Instant Messaging

Instant messaging (IM) has completely transformed how individuals and colleagues communicate. I personally have only used Google in the civilian world to conduct IM. While in the Military I used a form of IM to communicate with colleagues who were in different countries on operational matters. Without IM the ability to communicate long distances requires picking up a phone and would require a constant need for conference calls. For me, personally, I communicate better when using IM simply because I have that extra second to fully formulate my thoughts. IM is truly a beneficial tool that will surely be used later in the future.  

Skype

To tell the truth, I absolutely hate Skype. I have never used the program without having the call drop. I attempted to use it while overseas in Korea, Iraq and in Afghanistan and it never worked well for me. My preferred method of VOIP is Google. Google has worked consistently for me, is free, and also allows for voice chat. I was even able to use my smart phone connected to Wi-Fi with Google to receive phone calls while in Afghanistan. Skype has become very well known, but is not the best product out there for VOIP, actually…it may be the worst!

LinkedIn Review

LinkedIn is a very useful site. I have had a profile there for just over two years now and have made several connections to businesses and colleagues. A LinkedIn profile is essentially a living resume that can be constantly updated to reflect where an individual is at in their careers.

The best way to use LinkedIn to its fullest is to ensure that you connect with colleagues that will highlight your strengths for you. Endorsements for your skills from colleagues can emphasize what you can bring to an organization. 

Social Networking Comparison

	Facebook	MySpace	Google+
Reach
Ease of Use
Instant Messaging
Video Chat
Privacy
Ability to Customize

I chose these three sites because I am already familiar with them and their functionality. 

For reach I have identified Facebook as the strongest due to its overwhelming number of users. While MySpace previously had a large number of members, its decline in popularity has limited its reach. Google+ does not have the reach of Facebook, but it does have the advantage of being new.

For Ease of Use, Facebook won out simply because of its popularity and familiar operating system. Google+ is able to keep up only because of the fact that it is a completely simple interface. Myspace was given a red color because of the need to do several things to your space to make it function aesthetically.

On the Instant Messaging side of things, Google+ wins out due to the instant messaging revolving around email rather than relationships through the social networking side of Google+. Facebook wins over Myspace due to its ability to more fluidly adapt to mobile devices.

On the Video Chat side, Facebook is the clear loser. Both Myspace and Google+ have face to face technology.

The main issue for privacy is not due to the settings of the sites, but rather their popularity. Facebook has become so popular that they have become a large target. That coupled with the fact that they are constantly updating their service and security settings, they become a prime target for a privacy violation.

On the ability to customize front, Myspace wins because of their full profile modifications. Facebook allows for limited changes to be made to a profile, while on Google+ the settings are almost all universal. 

Podcast: Tech Weekly

Tech Weekly is a podcast that does exactly what the name implies, it discusses technology weekly! The podcast also addresses new issues that arise as technology advances, such as the right to privacy and a Facebook page. I found it interesting because I believe that staying informed of new technological advances is important. The last post for this feed was 28 Sep 2010.

Here is the URL for the podcast:

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=90018

Podcast: CounterSpin

CounterSpin is a news podcast that reviews weekly stories in an attempt to find out the truth behind stories that are popular in the mainstream media. From listening to the podcast briefly, I gather that the podcast is mostly left leaning. However, it does attempt to be more unbiased than other sources of information. I found it interesting because I attempt to stay informed and draw my conclusions by looking at multiple news sources. The last post for this feed was 01 Oct 2010

Here is the URL for the podcast:

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=7413

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History is a podcast going over several events in history and discussing facts that are little known or usually misrepresented.  I found the podcast interesting because Dan Carlin reminds me of my history teacher in High School. He always stressed that history was written by the winners and that many quotes were attributed to romanticize events in history. I think him and Dan Carlin would have some pretty interesting conversations. The most recent podcast for this one was 30 Aug 2010.

Here is the URL for the podcast:

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=37704