The C i r c u i t ™

Theme Your iPod Touch or iPhone

2010-09-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, in my spare time, I've been mixing and matching
different themes for my jail-broken iPod Touch. Using Cydia, and an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client named CyberDuck for Mac, I am able to customize icons, wallpapers, backgrounds, and many other features. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with what all of this means, I've given an explanation of what jail-breaking is and how you can create unique themes for either your iPod Touch or iPhone.

For starters, what exactly is jail-breaking? This is a process that allows you to unlock the operating system of an electronic device, giving you root access to the files within so that you can install various "home-brewed" applications and a plethora of other features that would otherwise be restricted. Many manufacturers, like Apple, use closed systems so that they can maintain the content that a consumer puts on their iPhone or what have you. From a business perspective this is smart and controls the abuse of many electronic devices. However, I personally enjoy a free reign over my product and like to experiment with different applications.

Let it be a warning to you that jail-breaking your device is risky. There is always the rare chance that you can damage the software, rendering your iPod Touch or iPhone "bricked". Your warranty on the device is also voided unless the firmware is restored to the original factory settings. You should know the basics of what jail-breaking does and how it can be done before attempting to experiment on your own iPod. For a complete how to on jail-breaking, you may message me via facebook or contact me at my email address: (Gmail Address).

Some of these screenshots within this post display some of recent theme combinations that I am able to put together using the SSH client, CyberDuck, along with an application for the iPod Touch called Cydia. Visit iPod Touch Fans to watch tutorials and for a more comprehensive look at the benefits of jail-breaking.

Apple's iPad: Redundancy or Genius?

2010-04-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

It is only fitting to write a blog on the new iPad on the day of its release to the public. Described as a "magical" piece of new technology by Apple's one and only Jony Ive (Senior VP of Design), the iPad bridges a gap between consumer electronic products, the gap between a laptop and a PDA or cell phone. However, is it a necessary product? Hear what banker, Jon Byron has to say. “I can do everything on my MacBook Pro, cellphone and BlackBerry,” Mr. Byron said. “I don’t need any more devices. I already have six phone numbers and enough things to plug in at night.” Though this is only one consumer's opinion, it seems to be the thought process for many. This is a first in it's product type launch and as is the case with all first generation gadgets, it will have it's flaws. While it is a neat piece of equipment and very capable, I know that I do not see the immediate need for it.

Brad Stone of the NY Times describes the purpose of tablets as this: "Tablets are intended to allow people to watch video, browse the Web, play video games and read books, magazines and newspapers everywhere they go without the bulky inconveniences of a full-fledged laptop." With this said, I'm sure new uses will be added to this list, just as new uses for the iPhone were invented by a vast amount of developers. Apps will be created and adapted for iPad usage bringing a new multi-touch experience to you.

From the marketing perspective, looking at the iPad from a need/want angle, we will immediately see that this falls into the want category. Wants, which are derived from needs are relative to the consumer. Satisfying needs are more universal and akin to everyone. However, when you look at the iPad, you may ask your self the question, why would I want this if my cell phone and laptop already cover my technology needs? Time will tell us whether this new product will be adopted by mainstream consumers and time will also tell us if this new technology category is here to stay or just a passing fad.

10 Global Flatteners: Based on The World is Flat

2010-02-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

The world is truly a flat place. I don't mean this in a physical sense, but from a globalization perspective. The world has gotten smaller and smaller and smaller over the past century as barriers of communication have been broken down. In the book The World is Flat, written by Thomas L. Friedman (op-ed columnist for NY Times) he reveals ten flatteners that have made this world a more convenient place in terms of communication. Each flattener is listed below along with why it is important. These historical occurrences and unique inventions have made it possible to even share this blog with you.
10) Fall of the Berlin Wall: This fall occurred in 1989 and ended the 28 year separation between East and West Germany. It eliminated the final fence that stood and opened up a world without boundaries. Six months later Windows came out with Windows 3.0 a global computer interface.
9) Netscape IPO: The first internet browser which lead to the creation of the first dot com boom in the mid 1990s and as a result opened up e-commerce to the global market.
8) Workflow Software: This is pretty much the flattener that let computers communicate with other computers without human interaction.
7) Open-sourcing: Friedman said that this was the most disruptive flattener of all. This involved the creation of applications made by multiple programmers and was shared via the internet. Examples are wikis, bulletin boards, blogs. This let people contribute and add their own content.
6) Outsourcing: Companies soon discovered ways to become more efficient by outsourcing their work to other countries at cheaper labor rates.
5) Offshoring: Manufacturing companies chose to locate their plants outside of the country because it was cheaper, but this of course has led to loss of jobs in the domestic country. It was another form of cheaper overseas labor.
4) Supply Chaining: To explain this one I am better off using an example. If I purchase a laptop in California that was distributed to California from Chicago, and was made originally in China, an indicator is formed in the store in California as a -1. Then this info is translated to the Chicago distributor and down the line to the manufacturer in China to produce one more unit or to have the Chicago distributor supply one more laptop unit to the California store. Supply chaining is a form of communication between producers and suppliers to maintain a proper balance of goods.
3) Insourcing: If I have a broken HP laptop, I need to have it fixed. Instead of sending it all the way to HP where an HP technician would fix it, I send it to the FedEx hub and a technician that is trained to fix HP laptops fixes it, saving time. It is basically employees trained to do multiple tasks. Another example is as follows in case the first was confusing: "Suppose an appliance manufacturer is contracted by an automotive manufacture to have their repair technicians trained to fix automobiles in addition to household appliances. It would be like having someone come to your home to fix your refrigerator and then turn around and fix your car." (Wiki -Friedman's Flatteners)
2) In-forming: This is simply the search engine, such as Google. Massive amounts of information can be found here within a few seconds.
1) The Steroids: iPods, mobile phones, instant messaging, VoIP, All analog to digital content, anything that has been digitized and is now easily transmittable via all of the aforementioned technological breakthroughs.(2-10)

For more details and interesting examples, read The World is Flat.

Kiva: Lending to Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

2010-02-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

This is an inspiring website that I would recommend all to visit. Kiva The goal of this website is to connect people throughout the world and hopefully to convince you to loan money to an underprivileged individual or group for entrepreneurial progress. Kiva works with micro-finance companies to ensure that your money reaches its intended target group/individual. Each person that is listed on this site has some kind of small localized business operation, but they do not have the funds to operate it. This is where Kiva comes into play. Kiva places the profile of these people on their site along with how much each individual is hoping to be lent. For example: I lent $25 to a woman in Lebanon this morning who is looking to buy a new sewing machine. The following link is who I have lent to. Neamat from Lebanon Her goal is to reach $1200. She will then have approximately 14 months to pay back my $25 lend. This is a good and direct way to help people in developing countries with their own business dreams. The site shows how much progress is being made for each individual. This is not a scam site, but has been proven to work. My entrepreneurship professor, Dr. Ed Petkus showed me this about 7 months ago. He has lent to some people before and has received his loan payment back. Visit the Kiva link to check out more information on these "loans that change lives." Participate and donate to your individual or group of choice to help their endeavors.

The Future of "Force" in Electronics: A Quantum Mechanics Approach

2010-02-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

The future of certain thin panel devices is in for a leap into quantum physics. Quantum mechanics, while an extremely difficult subject for someone to get their mind around, simply put, is the relationship between energy and matter at the atomic level. Samsung along with some other companies has been researching and licensing a certain material named:quantum tunneling composite. At the structural level this looks like a mace with numerous spikes projecting from it. These tiny nano-particles protrude from a polymer(a bunch of molecules that are bonded together to form a chain). When these balls of composite are pressed and brought nearer to each other, something known as tunneling occurs and an electric current is produced. This is a short summary of the science behind this technology. Let's take a look at how this may apply to certain gadgets. For example, say you are on your touch screen phone surfing on the web and you want to scroll down the site you are on. Instead of clicking an arrow, you would simply apply a certain amount of force or pressure with your finger toward the bottom of the screen and the page will scroll at a speed that is proportionate to how hard you pressed. This quantum technology will be a great breakthrough for the future of touchscreen devices such as cellular phones, gaming devices, and GPS. The more force that is applied to the area the closer the nano-particles underneath the screen touch, causing that tunneling effect to produce a certain amount of electric current. What is good about this new form of technology is that it is really efficient since the electricity is not created until the pressure is applied to the screen. "Electronics are being given the ability to sense something that we take for granted, which is how much we're touching and applying force," said Philip Taysom (Chief Executive @ Peratech) Peratech is the company that produces the composite for the QTC technology.This is a very advanced technological improvement and will be coming to a Samsung electronic device near you. To find out more about quantum mechanics in electronics, check out this article at BBC News.

Quantum Mechanics Article

A Real Find: Blu Dot Experiment

2010-02-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

Read this very interesting Rob Walker article from his Consumed column from the NY Times or watch the video on the Blu Dot experiment found in the second link.
A Real Find
Blu Dot Film

This was of course a subtle yet unsubtle way of promoting a brand and yet it truly is something that each of us will find happening to ourselves. Perhaps not the most comfortable looking chair, but it is aesthetically pleasing and quite expensive at $129. It is no surprise that most of the people attracted to the chair and that also took the chair were some type of design or industrial genre of people. I found it neat that they could track the chairs locations using GPS and Google Maps. The follow up and feedback with each consumer that took the chair was what was really interesting. Consumer behavior and marketing are heavily bonded to psychology and how we make decisions each day, how we form our own type of brand and how brands form us. Blu Dot explored these behaviors on camera and in person. It is also interesting to see how people react to randomly placed chairs on the street corner. It is typical to find usable trash on the sidewalk in NYC, but notice that almost all of the chairs were not placed near trash. This changes the situation for the consumer. If the chair were by trash, the consumer can now take the chair at a quicker rate because they won't feel guilty from taking it since it is in the company of garbage. However, when the chair is left alone, consumers study the situation in more depth and think deeper about whether or not they should take it. It becomes almost awkward for them.

Blu Dot who received this marketing idea from Mono (a marketing agency), saw it as a performance on the street and so they called it a type of "street theater." It is entertainment and to the average consumer, it is not seen as that annoying in your face, bombastic marketing that we all loathe. Marketing products in these types of fashions is going to become more and more pervasive in everyday life. You won't even realize you are part of the street theater operations. But, perhaps the most humorous part of this articles is toward the end when Walker compares marketing to Congress. We don't like Congress in general terms, but we continue to re-elect the same representatives. This is akin to marketing: we don't like the daily intrusions of marketing, unless we are "totally into the chair (or whatever) being marketed." As for your own experiences as a consumer, I recommend reading articles like these, especially Rob Walker's column. He gives a different angle on how we think as consumers and forces you to look at things in a different light. Happy reading!

Victorinox Maverick II Chronograph

2010-02-04T06:58:00.001-08:00

As you may know, I am into watches and precise movement, things of this nature. Received as a gift, this Victorinox Swiss Army watch is by far my favorite compared to the other watches I own. The Swiss got it right on this watch. It has a manly, chunky feel, a certain heaviness, and a sapphire crystal scratch resistant face. The Swiss are known for their movement, while Japanese Quartz movement is more prevalent, the Swiss movement is more exact and can keep perfect time over the course of time. This watch has a rotating bezel and a 30 minute timer that is accurate up to a tenth of a second. I wear it daily, but we will see if it can stand the test of time. Nikudes has done a solid review on this watch on YouTube. You can find out more about it at this link: Maverick II Chrono Video Review
Some watch stores will carry it. There are two versions of it. You can purchase one with a rubber wrist band or the stainless steel metal band. It is priced between $250-$600. Anyone looking for a durably built timepiece can look no further. It has passed my approval and I highly recommend it.

Replacing the 4 Ps of Marketing with the 5 Cs

2010-01-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

One may question the four or five Ps of the marketing mix in past learning. You may ask yourself where the customer is in this marketing mix of old. The four Cs which have replaced and are above pictured in the MBER (Mutually Beneficial Exchange Relationship Model)show the relationship between producer and consumer. Consumer needs replaces product, because in the end it is the consumer that purchases the product to satisfy their need. By stating product we overlook what marketing is really about: the customer. Secondly, it should be intuitively obvious why we replace price with cost. We see price as what someone pays for a product, but cost becomes a more encompassing word, for there are other costs to consider beside monetary ones, i.e. opportunity costs to both the producer and consumer. Moving down the list of Cs, we axe the rather inferior P word, placement, and nominate convenience to take its place. I can only look at the computer I am typing on now and see a simple justification for why convenience is a far more appropriate word compared to old fashioned: placement. The day is rapidly approaching where a place will no longer be needed to buy a product. The internet is a huge convenience tool for any customer and gives many more options to fulfill their insatiable needs. Buying such and such at a physical location is becoming more and more a thing of the past. Finally, in our endeavor to explain why the Cs are superior to the Ps of the marketing mix, we present communication. The promotions of the days of yore show only a one way road of advertising to customers. However, in this there is lacking feedback from the consumer and two way communication is neglected. For producers to better satisfy the needs of the consumer, it is of utmost importance to have a meaningful two-way relationship with one another. Information interaction between these two parties will better help contribute to the end goal of establishing competitive advantages. Consumers are supplied with products and the producers establish a competitive advantage and this cycle continues. The true end goal of LOVE is accomplished.
This modified MBER model shows the producers producing a product on the left to meet the consumer need of the customer on the right. This is the customer’s benefit. But, when societal marketing is implemented, products are made for two-fold reasons. Not only are the customers important here, but the long term benefits to society as a whole and individuals are taken into account. This includes reusable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly products. This further helps the producer establish a competitive advantage through differentiation and shows the consumer consideration and care in the fulfillment of satisfying needs. This, my reader, is the new marketing mix of the MBER model and is a cycle that needs to be more realized by companies and organizations today.

Entrepreneurship Process: Soloshot

2010-01-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

Read the following articles on the BD Soloshot (auto disposable, single use syringe)Soloshot Article
My write up involves application to the five steps of the social entrepreneurship process pertaining to the Soloshot syringe.

An entrepreneur will firstly be able to recognize an underlying issue to help envision a solution for the problem at hand. The social problem identified is a serious one, for it concerns the health of the human population. Every year there are about 12 billion injections given. In the underdeveloped countries 50% of them are considered unsafe. In these countries, needle reuse is a large problem and leads to increase risk of communicable disease, arising from the transfer of blood borne pathogens via repetitive use of the same syringe.

Moving onto the concept development, an entrepreneur will identify great social rewards in attempts to abrogate or at least lessen the spread of disease. The social reward will be: much healthier generations for the future in these developing countries, which may in turn prove to assist economic growth because there will be a greater number of able people to engage in productive activity to support infrastructure. This leads to a new product idea: the SoloShot. This product is an auto-disposable, one-time use syringe and the primary target markets are developing countries.

Next, we take a look into the resource determination. To produce such a life saving product, there needs to be financial requirements and also human resources. Resources for this product will include the WHO(World Health Organization) and also the Expanded Programme of Immunization. These organizations gather information and have sufficient data on which parts of developing countries are most affected by disease transfer. PATH will need to align a company for mass production of the auto syringe. Path, since they are a non-profit organization, needs to help other companies produce similar syringes to help promotion of competition to lower prices of the product itself. After all, the goal of the social entrepreneur firstly is to benefit society. The financial result is secondary and as Joseph Schumpeter said, is “a symptom of victory.” As far as start-up costs are concerned, PATH needs to receive donations, or take out a bank loan for its new product endeavors. Perhaps they can receive money from the sale of the product idea to other manufacturers. Along with the prior mentioned resources, needed are human logistics for the physical delivery and demonstration of this SoloShot product in developing countries.

The time has now come to plan the launch and expand. PATH will have to strategically launch the SoloShot in a country with a high concentration of disease transfers via syringe. Once launched in this one location, the product will need to be measured for progress. The WHO can then monitor the % of disease spread after the SoloShot has been implemented to examine whether or not there is improvement in the developing country. If successful, the SoloShot can be marketed to the other needy countries.

The setting of goals can inspire further innovativeness in other healthcare products. PATH should start by using numerical goals. I.e. Issue two million SoloShot immunizations by such and such a date. In addition, there needs to be a proper flow of supply and distribution of the SoloShot. This is a product that can be successful, but should be continuously spread not only to developing countries, but it can find new application in developed countries in hospitals. One goal could be to have new nursing students use the syringes in clinical settings during their education. This will be safer for inexperienced students. These opportunities are most vital to the health of an ever growing, over populated world where disease spread rates are extremely high. Hopefully the future is bright for health care innovation.

Review on Bose Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speakers

2009-12-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

I just received these a few days ago as gift from my girlfriend and I am quite impressed by the sound offered by these speakers. One of the first features you will notice are the angle of the speakers. They sit on a backwards slant with the front aimed at your ear, giving you a much more focused sound. When played at the right volume (not blasting loud) they sound very nice with a good base built in. If you turn them up too high, the base muffles the sound quality and the speakers give a static noise. The speakers are durably built, Bose quality and have a solid feel. Another great feature are the inputs. There are dual input for these speakers so you can hook them up to multiple sources. They go for around $99 and are surely worth it.

Review on Web of Trust Mozilla Firefox Add-on

2009-12-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

If you are a Mozilla Firefox web browser user, this is one of those add-ons that is a must. With nearly eight million downloads, it is a quick and easy way to protect yourself from visiting potentially threatening sites. Web of Trust
The add-on rates each site you go to on four specific categories:trustworthiness, vendor reliability, privacy, and child safety. The icon will be located in the navigation toolbar and will show these categories with an overall safety rating. This is a good way to steer your way clear of any unsafe sites or sites that may plant malware onto your computer. Another neat feature involves Google. When you navigate to Google to make a search, you can type in your search and all of the results will now show you the WOT rating of the linked site. The following depiction gives a better feel for what it does.
Use this add-on for Firefox and it will bring more peace of mind to you while traveling through sites. With all of the malware/spyware out there today, this app could potentially save you from stumbling into a PC threatening virus.

Review for StarDock Object Dock Desktop

2009-12-24T09:22:00.001-08:00

Today's youth consumer does not like the conformist lifestyle, even when it comes to their own desktops on their PCs. Though I am typically a Mac guy, I have been operating on a PC for the past year or so because my older iBook died. I, like many PC users do not enjoy the native user interface that comes with all laptops and desktops. I have used various programs such as Rocket Dock to create a menu bar that is similar to Apple's Dock. The software I have found most intuitive and easy to use is StarDock's ObjectDock Plus. You can download a free version or upgrade to a more featured Plus version. Stardock Object Dock This software allows you to place all of your icons into an easy to use dock tray that can be located on the top, bottom, left, or right of the screen. There are many ways to customize it and load different types of widgets. It is a creative, organized alternative to the regular old generic desktop interface. The icons can be interchanged and moved. Folder docks can be added to organize your many documents. There are many appearance and function options available with this software and I have found it to be fun. It gets rid of the clutter and makes using a PC a more enjoyable experience. Try the free version out and see what you think.

Review on Bose Triport Headphones

2009-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

I had purchased these headphones about two years ago. Surprisingly, they have held up quite well. Many other reviews pan these headphones, claiming that they break and are not of durable quality. However, I have found them to wear well. One con to this set is that the cord that comes with it is about six feet long. As far as fidelity is concerned, I'd say the sound is slightly above average. The $139 price tag is a little overpriced compared with what the competition has to offer. Highs are very good, but if there is too much low end bass in the genre of music you listen to, the headphones may be a disappointment to you. I listen to classical music and symphonies, so they are perfect for those of you who like a lighter type of music. I recommend them if you can find a discount on them somewhere. For further information on this product you can visit the Bose website at the following link: Triport Headphones

CuraSight Contacts Survey (New Products Development)

2009-12-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is a survey that I have composed last April using Qualtrics web based software. Please visit the following link to take this quick one minute survey about a new product concept that I have invented: CuraSight Contacts- vision correcting contacts. Thank you.Qualtrics Survey