My past four years at Southern Methodist University have been unforgettable. I’ve had so many experiences that I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for. There isn’t one aspect of my college
career that I wish I could change. I remember moving in like it was yesterday. It’s crazy to think that what I was feeling then (anxious, nervous, scared, excited) has come full circle to how I feel now. The excitement and nerves that come with moving on to a new chapter in your life is a feeling that’s indescribable.
Author Archives: Hannah Rittenberry
Amazon Take Over: Amazon Deliveries in the Works
Amazon: Online goods provider, cable cutter and shipper?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Amazon is taking over the world. A few weeks ago, Amazon introduced Amazon Fire TV to the 
market in order to compete with Apple TV, Roku and other cable cutting devices. Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal published an article describing Amazon’s plan to now compete with shippers such as FedEx and UPS.
With all of Amazon’s new ventures, the company aims to offer the same service as their competitors, but with an added twist. With Amazon Fire TV, they added a speaking component to their remote, and with Amazon deliveries, they are hoping to offer same day as purchase delivery. Continue reading
A Watering Hole Attack: Living with Online Security Threats
A look into the recent Target hacking, a “watering hole attack,” and how today online security must be overly cautious.
The New York Times recently released an article discussing the recent developments
in online security threats and hacking. The article detailed a story that seems almost fictional because it seems as though it couldn’t be possible. Unable to breach the computer network at a big oil
company, hackers infected with malware the online menu of a Chinese restaurant that was popular with employees. When the workers browsed the menu, they inadvertently downloaded code that gave the attackers a foothold in the business’s vast computer network.
Is Cord Cutting the New Trend?
As Amazon joins the game of Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast with Amazon Fire TV, communications professionals are beginning to see a pattern of people leaving behind their traditional cable TV’s and cord cutting being the new trend.
Amazon Fire TV was released Wednesday, April 2nd allowing them to compete in the market with Apple, Google and Roku. It costs $99 and will stream Netflix, Amazon Instant (of course), Hulu Plus, 
Showtime Anytime, Crackle and Vimeo, and more to be named. Apple TV is probably the primary competition, with name recognition, although Google’s Chromecast is offered for just $35 and with a dead simple operation. Roku remains a competitor, and don’t forget about game consoles: In 2013, the PlayStation 3 was the No. 1 connected television platform for Netflix streaming, with the Xbox 360 not far behind.
Telecom Industry and Battle Over Free SMS
Free SMS messaging apps are changing the ways people can communicate across country boundaries.
The walls of the old communication model are coming down rapidly as cell phone service providers are loosing traction in the international market. The past years have been plagued with high fees for international calling and text (SMS) messaging. Today, many new apps are surfacing that allow free SMS messaging, and sometimes calling, no matter where in the world you or your contacts are.
Whatsapp , a cross-platform mobile messaging app, has been in the news recently for being acquired by Facebook back in February for $16 Billion. Whatsapp connects with your smartphone after downloaded to check your contacts to see who else of your friends has the application. Once connected, you are free to send free SMS messages to your friends regardless of which country they are in. While this may not seem like a revolutionary idea in the United States, in Europe this has allowed many boundaries to come down. Continue reading
GM and Toyota Investigations Over Recalls
The importance of transparency: GM and Toyota’s investigations over recalls show the communications world the necessity of being open and honest with your publics.
The GM and Toyota investigations regarding recalls has revealed a common trend in the news throughout the past few years for how they handled these negative situations. As many of you know, Toyota Motor Corp., which after a four-year government investigation will pay $1
.2 billion in connection to withholding information regarding sudden acceleration problems with some of its vehicles. And one of the primary reasons that the company is in so much trouble is due to the fact that they knew about the potential problems for years without coming forward with any of the information discovered. It’s this very issue that is currently getting General Motors into trouble.
As a general public, we can be judgmental and hold grudges. However we also know how to forgive if the company is deemed worthy of forgiveness. Withholding information, especially if that information has the potential of harming our lives or the lives of our loved ones, is generally not one of these forgiving traits.
And the Oscar Goes to Samsung
A look into Samsung’s brilliant product placement plan.
Ellen DeGeneres has set a new record for the most re-tweeted tweet of all time and broke Twitter in the process. During the Oscars last Sunday, Ellen took a selfie with many A-list stars sitting in the audience, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Kevin Spacey. She had Bradley Cooper take the photo, which she captioned, “If only Bradley’s arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars”.
While you can’t tell in the selfie, while watching the Oscars live it was
blatantly clear that Ellen took this selfie with a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Although the Samsung product wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the tweet, the product placement was on point. Continue reading
Home Delivery Turns Roam Delivery
Volvo introduces “Roam Delivery:” A service allowing packages to now be delivered to your car instead of being missed at your home.
It’s happened to everyone: rescheduling an important meeting at work to make sure you can sign for an important package coming home, or missing the coveted Christmas present you bought for your parents because you weren’t home when it was delivered. Volvo has found a way to meet the marketing demand of the masses by introducing “Roam Delivery.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFKoPOhSI6A]
Dating Apps are the New Black
Crowdpilot: The new dating/advice app.
As we evolve into newer and better forms of technology, it was only a matter of time before
technology leaked into our personal sphere. Online dating as whole has been around for about ten years and are increasing in popularity year after year. Everyone sees at least one commercial a day for Match.com or eHarmony. And then Tinder happened.
Tinder became a popular “dating” app last year. Because one of my colleagues has already blogged about Tinder, if you aren’t familiar with it, please refer to her blog post. Tinder has set the course for an untapped
market of dating apps and the newest comes with a twist: instead of looking for love you are asking for love advice. Continue reading
Spoiler Alert: There’s an App for That
Spoiler Shield and other “spoiler-free” apps are increasing in popularity during the Olympics.
With the 2014 Winter Olympics well underway, viewers are constantly finding out results prematurely. The New York Times recently published an article describing the benefits of the “spoiler-free” app, Spoiler Shield. Spoiler Shield, released in 2013, protects user’s social media feed’s from potential spoilers for sports teams and TV shows.
Here’s a demonstration video about the app:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqaeLg-Zy0I]
Facebook Releases News App ‘Paper’
On Monday, Facebook released a new iPhone app called Paper to put them in the news feed market with others such as Flipboard and Pulse.
In the world we live in today, people are bombarded with numerous news stories calling for their attention. In order to attempt to sift through all of this information, news apps are becoming more and more popular. Flipboard and Pulse have been widely considered popular for awhile, but on Monday Facebook attempted to put itself in the news game.
Pew Research on the Role of News on Facebook
Facebook actually directs more traffic to web publishers than any other social network. According to a Pew Research study in late 2013, one-third of adults in the United States now get their news from Facebook. And the social network accounted for one out of every six minutes Americans spent online in December, according to the the research firm comScore.
Digital Engagement and the Grammys 2014
Arby’s won the battle of the hat and the twitter feed.
In today’s digital world there is a constant battle of not only being the most creative, but also being able to think quick on your feet and take advantage of any opportunities thrown your way. This last Sunday at the Grammys, Arby’s did just that. Arby’s became an excellent example for communications professionals about how to jump into a digital conversation and stand out among the rest.