Zack Morris: a Teen Ahead of His Time

Over the life of this blog, it’s been easy for you to figure out two things about me: I don’t like the way people use social networking sites like Facebook, and I don’t like people’s reliance 24/7 on their cell phones. Do I wish cell phones had never been invented? Absolutely not. I have a cell phone which I use to make phone calls or send text messages. But I’m not addicted to it. I can have a conversation with someone without interrupting it to answer my buzzing phone.

But I digress…

Cell phones today are small, convenient, and user friendly. And everyone over 12-years-old has one. That wasn’t the case when I was in middle and high school in the early-to-mid 1990′s. A few kids had beepers. Hardly any had a cell phone. Mostly because they were expensive and weren’t appropriate for kids to have in class. (That’s a argument I think is still valid, but I’m a curmudgeon.) The other reason was because they were just SO BIG! It was like carrying another small text book in your backpack. Who wanted something else in there to contribute to their homework scoliosis?

But there was one high school kid everyone knew had a cell phone. Not only was he the most popular guy in school, but he was the most popular guy in high school in the country in the early 90′s. Yes, I’m talking about Zack Morris and his 3-foot, 4-ton phone on “Saved By the Bell.”

Can you imagine having that phone today? In fact, I think they SHOULD bring back that phone. If you’re under 17, you shouldn’t be allowed to have a cool phone. You should have to carry the Zack Morris phone. Who would want to be seen with that? Those things would stay in kids’ backpacks and only used in emergency situations.

I bet a lot of high school teachers would agree with me.

Aaron

How Much is Too Much Product Placement?

With the increasing popularity of watching shows over the Internet or on a DVR, consumers are opting not to watch as many commercials. And considering there are more commercials per hour of programming, advertisers are losing millions of ad views per week by potential target audience members. That’s why product placement is more popular today than ever before.

Whether it’s the “American Idol” judges sitting behind their desk with their favorite beverage in front of them:

or one character on “Chuck” bringing another his lunch order:

product placement is all over the television. I don’t think that’s really a bad thing. Brand images are everywhere. I hate watching a TV show and seeing the brand emblem on a car blanked out, as though consumers don’t recognize the car as a Mercedes Benz. And it’s not like ”Idol” was interrupted by the judges talking about how great Coke is or the plot in “Chuck” stopped by the the two characters waxing poetically about how great a Subway Club tastes. The same was true for the Reese’s Pieces product placement in “E.T.” People drink Coke. People eat Subway and Reese’s Pieces.”

But when does product placement go too far?

Many shows use guest stars to up ratings. “CSI” recently featured the country music group Rascall Flatts in an entire episode. The episode wasn’t about the group’s music, but it was featured prominently. And both the beginning and ending of the episode featured the band’s latest song “Unstoppable.”

Here’s a clip of the ending of the episode:

And an entire episode of the sitcom “Modern Family” revolved around one character buying her husband an iPad for his birthday (which happened to be the date the iPad launched):

And, in a recent episode of “Bones,” the dialogue virtually came to a screeching halt when two of the characters started talking about the features of the Toyota Prius rental car they were driving.

It’s a fine line that companies and advertisers are walking when it comes to product placement. Do they need to do it? Probably. Will we continue to see more of it? Most certainly. Do people care? Yes and no. I think most people are like me when it comes to product placement. It’s fine to see logos and products when the story isn’t stopped to promote the brand. Just let the actions flow naturally.

Aaron

Social networking causing trouble at work?

Businesses are (slowly) discovering the value of social networking sites to brand images and building buzz. Advertisers are spending more and more every year on ads on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. But social networking sites may be a double-edge swords for companies.

Posts to social networking sites are mostly unregulated, and they will stay that way, for the most part. However, companies do need to monitor communications, especially for audits. This is especially important in the financial industry, as the SEC mandates strict enforcement of business communication rules. For example, one text message enabled authorities to seize documents and charge several hedge-fund executives with the Galleon Group with inseder trading.

Companies say they don’t necessarily want to restrict or block access to social networking sites, but they do need to monitor it in order to control what communication could be considered unethical or potentially illegal. What company wants to be brought up on charges because one of their employees is using their Facebook IM to talk to a family member and casually drops something that could be considered insider information, even if that person doesn’t know it?

The word-of-mouth advertising that social networking sites offer is worth millions of dollars. Soon, it may prove to be invaluable. But the potential problems that may arise could be worth millions in penalties. And in a difficult economy where companies continue to look at how to cut costs, will they be willing to take the risk at being penalized $10-20 million for potential sales of $100 million?

Aaron

Mobile voting… Because we never have free time…

Since it’s primary season, I thought it might be fun to look at how emerging media may affect how people will soon participate as citizens. Online voting is slowly becoming accepted throughout the U.S. People can obtain credentials that allow them to cast their vote in city, county, and state elections. So far, online voting has been pretty secure. There have been some reports of software glitches, but almost no reports of people being able to log-in and vote more than once or hackers changing vote tallies.

But technology always moves forward. And we may soon see the first nation allow voting by mobile phone. In 2008, the small European country of Estonia announced that it should be able to allow people to vote with their cell phones in 2011. People can obtain an authorized chip for their phone that identifies who they are, their eligibility to vote, and allows them to vote one time on each race or issue.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28197990/

Even though I’m a skeptical blowhard, I actually think this is a good idea. It doesn’t really allow more people the ability to vote, but it does allow the voting process to be more accessible.

Think about all the terrible voting numbers in the U.S. We barely get 50% turnout for Presidential elections. Local and state elections are lucky to have 10-20% voter turnout. And that’s with online voting in some areas. But, as everyone knows (and I’ve lamented), people love their cell phones. Most can’t stop checking it at least once every five minutes. Perhaps if the U.S. makes it possible to be able to securely cast votes over cell phones, more people will become informed about the issues that affect their daily lives.

Aaron

Buttdialing: The Bane of My Existence

My first name is Aaron. It’s a good name, and I’m always first whenever names are listed alphabetically by first name. But it’s become a problem over the last year. Why?

Because I’m constantly getting called by other people’s rear ends.

Yes. I’m a constant victim of butt-dialing. It’s a burden those of us with a first name that begins with “A” all share. Everyone named Aaron, Allison, Abigail, Allen, Amanda, and Adam can relate to my pain. There’s an emptiness to answering the phone to talk to someone who didn’t want to call you in the first place. It’s a difficult pill to swallow. Hell, there are probably some of you named Brian, Beth, and Brad that understand the hurt of being butt-dialed, but not quite as much.

And considering the despair and resentment we butt-dialing victims go through after every call, it’s nice to know that other people can make fun of it. T-Mobile even thought it was humourous enough to make a commercial:

Hilarious… Way to kick an entire group of people when they’re down. I know this plague couldn’t have been foreseen as cell phone technology continued to evolve. But aren’t we far enough along to realize the damage we’re doing to all the “A” people of the world? All we need is for all cell phones to either flip close or require a security code in order to make a call. It’s just that easy!

I don’t know how much more I can take, people! How many times do I have to answer the phone to hear a garbled conversation in the background? (Why wasn’t I invited to dinner?) Or the sounds of my so-called “friends” at a club or party with music blaring over the line? (What? I’m not fun enough to come to the party?) Or the worst: when a friend or relative’s toddler gets into her purse and starts playing with the phone… the horror!

Butt-dialing is an epidemic that needs erradicated, like WebTV or New Coke. If not for my sanity, then for all the Aarons and Adams and Abbies to be born in the future. Let’s do it for the children!

Aaron (Butt-dialing victim)

*Ring*… Oh, I’m getting a call… DAMMIT!!!

Dating in the Social Media Age

Perhaps it’s because I’m simply a curmudgeon. Perhaps it’s because the more I use emerging technology, the more I dislike and then resent my own reliance on it. Whatever the case, I believe social media is having an adverse effect on personal relationships. People don’t seem to connect to each other like they did only 5-10 years ago. Instead, many times they talk to each other in only small texts, tweets, or status updates, while many of them are holding their own CSI-type investigations of the other person.

Let’s face it. Dating is pretty hard to begin with. It gets harder when you leave your mid-20′s behind and you find yourself will actual responsibilities. Does it seem to anyone else that using social media sites like Facebook or Twitter is a regression when it comes to the dating scene?

Samuel Axon writes a blog for Mashable.com. He focuses on how Facebook has changed how people date:

http://mashable.com/2010/04/10/facebook-dating/

Posts on people’s social media pages can make people jealous. “OMG, did you see the picture of Jake on his vacation to Florida? Who is that girl standing beside him?” “Why did Molly change her relationship status to single? We were supposed to go out tomorrow!” Plus, there are a lot of Internet sites out there you can use to learn about a person’s past, even to the extent of running a background check on that person.

As cranky as I am, I honestly have no problem with how people meet each other. I don’t think it’s weird if people meet on an online dating site (I know there are still some that do), on a blind date, at a bar, or through mutual friends. Finding another person that makes you happy is what most people want.

It just seems to me that a lot of people are ruining their chance to find that happiness through their own insecurities and the access many social media sites give those insecurities to run wild.

Aaron

Now let your tootsies do the walking… with technology!

Have you ever thought: It’s great that I can use my iPhone in one hand, my PDA in the other, and still talk to people with my Bluetooth headset. Isn’t there some way I can get my lazy feet in on the action? Don’t look now, but you might be able to pretty soon.

A German company has recently unveiled the Multitoe. It’s a floor that recognizes a person’s shoe print, allows that person to use the computer with his/her feet. You can even type on a keyboard:

On the surface, this looks like a logical next “step” in technology. And it could mean all sorts of opporunities for gaming. Think of the virtual reality, role playing, first-person adventure, and home exercise games that could be developed where the user actually has to move in order to complete the task at hand (more than the Wii).

But I do have some questions.

Like how much money would it take to build or retrofit a room in order to use the Multitoe? And would I really want a room in my house that looks like the inside of a bank vault minus the safety deposit boxes and stacks of money?

Secondly, think about how tough it would be to keep the computer clean. Would I have to buy a pair of shoes just for that room? Would it be better to use sneakers, or can I use bedroom slippers?

And last, but not least: While the Multitoe is undeniably cool, is anyone really going to want to use it for anything more than playing “Dance, Dance Revolution” or “Chopsticks” on the big floor keyboard like in Big?

For now, I’m skeptical. (Aren’t I always?) Unless people come up with some cool uses for the Multitoe, I think it might be a waste of money and research.

Aaron

Now Fido can go wireless, too!

Every member of the family has to have a cell phone or some type of wireless device. If you don’t make sure that all the kids, grandkids, and grandparents don’t have some way to stay in constant contact with you, you’ve failed (for SHAME). But what about that soft, furry, cuddly member of the family? Shouldn’t Fido have his own cell phone, too?

I’m kidding, of course. But there are some devices on the market today that all owners to use wireless technology to keep tabs on their furry companions:

http://www.petsmobility.com/

One of the devices is like a doggie cell phone. It attaches to the pet’s collar and can be programmed with the owner’s phone number in case the pet runs away to somehow gets lost. It also features two-way communication. So, whoever finds the pet can hit the button to dial the owner and then talk to them about returning Rover.

Another product uses GPS technology to allow owner’s to know exactly where their pet is at all times. It’s like Doggie LowJack. A wireless chip allows the owner to see where the pet is. The owner can also set up wireless fenced in areas. If the pet leaves the area, the owner is alerted and can then check the GPS to find out where the pet has gone.

On the surface these types of devices sound like good ideas. And I believe they are, for the most part. But one thing about technology is that all devices are eventually used to do bad things. It seems to me that someone is technologically savvy enough to break into these devices to figure out the phone numbers and addresses of the owners. It’s kind of scary.

If you want to use these types of devices for your pets, that’s fine. Have at it. Personally, I’m going to stick with proper obedience training and a good fence.

Aaron

My Tenant is an Idiot… and You Might Be, Too!

I’m a member of the Air National Guard. I’m both a member of the military, and still not a member of the military. It’s confusing, so I’ll spare you the explanation. One thing I share with all servicemen is the close kinship I’ve developed with those I work alongside. For example, a co-worker was having marriage troubles a few months ago. He finally said he needed to move out of his home and, in mid-March, he asked me if he could move into my downstairs living area until he found an apartment he could afford. He’s 48 year-old, has four children, four grandchildren, and he’s now renting the living area beneath me and in the process of getting a divorce.

It’s a sad story. But for those of you familiar with military families, you recognize how high the divorce rate is. It’s a dark joke among service people that we all go through at least one divorce, most of the time, two.

How is this story relevent to an emerging media blog? Let me tell you.

We were at a bar the other night talking about all the personal stuff you don’t usually share with others (another commonality among most military people). He said that his iPhone and his Facebook account ruined his life. WHAT?! You read that right. He blamed the break-up of his marriage on Facebook and his iPhone. When I asked him what he meant, he told me about how his wife wanted him to stop looking at pornography on the Internet, so he got an iPhone to make it more convenient. His wife found out, of course, and wasn’t happy. He also found his old high school girlfriend through Facebook. The two of them started chatting, then texting, and then started seeing each other.

Now, the guy is an idiot for blaming his situation on Facebook and his iPhone. He was obviously not happy in the marriage and looking for a way out. He was a selfish jerk. He was cruel to his wife and children. And regardless of how often he argued with the wife (she isn’t blameless for the situation, but that’s not relevent to the blog), the two should have ended things better.

Social networking sites and smartphones are just tools. People can use them however they want to use them. But the situation got me thinking. Are other people doing similar things? It turns out that they are.

The LA Times reported that a Canadian study among college students found that couples on Facebook used the service more often for investigative purposes for their significant other rather then to enhance the relationship:

http://www.latimes.com/features/chi-la-he-capsule10-2009aug10,0,6068403.story

As I’ve complained about before, social media sites and mobile devices are also having a negative impact on communication and social interaction. A woman I work closely with was going through a rough time last fall. She wouldn’t say what was bothering her, but she was constantly checking her text messages and her MySpace and Facebook sites. She’s 28 years-old! (27, at the time) I occasionally offered to listen to what was bothering her, but she wouldn’t say anything. I finally told her that she could talk to me or call anytime. She finally asked if she could text me. Why? Because she doesn’t like to talk to people. She prefers texting.

Unbelievable! And I’m not the only one that thinks so. Elizabeth Berstein of The Wall Street Journal agrees that social networking sites and texting have affected many of her relationships with her friends. Instead of just talking, they’d rather post messages about themselves for everyone to see… most of time boring crap that nobody cares about:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574370450465849142.html

The more I used social networking sites and the more I study them for IMC courses, the more I get disgusted with them. Not actually the sites, but the people that use them. I’m not saying that everybody on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter is a moron, but a lot of them are. And they all have one other thing in common.

Like the girl at work who won’t talk to people about what’s bothering her, but will send you a text or will post it on her Facebook page. And like the dude living in my house who was selfish enough to use his iPhone to surf porn when his wife told him it bothered her. And like everyone else who constantly gets on their Facebook and Twitter pages or holds text conversations for hours when an actual conversation the same length would take about ten minutes.

They’re all narcissists.

Let’s face it. Social networking sites are a good way to keep in touch with people. But they’re a GREAT way for other people to keep in touch with YOU. How else can people feel good about their mostly mundane, boring lives? It’s a built-in audience. You’re the star! People finally seem to care what you have to say. And the more friends you accept, the greater the audience. (Those of you who may point out that it’s narcissitic to write a blog hoping people will read it and share their opinions of your opinions, you’re correct. I understand the hypocrasy. But at least I have something to say, and I use more than 140 words to say it.)

“John Smith is going to feed his dog and then do laundry.” 14 people like this…

“Mary Jones thinks Ryan Seacrest is being mean to tonight’s Idol contestants.” 6 people agree with this…

WHO CARES?! John could’ve fed his dog and put one load in the washer in the time it took him to log-on and post that. And Mary’s opinion about what she’s watching on TV is about as empty as the sofa cushion beside her and the 12 bon-bon wrappers at her feet. But you know what? They’ve found a couple of other people out there interested enough to read their posts.

As for my tenant and the girl at work, I’ve become immune to their idiocy. Let him wallow in the muddy life he’s created for himself while blaming technology. And let her bask in the pity she wants from all her Facebook friends, hoping for close, interpersonal relationships, while shrugging off human interaction to pay attention to her Blackberry.

It just give me more to write about.

Aaron (Narcissist)

Congratulations! You Won! (Psyche…)

We all surf the Internet at least semi-regularly. Whether we’re looking for information for class, following an online auction, or posting on our favorite social media site, there’s at least one thing our websurfing has in common:

We’ve all heard, “Congratulations! You won!” and then noticed the yellow smiley-face inside the strobe light banner ad that says “This is no joke. You’re the 100,000th customer!” Personally, I’ve heard that annoying voice four times since I logged on to the Internet about a half hour ago. I’ve always ignored it, previously. But I finally decided to click on the ad to see what would happen.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t won anything. (Shocking, I know.) Clicking on the banner ad spawned another Internet window with a sweepstakes ad run by WebBrandDeals.com. I could enter some information and be enterred into a drawing for a $1,000 Walmart gift card. And the fine print at the bottom of the screen said that Walmart wasn’t even affiliated with the sweepstakes. Needless to say, I didn’t enter my information, but I began wondering how many people would actually respond to this ad.

It turns out, there are quite a few.

From September to February, site traffic ranged from about 150,000 to 550,000 visitors per month. How could that many people be that stupid?! That’s astonishing to me! Here’s a breakdown on who clicks on the ad:

With most forms of emerging media, if you don’t won’t to receive or look at something, you can block it. But Internet banner ads are something we just have to put up with. And, we have to put with this lying, loud, seizure-inducing ad on many different pages.

There have been quite a few class action lawsuits over deceptive banner ads. Any chance this could have one levied against it?

Aaron