Hi world, in this blog entry, I’ll finally conclude with a ‘bye world’! It has been a…
time running this little blog. I admit I was apprehensive and was not looking forward to this assignment initially. But I admit it’s starting to grow on me. I enjoy sharing gifs and cool things I’ve found so this is a great platform to do so!
But all good things must come to an end and thus this will be my final blog entry! To summarise the past 12 weeks of blogging, we’ve gone through lots of YouTube-related content such as its algorithm and it being a marvellous e-learning platform! Additionally, we’ve tried out various social media management tools online and tips for web design. We talked about the scary – virus and malware but don’t worry we got you covered with recommended anti-malware software! And the super cool – Virtual and Augmented reality and I throw back to one of my favourite gifs:
I’ll end with the best of the best! For my show&tell, I spent my weekend learning how to use Final Cut Pro to create a shooting stars meme. Here’s the video tutorial:
And… here’s my video:
Featuring my bro, thank you for embarrassing yourself for this video. đ
Thank you to those who visited this blog and I intend to repay your kindness with the video displayed above HAHAHA
Happy last day of school and all the best for your finals!
Hi world, it’s my second last blog entry! This week I’ll be covering existing and up-and-coming IoT technologies that will help to boost road safety. Yes, I have been inspired my the show and tell Mr Abey Choy presented in class last week. I love Thailand because my Dad calls it his second home. He’ll make a trip down once or twice annually just to take a break from work and enjoy his mango sticky rice and indulge in all the authentic tom yam he wants.
Here’s a cute pic of my favourite couple in BKK last year, MY PARENTS!
But apart from the beautiful land of smiles, something dark lurks in the back. Although it has received a lot more attention now in new media regarding the upsurge of death and injury rates due to road accidents, the pressing issue is still not gaining the attention it requires.
Do check out Mr Abel Choy’s page, advocating Road safety for Thailand for updates on his efforts to promote and raise awareness of the salient and crucial problem.
Firstly, there are some seriously cool technological efforts aimed at prevention of road accidents. Apart from the vehicles, the roads have been technologised! These upgrades in the roads are made possible by smart sensors and… smart cement! Yes smart sensors sound right and apt, since they’re already a type of technology. But smart cement, it sounds foreign but essentially, they are cement equipped with sensors! Essentially, the roads will be jam-packed with these smart sensors that are connected to the computers at the headquarters. The sensors will provide frequent updates regarding the status and conditions of the roads. It will be able to “sense” if the roads are gradually wearing out or if any parts of the road require immediate attention (potholes or damage from accidents). This is especially helpful for larger countries like the US. With these updates, we will be able to activate the prevention measures to ensure that we amend these minor structural defects before they get worse.
In fact, it’s already happening! Although IoT is deemed to eventually take place in 2020, some early adopters are already testing these technologies in hopes to continuously refine them! For instance, HIKOB, a IT and services company is currently testing their IoT technology in the city of Troyes in France. They call it the HIKOB wireless traffic data collection system.
Apart from the roads receiving the upgrades, the vehicles are getting geared up as well! With the use of telematics, these cars are equipped with sensors to track the driver’s driving style. This initiative is aimed at improving the driver skills and behaviour. The sensor or “black box” located in the car will track speed, acceleration, braking and how the car swerves at sharp corners. Feedback is generated and provided the drivers to educate them on how they can improve their driving. Of course not every driver is willing to listen to such feedback…
And there should be no physical force or using guns to coerce them to change…
As such, incentivisation programmes are to be implemented to encourage and motivate these drivers to be receptive to the feedback received.
Instead of including a black box in the cars, these vehicles are also experiencing a huge overhaul! Driverless or autonomous cars are slowly driving its way onto the mainstream roads. Of course, most of them are still in the testing stage and on private roads. But soon…
Fixed with (again) a myriad of sensors, these vehicles will interact with the environment and other vehicles to direct themselves.
Here’s Waymo, a project from Google on driverless cars:
Another IoT initiative involves the buses in London! These buses are equipped with a high-tech software that is devised to detect pedestrians and cyclists. This software utilises its strategically positioned sensors located around the bus to alert the bus drivers whenever it senses any pedestrians or cyclists moving close to the bus!
I am positive that these technologies will continue to grow and be enhanced and refined! I will update this space if I find new IoT features! đ
Hi world! Today’s blog entry will be on the Internet of Things (IoT for short). IoT is a prominent feature in Web 3.0, the semantic Web and it refers to enhanced connectivity to close to everything, including the currently inanimate items in our homes (a table or chair). To be honest, I have developed a love and hate relationship with IoT… just putting it out there. Let’s start with love… what’s not to love about the future of technology? It’s always rapidly evolving and before you know it, that newest slick smartphone you’re holding in your hands now may be deemed obsolete. I believe that the screenshot below from a Buzzfeed article perfectly encapsulates the fleeting evolution of technology:
But there’s always the dark side of technology. Addiction and intense preoccupation. At least for now, we can still choose to fast from technology and pack up our bags to spend a few nights in the jungle. It is predicted that with the complete implementation of IoT, the Internet (digital realm) will be amalgamated with the real physical world. When this happens, the Internet becomes… (cue dramatic music) pretty much inseparable from us. In this current day and age of Web 2.0, many critical scholars are pointing out the fact that passive users are becoming zombies/slaves to technology. We are growing so incredibly dependent on our phones and the Internet that some of us can’t do without it. Why has it become so difficult for us to live without our phones or the Internet for a few days when our ancestors survived well without any of these technological tools?
The reason is simple. We naturally crave convenience (one of the seven deadly sins: Acedia/sloth).
As such, we desire for these advanced devices and technology to “improve” our lives or make it easier. The society changes according to the people’s behaviours. Users chase the new technological devices and crazes. People = market. And the market of consumers affect all types of organisations. Ultimately, the pursuit for MORE high tech stuff persists, leading to tech companies feed us with more advanced products. With IoT, organisations of all sorts are affected. It’s the newest and most advanced method to reach out to their consumers. It’s a matter of how you use it that can determine your success. In fact, some organisations have already tried to leverage on IoT’s connectivity to enhance brand presence.
Diageo creatively re-branded their Whisky and targeted the filial sons and daughters of whisky-loving dads. IoT’s core feature is customisability and it is well illustrated in this example when the whisky company provided their consumers with a personalised video message for their Dads with every bottle. With the scan of a QR code, the Dads get to kick back and relish a gold class of smooth whisky while they watch the saccharinely sweet video created by their kids. Their marketing campaign paid off handsomely and they experienced a 72% jump in sales before Fathers day. Apart from that, the campaign also aided in increasing their brand presence among two groups of consumers – the kids (age range varies) and the Dads.
This product needs no introduction. It was first introduced in 2015 and now its second series of smartwatches have been in the market since September 2016. Tech geeks and experts are speculating the release of series 3 which is estimated to arrive later this year in September.
Some of the cool features of the smart watches in series 2 include a built-in GPS. Instead of holding on to your phone and seeing your battery drain and die off steadily, you can simply look at your wrist to check whether you’re on the right path. Secondly, it is water resistant (50 metres). It’s still not completely water-proof but hey you can still bring it swimming or splashing around in the ocean. For such a small device, it has a dual-core microprocessor. Essentially, your processing speed is extraordinary and it’ll last you an entire day! Other standard functions include responding to calls/texts and use Siri.
While you might get your Dad a whisky for Fathers’ day, here’s a cool Mothers’ day gift suggestion! These high-tech buttons are called Amazon’s Dash buttons (do note that you need to be an Amazon Prime member to have access to purchasing these buttons). These buttons are connected via the WiFi and they are linked to products available on Amazon by setting up your button with your phone or laptop. For example, essentials such as clothes detergent (Tide) and even condoms. At just a press of the button, it taps onto WiFi to automatically order those essential items and deliver it to your door step. When I first saw this… I thought to myself “I HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK!” How cool are these little buttons and they’re kinda cute too!
Bringing convenience to a whole new level and it’s simple to install too:
Here are some brilliant yet simple ads from Amazon:
Do note that this is NOT a paid advertisement but I personally feel that these amazon buttons are amazing! And to think that it’s only the very beginning of how IoT can be used. However, with every new technology, fine-tuning is essential. Here’s a video which summarises everything wrong with the dash buttons:
Hopefully Amazon will listen and continue to improve these products!
As a Marketing student, I was interested to know how IoT will affect the advertising and marketing industry. An increase of available information of the market and the consumers will be made available to the marketers. This is where the data analytics industry will burgeon. Information and statistics will be sought after my big companies as they get to learn all about their customers. With regards to advertising, it will be adapted to the new interface of the Internet. The platform of IoT is EVERYWHERE. However, it does not equate to seeing ad banners everywhere we go. The key difference is personalisation. We as consumers will only receive specially targeted messages. It involves marketers to think out of the box and integrate IoT into their marketing schemes. I foresee a whole lot of innovative ideas and new advertising methods.
Hi world, remember those good ol’ days when you type something into your Google search bar and Google immediately suggests and or predicts what you intend to search? I recall the first time I saw that and was like…
And now we’re so accustomed to those predicted suggestions that we already know that we can simply hit the arrow down button on our keyboard as a shortcut so that we do not have to type out our entire search query. You feel that Google knows you, Google can read your mind. However, after we Google how Google works, you learn that it’s all part of the computerised algorithm. This algorithm is slowly but steadily improving.
It is a gradual upgrade but it is apparent that Web 3.0 will not be the same. Third time’s a charm! I’m not discounting the fact that Web 2.0 was vastly different from Web 1.0. However, like the jump from studying in a secondary school to a polytechnic, it is a huge stretch from 2.0 to 3.0. The age of social media will ultimately be the age of the Internet as everybody’s private assistant (PA). I’ll admit that my heart sang a little tune when I read that. I am no busy woman but trust me, I’ll need all the help I can get in terms of life reminders.
So how is that possible? How can the Internet, something so massively shared among the global audience become so… personal? It is made possible by the pivotal feature of the new Web. It is aptly dubbed as the Semantic Web coined by our favourite hero Tim Berners-Lee. Semantics refer to meanings, the meanings which are the crux to communication and exchanging information. Once the Web has been programmed to comprehend meanings, it will be able to more accurately provide precise search findings for your queries. Also, these learned meanings will be continuously added to its database so it remains updated (imagine all the new gifs, memes and newly created words it must learn to understand its users).
However, it is important to note that such refined programming takes time and a lot of effort. This time, the programmers can only do so much. They provide the Web with the basic tools (to listen and learn). The Web will then require users to feed them with information which they will then process and apply to their search functions and maybe even conversations held with the users. Although a multitude of speculations and envisages of how Web 3.0 will be like can be found online, it’s still difficult to imagine it all. Especially for a tech noob like me. If you have read my past blog posts (shameless self promo), you would know that I’m the epitome of a computer and technology idiot. I feel like a granny trying to pick up the newest applications (no offence to all the high tech grannies out there).
I’m sorry for digressing but here’s a cool gif of a granny surfing the Web (there are two more of such gifs at the end of the post for my 1-2 readers coz I love you guys)
With the advent of Siri, Apple’s intelligent private assistant (PA) service introduced seven years ago, we have a very rough idea of the PA concept. However, as I sat through COM125 class last week, I recall feeling slightly apprehensive at the promised functionalities of Web 3.0. Also, there are several challenges to be faced by the up-and-coming Semantic Web. Here are my thoughts:
Firstly, privacy issues. The more you share with the Internet, the more personal information you have on the Web. In this day and age, we are already facing issues with retaining and keeping our private information and details to ourselves. With Web 3.0, you will be sharing a lot more online, more than what you share on your social media pages. As Web 3.0 aims to be integrated into the lives of the users, privacy issues will spike and we will definitely need to implement stricter policies to prevent the loss of personal information. Furthermore, people are also getting the sense that they are sharing too much and being on the Web for far too long. Our lifestyles have already been dramatically changed by Web 2.0 and this time with Web 3.0, our lives will be merged with the Web.
With the current pervasiveness of Web 2.0, people are attempting to seek solace by escaping the Web and turning to fasting from social media or taking an Internet-less trip in a jungle. Web 3.0 will be even more ubiquitous… web addiction is and will be REALLY REAL!
Apart from Internet addiction, marketing companies will be jumping on the bandwagon. Advertising and sales managers will squeal at all the available details of their prospective customers. We, the consumers on the other hand, will need to try harder to evade them. We are unable to simply ignore the call or call off lunch with a persistent insurance agent. Can you sense my frustration yet…?
Of course, it’s not all bad but all this hype about Web 3.0 has got me thinking about the downfalls as well. Hopefully, the myriad of benefits offered in the Semantic Web will outweigh the disadvantages… Well, I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Hi world! This week in class, we learned about virtual reality and augmented reality as well as mixed reality. All really interesting, merely based off their names itself. I’m all in for all types of reality – parallel and alternate realities as well! Furthermore, I took Marketing earlier in Poly so I get extra excited when I read about cool and out of the box marketing campaigns. When I was doing my research for this blog entry, I stumbled upon a plethora of marketing efforts from various organisations jumping on the bandwagon to exploit the features of this burgeoning technology.
But who can blame these companies? The engaging aspects of VR and AR are game-changing and you’ll be left out to bite your competitors’ dust if you don’t adopt them. However, instead of focusing on the commercial marketing campaigns, I would like to share and elaborate on those done for good causes. These campaigns aim to generate awareness of significant issues such as war refugees, saving mother earth and aid in the healthcare and the medical industries.
Before we move on to talk about those campaigns, I would like to first do a quick summary of the definitions and distinctions of the different reality-technology. Also, I had this burning question within me during class so I did a bit of research on how VR and AR works. When Mr Abel was showing us the videos featuring augmented reality technology, I could not focus on the content. All I had in mind was “HOW?” “HOW DID THEY DO THAT?”
(All the apt gpoys, I can’t choose one)
So if you’re the curious cat like me, feel free to check out the links at the bottom of this post a more elaborate explanation. Here’s my attempt to explain without the technical jargons.
What is virtual reality and how it works:
VR puts you in an artificial reality setting, you are then detached from the real world. You can explore the simulated reality with a headset (head mounted display) and other accompanying equipment such as data gloves.
In order to indulge in the immersive experience by VR, you will be required to put on a headset. Videos are then sent to the headsets or typically played on the smartphone attached to the headset. Situated between your eyes and the screen is a pair of lenses. These lenses play a pivotal role in creating the 3D effect. They transform the 2D images into 3D by angling the visuals in certain angles that foster the “pop-out effects”.
What is augmented reality and how it works:
Unlike VR, AR features computer generated visuals and superimposes them onto the real world. The user is NOT completed immersed into a simulated like VR. Instead, they experience a blend of both actual and digital realities. In fact, both realities interact with each other!
AR is closer than VR to the real world. Unlike VR, AR does not require a headset but it uses a camera and or smartphone and sometimes a projector and a mirror. It first captures your surrounding with the camera or a webcam. The device only contains a software which processes the footage or image to be displayed and digitally projects the image onto the object.
Again, I don’t think I did a good job explaining how it works but kindly refer to the links below for more information!
Now let’s move on to talk more about the campaigns which I found captivating and inspiring. The marriage between technology and making the world a better place reminds us that we have agency over how we can use these up-and-coming electronic tools.
The New York Times clinched several prestigious awards such as the “The Most Next Award” at the Association of Independent Commercial Producers’ annual AICP Next Awards as well as the Grand Prix over at the Cannes Lions festival last year in 2016. The renowned newspaper/magazine organisation produced a VR film to generate awareness for the uprooted war refugees, specifically the 30 million children. The video provided an immersive and absolutely riveting experience for the users into the lives of three refugee children. The VR technology allowed for immense engagement to tug at the heart strings of the viewers as it made them feel like they were physically there with the children, seeing everything unfold.
“The magazineâs editor, Jake Silverstein, said, âThe power of VR is that it gives the viewer a unique sense of empathic connection to people and events.â It has huge potential, he said, to help bring viewers news and stories from the most inaccessible places.” – A quote from the NY Times article titled “The Times Partners With Google on Virtual Reality Project“.
Google, everybody’s best friend partnered with NY Times to publish the articles online quickly as well as to launch the Google cardboard project, to provide the viewers with cheap options to purchase and create their very own cardboard viewers to watch the VR video.
So, go get yourself or check out YouTube to DIY your own VR headsets and watch the video below:
Next up, another successful campaign in Manitoba, Canada. In 2016, A non-profit organisation, Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) created and rolled out a mobile application called “Recycling Starts Here” to entice the younger audience to engage in recycling habits by making it more fun and enjoyable. These efforts are aligned with the Manitoban’s government goals of recycling 75% of bottles and cans in Canada.
Way to go Canada!
Upon downloading the application on their mobile phones (available on both Android and iOS), the participants were tasked to look for four special “Recycle Everywhere bins” situated in Manitobaâs capital city, Winnipeg. Apart from interacting with the special bins which entitled them to immediate prizes, tagging other unmarked recycling bins also allowed the users to snag other instant prizes.
Lastly, here’s a few cool medical applications for VR and AR in the medical field:
Exposure therapy – this typically involves exposing the patient to their phobias (e.g fear of flying – Acrophobia or bugs – Entomophobia). With AR and VR, a safe simulated environment can be created to bring the patients closer to facing and eventually overcoming their fears gradually step by step. In fact, the treatment is gaining so much recognition for its efficacy that they named it virtual reality therapy.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – like its name suggests, the patient has suffered due to a distressing event in his or her life such as war soldiers. Similarly, they create a safe environment for the soldiers or patients to relive and deal with their traumatic experiences.
Phantom limb syndrome – For patients who have lost their limbs and still feel sensations (such as excruciating pain and itch) from the missing limb even though it is not there physically. The typical issue is a clenched fist that causes considerable discomfort to the patient. With VR, sensors pick up pain signals in the brain when the patient senses the discomfort. Then, the VR game tasks the patients to use their virtually created limb to complete certain missions. This allows the patients to have control over their limb and thus overcome the sensations of the missing limb.
Social training for young children with autism – VR is used to create simulated social environments (such as interviews and dates) using virtual agents/avatars/bots. This enables the children to hone in on their social skills and pick up on social cues.
AR assisted surgery – It is currently mostly used as a medical training tool which superimposes the surgeon’s view during an operation to create an immersive and realistic experience for the medical students.
Virtual, augmented and mixed reality alike, they are all very impressive and fascinating technologies to look out for in the near future. Let’s look forward to the future as per depicted in:
Hi world, yes, read the title above and feel the same way I did…
I’ve been an avid MacBook user since 2011 when I got my first MacBook laptop since I was embarking on my Poly life and my parents decided to get my one.
I was told then that Apple products are the best because you cannot contact computer viruses on Mac, unlike Windows. For me, that was the ultimate deal breaker. I am such a computer noob (if you came here from week 10, hello!), I single-handedly spoiled the old desktops when I was in Kindergarten. I dreaded computer lessons because I knew for sure that I was going to ruin one of those old (now antique) machines. So flash forward to recent times and yes, I still own a Mac. And I got a horrid wake-up call during my COM125 lesson last week when I was told that Macs are still susceptible to viruses and malware.
They are not 100% safe from these vicious trojans and worms. The main reasons why Apple devices are deemed safer is because there is a smaller market of users (as compared to the pervasiveness of Windows users) and Apple’s systems are much more closed off. They do not branch out to various suppliers, vendors and partners like Windows do. Therefore, they are less exposed to foreign software and systems. Furthermore, Apple has built-in systems that disallow unapproved developers’ software to be opened (prevention is better than cure).
For example, you might be greeted with a message like so when you attempt to open a software which is not approved:
However, with the ever-growing Apple army and the rapid inventions of new malware, the “virus-free” days are gone. I felt distraught but I knew I had to do something about it.
On top of that, only a few months back, I listen to a podcast titled “Darkode” from Radiolab (it’s a free online portal for educational podcasts). If you have the time, please give it a listen. You can download it onto your phones and let it play on your way to school or work, it’s very entertaining and definitely, you’ll learn something interesting or useful. I will NOT spoil the podcast story but it is very relevant in this blog’s context and its focus is on a case of ransomware which involves bitcoins. Upon listening to the podcast, I started backing up my files with Apple’s Time Machine application and now I take the extra step to search for a reliable anti-virus software for Mac.
But before I move on to the anti-virus software, in case you are still not convinced about the vulnerabilities of Apple devices as you remain as the steadfast Mac aficionado, let me throw in some facts (based on online research):
It started sometime around 2006 with the first Mac worm found in Apple’s Instant Messaging application (iChat). It is also known as the Oompa-Loompa malware (such a cute name for a scary malware though) alternatively its technical title – Leap.A.
The users will be greeted with this pop-up to download the latest pictures leaking pictures of the next OS known as OS X Leopard. Upon installation, it spreads and affects the four most recently used applications and these infected apps will be useless and you will not be able to launch them. Additionally, it does not spread across the Internet and only via LAN.
Moving on, we have the Zlob Trojans namely – OSX/DNSChanger, OSX/RSPlug, and OSX/Jahlav which thrived from 2007 to 2009. It has a facade of a code (computer programme for encoding and decoding) and it originated from the Windows realm and made its way to Mac, primarily affecting the porn-watchers. Yes, your eyes weren’t deceiving you. These Trojans hid its true self and took the forms of codec required to watch porn videos. It alters the systems to divert your Mac’s traffic to malicious sites. (HAH talk about clearing your browser history, it won’t help you this time). It’s called “Porn4Mac”, it’s a worse situation to explain why your Mac was infected by a virus than to rid of the virus itself.
2008 brought about Mac’s scareware. This is your typical ironic situation whereby you attempt to download an anti-virus software which ultimately gives you the virus you’ve been fearing. It goes by the name of MacDefender as well as Macsweeper. Always remember to check the legitimacy of your anti-malware programme, you have reviews online for that!
In 2009, Adobe Photoshop came into the picture (pun intended). Titled OS X Krowi (and many others), it was a dormant virus that sits in your computer until activated via remote access by the hackers. Are you convinced yet?
No? Well, I’ll direct you to the list of 10 most dangerous Mac viruses then. For even more recent viruses which are more advanced and threatening – here’s a link featuring Fruitfly, KeRanger, Safari-get Mac scam AND even more recently, earlier this year, there was a touch bar hack for the new range of MacBooks.
So, naturally I went on the hunt for a reliable anti-malware software. The main criteria was…
Unless you’re dealing with some top secret documents or pictures, you should always try out the free stuff.
After a quick Internet search, I settled for the recommended free software titled Sophos. When I first downloaded the software and started the security scan, I thought to myself… it’s a Mac afterall… I doubt it’s going to find any threats or viruses.
I thought to myself… 1368679 items to be scanned… how long will that take.
It took me about 3-4 hours for a complete scan but it was completely worth it because…
They wound up finding one threat but that’s not all! My grand total was:
3 threats/viruses found. Well turns out it was a Spigot adware. I clicked so fast and removed it with the Sophos software.
At least for now… but I’ve learned to not take Internet and computer security for granted and learn to be more vigilant and you guys should too!
To end off since we’re on the topic of security and scams, here’s one of my favourite videos from the “Scamalot” series by Comedian James Veitch.
Hi world! It’s YouTube again and this time with my own video (as per the assignment brief).
I cheated by getting my bro to narrate the video and I have to warn you that this video contains some good food porn but don’t worry I believe it’s still safe for work. đ
Hi world, it’s me, Jana and yes I’m back at it again with another blog entry, featuring my all-time favourite: YouTube.
I have been undoubtedly a YouTube fan since its early days in back in 2010 when I created my account with the username – “Zeprocrastinatorz”. Yes, it’s not the coolest username but it’s extremely accurate. Truth to be told, I was watching YouTube videos years before I created an official account. With my brother (two years younger than me), we would invest hours after hours catching up with our Favourite YouTubers (we still do, it has evolved into a daily tradition). So it started out as a form of pure entertainment. It slowly transitioned into surfing the “video net” for how-to/DIY videos, cooking recipes as well as exercise videos. I vividly recall frantically YouTube-ing Photoshop tips during my Polytechnic days for my Graphics Design modules and the videos helped me to clinch a B grade (which is not Bad for me).
I explored a wide variety of YouTube channels and I fell in love with TEDxtalks and other related TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) channels. From there, I ventured out to similar websites and boy do I have a list of interesting channels to share with all of you! Before I introduce my favourite channels, I would like to emphasise on the benefits of e-learning. E-learning stands for Electronic Learning and it is also known as Educational Technology. It is not limited to lessons conducted online or via the Internet. It also encompasses other types of learning methods such as educational software programmes.
Essentially, it leverages on technology which allows people to learn from their homes, away from the traditional classroom settings. Breaking away from sitting at your physical desk and listening to your professor talk for hours, you are now learning in a virtual space. If you are watching videos (e.g YouTube), you are able to pause the video at any point of time and continue later on. You are also able to press pause and repeat again and again until you get that definition or formula embedded into your mind. This way, you’re not sheepishly asking your professor to repeat something he or she just said or to stop at that slide so that you can finish copying that sentence. No, you can simply hit the button and replay the part of the lesson you didn’t quite catch.
Furthermore, all you need his the e-learning programme and/or the Internet and a working laptop/computer and you’re good to go. No more grumbling to yourself when you see a crowded bus or cursing internally when you are stuck in a traffic jam on your way to school.
Alright, let’s start with the YouTube channels:
I’ve already mentioned it earlier… but TEDxTalks
This is one of my favourite videos from TEDxTalks, it speaks to all of us. Or rather, the procrastinators living within us.
Each channel delves into different categories. Vsauce uploads videos about science, psychology and philosophy. Vsauce2 serves up interesting bits about the latest technology and other interesting facts. Lastly, Vsauce3 focuses on games, theories and conspiracies. Each with its own unique and engaging content. So click on any of the links and be prepared to be mindblown, over and over again. Each video title is a question you never thought might be so intriguing and you just end up clicking and watching the entire video featuring a man talking to you, by talking to his camera.
Thirdly, I’ll introduce ASAPScience, a channel managed by the cute couple – Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown. Apart from the standard educational videos, they serve up original raps and songs about science as well!
Together, they have been creating educational yet entertaining science videos via stock motion and animation. They would draw and include voice overs in their videos. Here’s an example:
Fourth, we have Crash Course! I think I have been using the word “favourite” too loosely but I fell in love with this channel about three years back and I always head back for more videos. They branch out to a variety of academic topics such as World history, Physics, Psychology, Computer Science and even, games! The channel is managed by the vlogbrothers – Hank and John Green.
I was a Communications student back in Polytechnic and I took up Psychology as my second major because I was purely interested in the human mind and how it works. Right before I started school, I treated myself to the videos from their Crash Course Psychology playlist. Yes, I spent my last few days of freedom getting a heads up on Psychology but I regret nothing.
On top of the channels I’ve mentioned, I have also been enjoying the following:
While the first two recommendations are similar educational portals, the third features videos about productivity and study tips. Whereas the fourth channel provides content about DIY clothes and how you can fashion new stylish pieces from outdated apparels. I found the videos very informational and motivational. The fifth channel is self-explanatory. đ
Lastly, I am ending this blog post with a motivational story (not one that I’ve made up).
He goes by the name of Rich Chigga (yes it’s a play on the N word but he’s Chinese).
(Warning: his videos and content contain profanities, keep clear of your baby/toddler siblings)
His real name is Brian Immanuel and he turns 18 this year. The Indonesian teen from Jakarta has already made it HUGE as a rapper and is recognised by the big names in the industry. The likes of Ghostface Killah, 21 Savage, Tory Lanez, MadeinTYO, Desiigner have praised his work and it is all captured in this reaction video posted on the YouTube channel 88rising.
From there, his fame and popularity skyrocketed due to the instant validations from the established American rappers. Many other rappers and musicians grabbed hold of this golden opportunity and started collaborations with the teen. His mismatched image (sporting a ruffled I-woke-up-like-this hairstyle and his iconic fanny pack) with his impeccable baritone-voiced rapping abilities sparked the interest of new fans and musicians. It’s inexplicable but we live in such a mundane world that sometimes, something that sticks out like that, really captures our attention. After catching an article about him on HypeBeast, I went on to research more about him and check out his Twitter account (which I fell in love with).
(here’s him impersonating Steve Jobs)
The main reason why I am introducing Rich Chigga is because he is the poster child for learning English via YouTube and the Internet.
His album cover, what’s not to love?
In the interview with HypeBeast, he mentions the following:
Self-learning coupled with e-learning has enabled a child from Indonesia to rise up as an English rapper and gained fame across the world. He did not stop at mastering writing, reading and speaking English, he went on to learn all about the American culture and immersed himself into the Twitter sphere as well as “weird Twitter“.
So to all self-learners out there, e-learning is here to stay and grow! Let’s never stop learning and improving ourselves!
Hi world, this blog entry will be focusing on website design. Instead of going into the various aspects of design tips and rules to beautify your website, a beautiful website can only get you so far without easy navigation or clear text. I’d like to apply what I’ve learned in COM125. According to our Professor, Mr Abel Choy, there are a lot to learn from failed businesses. We can learn from their mistakes and avoid those proven website errors. Therefore, today I will highlight the website design mistakes to avoid so as to provide your e-commerce website with the perfect blend of practicality and aesthetics.
1) Say NO to light, low-contrast colours for your fonts. Unless you want your viewers to be squinting at their screens.
Because… what’s the point if you are unable to read the text with ease? In fact, there’s an entire virtual army fighting against the use of light grey text. Here is a screenshot to sum up the argument:
BAM, the research shows and your argument for using the light, grey text is invalid (unless there’s a really good reason like a marketing gimmick but that’s another story).
2) Do not be vague about what your website offers. If the viewers are unable to deduce your brand and products within about four to seven seconds of surfing your site, there’s a high possibility they might lose interest and simply click that little X on the tab. The Internet is a vast virtual world and the consumers are presented with a plethora of other options if they simply don’t like yours. It is very crucial to give the viewers what they expect and what they need.
3) Do not give your users too much information (especially on the home page). Yes, too little or too much information will both backfire. It is essential to find the right balance of content for your viewers. Understandably you want them to leave your website satisfied or having their doubts answered. However, information overload will just turn their minds off and in turn, they turn their browsers off.
“A confused mind never buys.” – professional public speaking coach and business trainer, John Childers.
In order to ascertain just the right amount of information, it is crucial to have test subjects browse through your website and give you feedback. Always check, check and check! You should always ensure that your users can obtain what they want with ease on your site. They should not be scratching their heads in both bewilderment and frustration whilst looking for something on your website.
4) Do not forget about the search bar. Unless you are only selling less than five items and they are all easily accessible via the links, there is no good reason why you shouldn’t have a search bar. Having a search bar is one of the minimum basics of a good website. It enables the users to cut to the chase and go straight to what they need. And guess what? The keywords used can be reviewed and used for your online marketing strategies such as your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tactics!
5) Avoid any confusing navigational links by having a proper sitemap. A well-planned sitemap is fundamental to the success of your website. The sitemap is presented like a flow chart and it shows how all the pages in your website are linked and how the users will be able to navigate from one page to the other. Here’s an example:
When planning and building your sitemap, you need to see the web pages from the eyes of a consumer. You need to know what your viewers want and how they can find what they want through the links. Furthermore, the sitemap enables you to ensure that you do not repeat any content or web page unnecessarily. Imagine visiting the website only to realise that you’re navigating a maze…
6) Complicated registration process and forms are the banes of the consumers’ lives. Your main goal is to transform your viewers to loyal customers and hence, the registration process should be as seamless and painless as possible. From my own experience, I tend to back out from completing the registration process if I feel that the information requested is unnecessary and the procedure is tedious. Call me a skeptic but like any other Internet user, I’d like to keep my personal contact details safe in the hands of only those I can trust. Hence, it is essential for the registration questions to only comprise of mandatory information.
7) No automatic background music or video.
Unless you are 13 years old and you’re manning your own personal blog and you want a Jay Chou playlist running in the background as you relive your own life vicariously through re-reading your blog entries (not a personal example I swear). Well… ’nuff said!
8) Invest a little more to go a long way, go mobile! It’s technology, it’s the Internet and it’s ever evolving! User pattern trends are easily available via market research tools and they can be utilised to upgrade your websites and even go mobile. The screenshot below is extracted from our COM125 lecture 4 slides:
Far too often I’ve visited websites on my phone and I just feel like pulling my hair out. It can get so frustrating when the web page is obviously not adapted into the mobile format and everything looks disproportionate. This is especially so for the registration pages where it’s simply impossible to key in your information. Thus, it is highly recommended for companies to cater to their mobile crowd (teenagers, young adults and working adults).
Hi world, I am not a social media expert but I do have some outdated experience in social media monitoring. When I was interning for a media company a few years back (circa 2013), I was tasked to conduct daily social media monitoring and churn out two reports. One report was due in the morning to capture any interesting data or online traffic that happened the night before. Whereas the second report due late afternoon summed up any noteworthy information from the social media realm for the day. I was introduced to a few free online tools such as Google Alerts, social mention and whostalkin and used them religiously. However, other than those tools, everything was done manually. I painstakingly skimmed through multiple Facebook pages owned by the company and indulged in a smorgasbord of blogs and online forums. The reports drafted mostly comprised of angry tweets or Facebook posts from disgruntled customers and dreadful comments from an online forum or thread. It can easily take up about three or more hours of my entire working day, just sieving through all the websites and comments.
I was unfortunately still a greenhorn in the social media monitoring world (sadly, I still am but I am learning) and was unaware of many other useful social media analytics and tools I could have used. I have been well enlightened regarding these brilliant online enginesâŚ
And therefore, in this blog entry, I will provide a few feedback and tips for using them. I have briefly tried two of the most popular social media management tools (Buffer and Hootsuite) and it is crucial to note that these documented experiences are based off someone who is NOT at all an expert in the social media field AKA, me a lowly student trying out different tools and sharing my experience. Moreover, I have picked these two online tools because they were mentioned frequently on several websites and they offered free services.
First off, the welcome message received was already a promotion for their priced services:
Iâm sorry Buffer, I chose âfree individual planâ for a reason.
The interface is relatively clean and uncluttered, which is most pleasing to the eyes. The different tabs are clearly positioned at the top and it allows you to schedule your tweets and posts. The ability to schedule your tweets and posts are available for both tools but in my opinion, Buffer’s interface is neater and more user-friendly.
On Buffer, you can either
schedule it to be published once on a specific date and time
schedule it to be published NEXT on the list
publish it now
customise a posting schedule (based on the optimal times within a day as per their analysis)
This function is pretty much the same for Facebook and many other social media giants with the exception of Instagram (only reminders) and Pinterest (only 7-day trial). It sounds great so far but I have two main gripes with Buffer (despite it being my favourite). Number one, it does not provide real-time streaming of content. I tried deleting the tweets on my Twitterâs platform and tried refreshing Bufferâs page three times but it is still NOT updated on Bufferâs platform. Number two, it does not provide all the functions that Twitter has and this includes the crucial option of adding a gif.
Apart from those comments, I will also highlight that other functions such as âmost popularâ and âleast popularâ posts are only available if you upgrade to the ingeniously titled âAwesome Planâ (you canât help but praise the plan when you refer to it). Finally, before I move on to the next social media management tool, I present Buffer with a little plus point because it liked my test tweet:
Immediately, I could tell that the interface was much more complex but the designers were nice enough to include a few tips and even a âwise guideâ:
I found that especially helpful for computer dummies like me. Immediately, I could tell that Hootsuiteâs focus is on brand presence monitoring instead of posting content. I really enjoyed the live streaming page in which you could personalise and switch around. I did not face the problem about not having updated content on my page since the refresh button works like a charm.
Also, the programme allows you to include keywords to be searched and presented in the live stream and as you can see, I have chosen to search my previous company as an example:
To the aspiring social media experts out there, check out Hootsuite for free social media courses! I stumbled upon Hootsuiteâs page about free training and certification. The stereotypical Singaporean auntie within me woke up at the word âfreeâ and I’ve just set a reminder to self to try out one of these courses during the school holidays!
As per mentioned, Hootsuite has a different focal point and it does not heavily fixate its tools on the publication of tweets and posts. Thus, the interface for posting such content is not as user-friendly as Buffer and similarly, it lacks the gif component in its tweets. Furthermore, it does not provide an elaborate scheduler like the one in Buffer. Lastly, my main grievance towards Hootsuite is that I took a long time to incorporate my Facebook account and it still it does not show the statistical analysis for my Facebook. Furthermore, I couldnât stream Facebook content either. I am not sure if itâs a glitch in the system or Iâm just horrible at site navigation but I stopped using it after a while despite its amazing features.
I would highly recommend for you to try out the social media management tools on your own free time and see what works for you. Youâll never know, you might just turn your social media skills into a career in the future!
THE MORE YOU KNOW 