The 10 Most Innovative Web Companies

The web has completely changed how people interact, how business is done and basically the day-to-day life. To be influential in this economy, it is almost imperative to operate an efficient and consumer-friendly website. If you expect to be a top company without a website, you are bound to be missing a large percentage of the market share. These top 10 companies have created websites that have taken off at extraordinary paces and have many other companies following in their footsteps.

1. Twitter

In 2009, when Twitter began, they had around 20 million users and today they have more than 200 million! When the company first began, they were unsure of how they were going to collect money. They allowed users to sign up for free with no extra charges added. When the economy began to take an upturn, Twitter created ads that companies could buy that would cost them around $100,000 to purchase.

2. Google

Google has seemed to stay at the top of their game ever since they entered the web economy. They have been ever expanding ever since creating the Google website with all different things that users can "play" with. With all of these applications that users were freely allowed to use and view, it was also unsure for Google how they were actually going to make their money in the beginning. Google then created AdSense and AdWords for companies to be able to advertise and show up in their search results. In addition, Google also created Google Instant which has a 98% adoption rate. There are approximately 2 million searches a second and 3 billion per day.

3. Zynga

Zynga is the company that created the FarmVille game for Facebook. With their 400 million dollar return from the game, they decided to create CityVille which was released in January. After only a month, CityVille had 100 million users, making it the number one app on Facebook. Presently, the Zynga companies net worth is estimated to be $7 to $9 billion. At the rate that this company is going, they can only see the bright future ahead.

4. Netflix

Netflix began by their mail-in DVD business. In order to block out the competition, Netflix began streaming services in the United States and in Canada. From 2010, it is estimated that Netflix profited approximately $2.2 billion in revenues. Netflix has more than 20 million subscribers which has in turn basically over-run BlockBuster.

5. Foursquare

Defending its competitive position, growing exponentially, and making check-ins a must-use marketing tool for major brands. Astronaut Douglas Wheelock earned the NASA Explorer Badge when he checked in while orbiting the Earth; a story that reflect Foursquare's meteoric rise. The company now hosts around 7.5 million users, a 50% increase from September 2010.

Most significantly, the company has steamed ahead in the face of growing competition from Gowalla, Google Latitude, Loopt, and especially Facebook Places. It launched a brand new version of the service in March, unveiled an innovative merchant platform, and has some half billion check-ins in the last year alone.

6. Tumblr

For turning stray thoughts into big business. The New York based almost Twitter except without the "how many characters you can use" restriction, is drawing around 30,000 new members each day. More impressively, around 4 billion page views per month. In November, it scored between $25 million and $30 million from investors, bringing its total past $40 million.

7. Crimson Hexagon

For developing a revolutionary way to monitor and measure Twitter chatter. Crimson Hexagon began at Harvard's Institute for Quantitative Social Science but has grown into the prime analytics tool for HP, Microsoft, and CNN, which use the website to gauge public perceptions.

The company monitors the Web, tracking and learning the specifics of what people are saying in social media in real-time. Beyond the positive-or-negative analysis of keyword and semantic searches and with as much as 97 percent accuracy.

8. Stocktwits

Created the CNBC of the digital age. On this site, live streams are pulled from Facebook and Twitter; recently acquired service Abnormal Returns culls the best financial news stories from the Internet; weekly Webinars and video market recaps are offered; and StockTwits.tv features original programming around the clock. In other words, StockTwits has become an indispensible real-time financial tool for the social media age. It also boasts more than 300,000 monthly unique hits.

9. Microsoft

Reinvented their search market competition with Bing, the only REAL Google challenger left. Thanks to strategic partnerships with Kayak, Yahoo, Twitter, and Facebook, Bing has begun nipping away at Google's market share and kept competition from becoming a monopoly. Earlier this month, Bing became the second most-popular search engine worldwide.

10. Conaco Productions

Kept Conan relevant long after he was yanked off the air. Even after his unfortunate departure from NBC, Conan O'Brien kept his brand red-hot thanks to a squad of 8 full-time Team Coco Digital staffers running his social media like pros.

The millions of views on YouTube, hundreds of thousands of fans on Facebook, and millions of followers on Twitter. To hype his TBS show's November debut, Conan's team also started a 24-hour live webcast of the production, built fan pages on Flickr and Tumblr and launched a bright orange Conan blimp, which spotters could check into on Foursquare.

How Blackboard Helps College Student

When I first started college I had never heard of blackboard or anything related to it. I first heard of blackboard on the first day attending my History 105 course. We were reading the class syllabus and the professor said that our grades and homework assignments would be posted on blackboard. She went on to explain what it was and I thought to myself how it could be very helpful to me and other students who are attending college. Blackboard is a tool that allows faculty to add resources for students to access online. One way blackboard is helpful because it allows the teachers to put up notes and power points that we may need or may have missed out in a class session. I am currently enrolled in Microbiology at the time and before class my professor has all of the power points that we will go over in class this semester. I find this helpful because it gives me the chance to download the power points to my computer so I can actually keep up in class and view the power points from my own computer so I will not have to struggle with my eyes trying them from the back of the class. Blackboard is also helpful because it allows you to view the names of everybody in your class that you may not know. I remember the time when I was stressing because I had missed one of my classes and I did not have the notes from that day. I was aware that the something in those notes was going to be on the final. My room mate told me that I could go to blackboard and find the class role and email all the students in the class and ask them to email me the notes. I was thankful for blackboard at that moment in time. After taking a test, I am very anxious to see my grade. I do not like waiting until the next class sessions just to see what I made in class. A majority of my professors use scan trons which makes it easier and faster to grade which means they can post the grades on blackboard the same day. If I want to know what is going on in a future class session all I have to do is check the announcements which is another useful source on blackboard. I am not the most responsible human being in the world. I lose mostly everything I own. If a teacher hands us a study guide or extra credit project, by the next day I will not know where I put it. This is where Blackboard comes in handy again. I can go to blackboard, click on the course I need this particular study guide or other item and print another one off. Blackboard is a good way of keeping me organized and stress free. The teachers put mostly everything I need on Blackboard and this is helpful because I am more prepared when I go to class and I know what to do when i get there. If blackboard did not exist, I would be one lost soul.

Are you LinkedIn?

By using LinkedIn I have found that I have a better chance at getting hired after college. This site offers different resources in finding and being found for jobs.

A little history about the site

It was started in 2003 and it's hiring solutions were used by 69 of the Fortune 100 companies. Plus all the executives from 2010 Fortune 500 companies are members. LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network on the internet. It is currently available in six languages and more than half of the members are located outside of the United States. The picture below reiterates some of the things I just said and a few other fun statistics.

What you can do on the site

This site lets you create a profile for the business search. It allows you to add where you may have worked before, your résumé, you can even ask for recommendations. The more complete your profile is the better chance you have at being found by companies that you may want to work for.

The best part is you can follow companies that you are interested in. If you are looking for a job you can even specify what position you may be looking for and it'll pull up companies that are offering that position. It also takes you right to the hiring site for that company.

Networking on the site

Networking is the best thing to do now a days with the current technology and the given economy. Once you have joined the site and start looking for friends or colleagues, you can begin networking. The people you follow follow other people who may be able to put in a good word for you down the line (remember those recommendations I mentioned earlier?).
Every time you log in it will tell you how many connections you have and how many new people are in your network.

Why you should join

Just by joining you have a better chance of being found in the job world. You can find jobs or they may find you. When you update your profile, Linkedin shows you jobs you may be interested in. It also lets you decide where you want to look for jobs, whether it is local or half way across the country, you may find something right for you. Also once you join and you find yourself in a company and have questions, you can ask right on there and someone within your realm of work will answer. There are even applications where you can upload powerpoint presentations you may have created for a job before and even a portfolio for your work. This site gives you every opportunity to look for jobs and be seen by top companies through searches.

There's even a mobile app for the site so you can check in even when you're on the go and not near the computer.

By recently joining LinkedIn, my network is growing and I'm finding jobs that peak my interests. So if you want to get a head start on looking for jobs I would definitely suggest checking this site out!

Myspace is Not "My Space"

       Myspace ,created by Tom Anderson, is a social network which was created back in 2003. During  its early years, Myspace gained most of its popularity. I had my first experience with Myspace when I was in the ninth grade. Most of my friends had one and loved it, so I figured I would give it a try. The first time I logged onto my Myspace account I thought it was an awesome website.  It had many features. Never had I been able to customize my profile to look the way I wanted it to. I had my very own space, and I was extremely excited- that is until I realized what Myspace was really all about. I soon began to dislike Myspace and here are my reasons.

1. Myspace is not only your space, but its also everyone else's.
             -  When creating a Myspace profile, you have the choice of making it public or private. When choosing to make it public, everyone is able to view your profile. If you choose to have your profile private, Myspace can be set up to where only your friends can see your profile. For the most part, I don't consider myself a private person, but I think that there is a limit as to who should be involved in my personal life. I feel that I should have a say so in whom my information is available to.

2. Myspace is more of a dating site, rather than a social network.
            -  When I became a member of Myspace, I thought it was a wonderful way to socialize with family and friends. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Several weeks into my experience with Myspace, I began to receive annoying messages from people I did not know. Many of them constantly asked me questions about getting together, or meeting each other. They also made suggestions about exchanging numbers to get to know each other on a personal level. This made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I joined Myspace as a way to socialize, not to find love. I never could understand why this was happening because my profile clearly stated I was in a relationship. Some people will never completely understand that Myspace is simply not for hooking up.

3. Myspace lacks a sense of security. 
               - Basically, Myspace allows anyone to become a member. Members range from 13 years of age and above. Many of these people are not who they appear to be. Older men or women may impose as a teenager who is looking for a friend. The teenagers may be naive and give out personal information, leading to their whereabouts. This reminds me of a time where I was in a similar situation. I was having a conversation with a guy on Myspace who claimed to have been new to the community. He told me how he had no friends, and he felt alone and needed someone to talk to. With me, being the kind-hearted person that I am, I assured him that we could become friends. Little did I know that this person was sending the same messages to the people I went to school with. In the end, it came out that this boy I thought was my friend turned out to be a grown man who was known as a pedophile. Myspace should provide more detailed information before allowing someone to join its website.

Auto-tuning: Is It Really Music?

Music today isn't all it used to be. It seems like every time I turn on the radio music is moving more and more away from real instruments to machines that can make any type of instrumental sound. But the instrumental music isn't the only thing being replaced by computers. Singers have now begun to use a program to correct or modify their voices called auto-tune. This program, in my opinion, gives off a fake sound that does not really sound like music. If you go on iTunes and look at the Top 10 Most Popular Songs, at least half of those songs have had the singers voice used with auto-tune. Does this mean that auto-tune makes these songs more popular? Or do so many new (and old) artists use this program now that it is almost impossible to make a hit or sound different without it?

The auto-tune program was first created to disguise imperfections or small pitch mistakes in a singers tone when he or she sings off-key. Auto-tunes main purpose is to move or bend a singers pitch slightly to the nearest true semitone of the music. There are many artists and producers that like to use auto-tune to dramatically change the voice of the singer, in which case makes the song sound more robotic.

I am a fan of music that you can hear every string on a guitar being strummed, and hearing a real pitch change coming from the singers voice, so my opinion on auto-tune is not a very positive one. I appreciate music in which the artists have true talent, and are not just lucky enough to know someone who can work a computer program. I can see some pros of auto-tune in that it can correct minor pitch mistakes so that the song can me more enjoyable to listen to for the consumer, but having a song entirely with auto-tune can be a little much and takes away from music's artistic side. Using auto-tune too much can take away from the reality of an artists talent, and how well that artist may be able to perform on a live stage. So, is auto-tuning really better for the listener in the sense of a concert atmosphere?

One recent example of how someone can get a hit by using auto-tune is of a recent instant star named Rebecca Black. Her song that is sweeping the world called "Friday" is clearly edited with auto-tune to make her voice seem as though she is a good singer. The fact that someone can become popular with a song like this over someone with true talent has completely blown my mind. And not to put down young Rebecca, but I would rather someone with an amazing singing voice actually have a hit for a change. Below is the link for Rebecca Black's new song, in case someone needs proof of the robotic sound of the voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0

Auto-tune really has changed the way music industries produce and sell music to the public. And for good music's sake I hope auto-tune takes a down fall very soon. When music becomes difficult to distinguish the artists voice from a robot it may be time to re-evaluate that singers ability to sing in a live concert as apposed to a computer controlled studio.

Top 4 Reasons Why I Love the Wii

There are so many great things about the Wii. I think it is possibly one of the best game consuls ever created. I have so many reasons why I love the Wii but I decided to narrow them down to the top four reasons and here they are:

1.Interactive
The one thing that I think everyone loves about the wii is at its extremely interactive. There are a bunch of objects that you can put the Wii remote in to make it seem like you are really playing the game for instance they have a numb chuck that you can attach your remote to make it seem like you are boxing in Wii Sports. There are also games like Just Dance where you just hold the remote and dance. I honestly feel like I’m getting a work out sometimes from the games that I play on the Wii. It’s great!




2.Good Time Waster
I feel like whenever I’m bored I play Wii. It’s the best thing to do when you are bored or need to waste time. My roommates and I have sat and played for hours before. That sounds sad I know but it’s fun! Also if you really have nothing to do one day you can play Wii with friends or by yourself and it’s still really fun!

3.Fun to play with friends
Like I said in my #3 reason, my roommates and I will play for hours! We invite people over and we all have competitions on Mario cart or on the Wii sports, especially baseball. Wii is also definitely something that kind of breaks the ice when maybe you are inviting people over for the first time and you’re not sure what they like to do so you ask them if they want to play the Wii. Four people can also play at one time. Who would turn that down?

4.Really Good Graphics
The Wii has great graphics! The games are very clear and are easy to see. I love how it shows your Wii person doing every single movement that you are making. It makes the player feel like they are really in the game. This is definitely one of the most important things in game consoles. People are definitely very serious about good graphics and good picture for their video games, so I can honestly say that Wii is definitely one of the best game consuls for graphics.

These are my top four reasons as to why I love the Wii! I Know it’s hard to just pick four reasons because there really are so many but I feel like these are definitely the most important and essential things to have in a good game console. If you haven’t played the Wii yet I strongly suggest you do because it honestly is awesome! Once you try it you’ll most likely love it and possibly go out and buy one. I hope you take my advice and have some fun with the Wii!

Play Station Phone

This is the Xperia Play but we are call it the Playstation phone. This is a phone that does everything a phone does and more. You now can take the playstation with you where ever you go. I know that you are saying that is what the PSP is for well now you do not have to put down your phone to play your favorite game. There is no set release date yet but it is coming. I know most gamers are now happy they are like by time they have made a phone where I can play games other than the default games that comes on a phone. Now we can play actually can console games like Halo or even Black Ops. The Playstation phone is a Sony Ericsson. It have the actually controls of a playstation controller. You can go to the Sony Ericsson website and play a 3D demo of the phone. What will this be classified as, a phone or a game system? Maybe both or I guess it will be called according to what part you use the most. We all know what part everyone is wanting more. Do any of us remember the Mini Playstation portable there are different types of PSP's out there. All of them are Playstation Portables. Whats next after the Playstation Phone a Xbox Phone and then maybe every other game system will have a phone. Technology is advancing so fast that we will sooner or later can not live without it at all. Some are already can not live with out there phone or there satellite tvs at home. There is nothing wrong with technology but its making us all lazy. I love technology I like the fact that I have a calculator to do my math and a tv remote that turns the tv for me so I don't have to keep getting up to change the channels. And I did't forget my cell phone that is a must. Before the playstation started doing all this upgrading no one really liked it but now since the graphics have advance and you can do alot more on it, it is now the talk of every conversation.

The price of the Playstation phone is still being debated. It will be sold on Amazon and other websites. Sony Ericsson says the battery will last five hours just like the PSP, and have a resolution of 854x480 pixel. The phone will run on ginmgerbread(Android 3.0). This phone will not have memory stick slot but it will have a MicroSD slot.