Technology, media, and the way we consume it all changes at such a rapid pace that companies once on-top-of-the-world are in the trash heap faster than they can figure out what they did right to ascend to the top. That’s why I think it’s particularly funny that not two weeks ago a fellow NDF blogger posted about Netflix, because I’m about to do it again. Now I’m a communications-minded individual and usually rational (unless it pertains to the Red Sox or Packers). I think about problems and try to take a minute to digest the information …

Pandora? Oh yes, I remember you. You were the one that went and left me high and dry when I became too attached—forty straight hours just isn't enough to appreciate all of your goodness. Oh Pandora. Your coldness and lack of social networking drove me to sites like Grooveshark and 8Tracks where I felt unconditionally loved. They were so new and exciting. "Pandora, have you been working out?" You're lookin' fine with a sleek and interactive new design. What did you say? You want a second chance? Hmm. Give me one good reason, other than your, now unlimited free …

This past week, I've heard read articles and heard news of the decline of the United States Postal Service (USPS). I know what you're thinking: "What's a United States Postal Service?" Yeah, I'm not sure either. According to Wikipedia, the USPS is "a United States government-owned corporation responsible for providing postal service in the United States." Apparently their main function is to deliver paper documents called "letters" from one address to another. I heard it's a lot like email except that the process could take days. Days? How would I …

For one of my English classes this semester (one that deals with digital literacy’s) we were instructed to read an article by Nichols Carr titled “Is Google Making Us Stupider?” Initially is said absolutely. My reasoning was this: I look up definitions for words or a quick fact for a paper I am writing I use the information-hardly giving my brain time to process the information. The result is I forget it. I used to think this was the fault of my memory, or rather, my fault. But after reading the article I blamed Google and the Internet in …

I don’t leave my house without my wallet, cell phone, keys, or Amazon Kindle. My Amazon Kindle allows me to search Amazon for new books, read whatever I want, anytime I want, house my collections of books all in one digital library and now even store most of my textbooks in one collective place. Because I have my actual Kindle and an application for it on my Mac, I can sit in class and read along in a textbook on my Macbook screen. There is nothing that can compare to the easy availability of reading or the price of …

Whether you call yourself a tweeter or not, if you haven’t taken notice of the role of social media in society right now, it is time to get your head out of the sand and look around a little. I am not just referring to Facebook groups and blog posts, but to media in business markets as well. The world is watching as social unrest and a wave of violence rolls through Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and now England. Regimes struggle for power over increasing revolutionaries. Culture is shaping the change as much as change is shaping the culture. …

Whether you call yourself a tweeter or not, if you haven’t taken notice of the role of social media in society right now, it is time to get your head out of the sand and look around a little. I am not just referring to Facebook groups and blog posts, but to media in business markets as well. The world is watching as social unrest and a wave of violence rolls through Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and now England. Regimes struggle for power over increasing revolutionaries. Culture is shaping the change as much as change is shaping the culture. …

A few days ago, Media Post writer Karl Greenburg wrote an article about Dodge's new exciting ad campaign—one that's more than a set of commercials that the audience will "ooh" and "ahh" on. Dodge is offering a journey. Like pirates of yore who sailed the seven seas for booty, participants will set out on a country-wide treasure hunt for a grand prize. To get things started, Dodge will broadcast commercials and YouTube videos on a set date that will provide subtle clues of its location. What is the prize, you ask? A …

The use of social media and technology has grown by leaps and bounds since September 11, 2001. Facebook, Skype, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and FourSquare have risen to become some of the most trafficked websites available. Imagine what that day would have been like today. Today we would tweet it, send Facebook messages checking to see if everyone was ok, and live-blogging it. We would have tweet-ups for memory services and just to feel safe. We would Skype with loved ones that were distant only by physical measurements. But that day we didn’t have that. We only had phones and had …

Sitting at my small college house on a Sunday afternoon, it is so tempting to sign up for Netflix to spend the whole day watching old movies, but what else does Netflix really have to offer? In comparison to other companies that have similar offers like Blockbuster, OnDemand, Redbox, and any other local video rental store, Netflix’s offers don’t seem to add up for a person my age. To pay $15 a month to wait a week to receive a DVD that I want doesn’t seem like an ideal plan in comparison to other companies. The instant watching options are …