Week 4 EOC: There's An App for That?!?!

There are so many applications out there today that are accessible and helpful. "If you want to see your app come together using a slick web interface, give AppMakr a try. You'll get incredibly far without having to spend a dime. Paid options allow for advanced customization and in-depth support." http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-build-an-iphone-app-2011-2#appmakr-lets-you-lay-out-your-app-visually-1 This article states how easy and inexpensive it is to build your own app. I would think that with an app like that one you could create just about any app you want or need.


I was wondering why there wasn't an app for women to find their perfect foundation color. It seems simple enough to me.
1. Take a close up picture of the inside of your wrist
2. Submit wrist photo
3. Result will come back showing what makeup you need to get to match your skin tone

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

There are many examples of great companies that give back to communities or help others. There are 3 companies that I agree with their causes and I support them fully: Sseko Designs, No one Without, and Common Threadz. I think these ones are unique and have a brilliant idea to make a difference in today’s world.

Sseko Designs helps women from the country of Uganda raise funds for their university education. These women are given a job to sell, make, and market the sandals for Sseko. This company was founded because there is a lack for these women. In Uganda, you have 9 months to raise all of your money for your university education. With men being the predominate recipients of funds for college and the lack of women even furthering their educations and going to university, Sseko stepped in to make dreams come true. Their story says it all: “Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war.”  Sseko Designs

“"With every product sold a life is changed. Make your choice, share your voice". No One Without is a "FOR PURPOSE COMPANY" who is devoted to freeing those from the chains that bind them. Wherever, whomever, whatever the need may be, N.O.W. is on a mission to help.” No one Without Wouldn’t you love to be involved with a company that has this as their mission statement? This company uses the sales of their products to benefit the non-profit partner the purchaser would like. N.O.W. donates 20% of each sale to the benefit you would like. With this you can help a cause more.

The last company I choose has a very different approach. They help children in developing nations to reach their full potential while using local grass roots community organizations. Common Threadz They sell T-Shirts that are created by artists, orphans, and celebrities. They also have bracelets and shoes for sale. Common Threadz is a very unique company that I enjoy purchasing from and knowing that each thing I buy is directly benefiting a child in need.

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

“Generations, like people, have personalities, and Millennials – the American teens and twenty-something’s who are making the passage into adulthood at the start of a new millennium – have begun to forge theirs: confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.” Pew Social Trends

The above definition applies to me in many ways. I have often been told that I am overly confident (something I never thought of as a bad thing), too upbeat and “sunshine-y”, and always ready to express myself or my feelings. This generation that I was born into has helped shape me into the person I have become. I don’t think that it is such a bad thing that the generation that is coming up is confident. As a whole, I am not sure if that is why we are also seen as arrogant and often misunderstood. I have found that I am often thought to be snobbish or mean when in reality I am confident.

“Millennials are on course to become the most educated generation in American history, a trend driven largely by the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy, but most likely accelerated in recent years by the millions of 20-somethings enrolling in graduate schools, colleges or community colleges in part because they can’t find a job. Among 18 to 24 year olds a record share – 39.6% – was enrolled in college as of 2008, according to census data.” Pew Social Trends

I find the assumption that my generation will be the most educated very interesting. I know that most of my family has a degree of something or the other. I am currently in college and love being here. I know that without a degree I have a smaller chance of landing my dream job. Most of my friends have either already gone to college or are currently enrolled as well. With the way that society has progressed and with the recent economic downturn, I think that these 2 factors alone have caused my generation to have to be (without a choice) more educated and thus spend money that we would rather save on our overpriced educations. I am happy that I have chosen to go to college and further and better myself, but I really didn’t feel that I had a choice.

“In the United States today, married couples with children make up only 23 percent of the nation’s 116 million households; married couples without children make up 29 percent; and single parents comprise another 16 percent. A full 32 percent are nonfamily households—single live-alones or adult live-togethers of one or both sexes.” Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed.

I am a 32 year old, unmarried, with no children woman. I am a rarity. Or so I thought. The highest percent of my generation are nonfamily households just like me, being at 32 percent.  Why have I been told my whole life that I am so different than everyone else? Why have I been made to feel like an outsider or an oddity when in reality I fit the definition of my generation to a ‘t’.  I could be the poster child for the Millennials.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

We have come a long way from the first gaming system created back in 1967 by the Germans to the latest Nintendo or Sony console. As a culture of gamers has emerged, we have had to keep leaps and bounds ahead of what they expect and what they want. With the history starting back in 1967 and continuing with a new console almost every five years, we have gone above and beyond what I am sure Ralph Baer every expected.  The first mass marketed console was the Magnavox Odyssey console. “The system is marketed to Magnavox TV dealerships beginning in 1972 and uses six cartridges to play up to twelve games featuring dots and lines on the screen.” A History of Video Game Consoles

When Nintendo presented it’s first hand held gaming device, The Game Boy, in 1989, they had a huge smash hit. It was four colors of gray and has been the most successful of all gaming systems sold by Nintendo. The fact that in a short twenty years we went from a huge box with up to twelve games to a hand held, on the go gaming system with the ability to play many games is phenomenal and points to how inventive our society is. Game Boy was able to play with 4 ‘AA’ batteries and a 2.6” screen. This was originally put up against the Sega Game Gear and the Atari Lynx, both with bigger screens and better quality. “The second part of the puzzle was simplicity. The Game Boy could be picked up by a six year old or a sixty year old and its five front panel controls were easily understood - a d-pad, A and B buttons and smaller Select and Start buttons.” Retro Thing

 With all of this said, the future of gaming is without limits. Unfortunately, it looks like the future of consoles is. “Zeschuk, whose company has created major console hits like Mass Effect 2, said that going forward, the video game industry won't rely so heavily on the console market. In fact, he believes consoles could be a relic of the past as more players turn to portable devices to get their game on. "The future isn't necessarily on console," Zeschuk said at the Develop Conference, an event for European game developers. "That's the past. It's going to be a strong thing going forward, but the future is in all of these new businesses that are starting up."” Developer: Game consoles aren't the future The more you look at where technology is taking us, it is to our handheld devices with applications that can be purchased to be played right on it. I know that I have heard of Netflix now selling video games for purchase that you don’t need to have a gaming console to play. I love my Nintendo Wii and don’t think I am ready to give it up. After all, I do need that to have my streaming Netflix.

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

The other day I had a rather surreal experience. I was apartment shopping with my boyfriend and we found a great deal online for an apartment in a fabulous location. We went to Verona Apartments by Ovation Properties and inquired about an apartment we found online for $750 a month. You can imagine our surprise as this is $100 less than they normally offer these apartments. When we entered the rental office we were greeted by Liza who was friendly and informative. Once I explained why we were there, she frowned and informed us that this was a typo on their part. I asked what they could do to make it right, and she informed me that unfortunately, in the small print on the website it states that all prices are subject to change. As we left that day feeling defeated I decided to take it one step further and go above her head. I emailed the Ovation Management Properties and let them know how disappointed I was in their product and that I had expected better service from such a reliable company. In less than 2 hours I had a response back with an apology and a credit. The manager was so upset that we had received a horrible experience that she asked us to come back in the next day. When we returned the following day, we were offered a roomier apartment for less money and given a gift card!!! I am so thrilled with Ovation Properties that I would suggest them to anyone.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

Hi, my name is Kat. I am a lover of sound. I have always had a desire to work in live productions. I started at a young age running the sound board at my church. I have continued my passion throughout my life. I can be found behind the sound board at my local church. I love the challenges that are presented when you mix music live and on the fly. I have a huge respect for artists and their way of expressing themselves. I view what I do behind the scenes as being an instrument in itself. I have worked in many productions both front of house and back of house. I show both passion and respect for the artists I get to work with. I enjoy what I am currently doing and am always ready for the next opportunity that comes my way. When you are in a live situation with a band on stage and you have to make them sound amazing even with technical difficulties, the butterfly wings and the adrenaline get pumping and continue throughout the performance to carry you to the end.  I am a passionate, dedicated individual that is looking forward to impacting the industry around me in more ways than I already have. With desire, drive, dedication, and warmth I know that I can make the difference I want to see and that I can have music lovers exclaiming they want more.