A Few “Fun Theories” So Good That They Have Already Fooled You

We have been talking about Fun Theory quite a bit lately, and quite frankly, it is one of the few topics that I actually enjoy learning about. Taking something tedious or boring and turning it into something that people enjoy doing is an extremely hard task, there is a reason why those tasks sucked to begin with, however, some great minds have been able to re-design people’s perspectives on the task and turn it into something that people can enjoy doing.

I was contemplating about fun theory, when I realized that I have been an active participant in it a lot of times without even knowing simply because the creators of the “Fun Theories” that I have participated in designed it so well that I had no idea that I was being tricked into doing something that I normally don’t enjoy doing.

Just Dance 3 for Xbox Kinect

I recently bought myself an Xbox 360 and a Kinect to kill some time with when I have nothing better to do besides homework. I bought a game called “Just Dance 3”, and I’ve been addicted to it ever since the first time I popped it into the console. I can spend up to an hour at a time dancing to its songs as I am moving and grooving to the beat of the music.

To those that have played Just Dance 3: have you noticed how much you sweat as you play that game? Normally, for me at least, I am sweating profusely just after 2 songs, and as time goes on I become more and more out of breath, but I want to keep playing because I am having a ton of fun doing so.

This is a great example of Fun Theory being employed in our lives. We play Just Dance 3 to have fun and socialize, but what I didn’t realize was that it had turned something that I hate doing (Exercise) into something that I can enjoy and get a good cardio workout.

Zumba

I am not a fan of Zumba, and I probably never will be. I only went once because my girlfriend really wanted me to go with her, and I will never return. I have noticed though that it is an activity that’s been along for a few years that has become a new fad here amongst girls. Instead of running  on a treadmill, girls (and a few creepy guys) dance to some music (kind of like Just Dance 3, but not the same) for about an hour as they sweat away the calories.

I will admit that Zumba was a lot more fun than running on a treadmill, but I will stick to lifting weights and running. It’s just not my thing.

Words with Friends

This is one of the more popular games that people are playing on their cell phones right now. It’s like the game Scrabble, but you play it in your free time against your friends. It’s quite addicting, and I have spent countless Sunday school lessons distracting myself with it. By playing the game you are actually educating yourself on new words. Cool huh?

Google

Did you know that by using your e-mail, Google Chat, and by using Google+ that your information is being shared? You are technically employed by Google to do work for them and they use you as their product. You have fun, but don’t notice that you are doing work for free! I’m sure it’s not that extreme where Google shares all of your confidential information with everyone (they aren’t like Apple, stealing all of your contact information and sending it out to everyone), but a lot of your info that you input into the Google products does get used and sometimes shared.

What other Fun Theories can you come up with that we have been using without even knowing that Fun Theory was being used in the design?

My Passion and Trends

After looking over my past blog posts and things that I tend to comment on, I have learned that the trend I see in my writings is how much I love gadgets, especially the tablet and cellphone market. I talk so much about tech companies that produce those things and debate on the success of specific companies.

One of the main companies that I have been talking about a lot, as well as other class mates, is Apple. I feel that there are many people that have a lot of passion for the company and will go to many extremes to defend it. I find the company quite interesting, and though I have my complaints about them, I use their products. I will admit that back in the day I disliked the company and would not use their products. I one day caved in and got my very first iPod, I was in love with the device. As time passed I upgraded to the iPod touch, then last year I bought my first tablet... the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1... it was good, but I didn't like Android on a tablet so I returned it and got an iPad. My iPad is now one of my favorite possessions and I now use it more than my laptop. I also plan on replacing my cellphone when the iPhone 5 comes out, and I also plan on buying the next Macbook Pro whenever that is released. I'm being won over.

The Cellphone

If you want to communicate with someone you can, with practically anyone, at anytime, pretty much anywhere. Most people our age carry around a device in our pocket that allows us to do such a thing. But think about it, we are so accessible now and this accessibility is more recent. Never before in the history of the world have people been so accessible. When my parents were my age, they had to be near a telephone or make plans in advanced in order for their plans to work out, now someone can simply send us a text message minutes before.

We are also addicted to this technology. The age that kids get cell phones and begin to text has gradually decreased over the years. My six year old sister is already text messaging. Some people that I have talked to have claimed that if they had to give up their car or their cell phone for the rest of their life that they would choose to give up their car... this is how much importance we place on that device in our pocket!

Our telephones have come a long way. It all started back in the 1870s when Alexander Bell created the first electronic device that would transmit sound recordings, then it all began to evolve. The telephone began to change and evolve as it became more prominent in homes. Telephone lines and switchboards were created. Rotary dialing was soon replaced by keypads. Payphones were put into place in 1889 which opened up the opportunity for people to contact people from outside of their homes. Caller ID came about and allowed people to see who is calling before they even picked up the phone. Cordless phones came which allowed us to have no cords on our phone as we talked on it. Now, we have cell phones which has given everyone their very own personal phone line which opened up many more doors.

The cell phone is so entrenched in our way of doing things down that I don't believe many of us could give it up. I personally am so attached to my cell phone that I know that I just could not do it. I was going to do an experiment, like I did with Facebook, where I gave up using my cell phone for a while, however, our culture has changed to revolve around the cell phone, it has replaced telephone lines in our apartments, so it would have been pretty hard for people to contact me, so in the end I did not give it up.. and I don't believe I could have gone longer than a day without using my cellphone anyway. 

One OS

For those who don't know, OS is a simple acronym for "Operating System" (aka Windows, Android, Max OS, iOS, Lynix). That being said, every electronic device that you own with a screen uses and OS, it defines the graphical interface that you will be using while interacting on your device.

The Past

In the past we have had just a couple of operating systems, and they were all pretty much designed for a computer or laptop. Windows and Apple are the two main operating systems that have always been used. Not too long ago something new has came into our world, smart-phones and tablets, so other OS's have been developed for specific use on touchscreen devices. (these would be Android OS, iOS, WebOS). So basically, you have an OS for computers/laptops (Mac OS), and one for touchscreen devices such as smart-phones and tablets (iOS). 

The Present

We live in a time where the two types of Operating Systems have begun to merge. People are buying more and more smart-phones and tablets. The Apple iPad was the most sought after device this Christmas season. With more and more people buying tablets instead of a laptop we have needed a way to have better communication and file transfer between our electronic devices. Right now things are changing and the new operating systems that are emerging have begun to merge the two. The goal is ONE OS. One operating system for all your devices. Your tablet, your laptop, and your smart-phone.

HP's WebOS is what started the revolution. They developed their operating system to exchange data seamlessly between your tablet and smart-phone. HP made it easy to jump between the two devices by automatically forwarding calls/text to your tablet while your smart-phone was not in use or charging. It also made it possible for you to easily jump to where you were when changing between the two devices by simply bumping the two devices together. Lets say that you are viewing a website on your tablet, but you are on your way out the door. The solution: bump your tablet and smart-phone together and you will magically be on the same website on your smartphone that you were viewing on your tablet.

WebOS has caused both Windows and Apple to think harder on the future of their operating system. They too have realized that they need to bridge the gab between electronic devices and create one OS. Windows announced a while back that they were in the process of developing Windows 8, which will be the first mainstream operating system for both Tablets and Laptops/Pc's. They may even release a version for their Windows Phones in the future.

Today, Mac announced their new operating system that will be released this summer, Mountain Lion. Their new operating system will incorporate many things that the iPad already does, such as iMessage, Notification Center, Task List, Memo's, and the iCloud. All of your Apple devices will be able to communicate with each other, and when you buy a new Mac, you just log in to it with your iCloud credentials and it will automatically configure your e-mail and other settings. Another huge step towards ONE OS.

The Future

The future of the operating system is not too far distant. This year Windows 8 will be released, so Windows users can rest content that their devices will no longer have multiple operating systems, making use much more convenient. Apple is beginning to merge the gap as well, and I'm quite sure that we are coming to the end of Mac OS X, which is now 11 years old. Every year Apple has taken the Mac OS X and just revamped it.

The Apple with a Wormhole

Congress sent Apple a letter this week demanding answers. Why? Because your iPhone has a security flaw that allows apps to steal your entire address book and send it to other companies. Some of the known apps that do this are Path and Facebook. It is so easy these days to steal information from people, it's just one of the major issues with our digital age. We need to up the security to protect our information and our identity. We trust companies by sending confidential information in an e-mail, text message, and storing it on our computers and phones. I personally feel violated that Apple's flawed code allowed for companies to steal my private info. Shame on you Apple, shame on you.

If you are interested in the details of the letter, I have included it in its entirety below. Enjoy :)

Mr. Tim Cook
Chief Executive Officer, Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

Dear Mr. Cook:

Last week, independent iOS app developer Arun Thampi blogged about his discovery that the social networking app "Path" was accessing and collecting the contents of his iPhone address book without ever having asked for his consent.[1] The information taken without his permission – or that of the individual contacts who own that information – included full names, phone numbers, and email addresses.[2] Following media coverage of Mr. Thampi's discovery, Path's Co-Founder and CEO Dave Morin quickly apologized, promised to delete from Path's servers all data it had taken from its users' address books, and announced the release of a new version of Path that would prompt users to opt in to sharing their address book contacts.[3]

This incident raises questions about whether Apple's iOS app developer policies and practices may fall short when it comes to protecting the information of iPhone users and their contacts.

The data management section of your iOS developer website states: "iOS has a comprehensive collection of tools and frameworks for storing, accessing, and sharing data. . . . iOS apps even have access to a device's global data such as contacts in the Address Book, and photos in the Photo Library."[4]The app store review guidelines section states: "We review every app on the App Store based on a set of technical, content, and design criteria. This review criteria is now available to you in the App Store Review Guidelines."[5] This same section indicates that the guidelines are available only to registered members of the iOS Developer Program.[6] However, tech blogs following the Path controversy indicate that the iOS App Guidelines require apps to get a user's permission before "transmit[ting] data about a user".[7]

In spite of this guidance, claims have been made that "there's a quiet understanding among many iOS app developers that it is acceptable to send a user's entire address book, without their permission, to remote servers and then store it for future reference. It's common practice, and many companies likely have your address book stored in their database."[8] One blogger claims to have conducted a survey of developers of popular iOS apps and found that 13 of 15 had a "contacts database with millions of records" – with one claiming to have a database containing "Mark Zuckerberg's cell phone number, Larry Ellison's home phone number and Bill Gates' cell phone number."[9]

The fact that the previous version of Path was able to gain approval for distribution through the Apple iTunes Store despite taking the contents of users' address books without their permission suggests that there could be some truth to these claims. To more fully understand and assess these claims, we are requesting that you respond to the following questions:

- Please describe all iOS App Guidelines that concern criteria related to the privacy and security of data that will be accessed or transmitted by an app.

- Please describe how you determine whether an app meets those criteria.

- What data do you consider to be "data about a user" that is subject to the requirement that the app obtain the user's consent before it is transmitted?

- To the extent not addressed in the response to question 2, please describe how you determine whether an app will transmit "data about a user" and whether the consent requirement has been met.

- How many iOS apps in the U.S. iTunes Store transmit "data about a user"?

- Do you consider the contents of the address book to be "data about a user"?

- Do you consider the contents of the address book to be data of the contact? If not, please explain why not. Please explain how you protect the privacy and security interests of that contact in his or her information.

- How many iOS apps in the U.S. iTunes Store transmit information from the address book? How many of those ask for the user's consent before transmitting their contacts' information?

- You have built into your devices the ability to turn off in one place the transmission of location information entirely or on an app-by-app basis. Please explain why you have not done the same for address book information.

Please provide the information requested no later than February 29, 2012. If you have any questions regarding this request, you can contact Felipe Mendoza with the Energy and Commerce Committee Staff at 202-226-3400.

Sincerely,

Henry A. Waxman, Ranking Member
G.K. Butterfield, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trad

Facebook: Being Disconnected

For the past several years I have been a heavy user of Facebook. It makes it so easy to communicate, interact, and keep in touch with all of your friends' lives, however, it is something that also was consuming a lot of my time. One day when I was bored I decided to do some math to calculate how much of my life was being wasted on the social media service. This is what I came up with:

     If I spend just 1 hour a day on Facebook then I am spending 15 days back-to back on Facebook a year

     If I spend 2 hours a day on Facebook, then I am spending 1 MONTH of time back-to-back on it a year

You may be thinking, "There is now way that I spend 2 hours of my time on Facebook a day!" but a lot of you might just be in denial. First, think about how many hours you spend in class a week. Most people spend about 4 hours a day in class. Out of that time in class how much of it are you on Facebook? I'm guessing you probably spend at least an hour out of your 4 hours of class time on it, and some days even more than that.

Now think about how much time you spend out of class on it. You go to the library to study and the first thing you do is check your Facebook feed and wall. You spend a few more minutes stalking specific friends. You may even use Facebook chat for a little bit. Then during your studies you take a few breaks to check your Facebook. Then before leaving the library you check Facebook again. An hour can easily be wasted just in the library.

During the day you are constantly checking your Facebook App on your smartphone. This will easily add up to maybe 15 to 30 minutes a day. If you are at some meeting, or with a group of people you might even be on your phone checking it during those times as well.

You now have some free time, what do you do? You get on Facebook again. Then at the end of the day before you go to bed you check it again, just to make sure that no one has commented on anything. Is this pattern starting to sound familiar? If this story matches your life, you easily spend at LEAST 2 hours a day on Facebook on average. That means that ONE MONTH OF YOUR YEAR IS SPENT ON FACEBOOK, which in the end would be 1/12 of your total life if you keep up with the same patterns.

I recently read an article that spoke of a new study on Facebook. The study claimed that Facebook is more addicting than smoking and alcohol. In response to the article I decided to test that theory and delete my Facebook account to see how addicted to it I am. It turns out that it is harder than I thought. It has now been 8 days, and I am about to cave. I want to get back on and see what has been going on in my digital world. I want to browse through all of the photos that people have uploaded. I want to chat with my friends. I want to read everyone's status updates and check to see if I got any event invites. It's so freakin' hard to resist the temptation to reactivate my account. 

Today has been the hardest day so far, I really just want to reactivate it. It's only 10 AM and I am still considering doing it. I am going to hold out though, just to see if I can do it. Who knows, maybe I can go another week. Only time will tell.

Create: YouTube and Blogging

YouTube has greatly contributed to the digital revolution. Anyone can make a video and upload it onto the internet from virtually anywhere, any place, and at any time. It is possible to upload your video from your computer, from your tablet, and even a smartphone and can be accessed via computer, phone, laptop, tablet, iPods, Blue-Ray players, and even the T.V. now, making the content you publish extremely accessible.

 

There are several people who have become well known simply because they uploaded their videos to YouTube. Justin Bieber is someone known world-wide, and his fame started with his YouTube Videos which were discovered by Scooter Braun who recruited Justin Bieber to his record label which was owned by him (Scooter Braun) and Usher.

Blogging is another way that we can share our ideas and creations with the world. Blogging is essentially free, and allows us to quickly spread our ideas to everyone that has access to the world wide web. Blogging has taken many different applications that have greatly attributed to our learning. There are fix-it-yourself blogs, cooking/recipe blogs, art blogs, educational blogs, and journal blogs just to name a few of the many applications of blogging. As more and more people create and share their knowledge, we grow as a people and become more knowledgeable as we read and apply other people’s ideas.

What other ways can we use Blogs and YouTube to better our lives? 

Flashback

Step back, just 6 years ago. Think about just the process of renting a movie. What did you do? You probably drove to the local Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, walked up and down the isles with your friends trying to find a movie that pleased everyone, paid to rent it, and drove home to watch it. How does that compare to how you rent a movie now?

Now when you want to watch a movie we no longer want to get in our car and drive somewhere. We now can get on our netflix accounts and stream a movie from the internet, or download it off of iTunes without ever leaving the sofa. I think that we have gotten so used to having things "on-demand" that we are too lazy to drive up the street to rent a movie, we would rather get it now on the internet, or have Netflix send us a disk to our mailbox so that we don't have to venture away from our homes.

I look around and movie rental companies are going under. Hollywood Video went out of business just a couple years ago, and now Blockbusters are closing down everywhere. Technology has completly changed how we consume media, and soon DVDs may be a thing of the past.


Books are another thing that have been impacted. We used to mainly use physical copies of books, now we have devices such as the Amazon Kindle that allow us to read e-books. Amazon recently reported that the sale of e-books has actually surpassed the sale of paperbooks. It is also causing brick-and-morter stores such as Borders to have problems. Borders recently went under and I suspect it is due to companies such as Amazon who have developed their e-book platforms.