News blog 15

Information ethics is the field that investigates the ethical issues arising from the development and application of information technologies. It provides a critical framework for considering moral issues concerning informational privacy, moral agency (e.g. whether artificial agents may be moral), new environmental issues (especially how agents should one behave in the infosphere), problems arising from the life-cycle (creation, collection, recording, distribution, processing, etc.) of information (especially ownership and copyright, digital divide).

INTERCULTURAL INFORMATION ETHICS

http://www.capurro.de/iie.html

In this article, the author talks about a leading question from an intercultural perspective: how human cultures can locally flourish within a global digital environment. This question concerns community building on the basis of cultural diversity. How far does the Internet affect, for better or worse, local and particularly global cultures? Digital interaction could be used to weaken the hierarchical one-to-many structure of global mass-media, giving individuals, groups, and whole societies the capacity to become senders and not only receivers of messages. Moreover, intercultural information ethics deals with the economic impact of the Internet as far as it can become an instrument of cultural oppression and colonialism. I agree with the author that digital divide is not just an issue of giving everybody access to the global network, but rather an issue on how the digital network helps people to better manage their lives while avoiding the dangers of cultural exploitation and discrimination. Therefore concepts such as hybrid and polyphony are ethical markers that need to be critically analyzed in specific situations.

Individual Assignment Blog 5

How did your group make the decisions? What problems did you encounter in the process? Did your group make decisions in a different way than the whole class did? Why?

Our group shared the value sheets and used permutation and combination to figure out the best decision for most of us. Since there are only 6 members in our team and the alternatives are only a few, it seemed that there is no need to use complicated software or hardware to get the optimum result. However, we did encounter a problem during the negotiation process: at least one of our team members had to compromise. At the end, one team member made the sacrifice for the best benefit of the whole team. As far as I know, the other teams used almost the same method as ours to make the final decision.

What kind of information system do you need to design to support such a process of negotiation? Provide a simple hardware/software configuration.

Negotiation is conceptualized as a means through which two or more purposive actors arrive at specific settlements or outcomes under conditions of strategic interaction or interdependent decision making. Left unsupported, negotiating parties often fail to reach the maximum joint outcome that is possibly attainable. As well, the negotiated outcomes may not be fair (from the perspective of the Nash solution) for the parties involved. Prescriptive theories such as game theory, and economic and political models of negotiation exist which attempt to maximize the payoffs for one or more parties by relying mainly on the strategies of the bargainers. Nevertheless, rationality assumption of the prescriptive approach necessary for effectively forming and carrying out the strategies cannot always be met due to limitations of the human information-processing system. Computer support for negotiation entails facilitating electronic communication among the parties involved, and providing decision models to aid in requirement analysis as well as strategic analysis. These systems are labeled as Negotiation Support Systems (NSS).

Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) are designed to assist negotiators in reaching mutually satisfactory decisions by providing a means of communication and through the analysis of available information. Negotiation support may involve using a model-driven, data-driven, communications-driven, document-driven or a knowledge-driven DSS. Model-driven and data-driven DSS are the most common types of DSS one would consider developing using a spreadsheet package. Spreadsheets seem especially appropriate for building a DSS with one or more small models. A developer would then add buttons, spinners and other tools to support a decision maker in "what if?" and sensitivity analysis. A data-driven DSS can also be implemented using a spreadsheet. A large data set can be downloaded to the DSS application from a DBMS, a web site or a delimited flat file. Then pivot tables and charts can be developed to help a decision maker summarize and manipulate the data.

Please check this link for video:

Negotiation, negotiation

News Blog 14

What I learned from class:

Data flow diagram: a graphical representation of the "flow" of data through an information system. It has zoom levels and it is sequential. The simplified "blueprint" of course registration process was shown in the class.

Entity relationship diagram: an abstract conceptual representation of structured data. It has no sequence and it is project oriented.

Relevant article:

Jackson System Development Overview

http://www.dsisoft.com/jackson_system_development.html

In this article, the author introduces us to the Jackson System Development (JSD), which is a method of system development that covers the software life cycle either directly or, by providing a framework into which more specialized techniques can fit. From the technical point of view there are three major stages in Jackson System Development, each divided into steps and sub-steps. From a manager's point of view there are a number of ways of organizing this technical work. In this overview the author also describe the three major technical stages and discuss about JSD project planning, the variation between plans, and the reasons for choosing one rather than another. what I agree most with the author's opinion on the overlappings between technical stages. A set of circumstances exists that makes each overlapping sensible. Therefore a project plan is made based on the technical framework of JSD and on the political and organizational circumstances of the project.

News Blog 13

What I learned from class:

Four levels of changes you can make to business systems: automation, rationalization, reengineering, paradigm shift. The risk is higher as the change is more radical. We should take risk into consideration when designing business strategy. From team A and team B's presentations, I also learned about problems of Brigadoon Bed & Breakfast and the strategies to improve the company's website.

Relevant Article:

Developing a Bed& Breakfast Business Plan

http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/b&b.pdf

After having some knowledge about Brigadoon Bed & Breakfast's problems and business strategies, I started to wonder what a business plan should be for this kind of hotel business. Fortunately I found one from the Internet and unfortunately it is kind of out dated. In this business plan, 13 steps are listed to be considered and executed, including to determine and research the market, to develop a plan to meet laws and regulations, to develop a financial plan, and etc. However, it doesn't mention to build up a business information system. A good information system can dramatically improve a B&B business basically in that it collects, and process customer data to optimize decision-making and enhance customer experience. To develop the information system, a lifecycle of planning, analysis, design, development, testing, implement and maintain should be completed.

News Blog 12

What I learned from class:

From team C's presentation: An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber designed to guide light along its length. It is widely used in fiber-optic communication, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher data rates than other forms of communications. Fiber to the premises (FTTP), also called fiber to the home (FTTH) - architecture based on fiber optic cables carried all the way to the customer's home (or premise).

Relevant article:

I Want My Web TV
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/20/technology/20online.html

More quickly than many people had thought, the number of people who watch TV shows online has doubled in the last year, according to a report issued by two research organizations, TNS and the Conference Board. Close to 16 percent of American households now watch some programs online. Is this means that the big time for Web TV is coming? Chris Albrecht of the blog NewTeeVee asked whether putting full-length shows online was a “waste of time.” His readers answered with a resounding no, three-quarters of them indicating an interest in full-length shows. The migration of television to the computer will have "a huge impact on the way brands and advertisers communicate with viewers." However, the author still has some doubt of this tendency. "Futurism," the author cited, “has a tendency to take the products of today and merely extrapolate them. Thus TV becomes 3-D TV, cars become flying cars and telephones become video telephones.” But often, people just don’t want them.

Individual Assignment Blog 4

Suggest two other business cases in which this method can be used to collect information.

Electronic market can be used to
(1) estimate the price of securites or a new product.
(2) forcast the profit of certain company.

What problems do you see besides the ones mentioned in the Background information section?

In my opinion, there are more problems with electronic market other than those discussed in the background information section.

First, the nature of business information is two-sided. An one-sided decision is much easier to grasp than is a decision in a two-sided reactive market. Participants can easily grasp the notion of themselves facing (alone) a sea of potential "customers", and trying to attract their interest. In such a scenario, the unknown market demand represents various states of nature, and participants readily grasp the usefulness of information about market demand. But the presence of competition radically alters the nature of the decision-making and the role of information. The problem becomes reactive and it becomes a problem of markets and equilibrium behavior. Therefore, the role of information would be much more complex.

In addition, these markets are implemented as Information Systems, i.e. the software is the market. The market behavior and the value of various kinds of information can be radically altered just by changing a software parameter. Market behaviors can turn upside down because of a "software" change, e.g. a change that eases the comparison of prices, or a change in an auction's time limit. Information systerm professionals, in collaboration with the owners of business and markets, are making design decisions with far-reaching industry implications.

What kind of information system do you need to design to support this method of collecting information? Provide a simple hardware/software configuration.

An electronic market information system or “EMIS” shall contain real-time access to information concerning the transfer capability of the transmission grid and the market clearing prices. It should also be able to target deadline for reply. All market participants should have access to the EMIS on a nondiscriminatory basis. Here is a simple hardware/software configuration. (I have very limited information system knowledge background. Here I just try my best.)

1. The SQL Server. This is the database server where most data manipulations take place, and most business rules are enforced. There is normally only one of these.
2. The Client Software. This is the Graphic User Interface to specific electronic market. There are normally many of these.
3. The Application Server (or Reports Server). The Application Server generates reports and performs other resource intensive tasks. There are normally a few of these.
4. The Web Server (optional). The Web server is used to give access to managers and ordinators.
5. The TCP/IP Network connecting these parts.

Please check the link below for video.

Will HP be defeated? (For those who buy green in CIS class)

News Blog 11

What I learned from class:

From the presentations this week, I learned quite a few new stuffs. Here are two examples of them. Keysurvey: Online survey software for easy and robust data collection. It provides survey tools and offers enterprise and private label solutions. Digital rights management(DRM): an umbrella term that refers to access control technologies used by publishers and copyright holders to limit usage of digital media or devices.

Relevant Article:
The Customer Is Always Wrong: A User's Guide to DRM in Online Music

The variety of options for purchasing music online is increasing. However, thicket of confusing usage restrictions is also growing. This is what the author of this article talks about. Many digital music services employ digital rights management (DRM) to protect copy rights, preventing customers from doing things like using the portable player of their choice or creating remixes. In other words, "in this brand new world of 'authorized music services', law-abiding music fans often get less for their money than they did in the old world of CDs". The article "translates" the marketing messages by the major services, giving the real deal rather than spin. It is very helpful and we should be sure to understand how the service might limit the ability to make lawful use of the music we purchase before buying DRM-crippled music from any service.

News Blog 10

What I learned from class:

In class this week, the professor talked about Facebook, MySpace, and instucted us to do mock product promostion. I haven't used Facebook before, now I know it is is a social utility that people can use to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Besides, from Team I and Team J's presentation (which I belong to), I learned more about how to resolve the online pharmacy issue and product promotion problems of Duane Reade.

Relevant Articles:
Opening up

As a Chinese student who is studying in USA, I always miss my old friends back in China and try to keep up with them. Actually there are many options that I can choose. Maybe this time, I should check Facebook out. The Facebook makes it possible to establish connections and interact with all sorts of things in the world in new and interesting ways. By opening up the kinds of things that can participate in Facebook beyond just people, and opening up the kinds of actions that appear on the site beyond just those that happen inside of Facebook.com, we hope Facebook will be even more useful in helping people keep up with all the meaningful things that are happening in their lives.

News Blog 9

What I learned from class:

Auction sniping is the process of watching a timed online auction (such as on eBay or Yahoo!), and placing a winning bid at the last possible moment (often seconds before the end of the auction), giving the other bidders no time to outbid the sniper. Sniping softwarea are software designed for the purpose. I also learned about some auction strategies such as english strategy, dutch strategy and so forth.

Relevant Article:
Auction Strategies
http://www.agorics.com/Library/Auctions/auction8.html

This is a very helpful article to learn more about auction strategies. Based on the experience of the mock auction on Monday, I can’t agree more with the author’s remarks. First, it is worth understanding the rules of an auction thoroughly. In fact, the one piece of information available to all is the rules. Buyers really do bid differently depending upon the rules of an auction. Second, a seller, on the one hand, is faced with choosing an auction type, and so he must predict the behavior of bidders. On the other hand, a bidder tries to predict the behavior of the other bidders. Each bidder makes an estimate of his own value of the object and also an estimate of what others will bid on it. Good bidding is often the result of correct predictions about the behavior of others and sometimes that means guessing the extent of someone else's information correctly.

News Blog 8

What I learned from class:

In classes this week, I leared about Supply Chain Management in auto industry. Especially, Covisint was discussed. Covisint is a global enabler of interoperability solutions and services for organizations of any size, connecting people and systems across industries. Covisint supports over 275,000 users, representing more than 30,000 organizations in over 96 countries in the global automotive and healthcare industries; is essential for anto companies.

Relevant Article:
Compuware Covisint Provides Secure Interoperability and Real-time Collaboration
http://www.clinicitmanager.com/magazine/news_h19895_compuware_covisint_provides_secure.html

Health care has been slow coming to the vast world of communication technology, bogged down by privacy concerns and monolith organizations resistant to change. So “More must be done”. Covisint seeks to bring disparate healthcare entities together, regardless of their size, geography or technical sophistication. Evidence shows that it has done a lot. Covisint securely connects hospital and affiliate members, enabling real-time collaboration, automation and the visibility to ensure the best outcomes for clinicians and patients. Besides, Covisint is uniquely positioned to mitigate the cost of entry and accelerate the time-to-value for key healthcare initiatives with this hosted service. In a word, Covisint provides a collaborative healthcare framework, physician portals, messaging, unstructured-data management and security services. Combined, these capabilities will help healthcare entities--regardless of size, location or technical sophistication--collaborate and communicate effectively.

Individual Assignment Blog 3

If you are a manager of a bookstore would you choose to
operate only online, only offline or both? Why? Outline some of the advantages and disadvantages of the approach that you chose?

Electronic commerce is making a huge impact on the way business is managed. With the new dawn of online booksellers, traditional retailers have been forced to go online in order to compete. So if I am a manager of a bookstore, I would choose to operate it online. The reason for my choice is that there are more advantages of online bookstores than those of traditional bookstores.

First, unlike traditional “bricks and mortar” book stores, for very little set up costs online bookstores are able to reach millions of customers. Also, you don't have the cost of producing, making and distributing bulky catalogues. Products can easily be added and removed from the web site with very little extra cost. Mover, the medium of the HTML is a lot richer than print - listen to extracts of music as well as experience other multimedia enhancements not otherwise available. Products can have a list of items that the shopper might also like. In addition, shoppers’browsing patterns can be easily tracked and analyzed in much the same way the loyalty cards have allowed the Supermarkets to do.

Of course online bookstores have their own disadvantages. First, it is possible to visit a bookstore and leave with a book. But for online shopping, physical products need to be delivered and delivery costs time and money. Secondly, on-line companies have little or no face-to-face interaction, while traditional bookstores can provide the friendly service and helpful advice. Thirdly, on-line booksellers don’t own physical building where they trade business. However, physical bookstores are able to impress the customers through environmental enhances, such as comfortable seating and cafeteria areas.

In sum, in my opinion, even though traditional bookstores have their own benefits, I would choose to manage an online bookstore for its overall competitive advantages.

How does your choice depend on how specialized your bookstore is?
As far as I am concerned, to choose to open an online bookstore, or traditional bookstore or “click and brick” bookstore depends almost totally on what type the bookstore is. If it is a small bookstore and its core business is mainly collecting and selling used or rare books around the country, it is best to operate it online. For big companies like Barnes & Noble, they may seek both online and offline business. For a small corner bookstore, physical space would be enough for it to attract customers by providing some pleasant places to read and relax.

Try to sell books online?

News Blog 7

What I learned from class:

I learned more about AI in our team's presentation: handwriting recognition. Handwriting recognition is the ability of a computer to receive intelligible handwritten input. I also got to know more about AI systematically from our professor: neural networks, game trees and etc. And I totally agree with the comment that" AI is not so mysterious. It is just about mathematics".

Relevant Article:
Massive Software and Mental Images announce Mental Ray support within Massive
http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=169489

The two Academy Award winning applications, Massive Software and Mental Images, had announced native support for Mental Ray in Massive. Mental Ray support within Massive is available with Mental Ray 3.6 and coincides with the new Version 3.0 of Massive. Undoubtedly, this move by those two companies was stimulated by the estimation that there are lots of people who would like to use the two applications together as the use of Massive becomes more and more prolific among facilities. Native support for mental ray within Massive, "will give customers additional options for rendering Massive scenes and allow them to optimize workflow for applications and pipelines that rely on the quality and realism of Mental Ray". Apparently, Digital Production companies are happy to see this move happen.

News Blog 6

Two new things learned from class:

In the new ad format of InVideo ads, a translucent pane appears for 10 seconds on the bottom fifth of the video screen; click to see the ad, and the video pauses and the ad plays. When the ad is finished, the video picks up where it left off.

AdWords is Google's flagship advertising product and main source of revenue. AdWords offers pay-per-click(PPC) advertising, and site-targeted advertising for both text and banner ads.

Relevant Article:
How to Make the Most of Google AdWords
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/adwords-select-parts-1-4

This article tells Adword users that if if they use all the tools and tricks that AdWords provides, then they'll definitely save bundles of money. What they should do first is to generate the best keyword list for their target market and use simple techniques to vastly expand their productive keyword list. then they should create highly clickable copy for their ad and most importantly, precisely limit the distribution of the ad to only those prospects who are most interested. I think this series help Adwords users get started with a better foundation of great information learned through years of day-to-day experience with cost per click sites. The tips included in this article would place those Adword users well ahead of the competition in the quest for more sales and lower costs in Google AdWords. And of course this is only a beginning. Adword users will develop their own style, methodologies and secrets as they become more familiar with the Google AdWords product.

News Blog 5

What I learned from class:

There are two new terms that I never heard of before Team G and Team H’s presentation. The First is ERP, Enterprise Resource Planning System, which integrates (or attempt to integrate) all data and processes of an organization into a unified system. A typical ERP system will use multiple components of computer software and hardware to achieve the integration. The other one is CRM, Customer Relationship Management, which is a broad term that covers concepts used by companies to manage their relationships with customers, including the capture, storage and analysis of customer, vendor, partner, and internal process information.

Relevant Article:

How Customer Relationship Management systems can be of benefit to your business
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/sme/article2615310.ece

CRM software is quickly becoming a mainstream business application due to its evident benefits. Practically any company that has customers can benefit from it. CRM makes salespeople more efficient, gives all staff that deal with client matters access to information to serve customers better, and gives marketing staff the tools to manage campaigns to their greatest potential. However, there is a critical requirement to guarantee success: the designation of a "CRM Champion" within the organization. The champion’s first job is to sell the concept internally and assure a smooth adoption. Without adoption, CRM fails. Also, companies are recommended to phase in implementation of functionality so that returns, while smaller, are more immediate.

Individual Assignment Blog 2

The city of Philadelphia wanted to provide universal wireless access to everyone in the city for free. Was this project implemented? Why or why not?

In 2004, Philadelphia announced that it would seek to build a Municipal wireless network (MWN) for free or at low cost. Despite considerable opposition and doubts about the project, by March 2007 a 15-squaremile proof of concept was completed and is available to use. I think there are two main reasons for implementing this plan. First, Philadelphia must embrace wireless if it is to remain a competitive location for businesses and organizations and stay attractive to knowledge workers. Secondly, the technology is here today and it is affordable. Individual Wi-Fi cells can be mounted on streetlights creating a self-organizing and self –healing wireless mesh. From 8 – 16 units will be needed per square mile and a single worker can install ten units per day. The wireless connectivity could be provided for the entire city for $7 to $10 million.

Who are the stakeholders and what was their response to the issue?

The Wireless Philadelphia Executive Committee identified the key stakeholders of the project as follows: City residents with access to and knowledge of the Internet and computers; City residents without access to and knowledge of the Internet and computers; City government of Philadelphia; Business community (large and small); Business visitors and tourists, etc. It was evident that stakeholders had contrary expectations and interests so they responded differently. For instance, some stakeholders believed that the city government should own the MWN, while others believed that it should be owned by the private sector. Similarly, some stakeholders believed that lower-income users should be allowed to use the service for free, whereas others believed that everyone should be made to pay for it.

What is your opinion of the final result?

The Philadelphia initiative is one of the largest and most ambitious wireless projects in the world. Was the wireless project in Philadelphia a good idea? My answer to this question is yes. The project was a good idea for the city because the digital divide issue is real and the technology is feasible and cost-effective. The project will also help businesses become more connected and competitive. Overall, the city did do a good job in getting the project approved and implemented.However, the project took much longer than expected to start the implementation. The universal wireless access doesn’t work as good as expected neither. (Check video below) Still, there are several long-term Sustainability problems to be considered. For example, the technology of municipal wireless networks will change. A change in technology does not necessarily remove the underlying rationale for MWNs. But future projects will need to plan around such developments and create structures that are focused on the underlying need of the municipality rather than the capabilities of the specific technology.

Wireless Philly:

You can also check this website for Wireless City

http://pbs-newshour.onstreammedia.com/cgi-bin/visearch?user=pbs-newshour&template=template.html&query=wireless+city&keywords=wireless+city&category=blank

News Blog 4

What I learned from class:

Internet Telephony: a category of hardware and software that enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls. For users who have free, or fixed-price Internet access, Internet telephony software essentially provides free telephone calls anywhere in the world.

Mass customization, is the use of flexible computer-aided manufacturing systems to produce custom output. Those systems combine the low unit costs of mass production processes with the flexibility of individual customization.

Relevant Article:

Internet Telephony: Coming in Clear
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2006/tc20060710_291171.htm?chan=technology_ceo+guide+to+technology

It is true that VoIP's benefits outweigh its drawbacks for business. First, this type of service can dramatically lower the telecommunications costs. For instance, the operating costs for VoIP service providers are significantly lower than for traditional phone companies. With lower expenses, VoIP providers can charge much less than their competitors. And with VoIP, businesses no longer have to maintain separate networks for phones and data--another significant money saver. Second, VoIP also provides useful features and capabilities that conventional phone technology can't offer. For example, you can get virtual phone number and get voice mail and faxes with your e-mail. In other words, VoIP service can make the phone system highly flexible and increase the productivity. Even though it has some drawbacks such as difficulty in sending faxes and the frequent reliance upon internet connection, one thing is for sure: VoIP technology is continually evolving, with compelling new benefits being developed for businesses.

News Blog 3

What I learned from class:

There were two new things that caught my eyes in Team C's presentation. The first one is iGoogle. It is a customizable homepage, which supports the use of specially developed "gadgets" to display content on a users page. With iGoogle, users can also select unique themes for one's Google homepage.

The second one is WiMAX. It is a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL. WiMAX provides fixed, nomadic, portable and, soon, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of-sight with a base station.

Relevant Article:

http://searchengineland.com/070501-084656.php

“Personality goes a long way.” I can’t agree more with this comment. The lower case “i” in iGoogle refers to "I," as in you, or me--it's about the personalization aspect. First, when you gain initial access to the default start page, you are able to edit, drag, drop, add, or delete to your heart's desire. Next, you may want to choose a theme and/or color palette for your page. Initial default content will fill your screen based on your location! Afterward, specific content can be added via a URL or RSS feed. Once you're satisfied with the content you've added, you can begin personalizing your page. You can even edit individual gadgets! Apparently, Google's emphasis on personalization shows real marketing savvy. The personalized homepage segment has grown exponentially in the past year, so we can no doubt expect more tweaks and upgrades to come!

Individual Assignment Blog 1

Question: Touch screen technology is revolutionizing the making of comics. Pick two Wacom products and briefly describe their features. In what way do you think these products would affect the graphic arts industry? Why? Do these products need color calibration and how can this be done? Does Wacom have competitors? If yes, list some of them.

1. Founded in 1983, Wacom has established itself as the leader in the world market for pen tablets and the pen as a computer input device. Here are two of its prominent products. The first one is Intuos3. It is composed of Intuos3 tablet, cord- and batteryless Intuos3 Grip Pen and the ballfree, cord- and batteryless Intuos3 Mouse. The Intuos3 professional pen tablet makes it easy to quickly and professionally edit photos and create digital artwork by turning on the full power of Adobe, Photoshop and over 100 other leading software applications. Its features include pressure-sensitivity with 1,024 levels, tool ID, expressKeys, touch strip, and absolute positioning. In other words, Intuos3 A4 can give you more creative freedom, increased efficiency and improved precision than any other professional Wacom pen tablet ever. The other product is Cintiq 21UX. It has almost the same features as those of Intuos3. Moreover, Cintiq 21UX has rotation sensitivity that the Intuos3 doesn’t have and that helps Cintiq recognize the rotations of some input devices and transform those rotations into rotating brush strokes. Cintiq 21UX doesn’t have the feature of absolute positioning, though.

Wacom Cintiq 21ux in action

2. Evidently, those types of Wacom products are facilitating the development of the graphic arts industry. Firstly, it is more efficient to create with those digital products than with traditional paper and pens. The proven pen technology by Wacom enables artists to work within the digital realm as they would do with traditional tools. However, mistakes can be more easily and immediately corrected when using the digital products. Secondly, because all Intuos3 and Cintiq 21UX input devices and tablets are ergonomically designed, they can effectively reduce physical stress and strain while creating, designing, painting or editing. Thirdly, it is environmentally friendly to choose Wacom products. At least, countless pieces of paper and trees can be saved by working electronically.

3. Intuos3 and Cintiq 21UX use true color monitors and they come with the necessary color calibration files. As recommended by the Wacom, for the average person professional color calibration may be the most cost effective way. Users should contact local color calibration service providers and color management professionals are most familiar with the complicated software and have the equipment on hand to provide quality service.

General speaking, the techniques and procedures of color calibration are as follows. (From wikipedia)
In the first stage, an external calibration device is attached flat to the display's surface, shielded from all ambient light. The calibration software sends a series of color signals to the display and compares the values that were actually sent against the readings from the calibration device. This establishes the current offsets in color display. Depending on the calibration software and type of monitor used, the software either creates a correction matrix for color values before being sent to the display, or gives instructions for altering the display's brightness/contrast and RGB values through the OSD. This tunes the display to reproduce parts of a desired color space. (It is technically and procedurally not possible to reproduce an exact color space on a computer display). The calibration target for this kind of calibration is that of print stock paper D65 at 120 cd/m2.In the second stage, the software sends a test print to the printer and compares the print result with the original file with the use of an external calibration device, similar to the display calibration. A calibration profile is necessary for each printer/paper combination.

4. There are 5 competitors for Wacom: Interlink Electronics, Logitech, Microsoft, SMK and Synaptics.

News Blog 2

What I learned from class:

Digital book reader, an innovation that allows people to carry a library of books in a device as small as a paperback and it is exactly what I need now!

A Surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.


Relevant Article:

Microsoft Surface: Behind-the-Scenes First Look (with Video)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html


The Surface computing technology is fascinating! “Using a giant table-like display, users are able to draw, interact with media, and use another new technology called domino tagging, in which a real-life object on the computer's surface is identified and becomes an on-screen object that can be interacted with.” (Quoted from http://www.news.com/ Microsoft unveils touch screen computing)

It is no doubt a revolutionary advancement and opens up several exciting possibilities. Stock trading, video editing, music production and etc would benefit greatly from such an interface. Even though there are some voices saying that this surface computer sounds more like a concept car (cool too look at, but has limited practicality), it won’t be very surprising if strong demand for these products helps bring a surface computing coffee table or wallpaper to your home much faster than is currently thought.

Anyway, these Microsoft Surface computers will cost $10,000 to start, and are being sold to enterprises such as T-Mobile and Starwood to liven up their retail stores and hotels. Still, I wonder if this technology is getting ahead of itself, or are we truly on our way to a more immersive, Minority Report-like era of computing?

News Blog 1

What I learned from class:

Supply chain strategy is essential for competitors in the PC market. It can identify and quantify supply chain improvements and assist PC makers in transforming their operations, from suppliers to the ultimate customer, to enable real strategic change and competitive advantage. Differentiation is also an important source of competitive advantage for PC makers. It distinguishes the differences of a product or offers from others, to make it more attractive to a particular target market.

Relevant Article:
Can Michael Dell Refocus His Namesake?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/technology/09dell.html?ref=technology

As Dell has seen its stock price collapse, slowing growth and resurgent competition, it has been eschewing its almost exclusive “make-to-order” supply chain model to begin selling and stocking computers in Wal-Mart stores. On the one hand, there is no doubt that, to compete in retail, Dell will need to substantially transform supply chain processes. The direct sales model may not work as well in many international markets, such as China, and in the US the steady progression to laptops over desktops has led more buyers to want some hands-on experience before buying. On the other hand, getting up to speed on the vagaries of the retail supply chain and in-store execution will take Dell some time, and probably cause quite a bit of frustration among shareholders. Some critics have observed it negatively so far. “If you want a definition for cut-throat competition and low margins in the technology world, it would probably involve three words: consumer, Wal-Mart and desktop,” said one Wall Street Journal commentator. However, in my opinion, whether it can in fact lead to improved financial performance really depends on how well Dell manages this supply chain transition.