Google embarks on smart contact lenses for diabetics

 It is time to talk about the social benefit companies can generate. It is the case of Google, a worldwide enterprise that controls everything that goes on Internet. Some days ago I read one news about Google that really impressed me. Google has invested great amounts of money to make diabetics their life much easier.

It is a new contact lens that id build to measure the glucose in your blood, so diabetics could stop having to test them selves every day. Much more hygienic, comfortable and futuristic.

Here comes the best thing. With this example we can see how Internet companies can, not only develop the digital world, but can also invest in medical innovation. This is magnificent. The digital Era has become a global problem solving system, which its only aim is to make a world better.

Diabetes is said to be one of the fastest growing diseases in the world. According to Google, it affects one in 19 people around the globe. They did their investigations, saw the problem and have managed to find a possible solution. It is highlighting how this company has expanded and how they really try to make our lives better.

 

Journalism as entertainment in Europe

Increased competition within the media has had an impact on the practice and performance of journalism. Objectivity is no important any more. What audience is really interested on are the lifestyles of famous people or the secret affairs of world known politicians.

This has being caused because of two reasons. The first one is that the USA model has emerged in Europe. As the American mass media is the one to be followed, Europe has decided to copy their style of journalism. Now, the necessity of keeping in the game has made journalism sentimental and superficial.

The second reason is because mass media is in control of a few massive enterprises. One clear example is Berlusconi in Italy. He owns more than a 50% of Italians media, and decides on what is shown. He has copied the American style and, the rest of the Italian enterprises and the public media have to adjust so they can still be competitive in their sector.

This is one of the disadvantages I see in Mass Media privatization. It is no longer a case of good and deep information, but a sensational journalism in most cases.

 

Global streaming

One of the things I miss more now that I study abroad are the football weekends. I usually go out with my friends and watch all the Spanish football league matches. Not only that, but we also enjoy watching the Champions League.

As a football supporter, Internet has made me a huge favour. There was a time when you had to pay monthly to watch your football team match, so you had to decide ether to pay, go to a friends house that paid the license or to a bar.

Now, I am studying on another country and I can watch all the football matches I can, by streaming and HD. This, for me is a revolution. This is how I believe in Internet: As a way of helping society and destroying the barriers leading enterprises create.

This has being just an example of what makes me believe in digital journalism. The scenario has already being shown (Internet), now it is time for journalism to join this global scenario with endless wideness.

The best example I can imagine is Youtube. This web site has global control on society and gives huge amount of possibilities. Everything is in there, to the point of needing more than 10 lives’ to see all the videos uploaded. As a conclusion, I love the fact that everything can be shared at real time. Culture has increased and freedom rules the journal world.

 

Does journalism have a future?

I have heard this reflexion more than enough times in the past three years. Although I am not likely to become a future journalism, I study Advertising and PPRR, I like the fact that people get prepared to show me what is happening in the world.

Press has provided truth and freedom to the society, but it has also being used for political goals and to oppress the population throughout some dictatorships. Here comes the problem: Internet is everywhere, and with it, the digital journalism has appeared into scene.

I can barely remember when my parents and I read the printed newspaper at home. Since the last decade, our laptop screen has started doing the function of the printed ink.  With this, millions of news and post appear within seconds in the web, creating a high decrease on objectivity. You can be a “web-journalist” despite of your preparation and your sauces, leading a world of mistrust and useless information.

Nevertheless, I believe that if you are interested in real journalism, you can easily find it. It is still there, no matter if it’s printed or on a screen. The more I read, the more I realise the high preparation the journalists go through, the more I know the future of journalism is completely safe.

Digital Media: lobbying weapon?

There are certain jobs that have enough years of history to consider themselves as historical. One of them is lobbying, which has being made since we know the Homo sapiens sapiens. We have all lobbied sometime, arguing for the film to watch or the city to visit.

Digital Media is the platform to use if you want to lobby. It is immediate, it targets perfectly the groups to be lobbied and it can make you accomplish your job in a few days. Every politician is highly interested in having good relationships with media companies. They spend huge amount of money to create a good atmosphere of confidence and friendship.

One of the main streams of a political party is the lobbying they do. Mass Media can show the world what they decide, so information can be transformed to convince us of their wailings. It is now when we have to me very careful on what to believe. The digital world is corrupted by favours, partnerships and legal borderlines.

Nevertheless, they have to be very careful on what they do or say, the minimum mistake and it would be world known in minutes. That is why political parties and bug companies financially help media companies. Nowadays, the image people have of your company is 50% of success.

 

Graph Search wordt zoekmachine Facebook

De socialenetwerksite Facebook krijgt een nieuwe en eigen zoekmachine voor het internet. Gebruikers kunnen binnen de muren van Facebook en de eigen vriendenkring zoeken naar foto’s, muziek, plaatsen, personen en nog veel meer. Wordt het een concurrent voor die andere internetreus en zoekmachine Google? Dat is de vraag. Facebooktopman Marc Zuckerberg was bij de voorstelling in januari alvast heel enthousiast.

Facebook verloor in december vorig jaar 1,4 miljoen actieve gebruikers in de Verenigde Staten en de beursgang was geen succes. De verwachtingen waren groot tijdens de voorstelling van de nieuwe zoekmachine.

Hoe werkt het nu concreet? Je kan zoeken naar vrienden die dezelfde tv-serie leuk vinden of als je op zoek bent naar een lief kan je zoeken naar de vrijgezelle vrienden van jouw vrienden. Zoek je nog redacteurs voor je krant? Misschien kennen jouw vrienden nog pas afgestudeerde journalisten. En heb je foto’s nodig voor jouw spreekbeurt over de aanslagen op elf september? Zoek ze gewoon op Facebook!

En het gaat over behoorlijk wat data. 1 miljard profielpagina’s, 240 miljard foto’s en zo’n biljoen connecties. Een goudmijn. Zoekmachine Google is gewaarschuwd voor concurrentie.

Als Facebook erin slaagt bijvoorbeeld tien procent van de advertentiemarkt van Google af te snoepen, levert hen dat bijna driehonderd miljoen dollar op.

De beurs van Wall Street was alleszins niet enthousiast. Het aandeel daalde onmiddellijk tijdens de persvoorstelling.

Facebook gaat volledig mobiel

Marc Zuckerberg, de CEO van Facebook, heeft in april Facebook Home voorgesteld. De socialenetwerksite kwam daarmee niet met een eigen telefoon, wat velen nochtans hadden verwacht. Facebook Home is daarentegen een nieuwe manier om Facebook nog prominenter op de smartphone te plaatsen.

Wall Street reageerde positief op het nieuws en dat kon Facebook goed gebruiken na de mislukte beursgang van vorig jaar. Het aandeel van Facebook ging meteen drie procent omhoog. Of dit een succes wordt, valt nog steeds af te wachten.

Politie tast gebruik van sociale media af

Meer en meer politiezones schakelen sociale media in zoals Facebook of Twitter om te communiceren met de burgers. In sommige gemeentes worden op die manier zelfs snelheidscontroles aangekondigd. Mensen kunnen dat lezen via hun computer of een smartphone, een telefoon waarmee je op het internet kunt. In de krant vind je wel wekelijks waar er snelheidscontroles komen maar alleen op Twitter vind je dagelijks exacte informatie over één controleplaats.

Cyberpesten: een groeiend probleem

In februari vindt traditiegetrouw de Week tegen Cyberpesten plaats. Cyberpesten is een fenomeen dat steeds vaker voorkomt op socialenetwerksites zoals Facebook, Twitter en Netlog. Heel wat scholen proberen met gerichte lessen het probleem aan te pakken. Via het educatieve gezelschapsspel VlinderNET worden tips uitgewisseld om het pesten aan te pakken en de pestberichten te verzamelen. Het cyberpesten vraagt ook een totaalaanpak van de school en de leerlingen.

Kerst- en nieuwjaarswensen via sociale media nemen toe

Niet alleen met Nieuwjaar worden nogal wat digitale wensen over en weer gestuurd. Ook in de kerstnacht is dat het geval. We gebruiken daarvoor de klassieke sms en daarvan werden er vorig jaar in België 36 miljoen verzonden. Maar vooral het versturen van kerstwensen via Facebook, Twitter en andere internetsites neemt toe. Het gaat om een verdrievoudiging tegenover 2011. En het hoeft nauwelijks te verbazen want bij Proximus is nu al de helft van de verkochte toestellen een tablet of een smartphone.