On July 7th, search engine giant Google announced the Google Chrome Operating System (OS). Google has already successfully produced office administrative tools, including the very successful Gmail cloud-based email service. But an OS is an entirely different animal. Compatibility with third-party software and hardware is a challenge that Google hasn’t experienced yet.
I’ve had a Gmail account for years, and have been using Google Docs for the last few months. While these tools are fine for the basics of what they do, I often find myself longing for more robust features. It also appears that the various development teams at Google don’t talk very much, since functionality is not as seamless between applications as it should be. The basic concept of seamless integration of Google’s existing technology into the OS will be vital to its success.
How will Google meet the challenge? Read on and find out »
Last week we witnessed a unprecedented Internet event. The sudden death of Michael Jackson (MJ) literally took down several news and social networking sites for a short time.
This overload, and ultimately the failure, was preceded by another newsworthy event. The world was still entranced by the events unfolding in Iran and the results of its election. It became quite public that Twitter had become the most up-to-date source of news, beating out major news networks. News giants were still reeling from the knockout punch of being days behind in their reporting. And just as the pieces of this new landscape puzzle were being put together, the MJ news hit. Of course, it should be noted that the Iranian government was censoring outgoing news and it was impossible to tell if the news being tweeted was legitimate.
Is the Internet about to break down? Find out more. »
Last week Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails (NIN) frontman, gave up on Twitter. Reznor is active in the online community and has also just released a NIN iPhone app. Reznor said on his online forum: “I will be tuning out of the social networking sites because at the end of the day it’s now doing more harm than good in the bigger picture and the experiment seems to have yielded a result. Idiots rule.”
Only a few days earlier, Twilight author Stephanie Meyer pulled down her MySpace page. She posted a comment on her website and mentioned: “Many of you are hilarious and insightful, and I wish it was easier for me to talk to everyone the way I used to.” Stephanie also made a point of saying: “I don’t do twitter. So if you’re communicating with someone online that you think is me, it’s not.”
So what happened? Why are these two prominent social figures abandoning innovative communication channels? The answer: People suck.
Do people really suck? Read on. »
The big news of the moment is the release of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 (IE8). IE8 was released in March of this year. A Microsoft system update is currently circulating prompting users to upgrade.
IE8 is a substantial update that is more compliant with web coding standards than previous versions. So much so that it even offers a “Compatibility View” for “older” sites. IE8 offers this description for Compatibility View: “websites designed for older browsers will often look better, and problems such as out-of-place menus, images, or text will be corrected.” If you are a site owner, you should download IE8 and test your site. The number of users will only increase over time and you want to be sure that they’re seeing your site as originally intended. Continue reading about IE8 and current web stats »
ReadWriteWeb posted a brief video on ways business can market with Social Media tools. If you are striving to reach a specific customer base, Social Media channels may provide part of the solution.
Much of what we’ll discuss here takes place in, or interacts with, the cloud. The “cloud” is just another metaphor for the Internet. If you’ve done any online banking, used online email, like gmail, or you’re on Facebook or LinkedIn, then you’ve been cloud computing.
What makes it cloud computing is the fact that the application you’re using and the data you’re manipulating all live online. There is no desktop version. If you’re not connected, you can’t accomplish your task (check a balance, write an email, etc.). Continue reading about cloud computing »
Some of the coolest new tech out there is the new class of notebook computers, known as netbooks. As in, “internet notebook.”
Netbooks are much smaller than their older siblings. Average screen size is only about 9-10″ and they’re widescreen. They are also less powerful, but this is for a reason. Netbooks are designed specifically for web/email and other less processor-intensive jobs. This allows for easy portability and battery life that is usually superior to a full-size notebook. Most netbooks also have built-in webcams, so video chats are as simple as a click of the mouse. Read more about the Netbook »
Hello and welcome to the NeoCommunicator! I’m Jeff Brenner, your Executive Editor. Most of the posts on tNC will be from my vast knowledge of emerging technology and years of past experience. If you are a marketing / communications / public relations professional and you wish to keep up with the latest and greatest communication tech, then this blog is for you!
I’ve been in the design field for well over 20 years. Then the web came along and rocked my world. Now I see my business colleagues struggling to understand the fast-moving world of technology. Social Media, RSS feeds, Wikis, Blogs, and whatever comes next. It’s all explained here on tNC in easy to understand terms.
From time to time I will have guest posts, and, on stranger days, posts relating to pop culture. Depending on what strikes me at the moment. I hope you enjoy what you find here on tNC.
