“If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?”

While the United Nations has done much for the world in times of crisis, and has improved living conditions in the world drastically through agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), it does not replace the need for social enterprise.

There are key fundamental differences between charity and social enterprise. The United Nations provides aid that attacks symptoms of a problem, rather than cause. Social enterprise aims to improve conditions through entrepreneurship, improving the skills of individuals so they can fix problems that arise. Where aid is a temporary bandaid to larger problems, entrepreneurship gives individuals the toolkit to completely fix said problems. The United Nations and similar charity work provide help for the short term. Social enterprise teaches the skills to make create sustainability.

Programs like ARC are not charities, instead focusing on the principles of social entrepreneurship. Where the UN and charities focus on short term issues or crises, social enterprise focuses on the long term improvement of its beneficiaries. It is important that the two coexist.

External Source:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/health/47191.stm

This blog post is a response to Sincere Cheong’s blog post.

Since 2008, Marvel has released successful blockbuster film after blockbuster film, all because they retained creative license over their comic characters. Unlike other studios, instead of purchasing the rights to popular characters; for example, Spiderman and X-Men by Sony and Fox, Marvel uses the rights to characters they already own. Because they own the rights to so many of their own characters, they are able to create a cinematic universe that spans most of the Marvel world. Movies like the Avengers containing a ensemble cast of high profile superheroes would not be possible without the control that Marvel Studios has over the Marvel IPs. This universe, dubbed the Marvel Cinematic Universe has created a competitive advantage that other superhero movies like Spiderman, X-men and Fantastic Four do not have.

However, the recent success of Guardians of the Galaxy, a new IP with no name recognition, has shown that Marvel’s creative stamp carries credibility with viewers. In fact, a formally unknown franchise was able to set many box office records. Marvel Studios does not need to rely on the rights of high profile superheroes like other superhero movies do. Marvel’s name has become a seal of quality creating hype and intrigue for any movie they produce. If the upcoming film Ant-Man is a success, Marvel can rest assured knowing that they can pull unheralded characters from the Marvel roster and create films that can match or exceed those of A-list superheroes.

Sources:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/sincerecheong/2014/11/02/a-revolution-in-movie-making/

http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/192489-kevin-feige-marvels-superhero-at-running-movie-franchises

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-marvel-analysis-1201274603/

When I first saw the Phonebloks concept video, I was intrigued by the simplicity of the proposal: cellphone longevity, modularity, and customization. However, I was skeptical. It was a well presented idea through social media by a team of designers, not engineers or businessmen. The concept had no technological backing, no prototype, and no business plan. The concept simply became viral because of its aesthetically appealing and accessible video, which presented a problem — electronic waste — and a very, very optimistic solution.

Here is the original Phonebloks video for those interested:

When Motorola acquired the project, dubbed Project Ara, I was surprised that the concept was viable. And when Motorola was sold to Lenovo by Google, Google held on to a couple fragments of Motorola: the patents, and notably, Project Ara.

With Google heading Project Ara, the possibility of a modular cellphone is becoming a reality. Under Google’s direction, a prototype has been demoed, and a business plan has been released. The project’s motto: “Designed exclusively for 6 billion people,” shows the team’s goal with the project, to provide a fully customizable phone, and to make smartphones accessible to new markets, ensuring that untapped mass markets use Google services. Google plans to sell working starter kits that include a frame, a screen, a battery, a low end CPU and WiFi for $50 USD. Ara will no doubt saturate the low-end phone market. Modules will be sold on a store similar to the Google Play store. There is no license or fee for producers to develop a module, which lowers the barrier to entry for cellphone hardware producers.

Here are some images by Engadget of an Ara prototype at Expand NY 2014:

Commercial release is planned for 2015 Q1.

Sources:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/07/google-modular-smartphone-project-ara/

http://www.projectara.com/

This blog post is a response to Dredge’s blog post on The Guardian.

South Park’s most recent episode “Freemium Isn’t Free” satirizes the recent influx of “free” games that include microtransactions, a genre that has become very popular as app piracy has flourished. Games of this genre include the popular Candy Crush Saga, and Clash of Clans, but is also prone to rip-offs and blatant money grabs. These freemium games are often the top grossing apps on the Apple Appstore and Google Play, but why are these “free” games making so much money?

The show makes some very good points about how these freemium games really work. Summarized from the show by VentureBeat:

1. Entice the player with an easy game loop.

2. Compliment the player with flashy casino slots-like rewards and graphics.

3. Train players to spend the in-game currency.

4. Then offer players the chance to spend real money for that in-game currency.

5. Then make the game about waiting, but let them pay to avoid waiting.

This is basically a foot in the door method of sales. By first allowing a user to download the app for free, it is easier to establish a large user base. Then people who have downloaded the app may decide to pay for the in-game benefits or currency.

The show goes on to explain how the vast majority of people who play freemium games never spend a penny; however, the goal of freemium games is, to quote the show, “finding the heaviest users and extracting the most amount of cash from them.”

The games aren’t engineered to be fun, they are engineered to make users spend money. Another strategy is to purposely create micropayments that are very easily accessible by children.

We all have heard or personally seen the horror stories of microtransactions. It may be impossible to fight off microtransactions completely, but it is possible to make them morally ethical. In fact, many developers have made it their goal to make their games non-dependent on micropayments, or have sworn off micropayments altogether.

Sources:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/nov/07/south-park-freemium-mobile-games

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/9990086/In-app-charging-five-horror-stories.html

http://venturebeat.com/2014/11/06/south-park-is-right-about-why-the-simpsons-and-family-guy-free-to-play-games-stink/

This blog post is a response to Adrian Yu’s blog post.

Reading through Adrian Yu’s blog, I came across a blog post that interested me as a big fan of Elon Musk and commercial space flight. As the CTO of the SpaceX, a private aerospace company, Elon Musk declared the goal of the company: to colonize Mars.

As a strong supporter of further exploration of space, SpaceX’s goal excites me. However, two recent accidents seem to show that commercial flight is still a long ways to go. On Oct. 28, the Antares rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation exploded on takeoff. On Oct. 31, Virgin Galactic’s VSS Enterprise, designed to carry passengers into space suffered a catastrophic failure.

Antares Rocket Explosion – First Hand Account From NASA Wallops

Virgin Galactic Crash

As a very new private industry, governments shouldn’t strictly regulate privatized space travel or risk destroying the industry before it makes progress. However, these two recent events have undoubtedly devastated the commercial space industry as people are questioning regulations and the safety of commercial space flight. These events have possibly thrown a wrench in SpaceX’s plans.

Sources:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/adrianyu/2014/10/05/the-colonization-of-space/

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29895140

http://www.space.com/27638-virgin-galactic-crash-private-spaceflight-safety.html

While NFC payment systems have existed long before Apple Pay, the popularity of Apple phones has created a introduced mobile payment to a much larger audience. The original idea of systems such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet is provide a safe and secure method of storing credit card information on a mobile phone, capable of making convenient payments by simply tapping NFC enabled devices. Banks have enthusiastically supported mobile payments, seeing them as a method of increasing purchases made with credit cards.

For a while, NFC has been a different way to pay, used rather infrequently by early adopters of said technology. However, with Apple Pay introducing mobile payment to the masses, suddenly retailers want a share of the mobile payment market. Retail staples like Walmart, Kmart, 7-Eleven, and Best Buy have banded together to create a new payment system called CurrentC, while disabling the NFC readers that were previously installed. It will not be surprising if other retailers follow suit. CurrentC’s biggest PoD is drawing directly from checking accounts, eliminating credit card fees. In addition, CurrentC will reward users with coupons. But the fact that it is forced on customers is unhealthy behavior. In fact, it has received much backlash.

Mobile payments do not yet have a de facto standard. However, CurrentC and its backers are just stifling technological growth.

Source:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/25/7069863/retailers-are-disabling-nfc-readers-to-shut-out-apple-pay

Despite the Canadian government and Enbridge’s wishes, many First Nations groups refuse to allow the pipeline to be build. The opposition group is led by the Yinka Dene Alliance who claim that the proposed pipeline would devastate their traditional land.

In 2010, a Enbridge pipeline carrying tar sand oil burst in Michigan, pouring almost a million gallons of crude oil into the Kalamazoo river. One of the main fears for First Nations groups is the effect an oil spill could have on the ecosystem, namely on sockeye salmon and the Nechako white sturgeon, culturally important species.

The lifestyle led by First Nations group relies on traditional food and land, and it should be protected. Many First Nations groups worked in keyohs, areas where families had the right to gather food and hunt. The land has a rich history, essentially each families home. The pipelines would completely destroy the systematic keyoh system.

Enbridge however does has the support of some groups. The company claims 26 of the 40 First Nations groups on the proposed path have already signed equity sharing agreements.

Though it would be impossible to garner the support of each First Nations group, so long as there are groups opposed to the destruction of their native land, Enbridge and the Canadian government have no right to build a pipeline through their homes.

Sources:

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Premier+urges+cooperation+more+litigation+government+natives+reach+fork+road/10194776/story.html

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/There+will+pipeline/10122968/story.html

FireChat, an app designed to connect friends at crowded venues has been pushed to the spotlight by recent protests in Hong Kong. Instead of using cellular networks or internet access, the app relies on bluetooth or peer-to-peer wifi to send messages to people within 70 meters of the user. It creates a public forum organized in a geographic location. This makes it hard for authorities to monitor and crack down on conversations.

It was adopted by the Occupy protesters amid fears of an internet shutdown by the authorities. The app was quickly pushed into the top downloads of Apple’s Appstore and Google Play.

Originally made by Open Garden for entertainment purposes, the app’s rise to the limelight has proved that it is useful in countries with censorship and countries with poor internet connectivity. The app may gain traction due to recent events.

Apps with large user bases have lots of value to investors due to the potential for localized advertisements. Recently the value of similar apps has skyrocketed. WhatsApp was bought by Facebook for 19 billion dollars. Will FireChat be the next app sold for over a billion dollars?

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102055796#.
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-firechat-hong-kong-20141001-story.html?track=rss

With the announcement of Apple Pay, Alibaba’s IPO, and the popularity of various payment systems, it is clear that PayPal has its hands on a golden opportunity. As one of the earlier payment systems, people have used and trusted PayPal. The division from Ebay is a great move that will allow PayPal to pursue new opportunities as mobile payments have become more and more popular.

Ebay has held back PayPal as a subsidiary of a downward company. Investor Carl Icahn has commented “PayPal’s a jewel and Ebay is covering up its value.” PayPal founder Elon Musk has gone on record stating “It doesn’t make sense that a global payment system is a subsidiary of an auction website… It’s as if Target owned Visa or something, [PayPal] will get cut to pieces by Amazon payments or by other systems like Apple and by start-ups if it continues to be part of eBay… It will either wither or be spun out.”

The division will allow PayPal to aggressively cement itself as a global payment system, in a market brimming with potential growth.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2014/09/30/ebay-and-paypal-to-split-carl-icahn-and-elon-musk-wish-comes-true/