Homeless in the World

Unfortunately, I notice many homeless people when I ride the bus into downtown. Homelessness is an issue in all American cities and especially around the world. In Austin, there are many panhandlers standing outside as we sit in out air-conditioned cars waiting at a red traffic light. Some people spare some change, but most try to avoid looking. It is disheartening to see so many people in dire conditions, and sometimes one feels they can do nothing.

The idea behind this project was to show images at which it is hard to look. The video is simply a slideshow, but I hope the images are enough to provoke a sense of compassion. These are people on the streets in America, and they may still be there. Maybe nothing has changed for them since their pictures were taken. From the first image to the last, I hope it is conveyed that a change should be made.

I chose to start the video with an image I found about how America needs change regarding the homeless situation. It states that more than 15,000 people are homeless in San Francisco alone, and that a sort of revolution should be started. It sets the tone for what the video is about, and the images that follow show panhandlers and people with signs. Most of us in the classroom do not know what it is like not to have a home. Seeing such images in succession for a full minute makes one aware of what it may be like for homeless people after we pass them at the traffic light. That is why I asked in the video, “Where do you sleep at night?” Then multiple images follow of how these people spend their nights to get some rest. They sleep sitting down on benches, or they choose to sleep on the sidewalk. The purpose of the last image was to make a moral statement that everyone should have a home. That subject can certainly be debated, but it is the statement I wished to make with the video.

Although I do not offer a solution in the video, I think it would be beneficial to support a non-profit organization which works with the homeless. Another way to help may be to volunteer at a homeless shelter. Homelessness is a difficult problem with which to solve, but hopefully enough people will care to take action, no matter how small. If enough people did enough small actions, it could make a difference.

Samsung's new camera phone ad wants to challenge you

To go along with the viral video theme discussed this week, Samsung released a video ad, which is intended to go viral, for its I8910 camera phone, which I found on a Geekology post. It seems to be a trick camera, and the point of the ad is to challenge the people in cyberspace to figure out what the trick is. The guy in the ad challenges everyone to guess how the ad was filmed; he claims that it was all done in one take without editing or special effects.

In the ad, which is 1 minute and 44 seconds, a guy is in his house filming with the camera phone, and he wants to show everyone in cyberspace how great the camera is. After he films his live-in girlfriend, asking her to say hi, he walks over to a mirror and begins filming himself. At one point, he waves his hand in front of the camera so that everyone in cyberspace can see nothing but his hand pass, and when the screen is hand-free again, the camera with which he’s filming seems to have disappeared, or at least invisible. The trick is - he’s still filming. We can see him still filming himself in the mirror, although there now is empty space where he appears to be holding up the camera. He even pans the camera, and it really appears as if he’s still filming. He waves his hand again, and the camera reappears; the challenge is then issued.



The ad appeared to be informal and a bit grassroot-sy, which I think worked. As far as social media is concerned, I think it tries to engage the audience with the guy talking to the camera, even daring them to guess how he was filming with a camera that didn’t seem to be there. While I think it was made obvious that it was an official Samsung ad, I didn’t mind that it was written in a script that the “girlfriend” showed her annoyance with her “boyfriend,” as if they were a real couple. I thought it was a funny, and it rang a bit true. Although some people may be allowed with viral videos, I think this one was fine. At least it wasn’t trying to pretend like it was a real guy in his real apartment. I could tell it was professionally done, and I found it likeable that it wanted to initiate two-way communication in the honor of social media.

Reaction: Viral Video Lecture

I shouldn’t admit this, but I’m always the last to know about viral videos. I didn’t know anything about the Dove Real Beauty campaign until I saw it in a PR class lecture, and apparently it was a really big deal. I wonder how I miss them and not know what’s going on. Viral videos are almost like a pop culture icon which will represent the age of social media.

Ever since I’ve taken this class, I’ve come to the realization that I always need to be exploring new technologies and social media. It’s not going to go away, and it’s not a fad. Social media has become a way of life because it’s about people. Social media is a new way to reach out to people and connect. Viral videos are a social media tool which get people talking to one another, not only creating buzz for the product. People are what make the video go viral in the first place as they send it to family and friends with which they want to share it. Social media is growing, and that seems to be a great thing.

Second Life not a useful tool in today's economy?

Second Life has become controversial in Britain after it was reported that the British government spends 12,000 pounds ($17,500) for the Department of Work and Pensions by a Sky News article. It is mainly controversial because the DWP website does not even advertise it. Furthermore, it seems superfluous to maintain a Second Life community when a million people are likely to lose their jobs in the current economic climate. The account initially cost 20,000 pounds ($29,000) to build and costs 12,000 pounds a year to maintain.

The case for the account, according to the department, is that it will eventually save money in the long run. “We believe it could help make sharing technology more efficient and save taxpayers money as meetings, events and shows can be held online at a fraction of the cost and resources,” they said. While 15 million people have signed up in Second Life, active users only count in the hundreds of thousands.

While Second Life does seem to be struggling to catch on, I think it just needs some time. Because the economic climate isn’t very favorable these days, this type of social media which costs money to maintain may not have much support. Even so, if it will save money in the long-run when people do not have to travel for work because they can virtually meet clients, then it will be much more appreciated. However, it seems that free social media is where the support lies during this time.

Reaction: Second Life speaker

After we had the speaker on Second Life, it seems that it’s more than a variation of the once popular Sims game. Second Life can be used for a social networking tool for school and work, in addition to making online friends. More importantly, it can be used as an educational tool. I was impressed with the virtual illustration of Dante Alighieri’s “The Inferno.” I believe this is a particularly useful tool to engage students when studying the classic Italian literary work. The simulation included an interaction between the user and a chat within the game, which was pre-programmed with the questions asked of Dante in The Inferno.

As an educational tool, I think Second Life will eventually skyrocket as a means of interactive learning. Teachers can use Second Life to their advantage, even if students never use it afterwards. Illustrations always serve as a positive tool for learning. It is still a question of whether Second Life could serve as a sort of tool for education 2.0. Because social media has become second nature to tech-savvy adults and young adults, why couldn’t Second Life become second nature to upcoming tech-savvy students?

Google May Want Twitter

The question of how Twitter would be able to make money is still being debated. The latest method, according to CNNmoney is to be acquired by Google. One source says the deal is about to be sealed, while another says that negotiations are in its 'early stages.' The reason Google is even thinking about acquiring Twitter is for its increasingly popular "real-time" search engine capability. The article suggests that "it's too early for Twitter to sell itself." It also suggested that when it does, it should be for cold, hard cash. The main reason there should be no hurry to sell is that Twitter has raised $35 million of "new financing," according to a Business Insider article. Now, Twitter has a value of $250 million. This huge value is due to the site's active user growth of 900 percent. Despite this huge number, Twitter isn't actually making any profit. However, the article states, "we still think Twitter is in a very good position to become the 'rails' that the real-time Web rides on... and that could be worth a LOT of money someday."

In an opinion completely independent from the article, I think that if and when Twitter is bought, not a lot will change for the user. The article reminds the reader that Google bought Youtube. I think the main thing that changed was that advertisements started popping up on youtube, and I think the same will be true for Twitter. As a social media, Twitter is proving more valuable as time passes and it becomes more mainstream. According to the article, "Its growth shows no signs of slowing..." I think Twitter will only become stronger and more prominant in the social media arena, and I think it will be a totally different force in a couple of years.