Classes are over















NEXT CLASS

Semester Over
It was Fun and I hope
you learned something
in this class. Review this blog in 2033
and see if we were right.


Sunday, March 31, 2013

Monday April 1, 2013

Monday we will cover domain names and web pages.



 



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Google Maps vs. Apple Maps


BY: Timothy Harris


Have you ever taken a road trip with your friends and need directions? Well in the case of many Iphones users (including myself) we rely on our map feature to help guide us to our destination. In 2012 Apple decided to launch its on version of the Google Maps Application and replace the original. Following the release of this new application Apple received major backlash because of their decision to do so. Now sure Apple’s new map application came with all the bells and whistles that its predecessor had been missing. Here is a brief run down of a comparison between the two mapping applications


Left: Google Maps. Right: Apple Maps.

Cleaner design: For a company that adheres to a strict philosophy of clean and simple design, Apple Maps can actually appear somewhat cluttered next to Google's effort. While it may be helpful sometimes to know if there's a nearby Pottery Barn, in some cases all those restaurant and shop icons showing up in Apple Maps gets in the way of quickly reading street names.

Public transit directions: Google Maps includes public transit directions; Apple Maps doesn't which was a major let down for Apple users in major transit cities like New York, Chicago and D.C.

Street View: Street View maybe somewhat useless for some people but its still a cool perk for those moments when users are curious as to what their destination actually looks like before they arrive.




Left: Google Maps. Right: Apple Maps.


More efficient searches: When trying to search out the address for Mission Chinese Food, a very popular San Francisco restaurant, Google Maps figured out what I was looking for within in two clicks when I simply typed "mission chinese." Searching for the same place via Apple Maps in the same way was downright confusing. The app offered up no less than 10 different places, highlighting a different nearby restaurant instead.

Better directions. Period. Thanks to a multi-year head start, Google Maps is simply more thorough and more accurate than Apple Maps, something which has been proven time and time again. For its part, Apple recognizes it has some serious work to do: CEO Tim Cook apologized to customers via letter last September for the "frustration" experienced, and Senior Vice President Scott Forstall, the executive directly responsible for Apple Maps, was reportedly asked to resign. So until Apple catches up, Google Maps will be the go-to navigation app for many users, myself included.


Source Links:


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Google Glass: The Next Big Thing or The Next Big Flop?



 BY: Travon Epps


With smart phones and tablets becoming more and more innovative each year, many of us could ask the simple question: What could possibly become the next big thing? While it seems like something out of a Science Fiction movie, Google believes that its latest project will be indeed the next big thing. Google glass, are smart glasses that can be used for GPS Navigation, photography, video chat and web browsing. These smart glasses are still being tested by developers around the world and will have a retail price of about $1,500.


            Everything about these glasses are innovative, from its sleek design all the way down to its voice recognition capabilities, which will be very good for multitasking and capturing things at a moments notice. Upon doing more research I found a few things that might cause some people to worry about this product. Mark Hurst, founder of Creative Good and a former InfoWorld ‘Netrepreneur of the Year pointed out what could possibly be a huge privacy issue. In his article he writes,

“First, take the video feeds from every Google Glass headset, worn by users worldwide... Now add in facial recognition and the identity database that Google is building within Google Plus...Finally, consider the speech-to-text software that Google already employs... Any audio in a video could, technically speaking, be converted to text. Anything you say within earshot could be recorded, associated with the text, and tagged to your online identity. And stored in Google’s search index. Permanently. Starting today, anywhere you go within range of a Google Glass device, everything you do could be recorded and uploaded to Google’s cloud, and stored there for the rest of your life, You won’t know if you’re being recorded or not; and even if you do, you’ll have no way to stop it.”



After reading that article I think that the two main reasons why Google Glasses might not perform at its potential is because of its steep price and the privacy issues. If Google can find a way to convince customers that their privacy will not be in jeopardy I think this product can be successful. Also if they lower the price to about the price of a smartphone I think this product could definitely be the next big thing.
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Blackberry Z10 V Apple Phone 5

BY: Shelton Hamilton
When it comes to technology, every day we are observing new creations to take the place of old ones. There has always been and will always be competition between which creations are the best. For the last seven years, Apple INC., has separated itself from others and has moved above all companies in taking over the computer/ electronic field. Therefore, every minute companies’ are constantly looking for new gadgets and computers to overtake Apple’s dominance. Blackberry is one of many companies that have released new technologies to compete with Apple. The Blackberry Z10, is the latest creation by Blackberry and it will greatly compete with Apple’s iPhone 5. Though it has not been released in the U.S., many other countries are really high on this new creation. With new technology being created and added to make this smartphone even smarter than the iPhone 5, will the Blackberry Z10 live up to the hype and out sell Apple’s iphone5?
The Z10 is not only a single device against the iPhone 5, but the entire series. The Z10’s new operating system was made in a Canadian firm and will defeat the iPhone and its iOS in several key areas. The Z10 wins the hardware battle with the iPhone since it is a powerful and strong machine with high quality specs and other features. Its great build quality is like no other, and with software that is providing a stunningly smoother experience for users, this piece just might be hard to pass up on. The Z10 and iPhone are tied in the handsets field since both handsets are very good. However, when it comes to the specs outlook, the BlackBerry Z10 is victorious again. It has a large 4.2-inch display with 768 x 1280 pixels at 355p pixel density. The processor inside the device is a 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon, and it is supported by an Adreno 225 graphical processor and 2GB of RAM. The device comes only in 16GB model with the facility for data storage expansion through a microSD slot. Cameras of the device include an 8MP rear and 2MP front ones. On the other end, the iPhone 5 has a 4-inch Retina display, and under the cover, it features a 1.2GHz A6 dual core processor, 1GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX 543MP3 graphical processor. This is no match whatsoever to the Z10. The one thing that does give the iPhone an advantage is that it is available in three memory versions 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB.
Several people are anxious to see how this greatly compacted piece will holdup. “The Blackberry Z10 definitely puts in a solid performance, leading to a surprisingly close contest. It matches the iPhone 5 for display and camera and even tops it for battery life, memory and connectivity,” says a 3G.co.uk.writer. Many analysts feel that the iPhone 5 is still a winner over the Z10 just because its build quality is better. Even though this may be true others feel that the Z10 is better because it is more advance in one very key component, which is its ability to be repaired. At the end of the day, both of these gadgets will be great money makers for Blackberry and Apple, but only time will tell if the Z10will be able to dethrone iPhone 5 as America’s hottest phone.














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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Blogger Having Technical Problems

I can not update the right side of the blog due to a technical problem with Blogger.com. Google says they are working on it.

Here is a link to the information for HW#5.

Hopefully it will be fixed soon.
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GS4 vs Iphone5


BY :Joshua Nyarko


In class, we have discussed the top two Smartphone platforms: Apple and Android. We learned the Android market is growing while Apple’s sales are slowing. Below are 10 reasons why the Galaxy S4 is better than the iPhone 5. Also, there is a chart showing Apple’s stock plunge over the last six months. This has been largely attributed to a failure to meet investor expectations and a drop in expected growth. How do you think Apple can recover market value by continuing to be innovative and increase growth expectations?

1) The Galaxy S 4 is faster than the iPhone 5.
Samsung's Galaxy S 4 has a quad-core processor compared the the iPhone 5's dual core processor. The Galaxy S 4 is almost two times faster than the iPhone 5.

2) The Galaxy S 4's screen is bigger.
The Galaxy S 4's screen measures a whopping 5-inches. That's a full inch more screen real estate than the Phone 5. A bigger screen means more apps on one page, more space for videos, and higher quality.

3) The Galaxy S 4 has better camera software.
Software aside, the Galaxy S 4 packs a whopping 13 megapixel camera, compared to the iPhone 5's eight megapixel camera. Pictures stand out with features like, photo blur, which allows you to erase people or things from a photo and Share Shot, which lets you sync your friends' Galaxy S phones together to share photos.

4) The Galaxy S 4 is more versatile.
The Galaxy S 4 has the latest version of Android, which by nature is a more customizable operating system than Apple's iOS. But besides making phone calls and downloading apps, the Galaxy S 4 can be used as a remote for your compatible Samsung TV. Forbes Haydn Shaughnessy of Forbes points out, "on the S4 microsite Samsung says the phone 'suggests different programs based on your preferences, provides program schedules, and does the channel surfing for you. The Samsung GALAXY S4 even allows you to remotely control the TV or setup boxes.'"

5) The Galaxy S 4 is available on all major carriers including T-Mobile.
The iPhone has yet to make its debut on T-Mobile, leaving some customers out in the dark.

6) The Galaxy S 4 has a sharper screen.
The iPhone 5's Retina Display pushes out an astounding 1136x640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch.
But, Samsung used an HD Super AMOLED screen and beefed up the resolution on the Galaxy S 4 to a impressive 1920x1080 at 441 pixels per inch.

7) Google Now is light-years better than Siri.
This is an Android feature but is still counts as a reason the Galaxy S 4 is better that the iPhone 5. Google Now is a personal assistant that comes included with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It uses all the information available in your smartphone to provide you with relevant information. For example, your phone knows the route you take home and if there is traffic it will prompt you to go a faster way. If you're about to take a flight, Google Now prompts you to check in and even gives you weather in the destination city.

8) The Galaxy S 4 has more memory contributing to the overall quickness of the phone.
The Galaxy S 4 is packed with 2 GB of RAM. That means you can run more apps at once, have more tabs open in your browser, and it just contributes to the overall quickness of the smartphone. The iPhone 5 runs on half of that, only using 1 GB.

9) The Galaxy S 4 has a removable battery!
A removable battery means that when your phone is running low you don't have to stay tethered to a plug. Samsung even sells an extra battery kit allowing you to get some extra juice in a hurry.

10) Users can expand the Galaxy S 4's storage.
If you don't want to shell out the extra money for a 64 GB Galaxy S 4, you can expand the smaller sizes (16GB and 32GB) with a MicroSD card. You can also save data to the MicroSD instead of your actual phone's memory.





Chart of Apple Stock Price:


Complete article on why Apple stock is falling:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2013/02/13/why-is-apple-stock-falling-down/   Work Cited Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-ways-samsung-s-galaxy-s4-is-better-than-the-iphone-5-151555214.html


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When AT&T first met the iPhone

 
By: Devin Gray
The history of the iphone line of phones begins with Steve Jobs' direction that Apple incorporated.  Engineers investigate touch-screens and tablet-computers which later came to fruition with the ipad. Former CEO Ed Whitacre says that Steve Jobs was secretive about his new invention and that AT&T placed a big bet on being the iPhone's exclusive service provider.


The iPhone at first could not be added to an AT&T Business account, and any existing business account discounts cannot be applied to an iPhone AT&T account, which AT&T changed in late January 2008.Early estimates by technology analysts estimated sales of between 250,000 to 700,000 units in the first weekend alone, with strong sales continuing after the initial weekend. As part of their quarterly earnings announcement, AT&T reported that 146,000 iPhones were activated in the first weekend. Though this figure does not include units that were purchased for resale on ebay. or otherwise not activated until after the opening weekend, it is still less than most initial estimates.  It is also estimated that 95% of the units sold are the 8 GB model.

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  • The first iphone 2G was released on June 29, 2007.
  • The iphone 3G was released on June 9, 2008.
  • The iphone 3G s was released on  June 19, 2009.
  • The iphone 4G was released on June 24, 2010.
  • The iphone 4S was released  on October 14, 2011.
  • The iphone 5 was released on September 14, 2012.



  
 
 It’s safe to say that the introduction of the original iPhone in 2007 started a new wave of how we use cellular and mobile devices. Smartphones had actually been in use thanks to the Blackberrys that many business professionals were using in order to keep in contact with work and co-workers; with the release of the iPhone, more casual consumers began to see how smartphones could work in their lives, which has led to an increase in the mobile market today.
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Is an IPhone 5 really better than an Android?


By Sapphire Thomas

Recently, this question has been up for debate amongst several people around the world. While the IPhone 5 may be known for its Faster, lighter, and thinner look, the new breed of Androids is rumored to be challenging the features the IPhone 5 demonstrates. The IPhone 5 is able to support LTE wireless networks, has a faster A6 processor, a redesigned body with lighter materials and a taller 4-inch screen. There is also the new camera and iOS 6.1.3, which is Apple’s newest software update. However, some people seem to think that the Androids devices appear to be exceeding the iPhone 5 in every way and that Apple is a late because Android has provided all these features and more for some time now.

When it comes to the question, “Is an IPhone 5 really better than an Android?,” It’s obvious that everyone has their own opinion. However, Android devices may soon be taking over the market because of these Top 5 reasons.
  1. There are multiple hardware choices and - Not everyone wants the same phone. It is great that the Android software runs on multiple devices and people can have the choice to choose the device, screen size, processor speed and price they are willing to pay.
  2. Better integration with Google services- Of course the Android software integrates well with Google. It has a Google-based operating system and all people need to do is log into their Google accounts and everything syncs automatically. ( Which I think is better than ICloud)
  3. The Widgets and Maps are better- The widgets display more information than the IPhone 5. People don’t even have to click an app with the Android; all they have to do is access their home screen and graphics are displayed giving the person the information they need. The same with Google maps, which are better. Ever since Apple turned its back on Google, the maps are terrible. Personally, I hate using the Apple maps.
  4. The whole App process- Whether you are creating an app or looking for a place to buy Android apps; Android has an open attitude. There are fewer restrictions when creating new apps. However, the individual must agree to their policies to publish an app. Most people can often publish an app within hours whereas with Apple it can take weeks because they have to review and approve it. Also, when purchasing apps you can go to several Android- based app stores in order to run an app you desire.

You can also check this video out for more reasons why an Android is better than an IPhone 5.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a loyal apple device user, I have the IPhone 5 and before that I had the IPhone 4, as well as other Apple devices. Over winter break my family and I upgraded our mobile phone plan and we all had the chance to choose the phone we wanted. So now my mother and father have the Samsung Galaxy S3. When they first picked those phones I was like NOOOO get an IPhone, it is better than an Android, but after setting their phones up and playing with the different tools, I was considering changing phones.

 I think I like the Android because the screen is bigger, the resolution is better, and I can place widgets on the screen. I also love their Google maps because it easier to find the location and it is simple to use. The only reason I have not switched to a phone that uses the Android system is because of the fact that once you go iPhone you can never go back. I think that IPhones scream your economic status and are seen as a sign as wealth. The only reason I do not want an Android is because everyone has them and although that may be the case for IPhones. I love my phone right now and I don’t think I will give it up anytime soon.
I would like to know your thoughts and opinions!


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Wednesday March 27, 2013 - Pivot Tables & Google Place

Today we will meet in the traditional classroom and will discuss:
  • Google Place Assignment
  • Homework #5 - Pivot Tables

Google Place Assignment:

This is a course assignment listed in the syllabus. You can check the syllabus for the percentage of your final grade that this project represents.

Here is a copy of the assignment sheet.

Google Place is Google's replacement for the yellow pages. People use their devices to "google" local businesses. When doing this, they are using Google Places data.

All businesses, especially small businesses need to have a Google Place ad. Remember its free. Google makes its money by selling the information it gathers for this data.

The purpose of this assignment is to offer the small business community a free service by adding them to Google Place and thus increasing their virtual marketing footprint.

The other purpose is to expose you to this service and how simple and needed it is. You could create an income stream for yourself by offering to create Google Places account for businesses at a reasonable fee.


Homework #5 - Pivot Tables

You will used the same excel data used in HW #4. Click here to download again.

The exam must be completed by midnight March 31, 2013. The exam will open Thursday March 28, 2013 at noon.

Below are some videos to help you with learning how pivot tables work. Both Windows and Apple OS versions.


WINDOWS EXCEL 2010









APPLE EXCEL 2011













APPLE EXCEL 2008

Could not find and videos for pivot tables in Excel 2008

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The Impact of Social Media


by Jessie Johnson

Social media are websites that allow social interaction between individuals. Social media allows us the ability to communicate with people without their being a personal/concrete interaction.  This social interaction is growing rapidly throughout the globe through social sites.  More people are joining sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and many more to interact with friends, relatives, employers, and strangers.  This form of interaction is rapidly changing the world around us. The globe is not the same that it once was twenty, or even ten years ago. Therefore; Social media has a profound impact on humanity in some positive and negative ways.






The introduction of social media has changed the world in many ways. Since 2003; with the creation of Myspace, The globe has saw increase social media content and communication among individuals.  This increase in social media content has paved the way for the internet to be popular.  I remember being in middle school and only wanting the internet for Myspace.  That was my stepping stone in exploring what else the internet had to offer.  However with increase tastes and popularity we saw the fall of Myspace and the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Social media is further pushing the extent of the internet and how we interact with the entire world. The rise of everything popular such as shopping online, apps, emails, and other things was fueled by the popularity of social media. Social media is so important that many business who do not utilize the interactions will fall short in profits and margins. In addition, social media can make the world much smaller.  For example a child in China learning American culture can Skype their American counterpart in seconds. Another example will be a Investment Banker on Wall Street getting stock information from another banker in Japan and London simultaneous.  Lastly, Mountain Dew McLaughlin its "create a new dew campaign" on social media outlets, drawing larger consumers to the brand.  All these would have not been possible if it wasn't for social media.  Social media is truly changing the world and internet.



Social media has many positive effects and negative effects on  society.  In recent years with the creation of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, social media has never been so popular.  Therefore; these websites serves as mediums, keeping the globe socially active.  For example; Facebook allows people to communicate with each other, comment on people status, and join different organizations.  This site allow for a billion people to be socially active around the globe.  Secondly, social media increases a person computer capability.  It was during the Myspace era when I had the ability to actually single-handily make a webpage by copying and pasting html codes and manipulating those codes.  I learned almost every manipulating code there was. Also, using social media can also help people who have difficulty socializing with people.  Since there is a computer screen then a actually person, people feel more relaxed.  The negative side effect is that is many people are not learning the necessary soft skills that would be learned if they were actually present for the conversation.  Another positive is Social media help people search careers, build wide range networks, and have the world at their computer screen.  A negative will be that many people have lost their careers, integrity, relationships, popularity, and lives due to social media. Another negative is that many people personal information is becoming comprised because of an every increasing fraud ring. I believe that the positives outweigh the negatives for the use of social media.  We just need to take the time to guard ourself and make rational decisions when we post on the internet.


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Monday, March 25, 2013

Check My Footwork


BY: Marvin W. Medley Jr.

 The south’s contribution to American culture is undeniably tremendous and vast. However, when you search the landscape of southern metropolises, you will be hard press to find a city that has had more of an influence on American popular culture than the prize peach of America’s peach state, Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta, Georgia is a city that was built on the backs of entrepreneurs and has a flair for extravagance, which creates an anything you can do I can do better mentality amongst its native citizens. For over two decades now, Atlanta has been at the forefront of every form of entertainment including music, athletics, film and fashion. In the world of fashion, Atlanta natives have exuded a unique sense of style since the early 90’s and well into the new millennium.
It was hip hop icons like Andre 3000 and Big Boi, who form the rap duo OutKast, who wore shoulder pads and bright suits on red carpets. Dem Franchise Boyz inspired a generation to lean and rock with it in their white tees. Atlanta, GA is a fashion forward city whose entrepreneurial spirit breathes life into the next generation of fashion designers who call the ATL home.  
Thabiti Stephens, a week after he graduated from Atlanta’s Grady High School, said to his self “I want to start my own shoe line.” After a year and a half, countless business plan revisions, numerous hours searching for creditable manufactures and several sleepless nights, in December of 2011, Steps by Stephens was officially founded. Now, I’m sure you are asking yourself, “Why should I care about this particular shoe line when there are countless others that I can place on my feet?” I answer that question by posing this one to you, what other shoe can you buy and feed three underprivileged families at the same time? The answer to this question is Steps by Stephens.
This is why I chose to profile Thabiti Stephens. I chose to profile Stephens because his brand is not just for the profit of his company, but also for the benefit of the people. Stephens’s philanthropy can be contributed to his recognition at an early age of the severe disparity between Atlanta’s socioeconomic classes. “In the city you really see how every type of person lives,” said Stephens “You would have friends on Section 8 and then some who came to school in Bentleys.” 
The inspiration for the Steps by Stephens brand also spawns from Stephens’s own struggles growing up in a city where your appearance symbolizes your status. “I honestly felt that I spent too much money on shoes,” said Stephens “I felt as if I could design, market and produce my own shoe that I would like and share with others.” Stephens would soon realize though, that when one attempts to do something great, even greater challenges will arise.   

Napoleon Hill in his worldwide bestselling novel, Think and Grow Rich, wrote “A burning desire to be and to do is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off.” Stephens had a burning desire to give the world a shoe that only he could produce, but it was his determination to do so that made his dream a reality. The struggles endured by Stephens during the conception of the Steps by Stephens brand are a testament to the high character of the man behind the brand.

It took seven months for Stephens to receive his revised business plan back from Washington, D.C. delaying the progression of production by months, but Stephens did not quit. Next was a search for a manufacture that was creditable and willing to work with an upstart company. “The hardest part of the whole process was finding a manufacture that wasn’t a scam,” said Stephens “That process took several months.” Still Stephens stayed the course. After solving the manufacturing problem, soon came along stoppages in production and how to get the shoes through customs. All the while, Stephens was attending Morehouse College as a full time student. “The fact that I know there is somebody out there who wants it just as bad as we do,” said Stephens “Makes us work even harder.” The Steps by Stephens brand is a representation of hard work paying off.

Steps by Stephens was released in the U.S. in the summer of 2012 and is available in men and women sizes. A partnership with Communities in Schools, setup through Steps By Stephens Chief Operating Officer and VP of Operations, Malcolm Conner, allows for every pair of Steps by Stephens you purchase to feed three underprivileged families in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. It is a shoe that you can feel good about wearing at anytime or at any event.

I admire Thabiti Stephens for his entrepreneurial spirit and his giving heart. You can purchase your pair of Steps by Stephens at www.StepsbyStephens.com and also help to support inner city families.



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Friday, March 22, 2013

The Benefits of an Mobile App

BY: London Keyes

Applications also known as apps gives the average smart phone user easier access to specific interest catered to their personal needs, allows for more productivity, and for some who are always on the go; one touch actions are the most efficient way to get everything done in a effective manner.



Mobile application allows users to have exactly what they need at their finger tips. In the world of apps there is one for any and everything you could possibly imagine an app for.



My personal favorite app is the weather app, I use that app every day, I really like it when I am about to go out of town and I need to find the weather of that city. Smart apps make it easy to do important actions while on the go. One can purchase a plane ticket while on the way to the airport, or have access to their bank account without having to be near a computer. I do not also have my laptop with me so I do like having the ability to purchase things from my app and it is safe as well. It is really easy for companies to maintain also they can build good relationship with their customers.



Another one of my personal favorite app is the ESPN app, I love the fact that I can check the scores of my favorite teams and I also can watch the highlights right from my smart phone. I also like the fact that I can read the top stories that are current and noncurrent. I also like the fact that the ESPN app sends me notifications about when the game is on and also the scores when my favorite teams are playing.



icloud and drop box are tools that makes it easy to access documents that can be shared from one device to another. My having these apps on your smart phone you turn your phone into a computer. 



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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Music Industry: Trouble In Paradise?

BY: Garrick Ewers


In recent years, American music industry insiders have grumbled about the slump in album sales that has hit the industry in a huge way. Since the rise (and fall) of Napster and the proliferation of illegal downloading, the industry has had to completely restructure its business model so that it can continue to stay afloat. According to CNN, from 1999 to 2009, total music sales and licensing revenue decreased from 16 billion to 6 billion, falling by an average of 8 percent each year. 

With this being said, however, there have been gains to be seen that would suggest the music industry might be in better shape than one would imagine. While physical album sales have been decreasing almost ever year in the last decade, digital sales have made tremendous leaps and bounds. In 2011, consumers purchased 3.6 billion dollars worth of digital music, a 17 percent crease from the previous year. Currently there are many artists debunking the myth that the music industry is dead, and others can learn from their recent success.

Beyoncé has returned after a two-year hiatus from her previous album ‘4’ to create a train of hype that has lead to interesting results. Her Superbowl performance was the second most watched in television history, and her recent HBO documentary was the most watched program in the premium cable channel’s history. Earlier this week, Beyoncé previewed two new tracks from her upcoming LP, Bow Down and I Been On. The mash-up of the two songs, posted to her official soundcloud account, has been streamed over 3 million times to date, breaking the streaming record for the music sharing service.


  
Another artist disproving this trend would be Justin Timberlake. He has been out of the limelight (Musically at least) a lot longer than Beyoncé, having last released a single in 2007. In this current musical climate, that is basically a death sentence, as artists like Christina Aguilera could attest, but Justin has navigated this problem very well. Suit and Tie, his debut single from his new album, The 20/20 Experience, broke digital records within days of release. The second single, Mirrors, went straight to number 1 in the UK, and top 30 here in the US.




Justin’s album has broken preorder records on iTunes, and is projected by Billboard to sell upwards of 500,000 copies in one week, a monumental feat in these times.

With these examples, as well as others including Adele, it can be seen that the music industry has the power to keep itself from tumbling if it begins to change the way certain procedures are done. The music industry surprisingly reported in increase in total sales (Both digitally and physically) in 2011, and sales have been better in recent months. I feel hopeful that this industry has what it takes to not only survive, but to thrive.

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Newspapers in Trouble?


BY: RaMonte Dotson



Most national and local newspapers have recently taken steps to cut costs and try to increase revenues. The steps include cutting editions and charging for online news. They are just the latest in a series of changes as newspapers all over North America are feeling the pinch. Is it the tough economic times, or is it the fact that there are now so many other ways to get news, including online news sites, social media, RSS feeds, bloggers? With all these new options, people are getting used to not paying for news, and that hits newspapers more than most other sources.



For many decades newspapers have been at the center of all news gathering. It was the newspapers who paid for putting reporters' boots on the ground, all of whom fanned out and poked into everything happening in each community. The first serious competition came with the advent of that upstart TV, then of course came live 24 hour cable news, and more recently the Internet. But many online sources still rely on the strength of newspapers. They link to newspaper sites, to stories broken and written by newspaper reporters. And what's the first thing most broadcast news organizations do every morning? They check the newspapers.

So, if newspapers are in trouble, what happens to the rest of what has become a multi-faceted news gathering world? Who has the deep pockets to pay for long term stories, investigative work and quality political coverage involving deep knowledge of the history and structure of government? What about the consumers of news? Now that online surfers have become accustomed to getting their news for free, is it possible to erect paywalls and try to get some money out of those same people. Or will they simply move elsewhere?

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March 20, 2013 Class - Wednesday

Class Location: Leadership Center - Traditional Classroom

  1. Unique Web sites
  2. Excel Homework #4



Unique Web Sites:




Deal news is a web site with a phone app that allows you to find coupons and low cost deals on everyday products and service.





The web site allows you to turn .pdf files into word documents. Its create for converting .pdf files into documents you can cut and paste.






Access all real estate information from all 50 states.

EXCEL Homework #4

Homework #4 is about basic tables. Tables allows Excel to hold large amounts of data and then as the user you can analyze that large amounts of data assist in decision making.

Today, in class, we will study this powerful excel option because knowledge of this is valuable in the workplace. This assignment related to HW #5 - Pivot Tables and HW #6 - Google Fusion Tables. So understanding this assignment is a must.

Here is what you need to do:

  1. The video below will assist you with your homework assignment
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Building Wealth


By: Colby Kirkland

In class, we have discussed the significance of building wealth, limiting your expenses, and increasing your savings. I came across an article by Walter Updegrave on CNN’s website that talks about managing your retirement savings and making it last into your 90’s. The way you divide your money between stocks and bonds is a crucial factor in determining how long your savings will last in retirement, but an even more important factor is the amount that you withdraw from your retirement portfolio each year.



Based on a retirement income calculator, a 65-year-old retiree who has $500,000 in savings and starts with a 4% initial withdrawal that he increases each year for inflation- $20,000 the first year, $20,500 the second, etc., assuming 2.5% annual inflation- an allocation with 20% or more in stocks will provide a 75% to 80% chance that his savings will last 30 or more years. An equal 50-50 stocks-bonds mix would yield the highest probability in this scenario because the higher level of risk and volatility that results from greater stock exposure can eventually damage your portfolio.




Higher stock allocations have more upside potential. Although a 50-50 stocks-bonds mix has better chance of lasting 30 years than a 90-10 mix at a 4% withdrawal rate, the 90-10 mix could generate much more money if the stock market produces high returns. The most important thing to note, however, is that the lower the withdrawal rate, the more freedom you have to choose an allocation that fits your tolerance of risk.
If you have a low tolerance risk, then you can increase the percentage of your portfolio that goes into bonds, but if you are more of a risk taker, then you can gravitate more to stocks. 

By limiting the amount of withdrawals, the probability of your portfolio lasting is increased, no matter what allocation you choose.



Due to the uncertainty present in the economy and financial markets, it is probably wise to lean more on the conservative side when deciding how much to withdraw and how to invest. It may also be a good idea to invest a portion of your savings in an immediate annuity that can provide lifetime income regardless of how your investments perform.
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