Month: November 2011

Over the past few years, Google has made some rapid and revolutionary expansions. It’s no longer known as “just a search engine”. Google has become the most popular search engine, developed another high speed web browser (Google Chrome), introduced itselfe as one of the leading smart phone companies, and now it’s taking over the social media sector. But why in the world would it do that?

I was looking around for an external blog for this post, and I stubbled upon a short blog about how amazing Google+ is (see Blog Article link at bottom of page). So seeing there was another competitor in social media, trying to compete with Facebook, Twitter, etc, I had to check it out. Then I found these videos. They’re short, informational videos on Google+, and I have to say Google did an excellent job in developing this new innovation. From what it seems, it’s definitely up there to become one of the hottest social networking cites. It just needs some major advertising (like Apple usually does), and it has the potential to be the next Facebook or Twitter.

But judging Google’s record, it seems to be constantly ranking 2nd or 3rd. Another thing to note, is Google trying to expand too fast and too much? Should it expand to different markets like Microsoft? Or settle in a market niche as an search engine? Scrambling to try and expand to different industries could lead to it’s demise, but so far the company’s been doing pretty well. So long as Google continues with internet and software development, I think Google will remain one of the most successful IT companies. If it starts producing commercial products like a new “Google iPod”, it will lose sight of where it’s headed as an industry.

Leave a comment on your opinion.

Blog Article: http://mediatapper.com/the-number-one-reason-to-join-google-plus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-number-one-reason-to-join-google-plus

Videos: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/

Tim Hortons’ new product line of lattes, cappucinos, and espressos seems to have come a little late. With the global expansion of Starbucks, Tim Hortons has had some major competition for a while. You would have thought they would have created new lattes, cappucinos, and espressos by now. They are in despirate need to catch up to the leading competition.

On a side note, the introduction of new lattes, cappucinos, and espressos is a huge benefit to the European market. For example, I have Spanish exchange students from Spain in my COMM 292 course. They constantly complain that there are no quick, small “coffee” shops. When I asked which specific coffee they were looking for, they were describing an espresso coffee. They would become very excited to know that Tim Hortons will be expanding to introduce signature Tim Hortons espresso.

However, everyone knows the Timmy’s quality isn’t the greatest. Their donuts have become more and more stale, their sandwiches are going old, and even their coffee is now being compared to a cheap version of McDonalds coffee. That’s right, McDonalds coffee! They may have expanded their industry, but in order to keep the quality, cheap Canadian Coffee Name, they have to continue the “quality” part of the bargain. Especially if the “Europeans” will become the new judges.

Darren’s Blog

I guarantee that within the last hour, if not right now, you’ve been on the world’s most popular website: Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg is innovation. He had brought the simple social networking idea to a new level: connecting the world together. With the technology we have today, the world is already a lot smaller than it was 50 years ago. But with Facebook, Zuckerberg has made it that much smaller.

Most people our age have used it just as a social media device; uploading photos, chatting with friends, etc. However when I watched David Fichner’s movie on the creation of Facebook, “The Social Network” (2010), I didn’t understand how the original idea of a “university network” could have worked. That is, until I came to UBC. I began using it for communication for group projects more than I did talking with friends. I used it to connect with commuter students while I stayed in residence. After seeing how Facebook was “originally used”, I was able to see how ingenious the idea was. Facebook wasn’t about being a simple networking site, it was about connecting people together.

Zuckerberg (along with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates for classic examples) is the definition of entrepreneur. As the QuickMBA article states, “an entrepreneur is a person of very high aptitude who pioneers change”. They create high amounts of wealth, innovation, and do so in a very short period of time. Facebook became a multi-million dollar business within 5 years. Jobs created the i-series which lead to Apple’s turn-around success. And Gates made the dream of having a peronalized home computer a reality. All of these people have changed the world because of their ideas (and because of their success they have attained a high amount of wealth/power). These are living (or recently deceased) examples of modern innovators. To be more specific, life changing entrepreneurs.

Article: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/technology/Facebook+fails+stop+bots+accessing+personal+information+study/5666344/story.html

Facebook has had its fair share of security bugs in the past. So much so that it has been dramatically trying to fix bug after bug. After the launch of another “foolproof” system, researchers at the University of British Columbia decided to put it to the test. And what do you know, the were able to use a “bot” (fake, computerized profile) to access hundreds of random people’s information. Phone numbers, emails, addresses, and other personal information is all at their fingertips. Oops.

But is it all Facebook’s fault? First off, in order for the “bot” to become friends with these people, the users had to accept it as a friend. And who would just randomly add someone on Facebook that you don’t know? As well, the users would have chosen to display all of their personal information on Facebook. Didn’t our parents always say “what goes up on the internet, stays on the internet; so be careful!” ? It seems to me that there is a lack of awareness of internet “precautions”, so to say. Anything on the internet is accessable, including personal information. Though Facebook may need to continue developing a stronger security system, internet users also need to be aware that there is a risk to displaying personal information.

Afterall, how many times have you stubbled upon a website that said “Congratulations! You’re the millionth visitor! Click here for $1,000,000 now!” Did you click on it? Most likely not. But did you click accept when John Doe added you? Absolutely. Woops.