Tuesday, June 4, 2013
TWIF Flattener 10 - The Steroids
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-fall2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that the steroids were "flatteners." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23128915
ReplyDeleteTech tonic: Reboot your profits with a digital makeover
This article from BBC discusses the new technologies that businesses can use to update processes. The author's first example, a company website, should contain posts, pictures, and videos in order to be lucrative. These extra details please customers, resulting in an increase in revenue. This reinforces Friedman's thoughts on "the steroids" because of the use of technology and multiple flatteners to extend a company's reach. For example, websites use uploading and the second steroid, file sharing, to make it possible for anyone to see pictures, videos, updates, and responses. Also, many businesses use PayPal on their sites, which uses work flow software, so that customers can shop online. These sites create new customers and allow for international business transactions. In conclusion, a company website flattens the world by using uploading, file-sharing, and work flow software to sell products and maintain customer relationships.
The airlines with widespread Wi-Fi
ReplyDeletehttp://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2013/07/flight-wi-fi
In this article, airline internet connections are analyzed and discussed. The article provides many statistics about wireless connectivity on airlines. Only thirty eight percent of flights have Internet access. The article also criticized inflight wireless to be slow and unpopular. Then, it goes on to compare the percentage of flights with connectivity to the average customer satisfaction. The article mentions a small airline, Virgin America, and how all of their flights have connectivity. They also receive a very high rate of customer satisfaction. In the future, many airlines such as Southwest and United Airways plan to advance connectivity by providing it to all flights. The article supports and refutes some of Friedman’s points about “the steroids”. The main point that this article refutes is Friedman’s beliefs that people can connect to the Internet almost anywhere. He mentions how he could connect to the Internet on his train ride; however, the number of passengers on trains is significantly less than on airplanes. The statistic that only thirty eight percent of flights have connectivity means that less than half of travelers can “go global” and experience the flat world. However, Friedman still remains correct about the ability to connect anywhere is continuing to grow. The announcements by Southwest and United Airways is an example that the ability to being able to connect is on the rise. In essence, airline transportation services may not contain access to the global world but that ability continually increases.
WATCH: This is how Google Glass actually works
ReplyDeletehttp://theweek.com/article/index/243509/watch-this-is-how-google-glass-actually-works
This article from The Week shows and talks about the abilities of Google's beta product Google Glass. This product is actually a wearable device that performs many tasks through a small eye sized screen, such as taking pictures, searching the Internet, sending messages and making video calls, sharing pictures, and giving directions with a combination of simple voice commands and touch pad gestures. Although it must be synced with a smartphone via bluetooth, it does not require a WiFi connection for it to even remotely work. This proves Friedman's theories true, that these steroids have enforced so many other flatteners. Google Glass, though, is a revolutionary type of steroid. It incorporates flatteners like uploading, informing, and World Wide Web usage all into one screen smaller than the eye. It allows every action capable of a smartphone to be done without holding any device. This could possibly change the lives of humans if it becomes a regular device in life and the newest smartphones today will become has-been technology. In essence, Google Glass incorporates multiple types of flatteners into one small device, which reinforces the views expressed by Friedman.
Earth's Life-Forms Collected to Aid in Genetic Research
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/08/130805-genome-smithsonian-dna-sequencing-science/
This National Geographic article speaks about the advances in DNA studies. The Smithsonian wants to collect and cryogenically freeze samples of all the organism on the earth. Scientist believe this project could potentially cure diseases and prevent extinction through cloning. To reach this goal the Smithsonian also wishes to share materials with biorepositories all around the world including Britain. Also due to the advancements made in technology and production which make the cost decrease, this huge task that a world of scientist wishes to achieve no stands plausible. This research program shows the steroids that Friedman talks about in his last and final flattener. The technological steroids make communicating and transferring files across distances seamlessly in order to create efficiency in scientific advancements like the DNA library in this article. The steroids permit all countries to share what organisms they collected to conjure up a massive variety of species. They can also share equipment and software to make the experiments possible. Furthermore, because of these efficiency advancements prices can lower and make a great playing field.
Five Mobile Start-ups that Build Businesses Not Apps
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/five-mobile-startups-that-build-businesses-not-apps/2013/04/17/206d15fe-a7af-11e2-9e1c-bb0fb0c2edd9_story.html
In this article published on the Washington Post website, advancements in mobile businesses are discussed. The author discusses how mobile devices are not just focused on apps any more, that they can be used for businesses, too. One of the new start ups uses a tool called binders that categorizes information and makes it easier collaborators all over the world to work on information. Another key point made in the article is that since mobile access is starting to become the simpler option, that it is the more popular option. Since mobile is so popular, it is extremely important for a business' survival, that they "go mobile." This article proves that "the steroids" are flatteners because they are so popular all over the world that they are causing businesses to create mobile platforms. Since mobile is so easy to access all over the world it is becoming easier for people to share information through a business' mobile platform.
Samsung smartwatch revealed by patent filings
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23587448
In this article from BBC, Samsung is discussing creating a new "smartwatch." It is a wristwatch that performs similarly to a smartphone. It would have the ability to access the internet, make phone calls, and receive text messages. The watch would also benefit athletes, containing apps on sports and fitness. This idea could be the biggest product since Apple's ipad, but there are worries that there may be a higher demand for sunglasses that carry smartphone abilities. Despite these worries, Samsung has created multiple smartwatch designs, but there is no final product open to the public quite yet. Although Samsung was the first to come up with the idea, it still has high competition with other companies. Especially Apple, due to a recent survey that finalized that Apple would be the most trusted company to create a smartwatch, coming in with 39% of the votes. The smartwatch idea could be a new software platform. This article supports Friedman's theory about "the steroids" because this new smartwatch idea will enhance other flatteners such as uploading and in-forming. This idea is taking technology to a whole new level that is expanding the already flattened world.
The wireless connections that may change our lives (Steroids) wireless connectivity
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23326035
In an article from BBC News, Peter Day, the author of the article, discusses the current wireless revolution in which a myriad of entities will soon become connected. Already, as discussed in The World is Flat, mobile phones, computers, and tablets are connected to the internet thanks to Wi-Fi technology. Today, innovation is high, with scientists envisioning a world with over fifty billion wirelessly interconnected objects, all ranging in a variety of areas. High-tech firms in the Silicon Valley plan on connecting one’s home security and heating systems to the Internet, allowing the resident to turn on security and heating from the other side of the planet. They also hope to design and manufacture intelligent fridges and washers, and some even envision wireless sensors in livestock’s stomachs, alerting their farmer when something goes awry; however, these ideas are just the beginning. This story illustrates Friedman’s tenth flattener, the Steroids, which are aspects of the modern world that supercharge other flatteners. Indeed, these avant garde technologies that scientists are dreaming up reflect our hunger for wireless connectivity. Now that the world is flattened (and is continuing to flatten by proposed technologies such as these), individuals can maintain their house temperatures or tell their coffee machine how much sugar to put in their cup, all from their mobile phone. While these ideas may seem frivolous and unneeded, they drive innovation in other flatteners. For instance, the creation of a wireless enabled washing machine, as proposed in the article, may trigger a company to create the product. Now, that company may offshore the production of the product to cut costs, upgrade their workflow software to enhance productivity, and collaborate with the use of live videoconferencing. All told, the original Steroid supercharges other flatteners, much like how Friedman describes it. In essence, the advent of never before seen technologies, such as those discussed in the article, illustrates Friedman’s flattener in the sense that once one Steroid is utilized, the flattening of many others occurs.
Facebook plans to test mobile payments service to let users make purchases within apps
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-plans-to-test-mobile-payments-service-to-let-users-make-purchases-within-apps/2013/08/15/2996d40a-05e5-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.html
This article talks about a large company that we all probably have heard about called Facebook which is planning to start testing a way that people can pay for things on their smart phones. This would be very convenient and probably make more people pay for things on Facebook. That, in return, would give Facebook more money. This is supporting Friedman's argument that the steroids are helping to flatten the world. Individuals are able to spend money through an app on their phone very quickly and easily from anywhere, at anytime, through the internet.
China's Tianhe-2 retakes fastest supercomputer crown
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22936989
China recently surpassed all other supercomputer speeds to own the title of “the world’s most powerful” and fastest system. Not expected to be completed until 2015, China’s Tianhe-2 nearly doubles the speed of the second fastest supercomputer in the United States—Titan. Tianhe-2 runs at 33.86 petaflob/sec with a turbo boost speed of 54.9 petaflop/sec. Titan, the world’s second fastest supercomputer, runs at 17.59 petaflop/sec with a turbo boost speed of 27.11 petaflop/sec. The third fastest computer is Sequoia, which is located in the United States, and the K computer in Japan is the fourth fastest supercomputer. China’s Tianhe-2 uses a total of 3.12 million processors. Some processors were invented by the Chinese to run specific defense programs. This article relates to Friedman’s book because his chapter The Steroids because his tenth chapter relates to the advancement in computing power as well as wifi enhancement. In his book, Friedman says that chips in computers are getting faster to sustain the ever increasing need for people to access more demanding programs. Faster chips allow people to connect faster, and to complete more tasks. China’s Tianhe-2 uses some of the latest technology as well as its own technology to make its supercomputer the fastest in the world. Friedman says in his book that the “steroids” are “amplifying and turbocharging all the other flatteners.” This is so because as chips get faster, people can make software or connect faster and in a more efficient way. He also talks about chips getting smaller and containing more transistors to speed up computing power and even introducing additional cores into processors to reduce heat damage. China’s Tianhe-2 is a perfect example of one of the “steroids” because China introduced new, extreme technology to create the world’s fastest supercomputer. This computer alone will be used for educational and research uses that will in the future possibly develop new software or technology to “supercharge” the flattening of the world.
Napster coming back in 14 European countries
ReplyDeletehttp://www.euronews.com/2013/06/04/napster-is-coming-back-in-14-european-countries/
This article from Euronews explains that the popular music-sharing website, Napster, is once again running in some European countries. The purpose of the website is to allow users to share music files with other users at any time and any place. Users must pay a fee to be able to download music from the website.
Freidman discusses the Napster website in the tenth flattener, steroids. He explains that file sharing websites, such as this one, are very effective. File sharing can enhance some of the other flatteners such as in-forming, workflow software, and uploading. It enhances in-forming because it allows people to find music on their own, workflow software because companies or individuals can send each other the files that they are working on to be able to work simultaneously, and uploading because people can upload their own files to the website. On the contrary, Freidman also mentioned that this website was shut down in the United States because it violated copyright laws.
High-speed in-flight internet possible by 2014
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23768536
This article, published by BBC, discusses how high-speed, in-flight internet access may be available by the year 2014. This would involve supplying a new satellite system for aircraft carriers that would be able to deliver much faster connections to those aboard a plane. This technology could also be used on boats and trains, as the connection on these vehicles is relatively weak. The technology would provide many benefits for passengers, as they could now work as if they were in an office while on a plane, boat, or train. However, the available internet might prove annoying as well, particularly on trains and planes, since people would be able to use Skype or similar programs on their phones. This supports Friedman’s argument on his tenth flattener, the steroids, particularly the mobile steroid, because it reinforces how there are more available technologies that allow an individual to work away from an office. Additionally, it supports Friedman’s digital steroid, because video from Netflix or Youtube joins the standards along with all other types of digital media that could be accessed onboard. The range of which a person can access the internet grows with each new technology, and soon it will be able to reach the skies.
Highlights From Apple’s Conference Keynote
ReplyDeletehttp://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/10/live-blog-apple-conference-keynote/
This article talks about what advances have been explained from Apple’s Conference. The section “Updates to Apple’s iCloud,” explains that there are over 300 million iCloud accounts. iCloud has also “sent 800 billion iMessages and 7.4 trillion push notifications.” The section also talks about how things created in iWork can be directly transferred to iCloud. This means that an individual can save work wirelessly from your laptop and the work will be saved on his or her iCloud. Once saved onto the iCloud, this person can access their work whenever they desire wirelessly, or from their smart phones as well. Flattener #10 relates to this article because Friedman explains that the digital devices act as ‘steroids’ for other flatteners. ICloud helps people connect better and it also allows people to share information almost instantaneously. It also benefits others as well as the ‘saver’ because, depending on the privacy settings, other people can see and share their saved products. Anything can be saved to iCloud almost anywhere, anytime, by anyone.
Apple reports issue with iMessage, iCloud services
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/apple-reports-issue-with-imessage-icloud-services/2013/08/22/ba0b6c64-0b33-11e3-8974-f97ab3b3c677_story.html
This article talks about how technical difficulties had been preventing iMessage and iCloud users from sharing and collaborating with one another or even downloading attachments. This article goes with Friedman's tenth flattener because it speaks about iMessage and iCloud. Friedman's tenth flattener explains how some devices and apps can work as a "steroids". iMessage and iCloud is one of them. These apps are only purchased with Apple products such as the iPhone. These work as steroids to the IPhone because other iPhone users can connect with each other anywhere. As long as the users are using the same product, they can connect, see when someone else is typing, see when the message is read and do much more than they could if the only had the text messaging app that is on all phones.
Bracing For Google Glass: An In-Your-Face Technology
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2013/08/05/209175015/bracing-for-google-glass-an-in-your-face-technology
In this article on NPR, The new "Smart glasses" by Google have been receiving some bad rap. However the company whose product is similar to what you can do on any smart phone, believes that this new invention can take our world to a whole new level of innovation. Many disagree with the idea because the question of "how much privacy do you really have?" tends to come up an awful lot. People have already created an app for the glasses, that is able to recognize someones face, and be able to find their social media accounts before you even speak to them. The product is said to be controlled by head gestures and eye movements, which can also lead to an odd conversation. This article supports Friedman's theory about "the steroids" because the new "Smart glasses" can strengthen other "social-media" flatteners. This invention has the ability to take technology to a new degree.
Daily Report: Mobile Devices Change Doctors’ Rounds
ReplyDeletehttp://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/daily-report-mobile-devices-change-doctors-rounds/
This article talks about the use of mobile apps in the medical field. Doctors can now use apps to help diagnose patients, as well as view and share information with each other. While younger doctors have little to no difficulties using new technology, often older doctors find themselves resisting the integration of technology into their jobs. This article relates to Friedman's tenth flattener, "The Steroids." This nickname refers to mobile phones, iPods, and other handheld devices with some level of connectivity. He says that these personal devices help to connect more people together and further flatten the world, often accelerating it, hence the name "steroids." Doctors can now use their mobile devices to connect with each other to obtain and share information at their finger tips, making them even more connected with each other and flattening the world even more.
Google Glass and the Future of Technology
ReplyDeletehttp://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/google-glass-and-the-future-of-technology/?_r=0
This article on the New York Times website by David Pogue describes and explains one of the latest forms of technology, Google Glass. Google Glass is basically a computer that you can wear on your head. Google Glass is extremely light weight and can be stored almost anywhere. With Google Glass one can look up anything on the internet just with the blink of an eye. This invention strongly supports Friedman's flattener of steroids because the product is accessible at all times and the gadget is easy to use. These innovations are flattening the world one at a time because the technology is quickly getting simpler and simpler, internet is getting easier to access, and the ablility to share information with the world is happening at light speed.
Samsung smartwatch revealed by patent filings
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23587448
This article off of the BBC News site talks about Samsung's designs for a smartwatch. The plans for this device were discovered when patent and trademark filings were unearthed; these document show that Samsung has already registered the names Samsung Galaxy Gear for the US and Samsung Gear for South Korea. Patents indicate that the company is looking to create a bendable, curved screen that will makeup half of the device. There will be a small panel at one end of the device with homes keys and a back arrow. The recently discovered documents suggest that the smartwatch will be able to make and receive phone calls, emails, and texts, store personal information and will have Internet access. This device falls under Friedman's category of mobile flatteners. The reason for this is because it will allow people to get, receive, and collaborate of work all while being away from a desk miles from an office. Information will be accessible at all time, as well as the device being easy to use. Samsung's design for their smartwatch is a sign of a flattening world because this device, and others like it, are making getting on the internet easier, which allows people to access information quicker and in a simpler manner.
Bracing For Google Glass: An In-Your-Face Technology
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2013/08/05/209175015/bracing-for-google-glass-an-in-your-face-technology
Here, google is working on google glasses, were they have a camera, web surfing and much more and basically what can happen on a cell phone, but right in front of your face and sits like glasses. It is new, not yet ready for public use, but is technology and a steroid of the human race. We as a whole have been in love with connectives from the beginning. From computing basic things, to Instant Messaging through AOL, File Sharing with many programs, Skype, Graphic enhancement. through wireless devices like our Iphone, Ipads, and anything that we own that is from Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and any other tech place. It is our drug, our steroid and we love it. We want the next best thing and it is almost ready.
Syria to allow UN to inspect 'chemical weapons' site
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23833912
This article discusses the chemical attacks by the Syrian government against Syrian rebels, and more specifically the recent declaration that UN investigators are now allowed to search the city of Damascuand and the surrounding areas for evidence of chemical weapon usage. The Syrian rebels utilized social media to report the supposed attacks, which took place on August 21st. This article can be used to support Friedman's tenth flattener, "The Steroids", because it demonstrates how social networking puts the means to report things such as this atrocity into the hands of average people. It is possible that without the Facebook reports of this event by Syrian rebels the global community may never have heard about it, and no proper action may have been taken against it.
ReplyDeleteMobile Phones Become Essential Tool for Holiday Shopping
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/technology/18mobile.htm
Powerful software applications for devices like the Apple iPhone are making it easy for bargain-hunting consumers to see if another retailer is offering a better deal on a big-screen HDTV or pair of shoes and to use it to haggle at the cash register. This shows how are amplifying holiday shopping like wireless products did for the other flatteners. This also an example of mobile wich is described in flattener 10