URL for my post!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/business/hurt-by-rivals-from-asia-dell-profit-falls-47.html?ref=technology

Dell vs. Asia

Dell’s third-quarter profit fell 47 percent, the company said on Thursday, hurt by lower PC sales and weaker demand from large corporations.  This was a huge surprise to Dell, as the company expected revenue to grow as much as 5 percent in the current quarter compared to sales in previous quarters.  Dell is struggling to defend its market share against Asian rivals like Lenovo.  Michael Dell, the company’s chief executive, said that it saw “the challenging global macroeconomic environment continuing in the fourth quarter.”  Dell’s New income was $475 million, or 27 cents a share, compared with $893 million, or 49 cents a share, in the period a year before.

            If Dell is headed south, what does that say about other American companies?  With the economic crisis we are in, we need to be creating more jobs for Americans.  As a society, we should focus on giving business to our homeland companies, as opposed to those in other countries.  If Dell goes under, thousands of Americans will lose their jobs which will result in an even bigger economic downturn.

Facebook Reaches One Million Users!

     Reports, this week, show that Facebook has reached its goal of attaining one billion, participating users.  This is quite surprising to many, as it took McDonald's 40 years to attract one billion customers. Considering Facebook was created only seven years ago, and it doubled its amount of users in the past two years alone, this proves that social media is taking over.  However, Facebook does not make its revenue from its customers, but from the advertisements shown on the website that may appeal to the user based on data they have entered on their profile, people they have befriended, and by things they “like.”  The company is under intense pressure today to make more money off them, more quickly.

            How does the involvement of one billion people interacting over a social network affect the way the world is communicating?  Instead of writing letters, making phone calls, or, god forbid, people talk face to face, you can just write on a friend’s wall.  These days, there is no reason to go to the store to pick up a birthday card, when Facebook reminds you whose birthday it is and persuades you to send them your birthday wishes.  I wonder, if in the future, people will actually ever be in the same vicinity together?  Or if we will all be connected electronically?  Only time will tell.  However, the effects of the sudden popularity of social networking could lead to destruction of our human nature.  As humans, we feel the need to be embraced in hug rather than shown that we have five new notifications.

                                         

 http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/facebook-passes-1-billion-active-users/?ref=technology                                                                         

Blog 5: U.S. Tightening Web Privacy Policies to Protect Young

In America today, almost every child has a laptop, iPod, or cell phone that can access the internet.  Many major corporations, app developers, and data miners have been collecting information about the online activities of millions of young Internet users without their parents' awareness.  Some specific sites and apps have collected children's personal information such as photos and the location of the mobile device; in which the information could be used to tract down and locate the individual child.  With the rate of crime in America, this lack of privacy makes it too easy for predators and hackers.  Thanks to the F.T.C. (Federal Trade Commission) new rules and regulations will be placed on the internet in a matter of weeks.  For example, some current online practices, such as uploading a picture of yourself, will require parent consent if you are under the age of thirteen.
     Has technology created more problems for us rather than make our lives easier?  The influence of technology on Americans is too much.  Consumerism is taking over.  Each of us striving to have the newest generation of cell phone or television.  What is this doing to our children?  In other countries, children still play with pots, pans, sticks and tires, but in America, it's all about the iPhone, x-box, iPod, etc.  We are too materialistic as a society and because of this we are risking the lives of our children.  About 1.3 million reports of online child exploitation has been reported since 1998.  About 4% of children, ages 10 to 17, have received aggressive sexual solicitation--solicitor asked the child to meet them somewhere, etc.  About 34% of children have had exposure to unwanted exposure to sexual material and only 27% of this 34% told their parents.  Is technology hurting more than helping?

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2810#6

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/28/technology/ftc-moves-to-tighten-online-privacy-protections-for-children.html?ref=technology&_r=0

Blog 4: Walmart stops carrying Amazon's Kindle

     As of Thursday, September 20, 2012, Walmart dropped Amazon's popular product, the Kindle, from stores world wide.  Although, Walmart has failed to disclose information as to why it has stopped marketing this commodity, analysts say that it is not hard to figure out as Walmart will continue selling similar e-reader devices.  Walmart feels that customers will use the available Kindles on display to test the device and proceed to buy it from online competitors, leaving Walmart high and dry.  Now the tables are turned as Amazon needs the in-store displays in order to stay profitable.  The Kindle will be sold in many other stores including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Staples, and Office Depot, but Walmart is bigger than all of these stores put together.  As the holiday season rolls around, Amazon will definitely begin to feel the affects.  Customers want to try out a product before they buy as it is difficult to get a full sense of it from just a description and measurements online.

     As Amazon will slowly begin to wither, it's competitors have already begun to prosper.  With Apple going strong due to the release of the iPhone 5 this week, the iPad is sure to get more attention and therefore, more consumers.  While rumors spread that Barne's and Noble's Nook is coming out with a newer, more technologically savvy e-reader/tablet.  The future is not looking good for Amazon's Kindle.  How will this affect the world?  With Amazon currently employing over 15,000 people, the damage could be severe if Amazon does in fact loose business thanks to Walmart.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/21/business/wal-mart-stores-dropping-amazon-kindle-tablets-and-e-readers.html?ref=technology

Technology: Is Apple a Friendly Company?

     As most people have heard, the new Apple iPhone 5 was released on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.  Much controversy has already begun to arise as Apple customers, vendors, and manufacturers are feeling slighted by the new product.  For customers who are interested in buying this new generation of phone, buyers must purchase all new phone charging accessories as the charger that plugs into the iPhone 5 is completely different.  Not only will buyers have to invest in new wall and car chargers, but new iHomes, stereo systems, alarm clocks, and anything else an iPhone could plug into.  Because the iPhone has completely taken off and it's popularity has spread globally, this affects many Apple customers.
     The Apple iPhone 4, 4S made the "Otter Box" very popular--supplying much business to this phone case company.  Now that the iPhone 5 is thinner and four inches wide, Apple has decided to partner up with "Griffin" (another phone case company) and throw Otter Box to the way side.    Is it fair that a globalized company is forcing it's customers to buy all new accessories for a new generation of phone?  Is it right for a company to blow off prior partnerships with vendors?
     Lastly and most importantly, Apple has young children manufacturing iPhones in China for just two dollars a day.  Can you imagine living off of just tow dollars a day?  A grande coffee at Starbucks costs more than two dollars.  These children work horrendous hours and do not have time for academics; this being stated, working in a factory will be their life.  When an individual is stuck in poverty, it is very difficult to get out of that cycle and move on.  These less fortunate children live in absolute poverty and will never be able to afford the product they slave over everyday.
     Although change is inevitable, especially when it comes to technology, I can't help but feel that Apple is screwing all of us over.  Will this change affect the population enough for people to boycott the iPhone 5?  Time will only tell.

Article from The New York Times on September 13, 2012
   

Blog #1 Apple iPhone 5

Apple iPhone 5 

     Today, September 4, 2012, Apple Inc. released information that the Apple iPhone 5 will be on sale starting September 12, 2012.  It is predicted that Apple will possibly sell between 6 million and 10 million iPhones by the last week of September--driving up the sales expectations to at least 28 million units.  It is rumored that the iPhone 5 features a screen of at least 4 inches and it has been noted that users with larger display screens on their devices are making use of the phone in many ways which results in higher user retention.  News of a smaller version of an iPad and an Apple television are supposedly next on the Apple "to do."

     Because this particular technological advance affects so many people around the world it contributes to globalization and carries us higher into the world of technology.  Each new iPhone generation contributes to our technological ranking, as a baby step towards our larger advances in the future.  Taking a step back and looking at this technological piece of news from a sociological viewpoint, I think it is absolute madness that half the population on Earth is occupied staying up to date on current technology, clothing, decor, etc., while the other half is looking for food and water in order to survive.  The two classes are polar opposites that affect each other.  The lower class countries (also known as Periphery) making materials and products for the higher class (Core countries).  The higher class supplying the Periphery with the needed high profit consumption good for the Periphery to make the products for the Semi-Periphery and Core countries.  We are all interconnected and we don't even think about the connections until it is brought to our attention. 

iPhone 5 Introduction Officially Set for Sept. 12

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/iPhone-5-Introduction-Officially-Set-for-Sept-12-138787/