Posted something that you regretted? Never fear! Clear is here!

Introducing "Clear"!

So you just added your parents on Facebook. Innocent enough. Then you remember. Oh no...Did they see that picture from Jessica's party? Was I holding alcohol in that picture from last weekend? Wait, what else is on here that I forgot about! Wait, what if that manager I just interviewed with saw this???

No one wants this kind of stress. That's why "Clear" was created. 

This app promises to search through your social media and pull all kinds of compromising, embarrassing or "sensitive" posts and presents them to you. 

No more will you have to dig through your social media accounts and find and delete all the embarrassing material.

...This should save you some time from having to go and delete everyone of those 100 photobooth pictures you took with your friends in middle school.

Those Selfies got you looking lonely? Well here is the new "solution"

"The Selfie Arm"

created by Aric Snee and Justin Crowe is the newest goofy product to hit the web. While not exactly being a "media" topic, it does have to do with one of the most popular things on social medias today - Selfies.

The product was featured on a site called "Design Boom" and the artists have called it "a sarcastic solution to a quintessential problem - nobody wants to look alone when they mindlessly snap pictures of themselves".

Personally I wouldn't want onlookers wondering what the heck I was doing smiling strangely holding a prosthetic arm but that's just me...

"Unfortunately" this products is only in the prototype stage at the moment. *darn*

Just thought I would give you guys a little hint on just how ridiculous this thing is... but to each his own...

Google Juice

"Does Google have too much power over us?" 

That is an interesting question to pose since you can look at it from many ways. Initially I just saw Google as a tool I used on an everyday basis to figure out more about what I was searching for but actually realized just how much I used it in a day! When I started to consider how many tabs I had open in my Google Chrome app on my phone, things started to click. (Figuratively)

Google is a (very useful) tool that allows us to access information and knowledge world-wide at the click of a mouse (or touch).  BUT I do feel that we allow it to have more control then we may even realize.

Yes, Google is helpful but it also stores all the information you give it essentially. It uses your previous searches and current searches and send that information to (usually) help you to find the right information for your search but it also uses what information you give it to help out their company.

While this isn't necessarily dangerous to us, some people are more cautious about their user privacy and their search history. So it becomes a double edged sword. It helps us but it also makes us not completely comfortable about what we search on the internet.

Another hindrance of Google is the argument over whether "Google is making us stupid". I believe the answer is yes and that it is making us lesser intelligent. The speed and efficiency we have from Google just encourages us not to try to think for ourselves a bit more. So instead of remembering that name of that restaurant you went to last week, you can just google "Italian food in Oak Brook" and you can find what you're looking for.

It discourages us to use our brain-power and while that's not a problem for some people, and can also be really helpful to those who have to do other tasks at the same time, it still does not help us as evolving humans. 

I believe Google has helped us in many ways but like anything - too much of a good thing...

Media Convergence

"In what ways is convergence "empowering" consumers to participate in the media?"

By everything it does. 

Convergence is the very meaning of two or more things coming together to merge. 

Jenkins argues that the "circulation of media content-- across different media systems, competing media economies, and national borders-- depends heavily on consumer's active participation." 

You can see this encouragement in media participation in many different ways. 

Movies and Television shows that have social media and fan accounts and there is a constant re-iteration that consumers of that movie/tv show can connect with other fans over those sites/social media

Smart Phones with all their apps. Most apps now have something called "in-app purchases" where you can pay money through itunes to purchase upgrades, items or other apps through the current one you are using.

Social Media itself. You can connect your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn/etc.. all to each other. You can embed links and modules into your own sites that connect to these accounts, therefore making an interlinking network between them all.

There is no limit to the power of connection in today's world and we are constantly exposed to it. Many aspects of our lives now depend on the connection we have through the media, many even have it as their job or career!

Without this media participation, the interactivity we would have would be lessened. 

Technology has advanced so many things in this world, it is our job now to keep it active and ever-growing so that we can compete globally but also so that we are always learning and expanding our knowledge and minds.

Reaction - "Not Martha" Blog

A BLOG BLOGGING ABOUT BLOGGERS BLOGGING

Well is that a tongue - twister!

I chose to react to an interview about a blog written by a woman named Megan Reardon and her blog "Not Martha". The name initially intrigued me - thinking of Martha Stewart immediately - and because of my interest in crafting and baking and the like, I got more interested.

Megan's interview is quite natural as you can see her being very honest in what she blogs about, as well as her mistakes in her blog. She comes across as a very personable and likeable person but, like everyone, she has her faults.

She talks about how she took down the comments section for her blog (in the blogging world, one of the largest, and most helpful things is feedback) so that was a little disheartening. (UPDATE: I visited her site and saw that she re-enabled them!) Another fault would be that she admits to not spell checking her posts (this is a concern because that's a large part of respect for your audience - and she has a unique audience herself).

Besides these small things, Megan's blog is for herself. She keeps it as a link diary for things she finds interesting or fun (like recipes she wants to try in the future, or a link to a craft). She apologizes for her mistakes but doesn't apologize for the fact that this is HER blog. I think too many bloggers are worried about pleasing the masses and forget that this is for them too.

"Not Martha" has gained a following despite the "errors" that Megan admits to, and I feel with that, she will do just fine.

My First Post!

Hello!

I am currently a full-time student in pursuit of an undergraduate Bachelor's of Arts in Advertising (with a minor in Studio Art) at North Central College in Naperville, IL.

This blog is for my New Media class!

Hope you enjoy!