The future of magazines

There are many views as what is the future of magazines. Some believe that printed magazines will not stand a chance against the ongoing challenge presented by the Web and all its new platforms. Others believe that even though new devices have been created to take over the printed magazine business, they will not cease to exist.  

Nancy Gibbs – a noted essayist and editor at Time magazine was interviewed in the Katie Couric show and together they discussed the future of magazines. In the interview Nancy Gibbs stated that the problem with an online article “was that writers who produce long pieces of work were going to have an issue once they went online, since users would not feel the same way about clicking an online article for sixteen pages- this was asking too much out of people”.  She also mentioned that since new devices have been developed for reading purposes like the Nook and Ipad, people most likely will not have an issue with reading lengthy articles on those devices.

A concern that was raised was about journalism. Nancy Gibbs was asked how will journalism was going to be compensated if people did not want to pay for the content in the web? Since on a recent interview only 7% of Americans said they were willing to pay for online news. The rest said that if their journal of preference put a price on their online articles they would not pay it and would choose to go elsewhere.

On a different article Cathie Black spoke about the industry as well. She said that “we are all working under a new business model. The problem is that the revenue model is not there yet”. She expressed that the “Amazon's Kindle is a phenomenal entry into the marketplace, but it's not a great reading experience, and it certainly isn't a great reading experience for a magazine reader because we are about a graphic presentation. We are about beautiful photography, illustration and great writing, so I think that we'll see that in this generation--whether it's via the Apple tablet or another device. There will be dozens of devices. We want to think about how we move content, illustration and photography across multiple [platforms]”.

Facebook vrs. Google

Google is traditionally known as a search engine and Facebook as a social networking site. Both companies work on different areas of the Internet, but with the desire to attract more people and advertising they have clashed and will continue to do so. Facebook has recently announced that users will be able to obtain a ‘facebook.com’ message service very similar to an email account. Although Mark Zuckerberg clearly states that this is ‘not an email account’ the message services comes really close to one. It will enable a much greater way of communication between users and will increase the amount of time spent on the site.

This message service will give users a chance to interact in an even more personal level by bringing emails, messages, sms’ and chats into one message. People will no longer have threads, but entire messages as wholes saved up on their Facebook page. This of course raises questions about privacy, since during the convention people were told that the messages were going to be saved permanently onto the Facebook server.

Internet users have increased their amount of time spent on Facebook drastically, which shows that people are using both Google and Facebook in an almost equitable way. This of course might change a bit now that Facebook has rolled its ‘email’ service; although they do not expect users to shut down their Yahoo or Gmail accounts, they believe Facebook’s messages –email, will be more fun and more valuable for the user to experience.

Just like Facebook plays hard and continues to push Google, this company has had its share in trying to compete with Facebook. They too have attempted to undertake the social networking world by creating Orkut. Both companies go back and forth competing and trying to gain more Internet, user and market share to the point where both Facebook and Orkut blocked its users from transferring friend’s contact information from Facebook to Orkut or vice versa. This is a battle that will continue through the years to come.

E-reader, Nook Color

1. What is the Nook Color device? How much does the Nook Color cost and where can it be purchased? How is the Nook Color different from previous releases of the device?

The Nook Color is the new version of the Nook, a luxury model that enhances reading and makes it more appealing to the user. The Nook Color can be found at Barnes & Noble and it costs $249.

This device is different from previous releases because it not only has color but also has a better system. It is also built to make ‘shopping for books enjoyable’ and it allows users to share books with each other. This ‘LendMe’ feature is a key aspect that differentiates this model from the old one. It also has the ability to be interactive for children because there is a vast library of children’s books that can be played (it is read by a professional reader).

2. What operating system does the Nook Color use? What are the expected future enhancements that will come to the Nook Color when the operating system is upgraded in the near future?

The Nook Color is built on the Android 2.1 operating system, which allows access to a full Web browser, which include checking Facebook, twitter and Pandora Internet Radio. It also allows multitasking and provides the user with Quickoffice software for Word, Excel and PowerPoint but users are only able to view these files and not edit them.

Early next year Nook Color will upgrade to Android 2.2 operating system. This new system will allow the Nook Color to play Flash videos and edit documents on Quickoffice; they will also be able to download free or paid applications for it.

3. How many book titles are available for users of the Nook Color device and how do users get access to the content? What options are available to users of the Nook Color if they want to loan or borrow books from friends?

The Nook Color has access to the Barnes & Noble library of two million downloadable books and over one hundred magazines and newspapers. Users can highlight passages from books and share them on Facebook, Twitter or a limited in-book mail system with a feature called ArticleView. Users are also prompted to share their purchased e-books by using the new ‘LendMe’ feature. This feature allows users to exchange e-books for a period of fourteen days and interact in a different way. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab

1. What is the Samsung Galaxy Tab? How much does the Tab cost and what kinds of hardware configurations are available?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a new kind of tablet computer. It is considered the iPad’s first real rival because they both share similarities, but they too have considerable differences. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is going to be introduced by the cellular companies like Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon but unlike the iPad, the Tab will be sold with cellular capabilities. There are two fixed prices: $400 if you purchase the Tab with a cellular data contract and $600 if you purchase it with the cellular capability but no contract. This already gives the Tab an edge since the iPad is sold at a higher price and its lowest only has a WiFi connection.

The Tab uses Google’s Android operating system, which allows it to run programs like Adobe Flash and also lets it be multitasking. The problem is that there are not enough applications that have been developed to work on the Tab, therefore variety is not an option for these users. A plus is that this device possesses two cameras that allow the user to make video calls and/or record videos.

2. What is the size of the Samsung Tab's screen and in comparison to the iPad, how much smaller is the screen space actually?

The tab has a 7-inch screen, which makes it less than half the size on the iPad’s. The iPad’s screen is 9.7-inches and although it does not sound like a major difference, measuring it using diagonal measurements it is. An advantage to having a smaller screen is that it makes the device as a whole smaller and lighter, which in return becomes easier to be handled with one hand and easier to carry and store.

3. How does the Samsung Tab compare to the iPad in battery longevity tests? Overall, how did the reviewer rate the Samsung Tab in comparison to the iPad?

The life battery of the Tab is not the best. In a comparison study between the iPad and the Tab, both devices were left on their fullest brightness, WiFI ON and playing videos and the results were considerable. The iPad lasted for eleven hours and twenty-eight minutes, while the Tab only lasted six hours and fifty minutes.

Overall the Samsung Galaxy Tab is “attractive, versatile and competitively priced.” It provides users with a new real alternative that has advantages over the iPad but at the same time make it too simple to steal the iPad’s place.

Describe how cell phone works so a 12 year old could understand it.

A cell phone is a wireless device with which you can make and receive calls from anywhere in the world. It is a way in which people communicate and because it has become really useful, cell phones now can do much more than just calling. They are equipped with many other functions like text messaging, music playing, video recording, access to the Internet and many other things, but the true wonder comes from how all this works.

Cell phones work a little bit different than regular phones because they need to provide you with service everywhere you go. Cell phones use a cellular network that allows them to stay connected even when you are moving; it does it by jumping from one cell to another. These particular cells allow cell phones to stay connected thus providing you with enough service anywhere you are.

Cell phones today can do so many things that it is impossible to not be connected with people around the world. Depending on the kind of cell phone you have and the service you request, your cell phone is capable of sending and receiving emails, logging into chat rooms and having applications to play with. It can also record and play videos and play music -just like an iPod does. Text messaging is also very popular and easy to use; you just need to type up the message and press send. With text messages you might feel like you are in a chat room, because it allows quick responses and you can also incorporate emoticons to the text, making it more casual and friendlier.

What are the main issues in spectrum allocation?

The communication spectrum includes the range of electromagnetic radiation frequencies that are used in wireless communication systems. Their problems revolve around how technicians can make the service better, thus providing an improved system. At the beginning wireless communications were found at the center of the telecommunications network and they were used to carry bulk quantities of calls between cities rather than directly communication one person to another. With the development of Microwave systems, they were able to upgrade the service to carry thousands of calls simultaneously but the only set back was that this system uses directional antennas that make it impossible to extend networks for thousands of miles. This also led to the development of a new system that uses fiber optics, which also paved the way for satellite and cell phone systems. What all these systems were in need of was a more efficient way to use scarce channel space, which is way thanks to technology scientist and technicians continue to develop new ways in which to expand our communication system.  

What has been the main impact of the Telecom Act?

The development of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 brought new possibilities and had different impacts in the industry. One of them was that it enabled companies to merge and local telephone companies were able to offer cable and satellite TV and vice versa. Companies were able to compete globally and there were a succession of various big companies merging, giving them more power over others. The most significant impact this act had was long distance. With companies going global and the nation moving towards a more globalized world, long distance became an important factor in people’s lives, so companies needed to provide this service to ensure their success. Competition played a huge role on prices but as competitors began to drop, prices started to rise. Also, with technology being so innovative day by day consumers were looking more into what the companies could offer besides basic options, therefore the true competition is now placed in the providers that offer different technologies.