Saturday, December 11, 2010

tubefilter

Moms: Disney Wants to Have "The Talk" with Your Daughter


These days, the internet is a source for just about anything. From music videos and song lyrics, to the latest news-breaking story, if you're looking for something chances are you'll find it on the internet.  

Soapbox Films and Disney Online is adding one more thing you'll be able to find online. The two companies are teaming up to create a new webisode series. The series will talk about topics related to raising a girl, for example, when it's the right time to talk about the birds and the bees. 


The companies are currently searching for both English and Spanish speaking moms, between the ages of 30 - 45, who have daughters ages 9 - 17 to discuss the topics. The notice reads, "Mom’s [sic] should be quick thinkers and able to improvise in the moment. While the topic is serious, approaching it with frankness. A sense of humor is very important."


A celebrity endorsed website will air the series, which will feature free-form dialog between the celebrities and the mothers. The new series came out of Disney Online's M.O.M - Mom's On a Mission study. 


Personally, I think this is somewhat ridiculous. Whatever happened to just sitting down and talking to your child? I feel that this is just one example which shows are much we rely on the internet for almost everything nowadays. For all you moms out there, I'm sure there is a book out there somewhere you could pick up and read. Is a webisode serie really necessary?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Website Accessibility Test

Listed below are the questions I asked my friend while performing the website accessibility test on FOXnews.com

1. What is the first place Obama should visit according to the Photo Op-inion: "Where Should Obama Visit Next?"

2. What is the first story headline in Latest News?

3. How much did a jacket signed by Michael Jackson sell for at the Julien's Auctions event?

4. How old was former Dallas Cowboy's quarterback, Don Meredith, when he died on Sunday?

5. Why did Facebook change the profile design?

6. How many tips are there for choosing the right (any) christmas tree?

7. How old were the three boys who went missing in Michigan?

8. View the poll results in the You Decide poll, "Do you think it's a fair deal to couple extending existing tax rates for all income levels with an additional year of unemployment insurance?".

9. What is the phone number to contact FOXnews?

10. What are the three full coverage stories?

While my friend was taking the test I observed that she liked to use the search bar a lot, but it was not always as helpful as one might expect it to be. I feel that if I were taking this test I too would use this search bar because I am so used to using Google as a search engine that provides a lot of information right at my fingertips. I feel that each made a a great deal of text on it, whether it be directly from articles or just important news updates. One must really take his/her time and read the information carefully to make sure it is exactly what they are looking for. The navigation bar at the top of the page is also a great tool to use. It categorizes information and allows it to be more easily found. 

WIRED

Rumor: Apple's iPad 2 Lands April 2011


According to a Taiwanese publication, Apple has requested that it's Asian Foxconn produce and release the next iPad in 100 days. 


The new second generation iPad is expected to be released in the Spring of 2011, most likely sometime in April. This new iPad will come out a year after the original did. 




What changes can you expect from the new iPad? It is speculated that this iPad will be closer to the iPhone 4. 


Some expected features include: A 9.7 inch retina display, A front-facing camera and a built-in Face Time video-phone app, and Extended support for AirPlay streaming.


That's just to name a few. Who knows what other feature Apple will come up with and use on the new iPad?



Tuesday, December 7, 2010

tubefilter

So, Will You Skip YouTube Ads?






Sick of wasting your time watching those stupid advertisements that play before every video on YouTube? Don't fret because as of December 1st, YouTube now allows you the option to skip over ads after it plays for at least 5 seconds. 


This new feature, called TrueView, brings forth the question: will anyone watch these ads anymore now? Ironically enough, YouTube created this future for the advertisers, not the viewers. 


How is skipping an advertisers ad more beneficial to them? TrueView allows advertisers to only pay for ads that have been clicked on, making viewers watch the entire ad. Thus they are saving money. And, because of this new feature, advertisers will have a more self-selected, targeted audience. 


The online video video ad market is a $1.3 billion industry and pre-roll adds are becoming an increasingly more important part of it. If cost-per-view allows advertisers to target their specific audience more efficiently, and if it says them money at the same time, I can bet that it will become much, much more popular in the remainder of the year and the next few years to come.