Unplugged Technology

Many people like having all the latest gadgets and gizmos. They carry around their phones, mp3 players, and bluetooth accessories.  These people can talk to anyone or anything at anytime…. when they have power. Although phone technology has gone wireless, the charging capabilities are still limiting people to the length of the cord. And there are many cords, and different cords for every device.

I have recently started seeing ads for wireless power mats. These devices allow users to simply lay their phones and mp3 players on a single charging pad, to charge simultaneously. Most of the power mats on the market charge up to 3 devices at once.

There are pros and cons to this device. The power mat only chargers certain devices seamlessly, like the iphone and ipod. Other phone devices like blackberries must have an electron strip attached to the back in order to charge. The power mat charges 3 devices with one cord, but some of the devices still need attachments. It seems like the adding more attachments to charging would make the powering process more complicated than useful.

Many bloggers on the subject of power mats felt that for the high price point a power strip would be more useful that the power mats. However, I searched several sites for prices and I found a lower price point that made the power mat seem like a plausible solution to the multi cord problem. On Amazon I found power mats ranging from $30-$200.

One of the best uses for the power mat is charging gaming system controllers. Many game systems are switching to wireless controllers using rechargeable batteries. Using the power mat allows the user to charge the controller batteries without going through the process of taking out the batteries, charging them, and putting them back in the controller. It is a major benefit to have the controllers automatically charge while the controllers are not in use.

Another useful feature of the powermat is with travel. Once the devices are synced to the powermat, they are useful for travel. Some versions of the powermat are bendable and easy to pack. Also, the user also needs to only pack one cord for travel.

Personally, I do not have much of a need for the power mat.

Amazon Price Points:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wireless+charger&x=0&y=0&sprefix=wireless+char

What others are saying:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=8536

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2354121,00.asp

The Virtual Handyman

I have recently decided to take on some handy man tasks around my apartment, and the problem is I am not handy. Naturally, I can across several issues when while trying to perform simple tasks like  installing a new toilet seat. At first glance changing the seat seemed like only a matter of turning few screws. After I broke a screw driver I knew it was time to ask for help.

The problem seemed so simple that I didn’t want to ask my friends for help, so I turned to the internet for guidance. It turns out that several people are seeking online help for their handyman questions because their are several sites dedicated to virtual help, including:

The Super Handyman

http://thesuperhandyman.com/qanda050203.html

This site allows readers to post specific problems they are having around their house. The Super Handyman, Al Carrells, advises on how to fix problems and speculates on what is causing the problem. People ask real questions ranging from how to stop a running toilet and how to  remove dog pee odor from hardwood flooring. Al seems to know what causes the problem and tells a what to do to fix the problem. He does not tell specific, step-by-step, instructions like other sites.

WikiAnswers

Answers.com

This site is not specific to handyman questions, it allows users to type in any question and select an answer from a database of similar questions. It seems that this is maybe newer or not as popular as Wikipedia because there are only typically only one reply to each question, and there are a limited amount of answers posted. The people answering the questions are anonymous users. This page is most useful when used as a frequently asked question site. I like how answers are grouped into sections by topics and subcategories.

eHow

http://www.ehow.com/video_4774507_replace-toilet-seat.html

This site not only answers your question, but it has video! When I typed in how to change a toaliet seat, I got several videos with step by step video showing and explaining the details of the installation process. The website also provides an impressive how to directory with categories like career & work, food & drink, and computers. The videos are very specific and helpful.

Google Answers

Luckily I did not need to pay for an answer, but for more complex questions there are sites available to buy answers. A user inputs credit card information, makes a bid, and asks a question. People who know the answer compete for the best answer to win the bid. If the user is unsatisfied with the answer they are not obligated to pay.

Overall, the internet is a great place to go for advice for many areas including home improvement. When evaluating the advice it is important to consider the source and know who is giving the advice. Some sites like ehow and Super Handy man give references, whereas anyone could be giving advise on WikiAnswers. My favorite of the described sites was eHow because it provided me with a visual solution to my problem. I think I may use it to conquer my next handyman escapade of changing a door knob.

Putting Down the Hoe

There is a time and a place for using any social networking site.Many businesses use social networking sites as a normal function of their integrated marketing strategies. Individuals use social networking sites, like Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace,to keep up with their friends and family. However, a change has occured on social networking sites as these business structures have applied their marketing strategies to the individuals.

Facebook adds are directly targeted to the users. A friend recently told me about posting in her status about going to the dentist, and then her banner adds were about teeth straightening procedures. I recently switched auto insurance and now many of my browser adds are for 22 year old drivers. Facebook is the poster child for targeted online marketing. How effective is this marketing? I am not sure, but it seems that the adds are getting larger and more pointed.

If facebooks natural appeal to watch your friends post wasn’t enough, new gaming applications have sucked in more repeat users. I play the popular facebook game, FarmVile and love it. In the height of my passion for the game I would check my facebook account up to ten times, and have plenty of time to browse the side banner adds while I waited for my ‘farmer’ to harvest my crops. I have played my share of video games throughout my life, so it is natural for me to like the online games found on social networking sites. However, when I played Nintendo 64 as a kid I did not have advertisements flashing in my peripheral vision while I was in my zoned out state. Nor did I have the appeal of comparing and competing with my friends on a virtual level.

After studying Facebook in class, and analyzing myone usage habits, I have to ask myself how often is too often to check my site? Am I really going to miss something by not looking at my Facebook, or can’t I find some more constructive use of my time? I think it is time to put down the hoe in FarmVille and give up the game. I will miss the game, but I don’t have enough time to play anymore.

I have seen many articles and even news stories now about the addictive nature of social networking sites. However, I don’t think facebook is anymore addicting than playing video games, but online usage is monitored and sold to marketing companies. Playing games online may expose people to more advertising, but on the other hand they are not spending hundreds of dollars on gaming systems. Any kind of gaming can be band if it is not in balance with your life. I don’t think it is bad to spend hours playing online games, but right now it is not for me.

The addiction to social networks can be categorized with those addicted to technology. Some people can’t go on vacation without taking their blackberry, personal computer, and work computer. I think people need to find a balance with their technology use like everything else. Many experts suggests only checking your personal email once a day in order to save time, because really how many important personal emails do you get that are really pressing? I think the same concept can be applied to social networking sites. The only good reason to check Facebook more than once per day is to kill time, and I think personally if I am going to kill time it should be reading the news instead of about what a friend on my volleyball team’s ex girlfriend ate for lunch.

Utilizing Technology

Advances in technology, such as the internet, have revolutionized commerce. Companies are free to research their global competition without leaving the office, and virtual marking can be virtually cost free. The internet has streamlines communication, and increased the speed of business. The question is, are companies utilizing technology to gain a competitive advantage?
I was formerly employed by a third generation owned formal wear company that was flirting with the idea of internet marketing. The company has a decent website, but until recent improvements were implemented conducting a Google search for St. Louis Formal wear yielded the company’s webpage on the second page of listings. The owner would like to blog, tweet, or facebook, but has no idea how to get started or how to get people to read his posts. The technology is available, but the company lacks tech savvy sophistication to fully utilize existing technology.
Is there room in the dot com era for a traditional formal wear business, or any business not effectively connected with internet marketing and online tools? I think the internet can be a valuable tool to get customers in the door or make an initial purchase, but it’s old fashioned customer service that keeps customers coming back. However, good companies can fade away without proper exposure on a medium that’s here to stay, the internet.

Texting and Driving

Headlines have been made, laws have been past, and even Oprah had a show about texting and driving. Texting has become a ubiquitous communication that people text everywhere from the in the bathroom to in the classroom. The appeal of silently communicating, or contacting the outside world, has become so distracting that many people forget about inappropriate times and places to text, and the texting is having deadly effects. Oprah had a show a few weeks ago about the devastating consequences of texting and driving. She had 3 people from her audience do an obstacle course as a test run, and then while texting. People who thought they were good at multitasking and driving while texting had a huge wake up call. All 3 participants saw a reduced reaction time, hit cones, and had difficulty staying on the course.
Recent increases in car crash fatalities have led states to increase regulations on phone use while driving. For instance, texting and driving is illegal in Illinois and illegal in Missouri for people under 18. The Federal government recently passed a law that instate commerce vehicles are not aloud to text and drive, and many states are adopting similar policies.
It can be tempting to look at a text while driving, but it is not okay to endanger other people on the road. Those addicted to texting should try only texting while stopped at red lights or dictating the text to the passenger. Texting has become the new drunk driving and it is only a matter of time before it becomes a serious offense in all states.

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