GoogleDoc

In last semesters ACOM378 class, I was partnered with a classmate, to look into GoogleDoc. What I learned about GoogleDoc, was very little. I learned that it was a place where people can blog freely, save presentations, spreadsheets and mail. Individuals could even share there information with other people. My Conference presentation, journals and blogs for example could be saved under GoogleDoc. All I needed was an Internet connection and I wouldn't have to worry about carrying my own laptop everywhere, or even a travel drive. Its like having an online Favorites folder. However things have changed from then to now. GoogleDoc has now found a way for people to connect and view their own work OFFLINE.

GoogleDoc has now developed a way to view and edit your documents offline, without an Internet connection. GoogleDoc something called "Google Gears" which is an open source browser, that "adds offline functionality directly to the browser." GoogleDoc will use information stored in your computers hard drive as opposed to information sent to the network. When you view and edit a document, it will be saved on the computer until you do reach an internet connection which will update the documents changes on GoogleDoc. The new version of the GoogleDoc server is very innovative and helpful for people in organizations, schools, or anywhere in the workforce that uses technology.

This new server is very advantageous especially for those in the workforce or school. This is seen as a communication technology because it places all of your work into one safe and secure place. It gives you the ability to "share documents and calendars securely with your co-workers with just one click." GoogleDoc can be accessed from any computer, and even mobile phones. This would be an ideal application to use for Group communication, because BLS still has its bugs to work out. There is googletalk, where groups could chat, a Calendar and an area to share ideas on. A disadvantage of GoogleDoc offline, is that you cannot create documents offline; only fix ones that have already been created. With GoogleDoc, you can publish your work, collaborate, import and export your work however creating a new document is not possible.

The question I ask every time I evaluate a communication technology is "Will we be better without it?". The answer to this question is no. With a technology that can be used offline it makes it better for everyone to have their work in any type of connection failure. Especially when your interviewing and have prepared a presentation for potential bosses. GoogleDoc offers online ,and offline help which many Internet based applications have not offered. Despite the system requirements and size limits, many computers are within the requirements. This is the one technology I've found that is perfect for schools as well. Allowing teachers to edit and grade all in one trustworthy application.

Telemedicine

High priority

by Samantha Justino

There are many different types of organizations all over the world. Fraternities, sororities, and businesses are all considered organizations. However, hospitals are rarely referred to as organizations. Anyone that has entered a hospital knows that it is easy to lose communication with one of the nurses or doctors due to the volume of patients. Some people are left waiting for hours just to get questions answered, some are left in waiting areas all day, just to be seen once. Now there is a new technology that is being developed to alleviate these type of issues. This new communication technology is called a Telemedicine program.

As technical infrastructure begins to advance this program begins to surface as a possible way to give patients more efficient, clinical consultations. Telemedicine will be conducted through videoconferencing. "Video conferencing can provide healthcare organizations with innovative ways to deliver clinical consultations explore) The formation of this new communication technology has been geared toward certain locations such as prisons. This is where many healthcare organizations can make more money. Creating a videoconferencing technology in which inmates will be connected to a healthcare center, so to speak.

This communication technology does come with its advantages and disadvantages. Economically it would be favorable toward the healthcare organizations. This could also increase efficiency in how hospitals and clinics function. Just the other day I was trying to see my doctor at Montefiore medical center in the Bronx. Due to the high volume of patients that they tend to on a day to day basis, I was not even able to go in as an emergency walk-in; which should always be available to any patient in need. If Montefiore, for example had virtual clinical consultations, I perhaps wouldn't have waited 2 hours for a negative response from a phlebotomist. Perhaps with the virtual consultations, I could've gotten my answers from a nurse or doctor themselves, at their desk or looked up the FAQ's of clinical consultations. This telemedicine program could save time, and energy. You can explain thoroughly to a specialist of what your problems are rather than decide, alone whether it's worth going to see a professional for.

The disadvantages would be if the program reaches a great level of success. This would mean that less staff would be needed in health centers. The elimination of small communication nodes would begin because clinical consultations could be handled by nurses or doctors, or even just one node that could handle the virtual aspect of the center themselves. These virtual clinics could save people a lot of time and possible save lives; the lives that have anxiety about walking into the doctors office. However, this program could reach a certain level of success and then stop and a standstill. People without any form of computer technology in there homes will not be able to use virtual clinics. What is the use of creating another communication technology if it will not increase the patient volume and help the community? Those who do not have home offices might as well do what I did this past weekend; wait for a nurse to call.

I would give this communication technology, a 3 out of 5 on a 5 point scale. I believe it is an innovative idea that could possibly change how healthcare organizations function. However if it does not benefit more people after it has been implemented then it is not necessary to utilize it. It will eliminate jobs in the organizations and not function unless you are technologically able.

Del.icio.us

Del.icio.us is a social book marking website. It can be found at http://del.icio.us/. This website was was created in 2003 and in 2005 purchased by Yahoo! This site is very convenient. Most people keep bookmarks on their PC's, however, when they switch computers they do not have access to the websites they have bookmarked. Del.icio.us fixes this problem. With Del.icio.us you are able to bookmark your favorite sites and access them from any computer with internet access. You are also able to share sites you've bookmarked with other people.

This can be very helpful in an organization. Because this website allows you to share your bookmarks people within an organization can share their bookmarks. This can be helpful for linking information needed for projects or other tasks people may be working on collectively.

Affordances:
-easy to find information you are looking for
-collaborative, use what others have found
-keeps track of websites for you

Though, this technology is really helpful I did find a couple of drawbacks while using the system. The main drawbacks are that you must use the Firefox browser. It is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Though, Firefox is quickly becoming the browser of choice, even if you are using Firefox you are still required to install an extension. This limits the access power you can have on different computers. However, if all the installations are complete the website is very effective in communicating web information to many different people.

Overall I would rate this technology a 3 out of 5.

The Eco-Media Player

by Amanda Marinaccio

www.ecomediaplayer.com/eco/home/hom.asp
The Eco-Media Player is a portable devise similar to an mp3 player, but with much more. It allows for and has the capability to play mp3s, videos, FM radio access, and a photo-viewer. It also features a recorder (with a built-in microphone) so personal or professional memos can be recorded instantly. It can also hold typed memos and contains data storage. This allows for the devise to hold work in a personal devise that is able to go everywhere with you, providing for work on the go while enjoying the other features. Other things included are a flashlight and cell phone charging capabilities. The best part of the Eco-Media Player is that it is able to be powered by winding, so it will never die of battery failure or loss of power. It is able to be charged for longer amounts of time through a computer, but can be wound up on the go when an energy source is not found readily available. It is compatible with most major cell pones as well so all a person has to do it plug in their phone and wind up the Eco-Media Player.
These are many of the advantages, but there are also many apparent disadvantages. This devise is not wireless and therefore does not allow for internet or mobile phone capabilities. This is a major disadvantage in today’s day and age for many corporations that need contact in and out of the office. The devise is also expensive for the capabilities included, presumably because it is energy efficient. However, I feel that in place of ipods and other mp3 players for personal enjoyment, this is a way to combine work with pleasure for many people.

Window's Movie Maker

By Dean Smith

Windows Movie Maker 2.0

Windows Movie Maker is a video creating and editing software that runs off Microsoft Windows. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie.

The advantage with this technology can allow for anyone within an organization or a business to make a very easy and simple visual tool during meetings or interviews. It also allows creaters to advertise their products easily.
The disadvantages of using this is definatly the patience required because as easy as it is to make a video it is time consuming.

Overall i'd give this a 3 on the usefullness scale due to the minor flaws within the technology.

Audeo wireless “Think N’ Spell” neckband

Audeo wireless “Think N’ Spell” neckband
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/audeo-think-n-spell-neckband-allows-voiceless-phone-calls/

This neckband is a new way to communicate by not even having to speak to make phone calls. This is a wireless phone that is simply able to read the signals sent from your brain to your vocal cords and send the message through a phone call. This is technology is in the early development phase and is not completed to the full expectations that it should have in the near future. The advantages of this technology at this point in time are to give back speech to those who have lost the ability to communicate and also to give more privacy to a speaker when having a conversation in a public area. The disadvantages are that this system can only recognize about 150 words and it has a considerable delay time that when shown in the press conference to be an awkward and slow conversation. Still this should be enough to give a chance for people who have been limited in their ability to speak such as those suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. It will be a great improvement on the current situations. In the future this product claims it will be able to express all words and eventually be able to hook up to the internet and allow you to answer questions merely by thinking about the question and the neckband will do the searching for you to try and answer it. For rating this new invention I give it a 4 because even though it is at the initial phase of its creation I believe it will advance into something that can have limitless possibilities.

Kartoo

http://www.kartoo.com/

Kartoo is a new type of meta search engine that we have never had before. This site searches using the most of search engines, such as Alta Vista and Teoma, except Google. The biggest characteristic of this site is showing the search results as beautiful map using Flash. In this map, we can show many kinds of image sizes of each result and it tells us the size of actual site. And the distance between each site tells us how close the each site is. We can know these things visually, not seeing lists as other typical search engines.

This site is meta search engine, using other engines, so we can search something in almost all search engines through this engine. And we can look at the search results visually. It is very clear to understand which one is biggest (or famous) and how each site is related each other. We can know them visually, it is very useful when you need search something in specific area because you can know the relationship in between each result. But if you want search general or broad thing, it might be not so appropriate. In that case we would better to use other normal engines such as, Google, Yahoo! And Alta Vista. This site can be really useful or nothing at all. It really depends on what you would like to search, so I would give it 3.8 out of 5.

Flat Wire

Some of you might have already heard or seen the the Flatwire infomercial. What this product is is an innovative approach to electrical wiring. Created by Southwire company, this is an innovative way for homeowners to wire easier. Everyone experiences the tangles of wires whether it be from your computer desk or your entertainment system. Flatwire is a new type of wiring that is virtually paper-thin, it allows for televisions to be connected to stereos to power outlets without the mess of conventional wires.

Affordances

• Paper thin wiring.
• Bends at any angle.
• Virtually disappears if you paint over it.
• Adhesive so it can be applied right onto walls.
  

Drawbacks

• Only supports conventional wiring.
• High-cost.
• Has not broken into the computer technology world.

This technology has been out for a while but it hasn't really improved much. I cannot wait until they apply it to computer wiring such as cat-5 cables, usb cables, dvi cables, and just conventional power source cables for computer parts. In reality my entertainment system is not that messy looking, my computer desk however really needs help.

Official video.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SuTd0MqBmCk

Future of Multi-touch interfaces

The future of computer technology will undoubtedly involve the addition of multi-touch interface. Keyboards and mice are things of the past as Jefferson Y. Han of New York University created the first multi-touch screen. Already this concept has been applied to new technologies such as cellphones and iPods, with Apple's iPhone being the most prominent of the cellphone world.

Before the the introduction of this interface, the concept of touch screens was limited to only one cursor point, the iPhone features an exact two point cursor, allowing for the maximizing and minimizing of pictures and web pages. Other than that the two point cursor allows for users to type faster without the lag of the old one touch interface.

The genius behind this new technology is definitely Jefferson Han as he leads the technology in this innovation. He demos the affordances of his new eight-foot touch screen interface that looks like it came right out of a science fiction movie. As he demonstrates the abilities of his interface, his actions are incredibly fast, so much more than it would be on a conventional interface that involves a keyboard and a mouse.

Affordances

• Multi-User friendly.
• Ability to manipulate applications.
• Ability to size virtual keyboard for user-preference.
• Unlimited canvas size, ability to zoom and zoom-out unprecedentedly.
  

David Pogue, a fellow blogger states, "in any case, I spent quite awhile trying it out, and it’s spectacular. The visual response to your touch is immediate and satisfying, and there are lots of multi-touch gestures that work. One of the sample programs featured an ever-expanding “family tree” of every known species in nature, complete with photos; by dragging and expanding, you could zoom in infinitely to the branch of this massive tree that you were interested in. The photo-manipulation and mapping modules were also amazing."


Official Video of Perceptive Pixel by Jefferson Han
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zGDNFpOMcA

Video on Photoshop with multi-touch technology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmHNr9EH1iU

Jeff Han in TED expo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUAnwbooNOs

FON (FON Wireless Limited)

http://www.fon.com/en/

Introduced in the United Kingdom in 2006 FON Wireless Limited was launched into the world of communication technology. It is a company created by Martin Varsavsky that systematically runs shared universal wireless networks. Due to the rapidly increasing implementation of wireless internet access it is easy to see why this program is so widely needed. “WiFi for everyone” reads the slogan. One of its principal goals is to make the Internet affordable. FON’s members, or rather “Foneros” agree to share their WiFi with others. The incentive for doing this is that they can in return freely access all of the FON wireless access areas. For non-members, the company sells access at a very low cost. Hence why it is “for everyone”. In addition to being able to access the WiFi technology, Foneros are able to advertise their own websites, personalize their FON Spots and easily communicate with other Foneros as well as non-members who are connected through that Fon Spot. Not only does this make it easy for organizations to communicate with people internally, it enables and encourages communication world- wide. This interaction is secured with two different signals (one private and one for non members). This new communication technology is gaining popularity and acclaim with an array of big businesses and individuals. Ranking this communication tool on a scale from one to ten, I would give it a perfect ten. Now more than ever, we find need for wireless access. FON is making that need easier to find. Who knew that roaming the world could be done free?

signtel.inc

http://www.signtelinc.com/

sign language public address and emergency system (signtel interpreter)

Signtel.inc is a company that was established in January of 1999 and is headquartered in North Haven Connecticut. Their mission is to create and bring innovative assistive technology and assistive devices that will better serve the deaf, hard of hearing, deaf blind, visually impared and deaf low-vision communities.

One product that they have is a sign language public address and emergency system (signtel interpreter). This communication device allows members of the public who are deaf to be addressed by sign language and the hearing to be addressed by text.

The sign language public address and emergency system comes with a microphone in which you can speak into and it will translate the message into sign language or if you have a speech you can type it into the system and it will translate the text into sign language.

The signtel interpreter is a windows based communication program which will provide real time translation of spoken or written English into sign language facilitating one on one communication between the hearing and the deaf .

This system is alot better than the old tele-typewriter (tty) which tended to be cumbersome and time consuming not to mention less private as the deaf/ hearing impared person would have to go through a live operator to relay messages from one to another. Not only was the tele-typewriter not private for the people using it but not all words in the english language can be interpreted into sign language such as different phrases that we use the deaf person whould not understand so the (tty) caused problems with accuracy.

This is a great communication tool for any company that already employs people who are deaf or hearing impared or will at some point in the future. The signtel interpreter system will also encourage the hearing people to interact more closely with the deaf or hard of hearing both in the workplace and in social situations.

For the relative ease of use and the fact that it opens doors to communicate with people we would not normally be able to communicate with due to the language barrier this product gets a 4.8 out of 5.

Organizational Emergency Alert System

Misato Nonaka

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/eas.html
http://www.albany.edu/sunynyalert/faq.shtml (SUNY NY Alert)

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is designed to provide and receive emergency information at nation, state, and local levels via broadcast stations, cable, and wireless cable systems quickly and automatically. For example, the National Weather Service (NWS) have used the EAS to relay local emergency messages such as weather information to alert the public of dangerous local weather conditions and other emergencies through the media such as television, radio, and Internet. SUNY NY Alert is one of the good examples of the Emergency Alert System, which allows the University to send out critical emergency information about the campus through email, phone, and text messaging to all students and faculty who registered for this alert system. This system will also be used to alert the campus community in the event of a weather related emergency such as a campus closing and violence on campus and in a community around school.

Although EAS costs a lot for setting up and periodic testing of the system, I rate EAS as 4.8 out of 5 because it enables to inform and alert people about the emergency events so quickly and automatically so that people can not only keep tracking what is happening but also take actions as quickly as possible and also it will save a lot of money overall. Since multiple alternate sources of warning are available, people can reach at least one source to gain emergency information even if one link in the dissemination of alert information is broken down. Due to its efficiency; quick, broad, effortless, and costless, EAS plays a very important role in such a big organization like SUNY Albany because sending out information especially emergency messages takes a while due to its size. With EAS, you do not need to cry over wasting time to come to a closed campus!

Robolase

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2140922/internet-link-remote
Robolase is a newly formed network based technology which allows surgeons to perform microsurgery on cells via the internet. For example the live sample could be in Australia and the surgeon could be in America performing the operation. This is done by using network microscopes and lasers and the connection is operated at a bandwidth of over 1 GB/ second which makes it possible to be done. This allows for surgeons and doctors to communicate with one another internationally without having to travel to a far away location.
Robolase has many advantages. First of all it makes it much more convenient for surgeons to operate and work on live samples. They don’t have to travel which saves a lot of time and this time saved allows them to begin working on the sample immediately. Also it allows for the surgeons with the most expertise in their particular to field to help certain patients with care that other doctors could not provide for them. Machines also tend to be much more accurate than the human hand resulting in better quality care. The efficiency of the internet use allows doctors to communicate freely and effectively from a distance.
There are also a few disadvantages relating to this technology. One of the major concerns is the reliability of the server. If the server fails or is not sufficiently working then the whole procedure could go wrong. Even just one glitch in the system can cause a doctor to misinterpret information or wrongfully make a move.
Overall I would rate this as a useful technology in a medical organization. It has already advanced what we can do in medicine greatly and will only continue to become more advanced at connecting doctors to doctors and doctors to patients in various locations. Overall I would give the Robolase a 4.5 out of 5.

AIM PRO

http://www.aimatwork.com/aimpro/

AIM Pro is a form of AOL instant messenger that is intended for business use. It has many of the same functions of the aim that we all use everyday. Using AIM Pro it is easy and efficient to keep in contact with others. It helps connect people all over the world making it simpler to conduct business from a distance or to keep in touch with others. The thing that sets AIM Pro aside from the regular AIM is that it is set up particularly for businesses and colleagues. AIM Pro has a video and voice conferencing feature, a built in calendar, easy tools that are located right in the messenger box that allow you to receive and send files, power points, and even make your own desktop available to others. Another difference that makes it more efficient for businesses is that users are allowed to use their own names as their screen name instead of a made up screen name so that it is easier to identify people among one another. The features themselves are also very easy to use. At the top of each IM box there are tabs that let you choose what you want to do. The options include video, voice, share and files and when you click on each one they give you very simple instructions on how to perform the task that you want done. It also has a much more professional look visually than the basic AIM has.

Like previously mentioned, it has its advantages. It’s easy to navigate, can connect people in the same building or in a different continent and its features allow each person to see exactly what the other person is looking at on the computer. AIM Pro not only allows information to be transferred through files and power points or messages, but also through voice and video which can be very helpful especially when a large audience is involved.

Certain disadvantages include the fact that this process is through the internet so connections could be lost or one person computer may be slower or faster than the other which could possibly distort information being transferred, particularly in video and voice conferencing. It also may be lead to the decline of face to face interactions and that always is a risk of losing personal contact with employees and clients which could hurt the company in the long run.

I would recommend it to be used in large organizations where it may be hard to be in contact with people all the time or when they are in completely different locations. I think it is probably more beneficial to use it among employees, rather than using in with clients because it is more oriented to business end of things and clients may benefit more from a more personal approach. Overall I would rate AIM Pro to be a 4.5 usefulness in organizations.

Yugma

Frank Fazzino

http://www.yugma.com

Yugma is a form of desktop collaboration software that allows you to that allows other people to see a real time copy of the whatever you are viewing on your desktop. You can view any application and is functional for any computer. The best part of this is that multiple viewers can also share keyboard and mouse functions on that desktop from their own. This can be used for multiple people to work on projects at the same time. This also can be used for technicians to give technical support to help others with problems on their computers. This software is equipped with several features such as whiteboard that can be used to have a conference online even if the employees are not in the same room. It has visual tools allow you add to drawings or graphics by drawing lines, shapes, or just freehand to emphasize parts of the graphic. with these Yugma sessions is the ability to record and save any presentations or documents. these documents can be saved on the web and can be viewed by other employees or clients at anytime.
The advantages of using Yugma is that applications can accessed and edited at anytime by many users. To make an account is free and supposedly easy to use without needing any training. It is also accessible through Windows, Mac and Linux. The disadvantages is that you need to pay for professional services for your business based on how many people that are joining Yugma. It's pricing gives also limits up to 500 people. The disadvantages aren't that inconvenient because the services include both training and technical support for those people.
For a business, I would give this a rating 4.5 out of 5. It is ideal for multiple people to work on and give presentations at the same time in a quick and efficient way. It is also great to way to have meetings when the whole staff can not be present but with this may come the negative effects of using whiteboard rather than face to face but it is better than not having communication at all.

Google Maps

Misato Nonaka

http://maps.google.com/

Google Maps is free-mapping technology service offered by Google. This service is not simply showing a map but also including business locations, contact information, and driving directions. Moreover, there are 4 different modes of displaying maps; street view, traffic, satellite, and Terrain. It helps users get desired locations with various images and integrated business information easily and quickly.

Google Maps is such a user-friendly technology so that almost anyone can use it without any difficulty. Private users will any individual, who are interesting in traveling, visiting, and shopping. Some organizations, companies or small business owners use Google Maps publically to post their address with business hours and contact information.

Advantages of this mapping technology are following:
-Get more and detailed information by just typing address of desired locations.
-Candidate or possible address will come up on screen if the address is wrong.
-An icon to print out a map.
-Detailed directions including approximately time to the targeted point from users point.
-Easy to control; Double left-click to zoom in, and double right-click to zoom out
-4 types of viewing maps;
1) Street view - View pictures of surroundings an area and navigate within street-level imagery
2) Traffic – View major high ways near the desired location
3) Satellite - View a satellite image (or a satellite image with superimposed map data)
4) Terrain - View physical features (ex: mountains and vegetation, with elevation shading)

Disadvantages of Google Maps are privacy issues, the printing function, and street view function. Since anyone can see any location, surroundings and directions, it might violate someone’s privacy. Some people do not feel comfortable to reveal one’s address. There is no specific regulation to protect it. The other disadvantage is that 4-display features are not available for printing; only the simplest map view is available. Street view function is problematic too. If the desired location is big, users might not get the specific view that they wanted. For example, if you type “1400 Washington Ave. NY”, which is State University of New York at Albany, the street view does NOT show the entrance but the small area right next to the main building. Users, who are unfamiliar with desired location, might get confused by this image when they actually get there.

Since Google Maps is powerful but easy to use, there is no special skill required. Just type address where you want to search and choose additional function to different views if needed. If you want to zoom, double left-click and double right click to zoom out. A scroll in the mouse is another way to zoom in and out. Drag and move the mouse will lead you to the desired direction on screen.

Affordances and technology attributes might enhance business and knowledge. It makes users to find locations with more detailed information such as contact and general information, images of surroundings, and link to homepages. There is a function to send the map to others so that it will help reduce time and cost (free to use it) for both users and others. This service is used most commonly fort raveling, shopping, and visiting to search desired locations and detailed directions.


Google Maps makes organizations and individuals more efficient and broadly in searching information. People can search places just typing address and click icons, no special skills required!! Google Maps is easy to use offering not only locations or directions but also organizational information, views, and easy ways to share information with others. Therefore, I will rate usefulness of Google Maps as 4.8 out of 5.

Citation
http://local.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=7060

Twelve Language Speaking Global Translator

Jennie Willis

www.Franklin.com

The Twelve Language Global Translator makes foreign communication easier. This hand held digital translator is fluent in Chinese, Dutch, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. This pocket size translator has a digital screen and full key board. The machine translates words and phrases and is able to speak them back out loud; in a human voice as opposed to a digital one. The global translator also has access to over 400,000 words and 12,000 phrases. It also includes Roman, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian alphabet. Lastly, this translator provides a spell checker to fix misspelled words to avoid confusion when trying to accurately translate. The Global Translator works to make communication more efficient and easier between language barriers.

There are many advantages to the Twelve Language Speaking Global Translator. One of the top advantages is its ability to speak. This allows travelers to be able to communicate with natives more effectively. It avoids the confusion of language dictionaries and pronunciation. Another advantage of this machine is the wide variety of languages it is fluent in. This gives users more options and again makes traveling to these places more comfortable. The spell checker on the Global Translator is a great advantage. When users are trying to translate a foreign word they may not spell it accurately. With the spell checker they are more likely to get the accurate translation they are looking for.

The main disadvantages of the Twelve Language Speaking Global Translator is that its use is only limited to twelve countries. If a traveler decided to venture elsewhere than there is no use for this product. Also when typing foreign words into the machine it may be difficult to know how to spell the unknown words. The spell checker may not be able to pick up on the mistakes because of the inaccurateness of the word. It may be hard to pick up on the complexity of foreign word spellings.

I would rate this new technology a 4.5 out of 5. I think that it is a very useful tool for communication. The Global Translator works to make something that once was a struggle when traveling easier. The purpose of this tool is to make the act of foreign communication a more effortless process. The purpose of this product is also to recognize the importance of communication, especially between speakers of different languages.

FullThrottlev6.com

Jennie Willis

FullThrottlev6.com is a website dedicated to cars. In this website users use the discussion bored to post questions about their cars, post car parts for sale, videos, or surveys. The website’s participants actively respond to these posts by providing feedback, answers, and by making purchases. Also users can send individual messages to specific people on the site in order to keep communication private between two users. In addition to this, there are live chats that allow multiple users to communicate all at once, as well as individual Instant Messaging. Anyone can join, regardless of their car type. This website is beneficial to organizational communication because anyone involved in a car organization can access the website and participate in the activities provided on the site.

The advantage of this website is the support it provides to car enthusiasts. If a problem is found with ones car they can access this website and ask for the free opinion of people who actively participate in cars as a hobby. Also the website is very helpful when selling parts from a car. This website allows users to go right to their target audience to sell their parts. Also because users develop relationships with each other on this website they are not selling to complete strangers, like they would on EBay; for example.

A disadvantage of this website is the accurateness of the information received. Since users are asking for the opinions of non-professionals when seeking advice about their car, they do not know how trusting their source is. Another disadvantage of this website is because it offers free speech about a subject that users feel very passionate about, conflict develops between users.

Overall I would rate this website a 4 out of 5. Its user friendly layout and easy accessibility contributes to this positive rating. Another positive of the website is the broad scope of communication it provides to people involved in this kind of organization. It is a very useful tool to car enthusiasts and allows them to share their love of cars with others.

Limewire

A peer to peer networking application began to boom nearly a decade ago with the beginning of Napster. What started as a way for peers to share .mp3, .mpeg, and .mpg files over the internet gained huge popularity, and became the norm for consumers looking for music. Another similar networking utility to Napster, Limewire, is very widespread in our population today. Limewire allows for a consumer to retrieve a file of nearly any song or video that they would like, and have it stored in their computer's memory where they can use the file whenever they'd like. As more peers search for the files, the transfers continue and there are more satisfied users on the network.

However, as the peer-to-peer transferring goes on, the ones who are really losing out in the deal are those artists that are actually releasing CD's and losing sales. I know personally, I have not bought a CD since using Limewire, as I can get any songs I want at any time. I know that many others carry this same mentality, and thus, it is a very difficult trend to break unless Limewire and other applications such as iMesh and Kazaa are eliminated completely. With the continuing adaptations done by the peer-to-peer networks, this would seem to prove very difficult to accomplish.

DotPag.com

This is a new tool that can be used to track everything your have to do in your busy schedule. DotPag.com allows you to organize all your important dates into a internet based system that allows you to access it from anywhere. It is available on your mobile phone, labtop, or any computer anywhere in the world. It is free of charge which can save you time and money as is stated on DotPag's home page. It's great for people who travel because you can access it from anywhere. The site is password protected and can help you stay very organized. Another great feature is you can store emial addresses and blog subscriptions on your DotPag so they are all just a click away. It is a very fast and easy to use online organizer. www.DotPag.com

Verizon Voyager

The craze of the holiday season for 2007, the Verizon Voyager, has ceased to see its popularity decline as we head into 2008. The release of the iPhone pushed Verizon to come out with a newer, better alternative to the cell phone industry to keep their customers from leaving. Thus, we saw the development of the Voyager.

The Voyager introduces a full-size keyboard, touch screen, television, full internet browsing, a camera, speakers for surround sound, and Bluetooth. Essentially, the Voyager contains everything that you could ask for in a phone, and then some. This one-of-a-kind wonder has revolutionized the capabilities that customers can take advantage of, and has become one of the most desired products on the market.

The Voyager would be good for organizational communication because the capabilities of full internet browsing would allow for employees of the business to find necessary information in meetings without having to carry around a laptop, or even worse, have to go find a desktop. Rather, the full internet browsing on the phone would allow for one employee to search for information over the web and report to the other co-workers in meetings without disruption, all while helping to complete the task easily and effectively. Also, its e-mail capabilities would allow for much easier communication amongst co-workers. The Voyager could find its way into a more widespread business scene in the coming months, however as of now, will remain the desired phone of many consumers for their personal lives, as its popularity continues to soar.

Expedia

by Gilad Hakami
www.expedia.com

Expedia.com is basically an online travel agent. It gives there customers
everything they need for researching, planning, and purchasing a whole
trip. It books airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises,
vacation packages, business packages and various attractions.. Traveling
in a business is a very large aspect and using expedia, which is an up
and rising technology, speeds up the process. There is even a section
called business travel where it lists deals for short amounts of time
including round trip flights, car rental, hotel even restaurant
reservations, and other accommodations for business travelers.
There are many advantages to Expedia.com. It doesn't take a computer wiz
to navigate Exepedia even if you're a beginner you'll sail through the
site, this helps with workers who are not familiar with this new
technology. When it comes time to book your vacation, the information
fields are clear and easy to fill out.
There are also some disadvantages about expedia. Some customers have been
unsatisfied with various aspects such as lost reservations, erroneous
hotel accommodations, and bad pricing policy (prices are always subject to
change even in the middle of booking and they don’t always have the lowest
rates). All these disadvantages can hurt a corporation if someone is
trying to go to an important last minute meeting with big clients
everything needs to be perfectly booked and arranged with no room for
error.
I feel that a corporation can easily benefit from a website like
expedia.com because it makes booking a business trip so easy and can be
done at any point in the day. If someone is trying to go to an important
last min trip it can be set up via the web, with hotel, airfare,
restaurants, casinos, and car rentals. It has the largest search engine
for these accommodations than any other travel agency.
I think that out of a 5 point rating skill I would rate expedia a 4
because it is useful easy to use, has a large searching database which can
broaden areas a business can travel, relatively cheap prices, easy to
incorporate into a business, and can also save a corporation money by not
hiring a personal travel agent for the company.

search engine - kartoo.com

http://kartoo.com/

kartoo.com is a French website that is a search engine. However, it is not youor normal search engine like google or yahoo where when you type in a subject, a list of websites related to your subject appear. With kartoo.com you get a map that has relevant websites that link to related aspects of the paticular subject that you are interested in. I like this website because it is different in how it displays what you are looking for and is not so bland and boring as google or yahoo.
I would give this a 3 out 5 because kartoo.com does not tell you how unique each link it gives you is to your subject that you are researching.

Loki

Loki

By Stephan Wright

www.loki.com

Loki is a browser add-on that allows users who are traveling or at home to search and browse the Internet catered to their specific location. Loki is the basic concept of a search engine but, your computer knows exactly where you and makes your search results location specific. This is perfect for business travelers, college students, and vacationers who don’t know their way around where they are and don’t know their exact address or zip code. The unique thing about Loki is that it doesn’t use GPS technology; instead it relies on WiFi technology.
Loki has partnered with many of the popular location based websites, such as Fandango.com (a website that gives you movie times at theaters near whatever location you enter in) and accuweather.com (a website that gives location based up to date weather forecasts). Easy to use channels give one-click options to find certain types of attractions around you, such as restaurants, movies, weather, news. All of this happens with the “Find-me” button that instantly tells you where you are. So far 75% of the U.S. population is mapped out on their site. If by chance your location isn’t within the coverage of their network, users can enter in their location and Loki will forever remember it.
Their SMS feature allows you to text friends and co-workers to tell them where you are and any personal message they want to add to the text. Also, the “Address” feature highlights all the addresses found on a page and gives users instant directions to that location from their current location. Loki can even automatically change your time zone for you, updating you calendar and never leaving you doing math in your head of when your next meeting is.
This is a great add-on for any member of your organization that is being sent on a lot of trips away from the office. Never again will you have to worry about getting your bearings on your next trip out of town.

Pros: -easy to use add-on, straightforward interface, WiFi is easier to find in hotels and places of travel than GPS technology, mobile version offered for WiFi-enabled Windows mobile device.

Cons: -no version for Linux, only works in the United States, Mac OS X users must download Firefox, it won’t work with Safari (the standard browser for Mac users).

Rating: 4 out of 5, because it isn’t as Mac friendly and is still in the Beta version, which means it still has some kinks that need to be worked out.

Kerika, the smarter alternative to e-mail

Kerika, the smarter alternative to e-mail

By Stephan Wright

www.kerika.com

Kerika is a program that allows organizations of any kind work on projects in a virtual environment. The program exists in pages that can contain process flows presented in graphical webs that can be as basic, complex, or creative as you want. Each item in your web can be turned into links to new pages filled with documents, pictures, and presentations. You can post pictures, share documents, create progress reports, keep track of document modifications, including which member made changes, and even conduct live chats with members that are online at the same time as you. This allows documents to evolve, getting reviewed by others and even gaining commentary from your clients. The great thing that Kerika can bring to an organization is that it is capable of bringing together people working from home, offices, and coffee shops.
At $6.95 a month per user, this software offers its members something that many free products can’t…privacy. Kerika lets you set up private servers. Members have full control over access. In other words you decide who is allowed to see and download certain materials by either an individual or domain/group basis. You can even share projects with people who don’t use Kerika, using their e-mail addresses.
There are many advantages to implementing Kerika into your organization. The software minimizes the need for countless e-mails between members and maximizes productivity in a central location. The software works on Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows, creating a seamless integration between members without compatibility issues. It requires minimal training or support and overcomes file-sharing issues such as firewalls by using a relay server.
The only negative is that it isn’t free, but you get what you pay for. It comes with a thirty-day free trial and then like aforementioned it is 6.95 a month per user.
It deserves a five out of five rating because of its extreme compatibility and its basic design.

Video Conferencing - Cisco TelePresence

Cisco TelePresence combines high-quality audio, high-definition video, and interactive elements to deliver an in-person meeting experience over your network.
The overall Cisco TelePresence key consists of endpoints, management software, and multipoint switching capabilities, taking advantage of the reliability, quality, and security of the existing network infrastructure.
As globalization increases the need for communication among colleagues and partners, the likelihood increases that business discussions will include not just multiple people but also multiple locations.
In a nutshell, Cisco Telepresence is a new, advanced system that allows for video conferencing to be as real as face-to-face interaction. It is important because of the expansion of industries and businesses that are extending all over the world and the ability to communicate with workers in these places is vital.
Some advantages are that it eliminates many of the constraints that we are forced to deal with with other forms of global communication such as e-mail or instant messaging which are text-based. Some of these constraints include missing social cues such as facial expressions, reactions and tone of voice that are not available via text-based communication. It also enables you to expand your business to just about anywhere without having to worry about information or messages that you would send by e-mail being misinterpreted. Organizations can also use this if they have a big facility and face-to-face meets are inconvenient for people that have to meet woth eachother.
I would say that this technology would get a rating of 3 or 4 because it is not as common a technology as e-mail at this juncture. Perhaps within the next 5 years or so, Cisco TelePresence will regulary available to all organizations, businesses and people.

Verizon FiOS

Verizon FiOS http://www22.verizon.com/Content/ConsumerFiOS/

FiOS is the latest in fiber-optic technology. It delivers laser-generated pulses of light, riding on hair-thin strands of glass fiber, all the way to the home. When FiOS connects to the personal computer, users will have access to blazing fast speeds. The internet is transforming right under our fingertips. Verizon is now providing this new service that allows for faster access to online gaming, video chatting, downloading feature films and CD-quality audio.
Verizon FiOS Internet Service is a broadband service designed to provide Internet access with extreme connection capabilities. Verizon states its service can maximize connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps or 30 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps or 5 Mbps upstream, depending on the user’s location. FiOS is provided on a fiber-optic network. Many features and services are included such as access to newsgroups, up to 9 Verizon.net email accounts, online services, and 10 MB of personal Web space.Verizon FiOS Internet Service is the fastest and most powerful connection they’ve ever offered. This makes for better and faster communication between people in their personal and business lives. Verizon also offers its customers FiOS TV which uses their state-of-the-art fiber optic network.
Verizon FiOS TV is the newest advancement in television entertainment. FiOS TV has an extensive channel lineup with more than 300 digital channels and 22+ local and national HDTV channels, and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and 2,300 On Demand titles at any given time. With FiOS TV, you get clear color and vivid sound, and sharp pictures. Verizon FiOS scores a 4 out of 5 because this technology is fairly new and not accessible in all locations. Verizon is the first company to offer these technologies to consumers and this creates the disadvantage because businesses and personal customers may have a loyalty to their current provider.

Kaltura

http://www.kaltura.com/

Kaltura is an online site used to help create group collaborated videos that users can contribute material using wiki technology. You have the ability to use videos that are already uploaded to sites such as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Flickr. The final video then can be embedded in web pages anywhere on the internet that support such functions. Kaltura allows for group collaboration such as bands and artists to interact with their fans and have them help create music videos or an online collage of fan material. With Kaltura, senior high school classes can create end of the year videos that all students can contribute to with photos and videos that they may have and members of the student body can monitor the progress of it and can show it during graduation. Families can create videos of family parties and vacations that others can contribute with pictures and movies that they may have and post them where others can view them. Nonprofit organizations can create a video to help spread their cause and can allow anyone to add content to it and help get involved. Small organizations can create online ads to help spread the word of their company and ask for any member of the organization to add any input they may have into the video. They also can create new hire videos for new members of the organizations and how-to videos that anyone in the organization can create and add to and then post them in a common area for new members to view and learn how the organization works. In a classroom, teachers have the ability to create a collaborative video with their students that all can participate in and the teachers can monitor the progress. I give this technology a 5 because it is a great for group collaboration and organizational communication. It has the ability to get everyone involved and all members have an option to have their input in it just like a wiki page, and its ability to allow people to work on it from home or from their office.

Monster.COM

www.monster.com

Monster.COM is an internet based job search website located in Maynard Massachusetts which was founded in 1994 by Jeff Taylor. The main purpose for Monster.COM is to connect companies with career minded individuals. With the help of innovative technology and services the purpose of this website is also to give employers more control over the recruiting process along with being able to search for the best possible candidates for a job throughout the country. Monster.COM consists of language sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Singapore as well as many other countries. It is no wonder why this site has more than 12 million visitors each month. Along with helping employees find an employer that will meet their wants and or needs Monster.Com has gone a step further and partnered with CareerPerfect.COM to help job seekers with the help of professional resume and cover letter writing services which will hopefully land you your dream job. And as you can tell by the vast number of countries that are using Monster.COM to find jobs you may need all the help you can get as you are no longer competing against just other people in the United States for the job but also people in other countries as well.

The benefits of Monster.COM are many as stated previously Monster.COM is beneficial to anyone looking for a new job. As you can just visit the website and see all of the job openings that are available for the particular job you are looking for. If you are running a company it is also beneficial to you as you are able to search pretty much around the world for the best candidate for a certain job you are trying to fill. Monster.COM is also helpful if you need help writing a resume as Monster.COM has a partnership with CareerPerfect.Com a professional resume and cover letter writing service.

Of course their are some disadvantages to Monster.Com it has increased the competiviness in the job search market as you are no longer competiting with people in the United States but around the world as well. Another disadvantage to Monster.Com is that it is on the internet so is you do fill out an application online using this service your personal information might be stolen as has happened in the past.

All in all I would recommend this website to anyone who is looking for new employment as there is a vast array of jobs available. This would also be a great place for any business to search for the best suited person for a job as you can search from candidates from around the world. Another recommended use for an organization would to list all jobs available here rather than in newspapers and other mediums as all you need to do is list it on this website and anyone with access to the internet would be able to browse your job openings.

With the great services that this website offers I would give Monster.Com a rating of 5 out of 5. This is a one stop shopping for anyone seriously interested in finding a new job. And with the help they are able to provide you in your resume writing you will be able to find your dream job in no time.

GPS

http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. A GPS satellite weighs approximately 2,000 pounds and is about 17 feet across with the solar panels extended.
GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. The satellites are powered by solar energy. They have backup batteries onboard to keep them running in the event of a solar eclipse, when there's no solar power. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the correct path.
GPS receivers take the received information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map. Once the user's position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such as speed, bearing, track, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise and sunset time and more.
This multifunctional technology allows the organizations to benefit while using it. Especially particular organizations which are providing delivery and transportation. The GPS improves customer service by showing exact locations and routs. It makes easier the process of managing field personnel. It reduces time, spent for searching the location and that is why it increases employee production and saves money. The GPS can work in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.
Although today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate, there are still few disadvantages in the usage. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources of error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. This can happen when the GPS signal is reflected off objects such as tall buildings or large rock surfaces before it reaches the receiver. It increases the travel time of the signal, thereby causing errors. GPS units typically will not work indoors, underwater or underground. Heavy foliage and thick branched trees can attenuate and/or block satellite signals. More importantly GPS requires training and retraining as it changes. I would like to mention that having an understanding of maps is always a good back up.
Summing up, undoubtedly, the GPS is a very effective and easy way to find the location without ever being lost and improve the services.

Scribd

Scribd is a website where users can share and post all kinds of documents for free. These documents include E-books, presentations, essays, academic papers, newsletters, photo albums, school work and sheet music. The sites newest application is ipaper which uses a document format that is specifically built for the web. It gives users a more efficient experience while using Scribd.
The website is a global community that connects publishers, readers, and collaborators. It is a simple method to publish and distribute electronic books and documents. Users have the option of setting the privacy of their document, and can specifically choose who views their work. Another advantage is that users can upload an infinite amount of documents. Although it is easy to upload documents onto Scribd, users can not directly convert images onto their document. The image must be part of a PDF or Word document in order to upload to the site. The websites older server, FlashPaper, is no longer available so users are required to install the ipaper application. Another disadvantage is that once a document is uploaded it can not be edited.
Organizations could highly benefit when using Scribd. Presentations, announcements, and planning would all benefit with the addition of using this website. All members of an organization could easily access the website and view documents made by fellow members as well as other branches of their business. If members are not able to all meet together, they can access the website and view presentations that they would have missed. The site also allows organizations to publish their ideas to the public and get feedback.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate Scribd at a 5 for its usefulness. The website is a easy and effective way for anyone to create and share documents.

http://www.scribd.com/

Flickr description

www.Flickr.com

Flickr is an online photo management, organizing and sharing application. This hosting service for personal pictures and photo albums permits a rich sharing experience.
The Flickr’ users are able to get photos into and out of the system from the web, mobile devices, the users' home computers and from whatever software they are using to manage their photos. This service can be used to organize photos in a meaningful way, because the process of organizing can become collaborative. Under your permission your friends, family, coworkers and other contacts would be able to organize your photos - not just to add comments, but also notes and tags.
On Flickr, you can choose to make your photos either public to make the photos available to the viewers or private for your own closed social circle. You can create groups and albums within certain events, annotate pictures, adding captions within the frame, or post comments below other users’ photos. Most significantly, you can append "tags," adjectives that describe the photo’s category. And then, via those tags, share images with others. Then all of the photos that share a particular tag can themselves be explored as a group, which online pundits call a "folksonomy." Finally you can at least find beautiful, cool or intriguing photo for your collection or just desktop if you are not interested in uploading your own.
I would rate this technology a 5 out of 5 because of its “endless” amount of advantages listed above. In addition I’d like to mention that the usage of the web site is free of charge; it is well designed and very easy to use, including searching, posting information, uploading and sharing photos.
I think that Flickr can definitely improve organizational communication. It gives the users the ability to share photos for a variety of purposes. Uploading pictures from corporative events or important conferences by employees or managers is an effective way to express the organizational culture and create a sense of organizational identity. Moreover in the informal visual conversation it is much more comfortable for some people to stay in touch. Flickr can also be used as a form of information distributor, so anyone who has an access to the photos can become a potential client.
Summing up I would say that I do not see any disadvantages in this technology. As I see it Flickr is a place not just for self-display, but also for a positive emergent visual conversation in the organization as well.

FastWeb.com

http://www.FastWeb.com

FastWeb is an online communication technology that was created in 1995. It assists high school and college students of all ages and all interests to find information on colleges, scholarships, and internships. Users can create a free profile to organize and filter the personalized search. It is a subsidiary of Monster.com which aids its users to search and locate jobs in their field or area of study. Many schools and other organizations recommend FastWeb to their students and employees making FastWeb one of the most popular college resources on the web.

The website’s layout is user friendly which creates a welcoming environment for stressed out students to complete a college or scholarship search. There is a questionnaire that each user answers to allow for the search engine to compile a list that pertains to their specific interests and skills. FastWeb is a handy tool for organizations and schools to communicate offers that might not have otherwise been available to the public. This technology is helpful to those in need of resources and financial aid. This technology scores a 4 out of 5 because its usefulness and unique organizational strategies, but fails to get the 5 out of 5 since many organizations are still unfamiliar with this website that could help market their business.

Cloudo

This new technology could change the way people use their computers forever. Cloudo is the first ever computer that doesn't sit at your desk at home but actually "lives" on the internet. According to the Cloudo website you can access your documents, music, videos, photos etc. from any computer in the world. You can even access it from your mobile phone. One of its benefits stated on the website is that since Cloudo is online it is much easier to access and collaborate with others on a document or video. One can log onto the Cloudo just as you would log on to the internet. When you log on your desktop appears. It looks and functions like any normal desktop or laptop, the only difference is that it is being displayed from the internet. You can sync all your computers files with your online computer's files so that you always have what you need wherever you go. This technology can be used anywhere with your laptop and cell phone. With this online computer you can access your files from anywhere and be able to do work whenever you have to. This technology will be able to help many businesses that are on a fast paced schedule.

Bittorrent

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (p2p) communications technology that allows for large amounts of data to be shared without the original distributor incurring the high hardware, hosting and bandwidth costs. With BitTorrent, as the data is distributed to other peers, they then share the data that they have already downloaded with other peers, taking the load off of the original distributor or seed. The BitTorrent technology was created by Bram Cohen in 2001. To use the technology, all you need to do is download a BitTorrent client and download a small file called a .torrent file. The client then connects you to the BitTorrent tracker, which you will then begin to download the file from the completed seeds and upload to the other peers or leechers. There is a large selection of clients available to use but the two most popular are Utorrent and Azureus. A growing number of individuals and organizations are using BitTorrent to distribute material of their own or belongs to others. Such organizations such as independent movie and music companies use BitTorrent to distribute their releases because of the low costs to do so. The open source operating system, Linux, uses BitTorrent to distribute every distribution of its operating system to its users. Even though it is legal, BitTorrent has had some legal issues since it has quickly become the number one method used to download copyrighted and unlicensed material. BitTorrent traffic is considered to take up almost a quarter of all broadband internet traffic. CableLabs, a North American cable industry estimates that BitTorrent traffic is 35% of all internet traffic. To combat BitTorrent traffic, ISPs are now using new ways to filter out BitTorrent traffic by disabling the ability to upload data to other peers. Organizations would greatly benefit from this technology, because it is so low cost when talking about bandwidth and hosting. BitTorrent could be used to distribute files to members of the organization and even consumers. With BitTorrent, you don’t have to worry about hardware failures and loosing original files because it would be available to download again, because there are other copies of it still out there on the network or on the internet. I would rate it a 4/5 because of its ability to help distribute information and data worldwide to anyone that wants it, its low costs, very lightweight and ease of use, and it can let smaller companies who don’t have the bandwidth resources to compete with bigger ones.

Voice over Internet Protocol

http://www.fcc.gov/voip/

Voice over internet protocol is a function which has the momentum to virtually change the entire phone system. It allows you to make phone calls over the internet. It is a way to verbally communicate as if by phone, but instead of using the phone, it happens through an internet broadband connection, ultimately cutting out the phone provider in some cases. VoIP works through utilizing a single network to carry voice and data. They carry signals as digital audio and use speech data compression techniques to transmit the signals over the internet. Why is VoIP useful? In a sense, it translates as free phone calls. However, it is a fast growing phenomenon and phone companies are cashing in. Companies such as Vonage and AT&T are setting up VoIP calling plans for interested customers by providing ATAs which is an analog telephone adapter. An advantage of VoIP is that the method of conduction uses less space than that of a standard circuit-switch network. Most of the advantages that I have researched are technological and structural. One of the real advantages I can think of is that if a cell phone died, all you would have to do is be at your computer in order to get a hold of someone. A second advantage for businesses could be the cost option. If long distance calls are being able to be made to other countries nearly for free, businesses will be able to cut their costs. I really do not see any true advantages to the working world with this technology because with cellphones becoming so technologically advanced, I cannot imagine the disappearance of them. Some disadvantages are that you need a internet broadband connection in order to use VoIP. You also need to buy the microphone, speakers and sound card. A second disadvantage is that people are content with their phones and e-mail and there may not be a lot of need for VoIP yet in many situations.
I think that in an organization, business setting VoIP could help cut costs. It may help people in different countries communicate in a more efficient, affordable way, however I am not sure it is completely necessary. I would rate VoIP as a 2 in usefulness. One of the articles I read said that it may eventually end the phone service industry but I just do not see that happening.

StubHub

www.StubHub.com

StubHub is an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of tickets to sports events, concerts and other live entertainment. Tickets are sold close to market value and are even available for shows that are sold out. StubHub takes a 25% commission from both the buyer and seller once the sale occurs. Buyers come from all over the country, while sellers are mainly season ticket holders looking to unload tickets instead of selling them back to ticket brokers.

The advantages of StubHub include purchasing tickets to sold out events, and purchasing tickets on short notice before an event. A business owner, for example, may be looking to give away two of his season tickets to an employee because he cannot go to the game. In the event that he cannot find an employee to take the tickets, he can put them on StubHub on Tuesday afternoon and make his money back by early Tuesday evening. That money could go directly into the company's business account, the same account that is paying for the season tickets in the first place.

The main disadvantage of StubHub is the illegality of reselling tickets in 12 of the 50 United States. StubHub has begun petitioning for these states to change their laws, but has yet to make any progress. Another disadvantage is for season ticket holders who use StubHub too frequently that are blocked by their team from renewing their season tickets or purchasing playoff tickets.

An organization would benefit through such a scheme that I spoke about earlier. Many companies have season tickets to some sports team, tickets that the company account is paying for. In the event that noone uses the tickets, it is not the main user of the tickets that suffers, it is the company that looses that money. Reselling the tickets not only prevents the company from losing money, they could even turn a small profit. I give it a 5 out of 5 on its usefulness, as it is extremely productive for individuals and organizations.

MySpace

www.myspace.com

MySpace has become one of the fastest growing social networking websites in the world. It is an interactive network that allows users to submit their own photos, music, videos and blogs for all members to share. It connects members across the world at an incredible rate, registering nearly 230,000 new members per day. Over 300 million accounts have been created to this day, and it continues to be one of the top three most viewed websites in the country.

The advantages of MySpace are the countless features, such as the Bulletin Board and MySpace News which allow users to post important information and newsworthy stories for all 300 million users to share. MySpace also has an instant messaging service as well as mobile service. Both of these CMC technologies could prove to be advantageous to organizations hoping to do national or international business. It is also a means of seeking employment, as users can search the Classifieds for jobs, and managers can get some background information on potential employees. T

he main disadvantage of MySpace is customer service. The website does not have any customer service phone number available to the public when the website crashes-- which does happen frequently. Inexperienced webmasters of MySpace compromise the network with poor coding and make it easy for spyware to infect the system.

Organizations could benefit from using MySpace as a way of continuing informal conversation with employees, managers, or business partners. MySpace Groups could build relationships within the organization as well as provide them with their own private page to share news and important information. Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5 with one point being taken away for the frequent problems that pop-up with the connection.

Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/

Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional is a very flexible web communication system that gives to IT professionals web communication solutions, for training, marketing, enterprise web conferencing, and online collaboration. It helps every organization to have the web communication efficiently. This system is really useful in various area of an organization, such as virtual training, marketing, and online conference. In the virtual training, they can make “self-learning course,” and “virtual class room.” They can manage these contents as online training through this system. In the marketing area, we they can find customers using “live-seminar” and “live presentation.” In the online conference, this system really works effectively. They can manage total web conference in the organization and it makes communication in the organization much more efficient. All of people in the organization can search and upload the presentation and the contents of conference. They can share the contents in each individual’s PC and see the presentation made by Power Point. This is great affordance because this system is not just video chatting system. All of people using this system can see the same content or live presentation at the same time in different places. I would give this system a five out of five. This system provides various practical functions to many organizations.

iPhone

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

News, stock information, receive and send e-mail, weather updates, internet and more all at your finger tips. The iPhone is a device which can do all of this and because of its internet access can also do so much more. The iPhone is a highly useful piece of technology for many organizations and personal users. The iPhone has been out for about 8 months and is one the of the most sought after mobile devices on the market. It is a touchscreen phone with nearly all the capabilities of a home computer, iPod and camera. The iPhone has the ability to access the internet the click of a button almost anywhere the user wishes and uses EDGE technology. EDGE stands for Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution. It is is a digital mobile phone technology that allows increased data transmission rates and improved data transmission reliability. There are maps available which make it virtually impossible to get lost in any circumstance and clients have company information available whenever they need it.
The advantages of the iPhone are obviously visible to the user. You are able to download pictures and document, send and recieve e-mail, text message, call, visual voicemail, internet access. Some disadvantages are that it is susceptible to crack and scratches if it does not have the proper covering, the touch screen may be difficult to use for some people. A third disadvantage is that in some closed networks, such as universities and schools, it is hard to access wi-fi internet through the iPhone. Lastly, the iPhone is very pricey. The smallest gb phone today, is $399.
In the area of organizational communication, the iPhone can do wonders for a company and its clients. All the features listed above make it easier for customers , businesses and employees to communicate on a much broader scale. No longer do clients have to wait a day or so for answers to their questions, but they can receive answers right on their lunch break from their cell phone instead of having to be in an office. Information can be received from anywhere in the form of pictures, word documents and other such files. It enables news, information and company statistics to be available right away.
Having had access to the use of an iPhone, I would rate its usefulness as a 5.

Linked In

LinkedIn.com

LinkedIn is a relatively new communication technology which has quickly become a great resource for the professional community. It is a website based on social networking that allows businesses and people to search through an abundance of job opportunities, learn about potential help or competition, and stay updated on the status of other companies. Founded in 2002 by CEO Dan Nye, LinkedIn has become increasingly popular due to the usefulness and convenience the site brings to motivated or successful individuals who understand the advantages this unique site allows. The cost is free to join and permits you to create your own account in order to begin your own path of social networking. Although the site is intended to only further your own or your company’s individual achievement, the main downfall lies within LinkedIn’s competition. Extremely similar services are offered through other websites such as Ryze.com, Plaxo, and Yahoo! HotJobs. Deciding which site will offer you with the best options and connections might defer all potential help from falling within this one site, LinkedIn. Besides that minor setback, the potential usefulness for any user is endless. For me, I would rank this tool as a 10 out of 10 considering all the helpful features, the simplicity and convenience of the site, along with the degree of value concerning professional networking.

eBay

eBay Inc. is an online shopping center created for the purpose of buying and selling to occur between people and businesses for a wide variety of goods. Created in 1995 and becoming public in 1998, eBay was originally founded as an American internet company but has expanded to dozens of other countries. The site’s membership is open to anyone looking to buy or sell virtually anything—whether new, old, broken, expensive, cheap, useful, lost, or alive, your selection includes few exceptions of potential and permissible items. The actual purchases happen through an auction system with items being sold to the highest bidder within the previously set time allotment. The site has become extremely useful for those looking for the best price options for desired items or—and often more importantly—items difficult to locate. Disadvantages of this new communication technology include the notion of fraud, inflating shipping costs, auction sniping, stealing accounts, and forgeries. For a company, however, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages due to benefits from reaching the multiple millions of people familiar with the site’s functions, and the simplicity it brings towards the act of buying and selling. For a company, usefulness ratings would be a 9 out of 10. The site has exponentially grown to reach millions of users and has been thriving for ten consecutive years. Considering this information and the fact that eBay owns PayPal and Skype, I’d say that this new communication technology is extremely useful and effective through its obvious success.

Windows Msn Messesnger

By Richard Thebaud

http://get.live.com/messenger/features

Windows Messenger is a great application to be used for every organization. This internet chat comes with many available features. It comes with features such as PC to PC calling, video conversations, text message to phones, sharing folders. This system is very user friendly. The reason this technology would be especially good for organizations to improve organizational communication is because employees will be able to contact other employees whether they are near a computer or a cell phone. The video feature is also a great affordance for organizations. This will give organizations to hold conferences all over the world. It will also allow a face to face communication which would not be allowed in a regular messaging system. I would give this product a five out of five, because it give companies a product that is cheap, effective, and user friendly.

Sprint i4 IP Key System

By Richard Thebaud

http://www.comtex-nj.com/category.aspx?categoryID=96

The Sprint I4 IP key system is a telephone system which offers a good communication technology that can be used by an organization to improve organizational communication. This device has a variety of applications which include integrated voicemail, networking, emergency 911 support, message waiting indicators, phonebook access, as well as simultaneous ringing. This product also is not too expensive, so it won’t cost a company an arm and a leg. Another important quality this product contains is that it is user friendly. Companies will not have to offer training. Another quality the Sprint I4 IP key system has, with this product you are able to expand your system size over time. I would have to give this product a four out of five. The reason I have given this technology a four out of five is because this product is recommended for small to medium sized companies.

YouTube

YouTube, created in February 2005, is a website where viewers can upload, view, and share video clips. The website is free to anyone wanting to access or upload videos. The site uses Adobe Flash technology for easy and quick viewing. The videos range from movie clips, television show clips, music videos, and "home-made" videos from virtually anyone. While most viewers can see a selection of video clips, becoming a registered member permits the viewer to the entire collection of videos. Registering only costs a few minutes of your time to fill out minor information, but there is no payment necessary. The most recent statistics show that there are over 73,000,000 videos and 2,750,000 users.
YouTube allows users from all over the world to access videos for multiple purposes. The website can be used as an educational medium for schools and universities. Many videos can be used as a learning module in classrooms or in businesses for a variety of reasons. The website has also sprouted Internet celebrities, these of which have uploaded there own video that became extremely popular and even controversial. These individuals, or more so there videos, have become so popular that they are featured all over the media including entertainment news programs and late night talk shows. Along with Internet celebrities, amateur bands and performers can be discovered on YouTube. The site gives outstanding media exposure and music promotion. The website's slogan "Broadcast Yourself" encourages the user to promote their ideas and creativity by creating their own video. Although many videos can be displayed to any user of the website, users can also set up there own private account so only specific viewers with the appropriate password can access their videos.
The website also encounters some disadvantages, one of these being explicit content. The website includes many controversial videos, displaying violence such as street fights and animal abuse. These are just a few of the many video clips that have maneuvered its way on the site. Although YouTube does not allow videos that are not permitted by the United States copyright law, there are still infringements with movie/television clips being broadcasted on the site. Another disadvantage is finding a specific video out of the 73 million. The search engine does not provide the viewer with easy access to specific videos, especially if the title or video provider is unknown. YouTube also allows for virtually any video to be uploaded, leading speakers or "actors" in the video to be displayed without consent.
I think that YouTube should be used within an organization to access appropriate videos for projects, media information, and media output. Organizations can share there videos with other organizations or branches to collect and distribute ideas that the employees can not only hear but also see.
On a 5 point scale, 1 being least useful and 5 the most useful, I would rate YouTube at a 5. It gives all users the ability to share videos for a variety of purposes. It also benefits as not only a form of entertainment but also a means of distributing information to anyone who has access to the Internet.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi, short for Wireless Fidelity, is a wireless technology owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance that allows for the flow of information while being completely mobile. The Wi-Fi Alliance is a group of independent companies that collaborate the connectivity of wireless technologies. Society has become accustomed to 'plugging in' whenever we want to connect the Internet but soon it might just be a matter of which direction you are facing. Since 1997, the use of wireless technologies has sprawled and it seems that we have only scratched the surface of the limitless possibilities of its uses. Companies such as Intel are currently developing high-performance wireless communication that will significantly broaden the reach of Wi-Fi. The future of wireless is not going to be about its fancy gadgets. As Intel states, "It's going to be about a wireless society." This would be on a global scale and would allow people to exchange information seamless as they move from place to place.

The advantages of having this technology in an organization are invaluable as they cut costs and free up time for those that use it. It allows you to communicate without being tied down by cables and with the right technology, you can be in touch with the world anywhere you need to be. Most new computer technology, such as laptops, already have Wi-Fi capability built in standard so there is little or no extra cost. There are also hundreds of thousands of public locations that currently have Wi-Fi connections that are easily accessible. With faster communication, organizations can quickly and efficiently execute their business.

Although there are many possibilities for Wi-Fi, there are still limitations and disadvantages of the wireless technology. As its popularity grows, so will its volume of traffic and users. This will inevitably slow its performance if we cannot keep up with its growth. Wi-Fi also requires more power which pushes for better battery technology which can drives up expenses. And then there are the more obvious flaws such as natural barriers that limit connectivity, range of the connection and technology failures.

Since this is still a developing technology, any one of these advantages or disadvantages could intensify or disappear completely. Wi-Fi technology should be rated very highly on its usefulness in an organization as long as the company has the technology and knowledge to support it.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network1.htm

Skype

Skype

By Tyler Endres

Skype is a software program that allows users to make telephone calls over the internet to other users for free. Calls can also be made to landlines and cell phones for a fee. Other features available through Skype include instant messaging, file transfer, short message service, and video conferencing. The software program was created by the Swedish and Danish entrepreneurs Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis in 2003. The Skype Group was acquired by eBay in 2005 and has experienced rapid growth ever since.

Advantages of using Skype include making it possible for anyone with an internet connection to make free high-quality phone calls. It can give small businesses the ability to compete with larger competitors by lowering operating costs and increasing productivity with voice calls, instant conference calling, group chat, file-transfer, free calling. Skype is also available in 27 languages which can be a huge advantage for international companies or businesses looking to globalize.

Skype has many advantages but it’s not perfect. One disadvantage can be experienced by users with slow internet connections. The sound quality may be rough and delays in transmission are common. Another con of using Skype is that not all of its features are free. Some cost money and the fees can add up. There has also been some security issues with the software.

I believe that Skype should be used within an organization as a mean of cheaper communication. Skype could be used internally as well as externally and dramatically lower a company’s phone bill.

Overall, I would rate Skype as 3.5 out of 5. While it’s very useful and cost effective, it also has a lot of kinks to work out before it will be widely used and accepted among corporations.

TheOpenDoc.com

TheOpenDoc.com was created merely a few months ago as a platform for organizing and collaborating on documents and tasks. The program is free to join and allows users to create multiple workspaces. Each workspace allows you to save text documents, post discussions, create tasks and mark them off when complete. It allows you to give other people access to the workspace and see, edit, and create new content, allowing for collaborations between colleagues or people in general. If not working on a team, there is a feature to make the workspace private, which would still give the user access to their work progresses on any computer with and Internet connection.

This program seems to have been created to benefit working people, but I can see benefits to it being used in a classroom setting. For example, with our conference groups we would be able to stay organized on what tasks need to get completed, what we have completed, and discuss the information we have come up with. This program is similar to BLS only has less features, such as a live chat.

TheOpenDoc.com has plans on adding new features to the program in the future such as file repository in workspaces, detailed permission settings for workspaces, advanced revision history for documents, creation of project plans/ GANTT charts directly in workspaces, and expanded user profiles. Once these new services are implemented I think the program would be a huge asset to anyone collaborating on a project.

Right now I would probably rate this program a 4, but when all it's new features are added I would give it a 5.