Twitter on a Handshake

  Andrew Dymski is a Senior Marketing Major at Grove City College in western Pennsylvania, and Twitter is something that shows up in his every day life. In the video that follows, Andrew articulates his perspective and integration of Twitter in his everyday, professional, and academic life.

  Andrew was observed in his habits on Twitter, and an interview was conducted to evaluate his use. Dymski sees immense value in learning from Twitter, and its nearly endless potential as a resource. Articles and tips posted on twitter often offer simple advice for marketing efficiency, and how to be a better citizen on twitter and on other social media outlets.

 Examples of effective tweets and shared resources are shown below, as cited by Andrew:

http://www.thedigitalbus.com/10-reasons-ford-motor-company-and-michigan-state-university-football-dominate/

http://blog.journalistics.com/2010/top-5-newspaper-and-magazine-ipad-apps/

  

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-twitter-tips-for-enhancing-your-tweets/

The Basics:

   Andrew describes in general his use and view on twitter, along with a few examples of worthwhile people he follows. Twitter serves as a way to easily search a stream of information for relevant and pertinent information. This can prove invaluable in many aspects of life.

Technology Shapes Ideas, Actions, and Routines:
   Twitter has been a major changing factor in his daily life. It "transforms and shapes your life" based on the media that is made available, and the interaction that is required.

 Twitter is a Classroom:
   A forum of constant communication, twitter opens doors to conversations which maintain complexity in a simple venue. It is interesting to see an example of knowledge being shared in and out of the classroom. Henry Jenkins would find this to be accurate; that sometimes we learn more our of the classroom than in it.

It is an Investment:
   Twitter enables users to invest in their interests, build rapport with specialized communities, and hear directly from people who are experts in their fields. Personal conversation is enabled with those who would otherwise be unreachable.





















Twitter on a Handshake:
Dymski concludes on the value of twitter to him, and the rejuvenation of "business on a handshake." Red tape is cut as consumers are able to contact CEO's directly, and have concerns addressed publicly by corporations. This more personal form of businesses forces the faces to rise from the surface in the big corporations who once seemed to be only one unit, rather than a more "humanized form." This "digital handshake" brings back the level of relation that was once only had by mom and pop stores in small towns.





   Twitter is a unique service, and has come a long was since launching in 2006. The interesting thing about twitter is that the majority of its value is found in the content posted by the users, and their subsequent responses. The immense resources available in real-time over twitter create a thought-provoking and academic atmosphere.
   In the case of Andrew Dymski, Twitter is invaluable on a academic, professional, and personal level. It enables him to communicate with companies, experts, friends, family, teammates, and the media--all in one venue. Every person has a seat to listen and a podium upon which to stand and speak. Those who are interested will listen, and those who are uninteresting will quickly find that nobody is listening at all. The dynamic environment of twitter is one of value and intrigue, and while it may be a passing fad, it has proven itself worthy of scholars, celebrities, students, and fans alike for the time-being. 

iPod Touch (2010): Our Take on Apple's Latest and Greatest.

   Well, its here. A forth generation iPod touch has been purchased and is ready to be reviewed. Here is our review:

Design
   This product is designed beautifully, but is not very different from the design of the previous generation. The back now has a flat surface on the back so that it can sit without spinning in circles. The shiny, curved back is getting old, and this iPod is too thin. Offering a device that is the size of the iPhone 4, with a similar form-factor, would allow for a larger battery and a better, more secure feel in the hand. Overall, this is a very attractive device that fits into the pocket nicely, but users are tired of dealing with the shiny, polished surfaces that attract fingerprints.

   The degree of thinness impaired the ability to use the iPod with ease. The beveled edges combined with sloped volume and sleep buttons make one-handed use nearly impossible. A case or a skin to give it more bulk and/or grip may be something to consider.

The Retina Display:

The resolution on this screen is insane, and almost unnecessary.

   Wow, this thing is glorious. The pixels are so dense, and the colors are so bright. This screen is the more beautiful than can be found on most other devices. It is like touching something that is more than just a screen. Pictures and video jump, and really make help to make it a worthy investment over the older models.

   The first unit that we reviewed had a dead pixel and was returned to the retailer. This does not appear to be a widespread issue, but it is worth noting. The second unit has no such issue.

The Cameras

This Camera is much different than the one that the iPhone 4 offers. 

   The cameras are a welcome addition to the line of iPod touches. The rear-facing camera allows 720p HD video at 30 frames per second. With the purchase and addition of iMovie for iOS devices ($4.99), the user is very easily able to create and edit a video with music, titles, subtitles, and multiple clips. This option is practically unrivaled in today's market, even with standalone computer applications. Often times, after editing, one must load the clips onto a computer and edit them there, but it is extremely useful to be able to shoot, edit, and export in a simple, intuitive nature. iMovie would be so much better if it were simply included with the iPod touch.

See an example of a video shot and edited on the iPod Touch at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTdNJ8V3ScE

   it is disappointing to find that the music plays in mono sound in the videos edited in iMovie. There is no known way around this.

   Unfortunately, the still images that this camera takes are far less impressive than the iPhone 4. It seems that because this unit is so thin, Apple was unable to use a sensor and lens that is of the same quality of the iPhone 4. As a result, the rear-facing camera only takes .7 MP pictures. Instead of compromising on size, they compromised on picture quality. This is a big mistake in the long run.

   The front-facing camera is the same as the one featured on the iPhone 4 and will serve well as a video conferencing camera.



iOS 4.1

    iOS 4.1 is a more than welcome upgrade to iPod Touches everywhere. When combined with the A4 processor, the interface is refined and efficient to use. Processes are not cumbersome or overly taxing. It is great to see multitasking work well after such a long, and perhaps unnecessary wait. The ability to change the background of the home screen is a welcome feature as well. It is a great way to personalize the device, and make it slightly more aesthetically pleasing.

   Apple has done a great job in iOS 4 to take advantage of the high resolution retina display. Every Apple-made Application sports a hi-resolution icon and interface, and is very pleasing to the eye.

   In addition to FaceTime, apple has added a "Game Center" application in order to promote continued growth and community interactions on the iPod touch. Also, users will find the "Voice Memos" application much more useful after the addition of a built-in microphone.

Conclusion
   The 4th Generation iPod touch is an outstanding product and a worthy upgrade from a 1st or 2nd Generation touch. The addition of the cameras, an upgraded screen and processor, and iOS 4 make this a killer product for a reasonable price. The 4th Generation iPod touch is available now in 8GB, 32GB, and 64GB models.