A generation ago coverage of a story like today's earthquake in Japan was anything but on-demand. Other than a network cut-in, we'd have to wait for the evening paper or Uncle Walter to bring us the latest.
Then came the moment when Ted Turner threw the switch at a 24 hours news service out of Atlanta called CNN. As long as we were near a TV, we could be informed.
This morning I first got the news via digital device. Soon as I turned on the screen there was an alert with the news of the 8.9 earthquake. The news outlets I follow in Twitter provide a Tsunami of content about the resulting Tsunami. Many of those news outlets are reaching out to us, asking us if we have family or friends in the impacted areas of Japan or Hawaii and to share any news we have from them.
A tap on the link to my Disaster Alert App instantly shows me a global map of impacted areas and alerts. Need to drill down for more specific and scientific information? There's an app for that.
Video is available from multiple streams, in real time, direct to your device or computer.
Oh yes, it's also on TV.
As I've posted so often, all this means empowerment for us as consumers of news and information. We are now our own newscast producers.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you"
Showing posts with label App. Show all posts
Showing posts with label App. Show all posts
Friday, March 11, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
What's that Square Doo-Hickey?
So what the heck is that square, blotchy thing? They're popping up everywhere.
It's called a "QR Code." QR stands for "Quick Response" and in this digital world quick is cool, make that mandatory.
Here's how they work: You basically download an app to your smart phone, then use your camera function to scan the QR Code and you are provided information about any number of products or services.
As Don Reisinger writes in CNET News, the technology has been around for quite some time in Japan, but relatively new here. But it's here and here to stay. Reisinger offers up some of the best apps to help you use QR codes.
They're worth a try because you'll be seeing more and more of these at trade shows, places where you shop etc. Scan, learn, connect. Pretty cool.
Don't be square, check out the square.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you"
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