By: Abigail Katz

With former US Congressman Anthony Weiner resigning last Thursday after a backlash that started from a simple 140-character tweet, it leaves us wondering… How powerful is Twitter? Facebook is still considered the largest social media giant on the Internet, amassing nearly 25 percent of all US page views, according to a study released by Experian Hitwise last year; but Twitter is experiencing a major growth spurt this year, and its users are both mobile and diverse.

Let’s look at some of the numbers, taken from “The Twitter Update,” conducted in May 2011 by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project:

• 13 percent of online adults use Twitter (up from 8 percent in November 2010)
• 54 percent of Twitter users access the service on a cell phone
• 19 percent of Twitter users are 25-34 (up from 9 percent in November 2010)

By: Jitter Garcia

The field of education has adapted new and creative ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Classes that used to require only textbooks, paper and pencils, now allow gadgets and devices in their place.   Being a child of the 90s, I recall the slow but sure revolution of cellular mobile devices. A device that at the age of 8, was only for my parents’ work use, amusing only after stealing it and pretending to be on the phone with my “business associates.” Once I reached high school, they were the “big thing” to own and to bring to school, despite the strict rules against having cell phones outside of your locker. The cell phone’s allure was a combination of the independent feeling of having your own phone line, as well as the rebellious sensation for keeping your phone in your pocket instead of in your locker.

By: Abigail Katz

Remember when you were a kid and saw a new toy on television and knew you had to have it because all your friends would? This is similar to what those in the Internet marketing industry refer to as “shiny new object syndrome.” All too often companies invest in products that are new, just because everyone else is doing it and they feel it is necessary to keep up.

This goes double for the use of social media. As social media sites continue to grow more popular and more in depth, companies are looking to develop marketing strategies around the virtual community. It is clear that most companies need some form of online platform to maintain, promote and grow their businesses, but with the oversaturation in today’s social media landscape, when does it become too much? Sure, it is recommended that a company has a website, Facebook page and Twitter, but sometimes we forget to look at the consumer. If your target audience is unlikely to have a smart phone, does your company really need to develop an iPhone app?

By: Jitter Garcia

Is technology helping or hurting modern family life? The benefits of having technology around are obvious—letting the six year old kid have a cell phone in case he gets lost is a simple way to avoid shutting down the entire amusement park when he can’t find his parents. And of course relationships with long distance relatives and friends are significantly easier to maintain, with new technologically advanced ways of communicating now easily available. Futuristic modes of communication once only seen on the big screen have transformed into a day to day reality. But no matter how “normal” technology becomes,  the bizarre image of a baby deftly navigating his way through Mommy’s iPhone keeps skeptics questioning the effects of technology on the young, impressionable generation.

By: Abigail Katz

Have you noticed how things you’re interested in have become so relevant to the rest of the online community? That is because your search results are specifically tailored to your interests; things you have previously typed into your computer’s search bar. The Internet is watching, and recording your every keystroke.

The web’s most popular search engine giant, Google, introduced “Personalized Search” to its users at the close of 2009. This feature records everything you search for into your Google Web History, to make your life easier next time you perform a web search. It’s like your own personal sorter. The next time you perform a search, Google will take into account what you have searched for in the past to show you results not only based on search term relevancy, but also your interests.

So what are the drawbacks?