Search Engine Optimization and Google

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is intended to increase a website's visibility and click-ability on search engine results pages, in particular Google.  The ultimate goal is to have a high ranking organic search.  Organic results are purely dependent on search engines model for delivering relevant search results.  Second to organic are paid results which are often pay-per-click and appear at the very top and right hand side of results page.  Various methods can get a site to prime organic or paid spots.

Organic:

 There are three classifications in ethics related to SEO.  White hats are at the top of their ethics game and avoid questionable methods.  Next there are gray hats they have a tendency to take some ethical liberties.  Black hats use unethical tactics such as gateway pages, cloaking, and link farms.  Acting as a white hat in promoting a site can take the form of proper title, meta-tags, and descriptions which aid in guiding search engines in finding sites being promoted.

Paid:

Google paid results are populated based on three criteria relevance to the search, click through rate, and landing page quality. This insures that all parties involved are satisfied.  Advertisers are paying for proper placement, users are finding relevant results and Google is fulfilling its intended mission.




-Marie

Googles Operating System

For those who are not aware, Google is now launching an Operating System called Chromium OS. Chromium will be an OS designed for users who primarily use their computers for surfing the web. Google states that their goal is to create "an open-source project that aims to build an operating system that provides a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for people who spend most of their time on the web"

Open Source is defined as: denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.
Yes you heard that right the Google operating system will be FREE.

As you can see in the following screenshot. Chromium OS is attempting a minimalist approach in the user interface. While the default programs seen are very minimal and simple (Just a web browser, and an email client). Google will also have multiple apps available to download on the OS.




One great app you may find useful is something Google is referring to as "Chromoting" which is simply a remote desktop connection to your computer at home.While Chromoting you will be able to run your home computer remotely from the device that you have Chromium OS installed on, and have access to all of the files on your home computer. For those of you wondering about current Android apps native to Google as well, yes there will still be Netflix on Chromium OS!
The Chromium OS will roll out on Chromebooks, which are basically Google Netbooks. These devices generally have a small amount of internal storage using a Solid State Drive or SSD, so Google has already gone a step ahead an incorporated the Google drive to help manage your files. If you chose to opt-out of Google drive as I had mentioned before native Android apps will work, so options such as Dropbox will be available as well.


This is a great example on how Cloud Computing is becoming the next big thing. Google has always been a power player in the IT world, and it should be exciting to see how Chromium OS turns out.

-Alex

Windows Mobile - The iPhone killer, or the next Zune?

Windows Mobile is attempting a comeback in a big way. Since Microsoft first began their work in the mobile market in 1990 they have never been quite successful. Their latest attempt is the Nokia Lumia series. These phones run the Windows Phone 8 Operating System, the latest offered by Microsoft. The new OS falls in line with Microsoft's strategy to unify user interfaces across all of your devices. WP8 features the 'live tiles,' similar to Windows 8 for computers, that can show real time updates from news sources, social media, and other applications. The biggest selling point, judging by their marketing campaign, is the 41 megapixel camera that comes with the Lumia 1020. That is 3 times more than the Samsung Galaxy S4 (13mp) and 5 times more than the iPhone 5s (8 mp). However, I for one am not convinced that this feature alone can push Nokia/Microsoft into a serious contender in the smartphone market.

This biggest drawback to running a Windows Phone that I see are the apps. According to pcworld.com, the Windows Marketplace just reached 100,000 apps in July. In comparison, the Apple App store hit 775,000 as of January 2013 (about.com), and Google Play, the primary android app store, reached 1,000,000 in July 2013 (readwrite.com). While I'm sure that the Windows numbers will continue to grow, they have a lot of ground to catch up to keep up with Apple and Google.

Leaving Apple in the Dust

Last week we talked about the craze  or flop of the iPhone 5C and 5S, this week let's move forward and talk about the moto X by Motorola.  This phone has transformed Apple's Sirri concept into something much more powerful.  Beyond that it has taken the idea of customization to a whole new level.

Voice Commands:

Apple's, like the majority of smartphones, voice commands currently are not completely hands free.  The moto X however, went that extra step for it's customers and has become literally hands free.  As each device begins to recognize your voice the possibilities are endless.  You don't have to be next to your phone or have the display on to execute a command. Because, the display doesn't have to be active users can even set alarms without  running the risk of blinding themselves. 

Customization:

I think it's a fair conclusion that moto X one upped iPhone again in the customization aspect.  The iPhone 5C currently comes in five vibrant colors and iPhone 5S is available in three metallic styles.  There is no disputing this is an improvement over the standard black and white options previously available but, when you compare it to the near 2000 ways to mix and match options up for grabs on the moto X it seams much less impressive. A few ascetic features which are customization include but are not limited to both the back and front cover as well as the buttons.

In closing can you as a consumer look beyond the iPhone craze and venture into the new technology the first Google based Motorola has to offer?

New iPhones, Old Technology?

We have all heard about the new iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, But are they really that new? In this post I will share my opinions on these new phones and what new customers can expect.

First off we can review that the Apple, and the iPhone has come a long way since their debut in 2007. iPhones were the first phones that really got users to use their device as more than just a phone, Apps now came into play and expanded the mobile market to an all time high. While smartphones hold about 56% of the market share for mobile devices Apple comfortable holds around 25% of that share. Here are some points that I think Apple is missing out on.

RFID Technology:

For those of you who haven't heard of RFID technology it is something that Android has been creating a strong market for over the past years. RFID is also known as NFC or Near Field Communication. This started simply as beaming a photo to someone across the table, and has now evolved to using your phone as a credit card at almost any store that has a card scanner.  The iPhone has always been explained as something the is "revolutionary" or that will change the world, But if this is so then why are they excluding a technology which is strongly growing in the past year from their new devices?

IOS 7 Movement Detection Software is old news:

One of the largest selling points to the public in my opinion is the introduction of the movement detection software included in the new IOS 7. The goal of this is that your iPhone will track and store locations you frequent, such as your home or work. With this stored information you can access a screen that will provide information about these locations. For example when I wake up my iPhone can let me know approximately how long it will take me to commute to work given the traffic conditions which are updated with RSS feeds.

I don't know about you but this sound exactly like Google Now to me, which has been out since July of 2012. Looking at the screenshot to the left you can see the same information based off of frequently visited locations.

I think Apple is making a smart decision by including this technology after seeing its success with Android devices, but why exclude RFID?

Fingerprint Scanner:

Here is another example of something that has been done in that past that Apple is claiming to be revolutionary. The fingerprint scanner included in the new iPhone 5S.  The Motorola Atrix was released in 2011 and had a fully functional fingerprint scanner. The fact here is that it never really caught on, it simply just put another security precaution on the phone. For example all iPhones now have added security features such as a pin number unlock, but how many people honestly use that? Will the fingerprint scanner actually catch on with Apples new attempt? It should be interesting to see how this plays out.  

In conclusion I think that many people are very excited for the new iPhones, but I also think that people should step out of their comfort zones and explore additional options outside of Apple devices to find similar technology at a more affordable price. With the 5C introduced as a more "affordable" option for an Apple device it should be interesting to see how the market plays out. Will users chose an Android platform available on multiple devices with the same technology and a little more experience in these new technologies such as RFID and Movement Tracking? Or will they take the leap with Apple as the venture into the market again with their new devices? We will just have to wait and see.

-Alex Maslyn

Introductions

The Awesome Technologies blog is authored by Jordan Weak, Marie Pistek, and Alex Maslyn. We are three students from the University of Northern Iowa studying Management Information Systems. Over the course of the following semester and possibly beyond we will be talking about various technological subjects that interest us. But first, a little more about ourselves:

Jordan 

Hi, my name is Jordan Weak. I am a senior year student here at the University of Northern Iowa. I currently work for John Deere as a Part Time Student Employee working on various Info Systems projects to support the Power Systems department. I first became interested in computers all the way back when MySpace was still cool. I searched high and low through Google to convert my "Top 8" to a "Top 12" list of friends. Seeing the way that simple piece of code worked like magic is what sparked my interests. My main focus in technology is database design and application development.

Alex

My name is Alex Maslyn. I am a senior at the University of Northern Iowa persuing a degree in Management Information Systems with a Minor in Computer Science, with my degree I will also achieve a Computer Applications Certificate. I am actively seeking a full-time position in the IT consulting field specifically in Application Development. 

In my prior jobs, I worked as a Visual Basic Developer and SharePoint administrator for John Deere; Where I have designed and developed an engine tracking application used worldwide by John Deere Original equipment engineers, and the EPA to monitor regulations. I have also had experience with IT Consulting Internship at McGladrey on an Application Development team, where I focused on programming custom applications for 9 different clients primarly in C#.  Both of these positions required that I complete tasks on schedule with great attention to detail.

Outside of working and class I am also the President in the Management Information Systems Association or MISA. Information Technology has always been a passion of mine, and I am excited to share my thoughts on this blog.

Marie

My name is Marie Pistek. I am a senior at the University of Northern Iowa double majoring in Real Estate and Management Information Systems. Currently I work at John Deere Power Systems in the OEM (Original Engine Manufacturing) Department. My position entails both ordering and shipping prototype parts for customers worldwide. Beyond that, two colleagues and I are responsible for data management. This includes development, population and maintenance of several Access databases used within our team. Through this I have gained a year’s experience working with SAP, Business Objects and Excel Macros to develop automated reports. Several of which are displayed for external customers. I have found the value and power in team working skills, the ability to network efficiently and a strong work ethic.