Curved TV

For years TV manufacturers have been trying to come up with gimmicks to get people to buy new TVs.  In recent years they were pushing 3D TVs.  3D TVs were intended to improve immersion, but the large glasses required broke immersion and caused 3D TVs to fail.  The Newest gimmick that TV manufacturers are using are curved TVs.  These TVs are curved to wrap around the viewer to increase immersion of the viewer.

I believe that curved TVs have an opportunity to be embraced by the public.  The key difference between curved TVs and 3D TVs is that no extra peripherals are required to watch a curved TV.  The curved TV is a subtle change that increases the viewers immersion.

The best way to improve a television is to improvethe screen resolution.  I think that 4k TVs are going to be the next big thing in TV, but curved TVs have a good chance of gaining popularity as well.

TED talk report

The Ted talk I will be reviewing will be "My Stroke of Insight".  This talk is from Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist, as she explains her experience studying her own stroke.  Dr. Taylor explains how a brain hemorrhage in her brains left hemisphere caused her to lose all of her reasoning skills.  This report will review the talk and it's different presentation elements.

In the presentation Dr. Taylor uses many different visual aides to emphasize certain points and to keep the focus of the audience.  She uses a projector to help illustrate certain concepts in her presentation.  She uses diagrams of the brain to help explain brain chemistry and anatomy.  There are a few pictures Dr. Taylor family she uses when making personal or emotional statements.  The best prop used in the presentation was Dr. Taylor's use of an actual human brain to show the separation between the hemispheres of the brain.  The use of the brain was a fantastic way to show what she was trying to teach but also to get the audiences attention.

Through the course of the presentation Dr.Taylor used many different methods to convey her message and keep the audience engaged.  Dr. Taylor talks about how during her stroke she felt like her sense of self faded away and the barrier between herself and the rest of the world were no longer there.  She says this was caused her the brain hemorrhage in her left hemisphere which controls reasoning, logic, and our sense of self.  She will also use humor to contrast the serious tone of the rest of the presentation. Humor can be a good tool if used well.

Dr. Taylor was able to grab the attention of the audience while also sharing a informative and inspirational story.  She used used visual aides and humor to great effect.  Dr. Taylor was able to share a great inspirational story using some key presentation elements to engage the audience.


Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight?language=en

Companies Use of Social Media

One of the most important factors success is advertising.  Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are the newest way for companies to market themselves directly to the consumer.  Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow companies to advertise directly to the consumer, for free.  A company that uses social media well can boost their brand awareness.  This report will highlight 2 companies (Starbucks and Oreo) and how they use social media to promote their brand and products.

Starbucks is leading the way for advertising through social media.  Starbucks' twitter profile often posts content that encourages their followers to favorite, comment, and retweet.  They will often provide giveaways for their followers.  These giveaways require followers to like or favorite to participate and will usually be something small like a $5 gift card.  This allows Starbucks to increase their companies awareness with very little cost.  Starbucks' average customer is familiar with social media which means content posted to their Facebook and Twitter spreads to potential customers faster.

Oreo has greatly improved its exposure online in the past few years by using social media.  They have been so successful with social media advertising due to the speed that they react to current events.  For example, when the Supreme Court overturned a ban on same sex marriage in California, the same day Oreo posted a picture of an Oreo cookie with rainbow filling and the word pride written beneath.  Oreo's quick and witty response to current events has drastically improved their online exposure.

Being able to advertise directly and immediately to their consumers is a great advantage of using social media.  Companies are able to connect directly with customers and create a greater connection between between a customer and a product.  It also spreads awareness of a brand much faster and cheaper than traditional methods of advertising.  Social media is one of the most valuable tools companies have to advertise to where customers.

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/03/06/20-companies-you-should-be-following-on-social-media/

https://econsultancy.com/blog/63908-how-oreo-owns-social-media-through-twitter-instagram-vine-and-pinterest#i.negqi21995esar

Why I'm at MATC

I'm at MATC because I want to gain skills that will make me a more attractive candidate for employers.  I chose MATC over a four year school because I wanted to spend less money but still get a quality education.  If I would have gone to a four year university I would have been buried in debt.  MATC was my best choice for receiving a great education on a budget.