taken from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070422/ap_on_hi_te/online_debates;_ylt=Akid5ydh9ufYclaFfwvxcLcjtBAF
Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of our everyday lives. Now it is being a big part of the political world. An online debate forum for political candidates is the next logical step in the technology world. An online forum allows viewers to both spectate and participate in the debate. Allowing people to watch and submit questions, allows an interactivity that is currently missing in the debates. Each party has a chance now to win new potential voters. A more interactive debate might be what the country needs. Allowing the voters to feel connected to their candidate is only a good thing.
The last time new technology was adapted into political debates it was the adoption of TV in the Kennedy/Nixon debate. As the article states, the viewers of the TV debate voted Kennedy the winner, while radio listeners thought that Nixon had won. This opens up a new skill set of debating, preparing for questions on the fly that an average viewer can submit. Allowing voters to communicate with a candidate that they wouldn't normally be able to communicate with.
The only question I would like answered is how they are going to select questions taken from the viewers. As a debate, questions need to be equally spread out to both the candidates. Next, is the question of censorship. Many people want many tought questions answered. Will this technology answer those questions? we will have to find out.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Apple Anti-Trust?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20070408/tc_nf/51252;_ylt=AvblDy1CfkupO0JouQTK1cMjtBAF
Since the emergence of digital music stores there has been much debate on their role in the music industry. Some view online music stores as the next big change in the music industry. While others view music available to download online as a a threat to the music industry, even if offered with the backing of the record labels. Most agree it's something that needs to be monitored and regulated closely. With this new anti-trust probe, it enables the European Union(EU) to regulate their record sales closely uniformly among the EU countries. Much like the US record labels want to keep their online sales closely monitored.
Unlike the shift from Tape to CD, I-tunes and the very few other online music stores prevent any sort of competitive buisness. Each store has ties to different record labels, thus different product. When the shift from Tape to CD happened, there would be different stores carrying most major music, allowing different prices and competitiveness. This is what the suit is aiming at, and I believe what the EU is doing is a very smart concept. This prevents I-tunes from locking prices at a fixed rate and having a strangle hold on the market.
This sort of thing should be carried over to the US. I believe if more online music stores opened up i.e. Best Buy selling digital music online or even a digital music kiosk in the store that one could bring an IPod to. SOmething that would allow people to buy and own the rights to a copy of music, and allow a competive arena for the comsumers benefit.
Since the emergence of digital music stores there has been much debate on their role in the music industry. Some view online music stores as the next big change in the music industry. While others view music available to download online as a a threat to the music industry, even if offered with the backing of the record labels. Most agree it's something that needs to be monitored and regulated closely. With this new anti-trust probe, it enables the European Union(EU) to regulate their record sales closely uniformly among the EU countries. Much like the US record labels want to keep their online sales closely monitored.
Unlike the shift from Tape to CD, I-tunes and the very few other online music stores prevent any sort of competitive buisness. Each store has ties to different record labels, thus different product. When the shift from Tape to CD happened, there would be different stores carrying most major music, allowing different prices and competitiveness. This is what the suit is aiming at, and I believe what the EU is doing is a very smart concept. This prevents I-tunes from locking prices at a fixed rate and having a strangle hold on the market.
This sort of thing should be carried over to the US. I believe if more online music stores opened up i.e. Best Buy selling digital music online or even a digital music kiosk in the store that one could bring an IPod to. SOmething that would allow people to buy and own the rights to a copy of music, and allow a competive arena for the comsumers benefit.
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