Blog #8 Summary

I will always remember the first day Jeff Rubin announced to our class that our very first project is to create our own entrepreneurship idea and relate it to his lectures. At first I freaked out and over stressed about what the heck I was going to create that was technological. As I looked around the room feeling lost, I kept thinking that everyone probably already has an idea! I was never a technology person before taking IST 195, so I thought there would be no way I could create my own entrepreneurial idea, but as I began to think about my own personal interest and what products I think could be improved, I came up with the idea of a new dance shoe. It may sound tedious, but the fact that more numerous injuries continue to occur in dance every day, a new dance show would be a fantastic idea!

I felt like creating an entrepreneurial idea that was of great interest to me would be perfect because I know a lot about dance. It felt great to create something I was interested in and watch as it evolved as I became more informed on aspects of technology and how I could use it to change my product. A quick summary of what my blogs have all been about is that my plan is to create multiple websites, one starting with Facebook, to advertise my product of a "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe." I am improving a show by adding more support to its heels so that it is comfy and will prevent fewer injuries for dancers. Social media played a big role in my product because it is a great way to advertise my product on many different social networks to connect with my customers and receive constant feedback on what they like and don’t like about the shoes. I think receiving feedback is an important aspect when it comes to creating an entrepreneurial idea because it is very helpful in thinking of ways to improve a product. Not only was social media important for my product, but also using excel to manage inventory, using RFID technology to track my product, using digital color to attract customers to buy my product, making sure my websites are secure and safe to buy from, and much more!     

I have watched my product evolve through its many uses of technology since the first week. Every day in lecture I would be constantly thinking and taking notes about how I am going to relate the lecture to my product! It was a great experience to be able to blog about the different technologies I was learning because I definitely got a better understanding of the course material. I learned that no matter what product you chose for your entrepreneurial idea, technology will relate to it no matter what! After doing this project, I have even thought about double majoring or minoring with Journalism because I enjoy blogging!

Links:

http://sbmyones.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog1.html#comments –Sara Myones

http://disasterisopportunity.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-1-post-1-lightbulb-turns-on.html?showComment=1319745307799#c5195699428681588820 – Kenny Kim

http://dkbouterwear.blogspot.com/2011/09/dkb-first.html?showComment=1319745832361#c4060641848562569916 – Michael Brandt

Blog #7 - Networking

This week in class we discussed Networks. Whatever you do on the internet is always divided into “packets” which have a source (return address), and where it is being sent to. Every Packet has a specific number and confirms its destination once it arrives; this defines what a protocol is. A protocol (HTTP) defines rules of communication over the web. Some protocols even rely on other protocols. There is a 4-step process between client and web servers which is 1) make a connection, 2) request, 3) respond, and 4) close connection. 

                Since my product information will be transmitted over networks, understanding the internet is vital. Knowledge of HTTP and HTTPS for information transfers, such as creating accounts on my website or application, will ensure that customers receive service that is both fast and secure. As customers access my web page, it is important to have HTTPS. SSL (secure socket layers), which sits on top of the HTTP (hyper-text transfer protocol), is used to secure the web page. When customers purchase my product they will log in their user-name, password and credit card information, and it is important to ensure in every way that the site is safe. There should be a lock that appears next to the HTTP or an S after HTTP.

                Most businesses use a standard, such as EDI (electronic data interchange), that defines how data transmits across telephone lines or other means. For example, many companies use EDI to handle product catalog distribution bids, order placements, shipping notifications, payment processing, etc.  EDI enables businesses to operate with a minimum amount of paperwork. This would be an ideal method for my product because this electronic data interchange will enable information for my business to be handled in a systematic and efficient manner.

Blog #6 - Operating Systems & Digital Color

This week in class, we discussed operating systems and digital color. Operating systems manage hardware and software resources, and acts as an intermediate between the two. Although operating systems does not relate very much to my entrepreneurial idea, I am going to focus more on digital color. Pixel, hue, saturation and brightness are all important key terms when choosing and adjusting a color. The hue is the type of color, saturation is the intensity of the color, and brightness is how light or dark the color is.

                Relating this to my entrepreneurial idea, I can use RGB and CMYK, which are the primary (RGB) and additive (CMYK) colors you need to create different colors for my product and web page. With the different web pages I have created for my dance shoe, distinct colors would help enhance the background of the web page and text design to attract the viewer’s attention. Using a variety of different colors would enhance the advertisement of my product, with the ultimate goal of sustaining the customer's attention to have them look and review it. Making a quick first impression on the user is a vital key in sales. There are 16.7 million color combination's, and 16 values for creating different color combination's. Today we live in an era of the internet - the most powerful, most accessible, dynamic communication system ever known to the world. A website best answers who, what, why, how and when the business can help them. Making a unique and creative web design for your product is essential in the business world, and provides the opportunity for you to be able to fully and completely present your product in the way you believe will be most effective.

                Given the advanced technology of digital color for designing my web pages, I am able to create a more realistic and specific color of my product, the "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe." Making the shoe in a few different vibrant colors, possibly to even appear three dimensional by the use of different shades, would make the shoe even more convincing to purchase. There are so many ways to entice a person into a sale just by displaying a different array of colors, making it attractive, and drawing the person into the sale of the product by what they are seeing. You can make a web page vibrant, fun and exciting just by using certain colors, in turn this would make the purchase exciting for the customer.

Blog #5-Research blogger

The blogger that I have chosen is Steven Sande, who works for TUAW, which is a very well-known blogger website. Steven Sande has been a fan of technology since birth. A lifelong resident of Colorado, Steve graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He began writing for TUAW in 2008, and is now the Features Editor for the blog. Since 2008, Steve has written almost one million words of Apple news, reviews, and editorials for TUAW. He is also the host and face of TUAW TV Live, a weekly live streaming video show. In addition, he is the frequent voice on the TUAW Talkcast, as well. When he is not blogging for TUAW, he is writing books for Apress and Take Control Books. Steve is also involved in a new e-publishing startup. Steve has over 26 years of experience in the IT field, holding management, project manager, and business analyst positions. Steve is also the principal consultant and founder of Raven Solutions, LLC, an IT solutions consultancy headquartered in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Raven Solutions provides system design, implementation and support services to individuals and companies, as well as providing a growing number of online services.

Steve’s most recent blog, "Apple Shock and its effect on the IT industry”, discusses how Apple has been “kicking butt” in the technology industry. Just last year, Apple's iPad and second-generation MacBook Air did some serious damage, and still is, to many of its competitors, such as PC. While shipping Apple products has increased, PC has decreased with its many brands of computers. With the economy going downhill, and the huge impact of the iPad, PC notebooks are expected to drop this year because of Apple’s highly new technology. While PC is struggling to work hard against its competitors, they are now working towards not only creating hardware, but software as well. The competition is there, but Apple is confident they will overpower them. The blog concludes with the fact that the industry will cause turmoil for the PC makers.

After researching this blogger, I feel this information is of great advantage to me in regards to improving my own entrepreneurial idea. The fact that this blogger's involvement with so many programs, talk host, book author, etc. has given me the idea that in order to get yourself and your product recognized, you need to become involved in many different aspects of the technology industry to be successful.

Blog Link- http://www.tuaw.com/2011/10/07/apple-shock-and-its-effect-on-the-it-industry/

blog #4- Input/Output

In our class lecture, we briefly spoke about Input and Output devices and its importance with devices. We spoke briefly about digital cameras and their ability to generate varying degrees of quality photos, based on how many Megapixels are in the device, as well as technologies in the output field such as Printing. However, the discussion became much more interesting as we began to listen to the innovative services of the future. Google, for instance, has Voice Recognition software which they believe will be the driving force in the future market. The next generation search engines will index audio and video to process our voice and meaning. However, this will require millions of samples to develop. To help better advertise my entrepreneurial idea of a "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe", a digital movie (via my 16.1 MP camera) would assist me in better advertising my shoe. In addition to using my digital camera to produce a movie, I can also use a Web cam to display my output on my Web page. The use of a web cam attracts Web site visitors by showing images that change regularly. Some Web sites even have live Web cams that display still pictures, and will update the displayed image at a specified time. 

RFID chips have also come into full swing, detecting location remotely though being 1/2 mm in size. Radio frequency identification is a small chip that can be embedded into anything and it contains very useful information. It can be used to track lost kids, track team property, etc. It is a simple system which transmits the identity of an object or person wirelessly using radio waves. In addition to the information that was given during lecture, I would like to use RFID chips to track my product inventory. This device is pervasive, yet effective, simple and would eliminate the cost of human hands and the capacity for error that goes hand in hand!

A QR code, otherwise known as a quick response, is a simple way to store codes. You see these barcodes everywhere on products, athletics, food, boarding passes, etc. Since this is such a great device to use in marketing, I would like to advertise my entrepreneurial idea using a QR code. When people attend a Dance performance and receive their tickets, they can easily scan the QR code that is generated on the ticket for a quick message. If you have a Smartphone, you are able to download a QR app, which enables you to scan any barcode. You can then scan my individual QR code, which will bring you to my Web page. Not only will I advertise my QR code on a Dance ticket, but I can advertise it on just about anything I want. I can share it on Facebook, or any product that will help better advertise my Dance shoe. In addition, since I only created a Web page on Facebook as of yet, I would like to further my advertisement by making a Web site of known dance communities. This would include a popular online buying website called Discount Dancewear, and also a variety of different Dance studio Web pages. I could easily advertise my product on these web pages, as well as by advertising them in Dance Magazine. This is an excellent way to distinguish my product by attaching a QR code, which will enable me to manage and sell it more efficiently on different advertising Websites.

Blog #3- Hardware

This week in class we discussed Chapter 4, which was Hardware and Computer Forensics. Internet and computer safety is of dire need in the modern computer world. Hackers and other online predators have the ability to access other user’s files and personal information. This information includes debit and credit card PIN numbers, Social Security Numbers, and phone numbers and addresses. With all of this information customers and consumers provide through business, it is important for the company to implement security programs. In relation to last week’s blog of privacy, I want to be able to avoid identity theft for my entrepreneurial design of a "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe", so that my website is completely protected in this regard. One of the main concepts I want to protect would be the personal information of customers given to make a purchase on my Web page for the "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe".  Identity theft can be a very invasive and disturbing situation in which you feel totally violated, and because this has recently happened to me, I would like to place more focus on this type of security for customers and consumers.

Some possibilities for internet programs include firewalls, pop-up blockers, and anti-virus software. Firewalls protect against outside intruders and detect when outsiders are trying to hack your computer. Once past a firewall, a hacker could also imprint a virus onto your computer, which changes how your computer works without you knowing of this. I definitely would not like to be accessing my entrepreneurial web page, and suddenly receive a virus on my computer. Both firewalls and anti-virus software is available through many companies, i.e., McAfee, Norton Security, etc.

The basic concept of computer forensics is finding info that you have left on a printer, fax, hardware, etc. that still remains accessible. Whatever you think you may have deleted, in fact still remains on your hard drive. Encase forensics is used to recover data that is supposedly removed. I want to make sure that if I were to buy or sell a hard drive on Ebay or Amazon that it is a new hardware. It is very easy to recover old information from a computer’s hard drive. I would not want my personal files disclosed in respect to my entrepreneurial design, if I were to sell my hard drive. To remove data from a hard drive you must destroy, disintegrate, incinerate, pulverize, shred or melt it.  

Blog#2- Spreadsheet

This week in class we completed Chapter 2, which was in correlation to privacy and social media. There is absolutely nothing that is considered to be confidential on the web.  More and more people are using social media sites to get the latest news and information, in addition to connecting with others, which ultimately is exposing their privacy to many online dangers. The more comfortable we become with these sites, the more apt we are to share personal details about ourselves, and let our guard down as we interact with others. Is what we share on Facebook putting our privacy and security at risk? It is always a good thing to examine your privacy settings on each social media service. As you have read in my last blog, my new "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe" has its very own web page displayed on Facebook. I want to ensure that my web page has the copyright and trademark rights needed about my entrepreneurial idea, so that I am protected from someone possibly hacking or stealing the information about my improved shoe, in addition to the Logo I will use on my web page. Cyber criminals are targeting social network sites with increasing amounts of online scams, focusing in on this growing user base. I do not intend on sharing a whole lot of information about how my new product was made on my Facebook web page, as privacy is a vital issue I need to be accountable for. Instead of giving out too much information about my product on my web page, I could consider providing a customer service phone line or email listings for questions they may have.

            In order to organize the data for my entrepreneurship idea, I would need to use spreadsheet software such as Excel for Word. Excel allows users to organize data in rows and columns, and perform calculations on the data. Using this data, I will be able to organize and present non-financial data, as well as financial data in an orderly manner. When customers would like to purchase my new "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe", Excel can be used to organize in the ordering products, and manage the money being used for my new product. This spreadsheet has basic features to create, edit, and format worksheets. It has many built-in functions such as sum, count, average, max, min that will be very useful in providing quick and accurate information. Also, pivot tables and a variety of graphs could help quickly and easily summarize and analyze large amounts of data for ordering and managing the money used for my product. A visual representation of data through charts often makes it easier for users to see at a glance the relationship among the numbers.

            Presentation software would be an exceptional way to present my product to customers who are interested in buying my Acro shoe. Presentation software allows users to create visual aids for presentations to communicate ideas, messages, and other information to a group. Creating a PowerPoint which will provide images, photos, video clips, etc. will enhance the way my entrepreneurship idea is presented to dancers, making a presentation more eye-catching. Animation and sound effects add extra emphasis on these presentations, making them look more interactive. This is just another creative idea to incorporate a structured presentation about my new "Nonslip & Supportive Acro shoe."  PowerPoint is the best way to market a product and attract an audience towards your views and arguments. Utilizing PowerPoint makes it easier for people in marketing, advertising, and sales to make presentations for motivation of their subordinates, in this case my Acro shoe.