Social Media Beginning to Mature

Now that many organizations have worked out the first set of kinks in adopting social media, they are on the cusp of a new wave of usage. The prime objective of social media is to improve customer relations and thus gain more revenue. But companies are only just getting used to the idea of including social media in their roster. They are only beginning to think seriously about how to make effective use of it for their business. This article sets out some thoughts on what is coming in social media usage in 2012.

Here Comes So.cl

Microsoft has launched a new product -a combination of search and social networking that has a lot of potential, At present it is aimed at students who must carry out learning projects and wish to do so along with their friends, which is the most common way for them to work. But So.cl has a lot of potential beyond that. Remember, Facebook was initially directed to students too.

In the words of the So.cl website,

"So.cl (pronounced "social") is an experimental research project, developed by Microsoft’s FUSE Labs, focused on exploring the possibilities of social search for the purpose of learning.

• So.cl combines social networking and search, to help people find and share interesting web pages in the way students do when they work together.
• So.cl helps you create rich posts, by assembling montages of visual web content.
• To encourage interaction and collaboration, So.cl provides rich media sharing, and real time sharing of videos via "video parties."

We expect students to continue using products such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other existing social networks, as well as Bing, Google and other search tools. We hope to encourage students to re-imagine how our everyday communication and learning tools can be improved, by researching, learning and sharing in their everyday lives."

Many people will benefit from collaborative research, including those in business and those who simply wish to keep in touch with friends having similar interests. It might even add some substance to the exchanges typically found on social networking sites. For an article on the topic, check this link. And for Microsoft's site, check this link.
              

E-COMMERCE (Online) January 23 – April 13, 2012 An interactive learning experience in which the course participant chooses and develops an online business. E-Commerce is defined as the use of the Internet to sell goods and services. This 12 week online course should be of interest to individuals who wish to start their own online business or wish to make an existing online business more profitable. Participants who are seeking employment in the online business field will find the course to be a valuable asset. Anyone who is interested in simply gaining a better understanding of e-commerce and how it works will find the course very informative. Tuition Fee is $500 + HST For more information contact: StFX Continuing & Distance Education (902) 867-2372 or 1-877-867-3906 www.stfx.ca/academic/continuinged

The Cloud and Mobility in Smaller Business

A recent survey by PWC revealed that smaller companies are placing emphasis on such technologies as social media and mobile computing. Both are rapidly becoming critical to effective business operations.

The study also found that they are particularly interested in cloud computing because it makes possible investing in advanced data management solutions such as ERP, which so far have been too big and complicated for many organizations. In the cloud, they can be obtained on a rental basis, which makes them financially viable. For more on this insightful survey, go to this link.

Understanding the Cloud

We are deluged with cloud computing these days. Nearly every information technology (IT)-focused magazine article, blog, analyst report or service provider’s website you read, or conference, webinar or podcast in which you participate, makes its potential benefits abundantly clear. But the different delivery models, types of clouds, and actually putting cloud computing into action are, to many, closer to a fog than an actual cloud as their efforts appear stalled on the ground.

This paper will define the basic benefits of cloud computing, discuss the different delivery models, and provide key steps to consider before putting cloud computing into action.

Read Cutting through the Fog: What You Should Know About Cloud Computing and How to Get Started