berates the company for their "overpriced, geeky, prepubescent" product offered at just around $200. That being said however, I feel as if I won that amount of cash off a scratch off ticket, I would head to the website and purchase a green glow board.

Their rival, Photon Light Boards, who offer a cheaper product but with a different effect. Instead of an LED line around the rails, the place the lights on the bottom of the board in sequence. Their board selection is much greater as well.
Now if you're talking Tron, which board fits better?

OR

VZ Web Footprint

VZ's has a decently established web footprint, with the majority of their sales taking place right on the website. As I have talked about before, it is extremely organized and well ordered. As you open the site, not only are you greeted with a flashy hi-res pic of a product, but you also get to choose the country wish you intend to shop in. The choices range from North America, South America, Australasia, Europe, South Africa, Japan, and Korea. A banner also rests on top of it all, "A land where dreams come true... and we all live happily everafter.. VONZIPPER".

Once I click on the North America banner, again I am greeted with a hi-res pic but this time of an American sponsored female surfer sitting on top of a sheep in more or less a skanky farmer's daughter outfit. She is rocking her trusted Von Zipper's though, exemplifying the art, totality, and sexiness of the company. The banner has changed however, now reading "It's a salute to the flag of radness... with a pledge of allegiance to bitcheness".



From this point forward you have the option to check out all their products, press, news, company bio, media, people, dealers, and your cart. Much like any other online retailer, there are copious routes you can go when searching for different products. These include style, frame, lens, colors, and strap preferences.

At the bottom of every loaded page rests the social media icons VZ is associated with. Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter are all linked with a direct request to their profile pages once clicked on. Unlike most surfer/skater/snowboarder websites out there, I am shocked as to the quality and user accessibility of this one. It's like a surfer tech nerd out there was able to asses the needs of the typical user and create the site based on that. Unreeeaaalll!

After searching more into some of the Web 2.0 related Von Zipper material out there, I stumbled upon the official Australasia blogspot created for Von Zipper AUS. Although it hasn't been updated since March 30, 2009 it was neat searching the posts and reflecting on where VZ was two years ago compared/contrasted to where they are now.

This video was found from two years ago as well, and although it doesn't really embody any of their web 2.0 related material, I figured it is awesome enough to be posted.

A File Sharers Dream

Now consumers world wide have the ability to download, share, and stream torrents on their handheld devices. UTorrent has offered an app to the Android marketplace that allows users to control their uploads and downloads via smartphone or tablet.

The best part about this app is that now you have the ability to watch the torrented files directly, simply by clicking the link and watching it unfold before your eyes. A great point made by CNETs host however is that Wifi better be enabled when controlling your torrents because data stream will be astronomical.

I found this article interesting primarily because of the discussion we had on media and the music industry last week. Torrents have always posed a threat to record labels and the movie/tv industry, but with the introduction of this product they should expect sales to drop.

VZ Competitive Landscape

As a sunglasses/goggles/apparel company appealing primarily to the extreme sports market, Von Zipper is swimming in a field of competitors offering the exact same products. From Quiksilver to Hurley, or Electric to Spy, or even Anon to Dragon, Von Zipper has to maintain quality and performance in order to retain loyal customers, and even steal some away from the others listed above.

Unlike many major corporations selling copious amounts of products(Nike, Adidas, Microsoft), Von Zipper has three things to sell. With a very defined business model, VZ went international back in 2002 and haven't turned back since. Their product life cycle consists of development, production, distribution, and sale. Seems simple right? Now try tossing in advertising, salaries, promotions, and sponsorships... Not so easy huh.














                          Lets take a look at Electric for a second.

Their Website sucks! It is really awful actually, and I can imagine why. They offer a superior product, but focus too much of their time and money on product development and production to worry about how savvy and visually appealing their website is. A recent acquisition of Volcom, Electric specializes in sunglasses and goggles manufacturing and distributing.

Now let's take a look at how similar some of their products are...

Insanely similar right?? 


Now check out these motocross goggles offered by Spy Optics compared to Von Zipper...

Spy Optics offers an identical product to consumers world wide. If you didn't personalize what was stated earlier about this market, I hope these pictures help. The market for moto/snow/sunglasses and goggles is extremely horizontal, and the barriers to entry are slim to none. There are new brands exposed yearly, offering up products to trade shows, conferences, and expositions in the hope of becoming the next new brand of a Fatherly company like Quiksilver, Hurley, or Billabong.

Since both competitors, as well as VZ were all acquired companies under huge brands deeply embedded in the surf/snow/moto community, the financial reports are pretty hard to come by. It will take another week of some extensive research to weed out the companies reports and filings but it will be done. That being said however, each product has its own loyal following. For example, I rock the Von Zipper Clutch sunglasses everyday. They pose an attitude which may be "too cool for school", but when it comes to goggles I shred in nothing but the Electric EG1s. They offer durability and comfort while giving the rider a style so swag that the majority of riders on the mountain can't overcome or match.

Who is VonZipper?

Von Zipper is owned by Billabong, INC. making Derek O'Neill the CEO. Other figure heads include Ted Kunkel, Tony Froggatt, Margaret Jackson, and others. They are all apart of the organizational and committee structure, with three Committees making up the entire force. They include Auditing, HR and Remuneration, and Nominations with all board members being included in all Committees.

Von Zipper only retains about 7 full time employees, with the manufacturing of their products outsourced to companies in Austria. They do however sponsor pro surfers, bmx riders and snowboarders like Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr, Donavon Frankenreiter, Monyca Byrne-Wickey and many many others. I would definitely consider these members as a part of the Von Zipper staff because they represent the company through and through with their extreme skill in the water, on the snow, and in the air.

Although there aren't any specifics on Billabong's balance sheet/income statement about Von Zippper, I was able to find information about their net assets and brands consolidated. In 2010, $1,187,000 went to intangible assets with the same amount going in 2009 as well.

The only problem I feel myself encountering with Von Zipper in this project is that a lot of their information is masked by the over arching Father, Billabong. It is however important to understand where the company who owns VeeZee is headed, but that being said I wish they included the sunglasses and goggles manufacturer.

YouSendIt: Music Firm Distributes Digitally

After our discussion about the music industry on Tuesday, I found an article relating to the distribution aspect of digital music. This case touches on the revolution of independent record labels and the artists who want their music heard. This is where IRIS steps in.

"IRIS Distribution, founded in 2003 in San Francisco, is a music industry marketing and distribution company that sends out audio, video, and album-cover artwork to websites, music reviewers, social networks, and Internet radio stations on behalf of independent record labels."



So basically what IRIS does is control and protect the distribution of the music labels they support. In todays market, new release music from popular artists is highly regarded and most labels do not support wide spread distribution. This is especially important when it comes to sending multiple large sized files. As a result, IRIS linked with Yousendit to use the already constructed dynamic and extensible encoding system.

This system gives the record labels a sense of relief since every file is password encoded and has the ability to be tracked with sight on who may be/ already have downloaded the files.

This mode of digital distribution is sweet, especially when it comes to larger files that need to be transmitted online quickly. Personally I have never used the Yousendit service, but by the looks of it almost any file of any size can be processed, encoded, and sent quickly.

What is a Von Zipper?

"Von Zipper is a fashion forward brand centered around the alternative mindset with a focus on the eyewear, accessory and premium apparel market". Founded in 1999 as an Orange County based manufacturer of sunglasses, goggles, accessories, and soft goods, Von Zipper (or VeeZee, Inc.) became extremely popular in the local surf, wake, moto, and skate scene soon offering sponsorships to pro riders in order to create a cult-like movement.

Although its founders are unknown, the company was acquired by Billabong, Inc. in 2001 as a result of its explosive popularity and similar business model. Since its purchase, Von Zipper has proved itself in the field of extreme sports hosting such events as the VZ-Air Tahiti surfing trials at Teahupoo, J-Bay Super Heat, and prestigious Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay and
Tahiti.

They offer their products both internationally and domestically, with products being constantly seen through "a range of high profile entertainers and personalities photographed in the Von Zipper product. Pop sensation Katy Perry was rarely seen without her VZ’s on, wearing them in one of her music videos, several fashion shows and relaxing in them in her down time. Actress Drew Barrymore and singers Rhianna, Chris Brown and Tegan from the indie rock band Tegan and Sarah were seen rocking the sunglasses as well as rapper Mickey Avalon and alt rock favourites Weezer. Von Zipper had key product placement in print, digital and film in 2009-10 with the highlight being actor Robert Downey Junior wearing the VZ Fulton Red Checker shades in the hit film Iron Man 2." 2009 ShareHolder Review.

Finally I'd like to hit a little on VZ's affiliation with the non-profit communities out there. "VonZipper continued to give back to their markets by supporting the Surfrider Foundation, having officers and membership in the Surf Industry’s Manufacturers Association, developing product for Boarding For Breast Cancer and donating the proceeds to their cause, as well as launching VZ Optical’s ‘Charity for Clarity’ program".

All that being said, I really chose this company on the basis that they provide an outstanding product. VZ has yet to lose the interest of their consumers, as can be seen in their quarterly introduction of new products in the market. As long as they keep their roots strong, you won't see this guy give up on Von Zipper.

Goal is to have a solid understanding of who/what/when/where/how the company originated.

IBM Conquering the World One Societal Problem at a Time

So early last year, IBM came out with a commercial promoting how they were going to revolutionize the world. "Improving water distribution systems, reducing city traffic congestion, or making the electric grid more reliable and efficient" was a phrase they referred to in this commercial I think we all remember.



After searching CNET tonight, I found this article explaining the reality of the Internet of Things, or pervasive computing . This comes as a result of cheaper processors and a higher penetration of broadband networking.

One example of how they are currently using their system is through the electricity grid; by setting more sophisticated sensors along the electric transmission lines, data can be collected at a real time pace, thus alert grid operators of problems as a they occur.

Although these ideas are awesome in text, they still have many kinks to work out before steady implementation and future success. IBM reports that "The sheer amount of data that non-computer devices produce requires a heavy dose of analytical software, too". As a result of this issue, IBM has bought a number of software companies in this field, including Cognos, DataPower, and Neteeza.

I hope to see some and more of these ideas rolled out in the next few years, primarily because I would like to experience gas prices back in the $2 range before I die. That being said, it will take time and money to produce results. Time and money taken from yours truely...

Final Company and why Egypt Sucks

Although not one of my original selections, I chose to introduce and follow Von Zipper because it is the surf/snow/sports company which I relate with the most; case and point, my initials. VZ, or Von Zipper, or Vince Zieser have influenced me to make such decisions as selectively and exclusively rocking out nothing but their shades, placing an 18" VZ decal on the rear window of my Silverado, and owning as much of their apparel as possible.

Here is Von Zipper's Twitter page, and from observation they typically use it in the same fashion as every other for service company, advertising. Any new/introduced product or team rider who wins an event is thrown up on a tweet and broadcasted to their 4,275 fan base.

Now onto why Egypt sucks...
They're putting thoughts into my mind of a new millennium civil war held here in the US. If a country can band together much like Egypt did to protest President Hosni Mubarak's 30 years in power thus causing the Egyptian government to shut down Internet service, than what would happen if the same happened on our soil? I'll tell ya, TURMOIL.

What would Youtube sensations such as fountain girl, or the millions who walk NYC streets texting, sexting, and browsing do if our government decided to shut down service? I'm not even considering the amount of businesses (all of them) that rely on web based technologies to function properly on a daily basis.

Check out this chart that displays the overview of routing activity in Egypt for the past 24 hours.

It's unbelievable to fathom the amount of damage this could sustain on a country, and Egypt is a prime example. With CNN reporters getting harnessed and abused while reporting live for simply displaying the violence that was ensuing, what would happen to the millions of innocent minding their own business?

Here is one last article describing the idea behind the Internet "kill switch" and if it truly necessary...

Tech Talk: Some rising technologies and companies to follow

Currently watching John Stossel on FoxNews talk with Ron Paul and David Boaz about President Obama's State of the Union Address last night which I also watched and moderately enjoyed. There were three topics that he focused on with the first relating well to this course; innovation, education, and infrastructure.

That being said, here are some companies I plan to follow throughout the semester that have or may have just started using Web 2.0 technologies to innovate and boost their current status:

1: Quiksilver Inc.
2: FUEL TV
3: StepChild Snowboards

All three of these companies hold a special place in my heart as a result of their products and services to the extreme sports world. They all have adequate followings on their twitter and facebook profiles, with daily updates/specials/promos prevalent.

Now I will introduce a rising technology which also holds a place in my heart:
RF Energy Harvesting

Powercast Co. released their first RF wireless charging unit a few years back, with steady improvements widely seen through their Powerharvester Receivers and Power Mats. This idea is extremely useful in today's technological world with power playing an essential role in every piece of equipment we use daily.

A video I constructed below displays not only the physical characteristics of the product, but the environmental and economical concerns as well.


That being said, one thing I will not be surprised to see/want to experience before I die will be RF tech on satellites to foster 24/7, 365 charging to all electronics. Although the funding for a project like this would be exponential, it would be amazing to be able to walk down the street with my Samsung Galaxy S, texting away with no concerns of losing power mid conversation with the girl I just met the night before. Here's a funny, yet true article to check out when you have the time. It's on a NY Senator attempting to make texting while walking illegal.

Thank you for your time free world, I hope you enjoyed my two cents.

Droid blogger app test

Just installed the android blogger app for my galaxy s. Checking out its validity.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

"It's all Latin to me!" - Plain English Explanations for the Web 1.0 to Web 3.0 Software Updates

After detoxing from another great weekend, I found a site which grabbed me by the neck and squeezed. If you don't know, I am a very visually attentive learner; the better the graphs, diagrams, and pics the more apt I am to understand.

So as you open the page, you will be greeted by an outstanding list of the differences between Webs 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. The rows in this list all correspond, making it that much simpler for the management major. Surprisingly enough, this is the first real research I have done on Web 3.0, but I am not taken aback by the future technologies and fads of the web.

Every site which describes Web 3.0 in detail defines it as the "semantic web", or intelligent search and data personalization. Check out this presentation brought forth by sophotec

Web 3.0

View more presentations from Sophotec .

These links both describe the updates well, with major emphasis on the user and our duty to maintain it. Another site I checked out to compare/contrast with O'Reilly's ideas offered identical beliefs and ideas towards blogging, widgets, ajax apps, social bookmarking and RSS feeds. It's unbelievable how all of these technologies are completely user reliant, yet I still find it hard to discover friends which blog/tweet/post/tag/bookmark/etc...

Facebook is still king, and because of its tech friendliness I know it will maintain its status in the hierarchal structure. That being said, I am stoked for the arrival of Web 3.0. See you all in class!

1st Snow Day Shred Fest w/ the CGU Snowboarding Team

Twenty minutes ago as I sat and read about what's new with our government and president I had a revelation: Screw the news, upload some sweet pics from yesterdays shred fest on the academy grounds.

Yesterday from 1-4 was definitely one of the best times I have ever had on campus, primarily because I combined 3 of the things I love the most; snowboarding, my boys, talking stories.

After constructing the first kicker(>5 feet) I was able to grab some sick air and pop a couple 180s. Anders was going balls out, with grabs up to 8 feet and no shame.

Towards the end of the CGU terrain park sessions we headed over to a rail that Will Baker made. This thing was nuts, as you can see in this lower pic I had a solid afternoon ride. My shoulder burns like that chick who fried in the Final Destination 3 tanning bed. Either way I've got Mike Burke, the man, the myth, and the chin as my roommate. He'll comfort me, maybe even rub out some massages on my shoulder :}) <-- its a mustache, get it

Second session this afternoon should be nuts, more pics to follow.

Vince

Start of a new semester

And so it begins... the start of my last semester kicked off yesterday with two classes followed by two more today. Yes, you read that right, two classes every day of the week. Am I blessed? Negative, just smart for overloading last year to kick ICEE and NS out of the way. So with no class after lunch ever, I have more time to myself to perform such activities as vegging out while watching my girl, @StephanieAbrams, on the weather channel.
Other than that I'm ready for the shred season to get gnarly and the surf to explode. Much love,

Vince