Okay, I hadn't seen this one before, but it is ADORABLE! No longer are companies developing commercials just for television, they are creating entire ad campaigns with commercials in hopes they go viral. Resulting in millions and millions of views. This is just the argument I had with our HCC Public relations committee, they are still spending tons of money on traditional advertising, when I think they should be spending SOME at least on where the audience is- online!

Out of the thousands of commercials that have gone viral though, the skating Evian babies video has accomplished something none of the others have: it has broken a world record. Last week, the Guinness Book of World Records officially declared Roller Babies the most viewed online advertisement in history.

Utilizing data from Nielsen and YouTube, Guinness has concluded that, through November 9th, Evian’s break-dancing infants have racked up a total of 45,166,109 online views worldwide. It’s even more amazing when you realize that this ad campaign was exclusive to YouTube(). 45 million views for a critically acclaimed commercial that millions remember and actively discussed worldwide? We think any brand will take those numbers.

More companies are realizing the power of social media to spread a message on the cheap. That’s why we think this record’s destined to be broken sooner rather than later.

I would agree, to declare something as the most viewed online advertisement in HISTORY, seems like a record that is destined to be outdone very quickly. Those are some crazy cool babies!

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I wasn’t sure what to do when my 12-year-old son’s buddy sent me friend request via Facebook. I accepted, because his family are friends, but not without hesitation. It wasn’t until later that I found out this friend had created my own son an account with a pseudo name. Being the overprotective parent I am, I gave my son the lecture about not giving anyone personal information online, or becoming “friends” with people you know, or even posting images of yourself that others might use for nefarious purposes. So it was no surprise to read this article on CNN about what a common occurrence it is for tweens to bypass the age requirement in order have a presence on social networks.

Researchers say a growing number of children are flouting age requirements on sites such as Facebook and MySpace, or using social-networking sites designed just for them.

Facebook and MySpace require users to be at least 13. But they have no practical way to verify ages, and many young users pretend to be older when signing up.

Some scientists worry that pre-adolescent use of the sites, which some therapists have linked to Internet addiction among adults, could be damaging to children's relationships and brains.

 In two surveys reported this year by Pew Internet Research -- of 700 and 935 teens, respectively -- 38 percent of respondents ages 12 to 14 said they had an online profile of some sort.

Sixty-one percent of those in the study, ages 12 to 17, said they use social-networking sites to send messages to friends, and 42 percent said they do so every day.

The data in the study was from 2006, so it's not a stretch to assume those numbers are higher this year. Research on younger children is limited, but anecdotal evidence shows that many of them are also logging on.

Scientists are now starting to worry that pre-adolescents spending too much time online may lead to negative effects as they mature. What would be the new term for this, when our new generation will only know how to communicate through technology, not face to face?

Subrahmaynam said a study of high school students showed that in most cases, the people they interact with most often online are people they also socialize with in person. Children today have spent their whole lives on computers, and their brains are better adapted than those of adults to integrate online activities with their offline lives, she said.

 Alternatives to social media sites like Facebook and mySpace, children can log onto Disney’s Club Penguin, which is mainly a game site with limited social functions, or other sites such as WebKinz. Children as young as 5 have accounts on KidSwirl, a kids’ socializing site.

So what long-term effect will social networking have on children? Scientists say it may be hard to know for sure. "We've lost the control group," Subrahmanyam said. "How do you find a group of kids that are not using the computer?" 

I believe this is the age old battle parents have had to face with new technologies such as television. It is up to the parents to set boundaries and rules, and to monitor what their children are doing, and just hope you instilled enough values and common sense for them to make good choices.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/02/kids.social.networks/index.html

I have long ago given up on fighting the crowds the day after Thanksgiving. There is no deal out there that is worth me wasting hours of my time waiting in line. Of course, I am not a patient person to begin with.  So imagine how happy I am that I have another chance at those great deals, with Cyber-Monday! Actually, it has transformed in some places to be Cyber Week (as Wal-Mart is calling it). I don’t have to leave my computer (hope my bosses aren’t reading this) and can find many similar great deals and order online. I will admit I spent a few minutes browsing Wal-Mart and Best Buy’s websites, but didn’t find anything I couldn’t live without.

Nearly 100 million shoppers are expected to be trolling online today looking for bargains.

Roughly 700 e-commerce sites offered bargains on Monday in partnership with Shop.org, a trade group that coined the term several years ago after noticing a spike in online sales as Americans returned to the office -- and its high-speed Internet connections -- after the Black Friday weekend. The group said the anticipated 96.5 million shoppers logging on today would set a record high.

Online shopping is expected to fare better than the rest of the retail industry this holiday season. Research firm comScore predicts e-commerce sales for November and December will rise 3 percent to $28.8 billion. Although that is well below the increases of 20 percent or more that the sector had experienced in recent years, it is still better than the 1 percent decline for total retail sales forecast by the NRF.

Excerpts from: Retailers hope to hook shoppers online with Cyber Monday sales   

 

A different twist in online shopping is occurring now however. As many people fear unemployment, they are reluctant to spend much time online and plan to do more shopping from their computer at home. Good news for employers I suppose. So will Cyber-Monday be as successful as many are speculating? Mashable.com has some figures already in that point to a big yes!

While there’s still several more hours to go before the sun sets on Cyber Monday, Akamai is using its Net Usage Index to monitor North American visitors to 270 online retail sites, and according to CNN, data from earlier in the day already points to a 43% traffic jump when compared to last year at the same time.

At that time, those websites were attracting more than 4 million visitors per minute. As the graph above indicates, however, traffic peaked at 7,666,119 million visitors per minute. This peak is higher than the 6.69 million visitors per minute high on Black Friday, and it appears that the trend is still on the upswing. CNN also posits that “about 96.5 Americans plan to shop online Monday, up from 85 million in 2008, according to the National Retail Federation.”

Can't wait to see how it turns out, but I know I will be buying a couple gifts online. That $72 inversion table at Wal-Mart looks pretty sweet.

Do you crave technology? Do you compulsively use your smart phone or check your social media site? Do you neglect other responsibilities in order to surf the web? Do you withdrawal when your techno drug of choice is not available? Then you might be an addict. In my previous blog, I told of the reactions I got from students when I took their phones from them even for half an hour. They shake, they whine, they appear visibly unnerved. The thought of not being connected when the next text comes through is unbearable.

Teenage addiction can also hinder learning. An article on physorg.com says that 39.3% of 11-18 year olds surveyed admitted that text shortcuts damaged the quality of their written word, especially spelling.Research shows that technology obsession encourages plagiarism, and disrupts classroom learning. Despite school policies restricting mobile phone usage, students use the phone frequently, with the majority making calls from the toilets. Technologies also are used for more nefarious purposes. 59.2% of teenagers admitted inserting information straight from the internet into schoolwork, without reading or altering it. Almost a third (28.5%) deemed this an acceptable practice.

Over 60% of the respondents admitted to being “very” or “quite” addicted to the internet, while over 50% are addicted to their mobile phones. The report also revealed that students spend, on average, 1-2 hours a day on social network sites.  http://www.physorg.com/news171819640.html

But even if you are a techno-junkie, it is possible to change. Take notice when you use technologies and for how long. Set some limits. Take off a couple hours to enjoy a good conversation or a nice long walk. Heck, put the phone away for a whole weekend!

I started feeling over connected last semester. I have a habit of checking my email every hour or so. I make excuses that I am an instructor and an advisor and need to be there to help my students. But if I can’t check my email when I want to, I honestly get nervous. What if someone is trying to reach me? I’ve gotten better this semester and try to leave my laptop at work whenever possible. This summer I took a glorious week off from my cell phone, computer, and at times even the television. We stayed at a wonderful little cabin out in the middle of nowhere. No cell service, no phone at all, and certainly no Wi-Fi. We were supposed to have television but the satellite wasn’t working so we enjoyed several evenings playing board games by the fire. GLORIOUS! So I challenge each and every one of you to take some time off of your technology and enjoy the real world, it’s pretty nice.

Please pardon me while I use my blog as my own personal soapbox. I just read an article about Teen texting, and it appears to still be on the rise. Haven’t the dangers of texting and driving already been established? Why is it not getting through? The Pew Internet and American Life Project just published the results of a study on teenage texting and driving, and it shows that although teens know it’s a bad thing, they are doing it anyway!

After surveying 800 teens in 4 US cities over the summer of 2009, Pew estimates that 26% of all American teens 16-17 have texted while driving, and 43% have talked on a cell phone while driving. Even more alarming is that 48% of teens 12-17 have witnessed someone else texting while driving, which points to an ambivalence and acceptance of the practice. The findings also indicate that even state laws prohibiting these activities may not be discouraging newly licensed drivers from using their mobile devices while behind the wheel.

The co-author of the report, Amanda Lenhart, said that teens desire to stay connected was stronger than their own safety. Even worse, the research also indicated that children may be picking up the behavior from their parents.

In a qualitative interview one teen boy even said, “Yeah [my dad] drives like he’s drunk. His phone is just like sitting in front of his face, and he puts his knees on the bottom of the steering wheel and tries to text.”

We’ve included the full research report below, but here are a few additional findings that stand out:

- 75% of all American teens 12-17 own a cell phone

- 82% of teens 16-17 have a cell phone & 76% text.

- Overall, 34% of teens 16-17 say they have texted while driving, which translates to 26% of all American teens 16-17.

- Boys and girls are equally likely to report texting behind the wheel.

- 55% of teens 14-17 report that they have witnessed a driver texting as a passenger (48% for 12-17, and 32% for 12-13).

If this research highlights anything it’s that teens are uber-connected, picking up bad behaviors from their parents, and unabashedly driving dangerously in order to stay connected.

Now maybe I’m an old fogey, but I have trouble even talking on my phone while driving. My students don’t understand, one, why I don’t answer my cell phone at all hours of the day or night, and two, why I don’t immediately text back when they send me a message. Personally, I don’t want to be connected 24/7.

Last week I had lunch with my mother-in-law. After leaving our lunch, I got 3 texts from her before I even got back to work. She was texting me while driving! She also spends hours upon hours on FaceBook and instant chat.  Are we becoming a society of technology addicts? I think we already are. It’s a weekly event that I snatch a cell phone from my texting students. They shake and sweat and whine throughout the class until they get their phone back in their hands. I think my next blog will be an exploration of addiction to technology. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the road people, not your phone!

http://mashable.com/2009/11/16/teens-dangerous-driving/

It was one of the biggest live-streamed events this year. YouTube went live with the U2 Rose Bowl concert video and streamed on the Official U2 Channel. You can watch it replay now.

The stream will be available in 16 countries and could see hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions or more – flocking to the site. It’s a massive technical challenge, but if anyone can handle that load, it’s Google.

YouTube is continuing its push into the live video streaming realm, despite assurances it gave last year that it wouldn’t enter the space because it was too expensive. has streamed the Outside Lands concert and an Obama press conference in recent months, but now it’s going to stream the Rose Bowl concert of one of the world’s most popular bands: U2

The world’s largest video website, in a conference call earlier today, explained that it is seeking to experiment in live video. Clearly, YouTube sees some type of potential in this emerging market, as live video players Ustream, Justin.tv, and Livestream have started to prove the viability of this market.

 To watch go to http://www.youtube.com/u2 

In a bold move, the White House’s newly redesigned website is based upon open-source. Open-source is “programming language written in public view, available for public use and able for people to edit.” The White house believes this move will actually make their site more secure.

"Security is fundamentally built into the development process because the community is made up of people from all across the world, and they look at the source code from the very start of the process until it's deployed and after," said Terri Molini of Open Source for America, an interest group that has pushed for more such programs.

Having the public write code may seem like a security risk, but it's just the opposite, experts inside and outside the government argued. Because programmers collaborate to find errors or opportunities to exploit Web code, the final product is therefore more secure.

For instance, instead of a dozen administration programmers trying to find errors, thousands of programmers online constantly are refining the programs and finding potential pitfalls.

It will be a much faster way to change the programming behind the website. When the model was owned solely by the government, federal contractors would have to work through the reams of code to troubleshoot it or upgrade it. Now, it can be done in the matter of days and free to taxpayers.

Under the open-source model, thousands of people pick it apart simultaneously and increase security. It comes more cheaply than computer coding designed for a single client, such as the Executive Office of the President. It gives programmers around the world a chance to offer upgrades, additions or tweaks to existing programs that the White House could — or could not — include in daily updates.

Obama pledged to make the government more open and transparent, and this is a great way to get started. I personally think it is genius. Instead of fighting with the thousands of programmers who might be trying to hack into their site, they are asking for their assistance to make the site better and more secure. I feel this is really the way to go from here on out. More software should be open source, did you hear that Microsoft? If society could channel the multitude of talents to improve the internet and media, instead of fighting to see who can make the most money, it would eventually benefit us all.

White House opens its website programming to public

By Philip Elliott, Associated Press Writer

As I sit here, winding up my day of work, I happened upon the news story of the little 6-year old boy in Colorado, who apparently hopped aboard a homemade hot-air balloon and took off. The balloon has landed, but no one was inside, prompting officials to fear he fell out somewhere along the 2-hour journey. This story touches at my heartstrings so much. As a parent of two boys, ages 9 and 12, I can only imagine what those poor parents are feeling right now. And I think this is why the nation is so captivated right now, because it does touch all our hearts.

On my search to find out more information, I can upon an interesting article by Caroline McCarthy that pointed out that I am not alone in my web search.

Twitter was bombarded on Thursday afternoon by the shocking news that a six-year-old boy had climbed into a homemade hot-air balloon and taken off over Colorado--the microblogging service's timeline temporarily slowed to a crawl and its trending topics were filled with tags like Colorado, Denver, and #balloonboy.

His fate remains unknown.

Live video streams from news outlets' helicopters showed the saucer-shaped balloon speeding through the air and then making a relatively soft landing. But then those same news outlets began to report that there was no one inside--sparking even more debate and speculation on Twitter.

My colleague Stephen Shankland ran a test and found that in a 30-second span, 836 tweets mentioned the word "balloon."

The boy reportedly lives in Fort Collins, Colo., and the balloon was built by his parents, who are avid storm-chasers.

It makes perfect sense that we are now turning to instant electronic media to update us. Even though there is a TV sitting just 5 feet from me, the thought of turning on CNN for an update didn’t even occur to me. And I believe that is the beauty of obtaining news from the web, it is customized to what we want to know, when we want to know it. I don’t want to sit through 10 minutes of updates on President Obama’s town hall to find out news on the little boy. I want to know right now! Unfortunately, turning to blogs and twitters doesn’t always lead to the most trustworthy sources. CNN and FOX may be slower at getting their information out, but that is usually because they are checking their facts and double checking sources. But in an “instant satisfaction” society, we crave info at the speed of light. My thoughts and prayers are with the little boy’s family.

Update: The little boy was found alive, apparently hiding in the attic, afraid of getting in trouble. So glad he was alive!

For 2009 COMM Week at WSU, I attended the session called Documentaries: The Naked Truth. Among the distinguished panel were WSU instructor Dr. Phllip Gaunt, KPTS Production Manager Gabe Juhnke, and Jess Huxman, KPTS Director of Content. Because I am currently producing a documentary on the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog, as part of a Directed Study at WSU, I found the session extremely interesting. They described documentaries as a way to expose the public to sights, sounds, and subjects they might not normally be able to experience. In essence, by producing such a piece you are able to instruct and enlighten while still being entertaining.

Dr. Gaunt started the session by describing his experience producing documentaries in the 60s and 70s. It was much different then, documentaries were actually filmed, and Gaunt told of having to film using a wind up camera. Editing was much more difficult as well. Instead of digital non-linear editing that students are used to today, they had to physically splice the film, and synchronize the. What I did notice about Dr. Gaunt’s clip was how beautiful the long, sweeping shots with vivid sound were. There were no quick cuts, spinning, and nauseating camera work that we often see today. The visuals spoke for themselves, and the natural sound really made you feel like you were part of the experience.

We then watched clips from KPTS’ Black and Gold Documentary, about the WSU football team’s plane crash. I found this example very moving, and noticed similarities to Gaunt’s earlier piece. Instead of filling up the screen with narration, the subjects, interviews, sights, and emotions were what really told the story.  

The panel then gave advice on how to be a successful documentarian. Among those tips were:

1. Learn to distance yourself from the subject manner in order to tell an unbiased story.

2. Step back every so often to make sure you are answering all the questions.

3. Use natural sound to tell the story, and let the visuals speak for themselves.

4. When doing a documentary, make sure you budget time and money to collect footage, newspaper clippings, etc.

5. Don’t use YouTube or images pulled from websites.

This session was extremely helpful for me, and I’ve already started changing my script to cut back on my own narration in order to let my interviews tell more of my story. I’ve always struggled teaching my own students to let their video and natural sounds breathe, and will stress its importance even more now.

With such a fast paced society, it is often hard for us to just slow down and appreciate what is around us. I think the Documentary is one medium that still utilizes a slower, more artful approach to capturing the world and all its intricacies. Quite refreshing after being over exposured to a YouTube society.

I have to confess… I am not a Twitterer. I honestly don’t understand the appeal to it, although I do see its usefulness in areas such as citizen journalism and event reporting. However, I am an avid Facebook fan and use it to keep up with loved ones, long lost friends, and past and present students. Before a month ago I had never blogged either, but obviously that is a new milestone that I am enjoying immensely.

Most social media sites make it easy to link to videos that are on other sites, such as YouTube, but now Twitter MAY be upgrading to a service that will allow uploading video straight from mobile phones, laptops, and other devices.

I think this is a great idea. For citizen journalism, an individual might be at the scene of a big news story, and be able to instantly upload video from the site to accompany their story. Communicating at the speed of light! There are already third party sites that allow users to post video tweets, but again Twitter users must link to the clips. There is no final word yet whether this will occur or when, but stay tuned!

Twitter to Add Video Tweeting?   October 11th, 2009 | by Pete Cashmore

If Twitter added the ability to post video clips to the service, would you use it? That feature may be coming, according to a short and unsourced article today by Britain’s Telegraph. If true, such a service would compete with many existing Twitter video sites, including Twiddeo and Vidly.

The details, however, are suspiciously sparse, with the Telegraph merely citing discussions by the site’s founders:

The upgrade, which is being discussed by Twitter’s  founders, will enable Twitter users to upload brief video snippets to their profiles directly from mobile phones, laptops and other devices.

Third party sites Twiddeo and Tweetube already allow Twitter users to post video tweets but only by creating links to their sites.

Both Twideo and Tweetube have so far failed to gain as much popularity as similar external service Twitpic. Twitter’s founders hope by adding live video-tweeting it will help boost its prominence as a fashionable social-networking tool again.

We’re somewhat dubious about this one: there’s been no public discussion of video Tweeting, while upcoming features like the new retweets and lists have been discussed extensively. We’ll let you know when we hear back from Twitter on the matter.