What World Am I In?

Honestly, I have a hard time related to Virtual Worlds. Video games have never really been my thing, whether they were played on a console or the computer, so the draw of digital worlds like Second Life never really reached me. But, I have followed them, and after reading about some of them and their uses, I see their importance.

It's interesting how schools like Yale are using their presence on Second Life to promote education and learning in and outside of the classroom. It's a cool place where collaborative, teamwork can be used and taught, as well as how communities work. I can see Second Life being a great tool in classes for Urban Studies or Development courses. Also, it can be a great tool for students learning about Business because it can address issues such as team building, business making, and community impact. The fact that these companies are worth so much money is a testament to how successful they can be. Another virtual world that would be interesting to look into would be popular game World of Warcraft, which I know is also worth a major amount of money and has users spending a lot of time in.

It's also interesting to see how new technology will embrace various virtual world. With the introduction of Apple's iPad, will virtual world become more common place as the platform by which you access them becomes more and more comfortable? Will virtual worlds like Second Life and Farmville become more of a community when it is more comfortable to access these worlds with your hands and senses?

Get Linked In With LinkedIn

It's an interesting phenomenon that has happened to me since I have been at college. Every time a job fair comes along on campus or the a semester is ending, I get a flood of emails in my inbox saying that "Someone new would like to Link to you on LinkedIn!" It is at that time I am reminded of my LinkedIn profile that I made sometime in my senior year of high school after reading that it would be a good tool. I still do think it will be a good tool, but it is a working profile/resume that takes time to develop before you can start searching for others to become a part of your network. I feel like I want to keep my profile and maintain it every once in a while and then when the big time comes closer, I will make it more public and open so that I can enter the world of LinkedIn with confidence. After all, networking with someone with a lot of experience is a lot more valuable than networking with someone who know less than what you know. To me, it's all about learning the ropes before diving in... (I might have used two idioms right there and combined them into one, I hope you get it.)

As I read in the Yahoo article by Liz Ryan, "Networking gives you a chance to meet new people, but quality trumps quantity in human relationships, every time."

As a business I would love to use LinkedIn as a recruiting tool because it puts all the information you need right in front of you. Having prospects send you a link to their profile makes everything so easy and efficient.

In a world where everyone has a cell phone, everyone is constantly communicating, and the Internet is in the palm of your hand, it is hard to believe that the world of mobile technology has not reached it's full potential. The fast growing world of mobile 2.0 is still a toddler and it's still learning how to walk and talk, and everything that it can do.

In the United States, ultra-connectivity is still a fairly new world. Texting is only recently become the norm to most, and having a Internet-connected phone is still a feature that most do not have. But, the future looks bright.

The recent high-tech trends in the mobile all have to do with one things: location. Startups like Foursquare and Gowalla are location based social-networks in which you "Check-In" your location on your phone to show those in your network where you are. Your friends can meet up with you based on where your last check in was. Foursqaure even rewards your for checking in to different locations. Business have figured out ways to monetize these location based social networks by offering discounts and rewards if your check-in. For example, some bars will offer free drinks if you show them that you check into their location.

In Japan, what are known as "thumb novels" have become popular. More and more people are reading stories that are made to be read on a cell phone. I think these are a great idea, especially in a country that is heavily populated with people living in large cities like Tokyo and Kyoto who are commuting on trains and subways. It seems like a great way to pass the time.

What do you think? It's important.

Having recently read sections of "Personal Influence" by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz for a class, I was drawn to the article in The Economist titled "Word of Mouse", which applied the ideas of Lazarsfeld and Katz to the changing world of advertising on the Internet.

With Facebook Connect, advertising has changed and is in the hands of the people. No longer does the company solely control their image, but with social networks, you can shares with your network what products/services you like or don't like. If you share with your friends on Facebook that the shirt you just bought from Urban Outfitters is awesome and really warm, they see that you think positively of that product and they will have a positive view of that. You can express your displeasure with the service at your local gas station online, and everyone on your network will know about it.

With Yelp, reviews are in the hands of the people and if you are looking for what people are saying about the barber or restaurant you are thinking about going to, you can look up what they say online, and a community of reviewers can talk back to you.