Category: Uncategorized

Future Directions of our Digital Media Environment- Reflection

By: Matthew Palumbo

There are exciting new ideas in the digital media environment lead by creative, visionary thinking and being supported by big innovative tech companies like Apple and Facebook. Augmented reality is a new concept that is being widely received in Snapchat platforms. Apple is launching Smart Glasses and Facebook considers Augmented Reality Glasses the next big platform. These smart glasses can do anything your smart phone can and be a virtual assistant. It can allow you to see messages, order an Uber, visit websites etc. In the distant future, there can be neurosurgery and more video calls for business meeting and for Skype type chats. With Augmented Reality, you are in the real world and you can overlay or alter your environment with digital images and words so you get a much more personal intimate experiences. With 5G emerging and technology improving this will become more available and prevalent.

My greatest hope is people and technology will work in a symbiotic relationship. Technology isn’t going away and hope augmented reality will be human centered. I believe this will greatly benefit humanity as it can lead to better interactions with technology and people. I hope people will stop looking down at their phones when walking down the street.

My greatest fear is if personal data privacy is abused. A third party will be gaining access to all of your personal data and can be used in nefarious ways. In the case of AR, this would be the equivalent of someone following close behind you because they can see and hear what you do and are with you every step of the way. Privacy will continue to be an important consideration in all platforms as we move through these surreal tech advancements.

In addition, artificial intelligence will continue to expand with bigger data sets where the creative mind can be replaced with algorithms that can see more abstract connections than human. We will see businesses expand around AI and human careers threatened with AI technologies leading the economy such as China. We see this already with AI being used in drones, education and automated vehicles.

Big banks will face competition as financial technology will find a marketplace through digital marketing and technology especially because of cryptocurrency, blockchain and innovative companies. People will realize cost savings and feel more privacy when moving money around in different formats.

Personal Brand Statement How Do You Develop One?

Matthew Palumbo – “Entrepreneurship curator and political connoisseur. Creating innovative solutions to unique challenges is my strength. Just ask.”

When I developed my personal brand statement, I reflect in my mind to identify key words and themes that describe key elements of my life. Therefore my area of study at Ryerson and my future career path from this education was key to my brand statement. In addition, I spend much of my free time heavily involved in politicking and canvassing for political parties and candidates at the federal, provincial and municipal level.

In a society of mass production and mass marketing, I felt it’s important to stress having a connection to the recipient in the elevator. In life in general as in the business world, people need to feel that they are unique and their needs are unique. Any problem, business or personal, can be solved by looking at the individual merits and seeking answers unique to the individual and the individual circumstances.

When creating the “how to’s” of elevator pitches there are steps that are important. I think I’ve covered all those steps in my personal brand. Depending on the context of the situation, let people know who you are, your background, the context of the situation and most importantly make a connection in any unique way you can. It can be as simple as acknowledging the weather or complimenting a Blue Jay’s hat. Then ask for what you want. I think I’ve capitalized on this in my elevator speech. When I state I am a curator and a connoisseur, I think these words will capture the imagination of a lot of people. Elevator pitches are more effective when you deliver your value proposition with confidence, passion, belonging, action and present a sense of uniqueness to differentiate yourself.

Lightbeam

Author: Matthew Palumbo

Screen Capture from Lightbeam Add on

Reaction Reflection on the Information That is Displayed by Lightbeam

I was surprised at the vast volume of third party advertiser on news sites such as: National Post and the Globe and Mail. I was surprised by the low amount of third party advertisers on Facebook and Google. I was expecting a higher amount of third party advertising on YouTube. The third party advertising on Netflix and the provincial government was higher than I anticipated. I am impressed that a program can track the third party advertisers and cookies then display a map in a user-friendly manner.

Implications on the Information That is Displayed by Lightbeam

Lightbeam records and shows tracking cookies on the websites that are visited on the user’s computer through the Firefox web browser. Lightbeam does this in real time and display’s it to the user. Lightbeam can distinguish between behavioral cookies and other tracking cookies. Lightbeam shows which advertisers or other third parties are connected to which cookies. Lightbeam has the sophistication to develop information about the user’s browsing from site to site. All data collected by Lightbeam is stored locally, and the program does not share it.

Lightbeam allows user to see behind the curtain and provide people with more information about the growing role of third parties, data drives most websites interactions, and shows how little autonomy users have over their own data and who it is shared with. Also show the extent of how rampant behavioural tracking is. When visiting websites many third parties have access to your data and do act on the data acquired. People are increasingly becoming aware of how their data is being used and want to safeguard their privacy. Websites are selling people’s data to the highest bidder. Third parties act on the data received and then target market people.

Google Syntax

By: Matthew Palumbo

Proper search syntax for the following queries using the Google search engine

1. How would you search for an exact word or phrase?

Phrase searching, this involves putting quotations before and after the word. i.e. “quote”

2. How would you search for something on a specific site?

Use the advanced operator: site, for example admissions site: http://www.stanford.edu
(search Stanford university site for admissions information).
You can utilize the search function on the site.
You can use ctrl+f to find the word/phrase on the page of the site.

3. How would you correctly search for a definition?

Google’s hidden dictionary is pulled from multiple internet dictionaries.
Use the syntax DEFINE: before the term that you want to define.
An alternative approach is typing the word followed by the word definition.
Additional features when google provides a definition snippet.
Select the speaker icon to hear how the word is pronounced.
Select translations, word origin, and more definitions to learn more about the word.
Use the search field to search for other dictionary words.
The official google dictionary extension is one of the popular chrome extensions. Users can highlight a word and select the google dictionary browser on the web page to open a pop up window that contains the definition off that word.

4. How would you search for a specific product available within a specific price range?

#..# – Search within a range of numbers. For example DVD player 100..150.

5. How would you search for a specific filetype?

Use filetype.directive. Type filetype: File Extension ex. Ryerson University filetype:pdf

6. How would you include or ignore words in your search?

If you want specific words in your query you do this with + operator.
Include a space before the + sign but not after it.
You may want to exclude words from your search using – operator. Any word in your query preceded by the – sign is automatically excluded from search result,
If you want bass but not fish type bass – fish.

7. How would you find sites/pages similar to an existing one?

Use advanced operator Related: http://www.stanford.edu

8. How would you confirm the exact form of a quote even if you were missing some of the words?

Use an asterisk within quotes to specify unknown or variable words. Searching a phrase in quotes with an asterisk replacing a word will search all variations of that phrase. It is particularly helpful trying to figure out lyrics from songs but do not know the entire phrase. For example if you couldn’t make out the entire phrase (e.g. “imagine all the *living for today”, or if you’re trying to find all forms of an expression (e.g. “* is thicker than water”).

9. How would search for pages containing one or another search term?

Use intitle: “the term you want” this will pull pages with that search term in the title.

10.How would you search for social media content containing a specific tag?

Use the @ symbol before the word or phrase in the social media platform’s search function. The social media platform will show you a list of where the tag is being used.
The social searcher website finds tags and sorts them into 3 categories: mentions, users and trends. There is a special function called tagboard that searches tags from all social media network and displays the results in a user friendly manner.
Also, google advanced search can find relevant tags.

Netiquette

Author: Matthew Palumbo

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Netiquette or digital etiquette can be defined as the rules of etiquette applied to internet communications. Here are 4 key rules navigating online communication.

#1. We Are All Human

When communicating online you are talking to another human being even if you do not see them. The golden rule is a valuable tool: do unto others as you’d have others do unto you.

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#2. Be Clear

When communicating digitally, all you see is a screen. There aren’t any facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice to communicate your meaning. Also, the recipient of your communication can’t communicate these either. Words on a screen is all the recipients have to work with. Due to the lack of expressions there is often misinterpretation of what the meaning of the message was intended to be and how it was interpreted. So be as clear as possible.

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#3. Know Where You Are In Cyberspace

Follow the standards and norms of those in the domain and area you are in. What might be appropriate in one discussion board, website or email might not be appropriate on another. To get a sense of the culture, browse through what people are saying and how they act. Also, be sure to be mindful of the terms of service, you wouldn’t want to be suspended or banned would you?

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#4. Have the Same Behaviour Online As In Person

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Be consistent and have the same. Try to make your communications respectful and ask yourself “would I say this to their face?”. Following this guideline makes for more enjoyable and healthy discussion for everyone. The modern internet is designed to connect people not divide.

Remember these 4 simple rules and you are well on your way to achieving peak level of Netiquette.

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