Michelle A. Seidman

Whats the point of 3G?

“In an effort to standardize future digital wireless communications and make global roaming with a single handset possible, the ITU established a single standard for wireless networks in 1999. Called IMT-2000, which is commonly referred to today as 3G, the initiative set forth the requirements (mentioned above) for the third generation of wireless networks” (3gtoday). 3G stands for the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology. The standards for 3G are “UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) is the 3G standard chosen by most GSM/GPRS wireless network operators wanting to evolve their systems to 3G network technology” (3gtoday). However, CDMA2000 and WCSMA are the most dominant standards for current commercial services. “Launched commercially by wireless operators in 2000, CDMA2000 1X was the world’s first operational 3G technology, capable of transmitting data faster than most dial-up services. Today, more than 285 million people enjoy the benefits of CDMA2000 1X, which provides enhanced data capacity compared to all 2G technologies” (3gtoday).

Wireless carriers are utilizing 3G networks to offer advanced applications such as high speed mobile data and streaming media. Also, 3G has enhanced multimedia capabilities tremendously. In urban areas where 3G has been implemented, there have been greater numbers of users in voice and data. This creates higher data rates at a lower cost than 2G. “The implementation of 3G networks led to the launch of new devices, such as smartphones and PC Cards that support a wide variety of access methods and applications. Operators have been quick to create applications based on multiple platforms, including the open Java standard and QUALCOMM's BREW platform” (Beamen).

In October 2001, 3G was implemented in Japan. It was a very difficult to launch this generation, but it has proven successful. In March 2003, 3G technologies were established in the UK and Italy. At this point in time, 3G phones are just starting to take off on their own. But it has been changing rapidly as the days go on. “While 3G is going to enable telephones to also become Internet computers, video phones and television receivers, its maturity phase will find it competing with wireless VoIP telephone services on Wi-Fi, WiMax, WiTV and the new wireless mobile standard 802.20, which doesn't seem to have a catchy name yet. The slug-fest between analog wireline phone service and wired VoIP seems likely to be continued on the wireless front” (Shepler).

More Information on 3G!

Posted by Michelle Seidman at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Who is Meg Whitman?

It all began when Margaret C. "Meg" Whitman was born on August 4, 1956. She grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. Meg earned a Bachelor of Economics from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. After she graduated in 1979, she received her first job at Procter and Gamble. She worked at Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati until 1981 pursuing brand management. She then obtained another job with a consulting firm called, Brain and Company. She worked her way up and eventually became Vice President during her 8 years there.

After that she then moved onto the Walt Disney Company and became the Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Disney Consumer Products Division. She was there from 1989 to 1992. But Meg’s adventures didn’t stop there. In 1992 she became the President of the Stride Rite Corporation’s Stride Rite Children’s Division. She was responsible for the launch of the highly successful Munchkin baby shoe line. Also, she repositioned the Stride Rite brand and the retail stores. Meg then held the position of the Executive Vice President for the Keds Division and also the Corporate Vice President for strategic planning.

Prior to eBay, Meg was general manager of Hasbro Inc.'s Preschool Division, responsible for global management and marketing of two of the world's best-known children's brands, Playskool and Mr. Potato Head. She oversaw the reorganization of the Preschool Division during her tenure. Then when she least expected it, she received an offer from eBay in March 1998. She took the position and has been there succeeding ever since.

Currently Meg Whitman is on the Board of Directors of Procter and Gamble and DreamWorks Animation. She is 51 years old and still the current President and CEO of eBay. She is worth 1.3 billion and she made her fortune all by herself. She is married and has two children. Also, she has recently donated $30 million to Princeton University to build Whitman College. “Whitman is a member of the University's executive and finance committees and head of the Princeton Women in Leadership Initiative” (Princeton). She has also donated to many political candidates, both Republican and Democratic.

Meg Whitman is an inspiring woman. Not only is she one of the top richest females in the world, and also Jewish. She has worked her way up to the top and made a name for herself. As for myself, I hope I can make it to the top one day just like Meg. Time States that Meg Whitman has set the standard for a new kind of CEO. Meg has created eBay into a fun company in the social discovery space. One of the lessons learned, is that you have to “you have to evolve your organization. You have to have the right people, in the right job, at the right time” (BusinessWeek). Hearing her say this finally makes me understand why Dr. Steele made us read the book, Good to Great. The same values are mentioned in that book, and it seems that after hearing this interview, Meg Whitman read this book as well.
BusinessWeek

Posted by Michelle Seidman at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Information Renaissance Blog

http://www.info-ren.org/

As I continued my search for the meaning on the information renaissance, I happened to find a website about a company that has been created to promote the use of the internet to empower citizens to participate more fully in the functioning of the democratic state. This company is called Information Renaissance and it is a nonprofit corporation. It was created in January of 1996. This company’s goal is to provide a focus for public sector networking among the many groups that were collaborating on networking efforts in the Pittsburg area at the completion of the Bridging the Urban Landscape and Common Knowledge. (info-ren)

As my other blog states, I have defined Information Renaissance as the rebirth of information. This company is not exactly what I was looking for, but it still is important to see how other people define this issue. The company’s goals however, try to inform the audience that making use of the internet and to make networking technologies more available, helps broaden the community.

I feel that my definition of Information Renaissance still remains the same. It will stand for now, as the rebirth of information. It is an explosion of technology and information in the world today. Since information is rapidly increasing and the technology is ever-changing, it has become more important today to work for a company that is constantly developing and keeping up with the changes of technology. Innovation is the key to success. As we learn in the CICS program, innovation is where the world is at right now. Everyone in the technology field is racing to be the most innovative.

Posted by Michelle Seidman at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I continued my search to find out exactly what the European Renaissance was, I happened to stumble upon an article about the Fashion in the European Renaissance.

European Renaissance
http://www.realarmorofgod.com/renaissance-fashion.html

As I continued my search to find out exactly what the European Renaissance was, I happened to stumble upon an article about the Fashion in the European Renaissance. Being a pretty in style girl myself, I decided to read the article. I found it extremely interesting! The article discusses how the fashion came from both Italian and Germanic designers. In the Renaissance, the popular fashion styles ranged from wide, to barrel-shaped and square fashions. It was very interesting to find out that “Clothing then, as now, was a “status” symbol. However, it was an even bigger status symbol during the renaissance” (realarmorofgod.com). If you were wealthy back then, fashion and clothing was a priority. The wealthy literally wore their wealth on them. The richer you were, the more expensive fabrics were used in your clothing. These fabrics ranged from silk, brocade, velvet, and cotton (which was very expensive back then).

Pawning clothing was also popular. If times got rough, people would pawn clothing, because this would retain value and had significant societal importance. Even kings and queens would pawn their clothing.

During the European Renaissance, it was “typical of many cultures, the ruling class often drove Renaissance fashion trends because they were the only ones who could afford the designers prices” (realarmorofgod.com). The commoners or the lower class invented the technique of ‘slashing’.

Consequently, the royals were in control of the fashion. They would restrict luxuries from the lower class. They would pass laws on certain colors that the commoners could only wear. This is where the ‘slashing’ technique was invented. The commoners would layer clothing and slash shapes into their clothing so the other colors would show through. This was a great thing they did. I can just imagine how upset this made the royals.

Posted by Michelle Seidman at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Value of China Inc.

The book, China Inc. by Ted Fishman is about the overall effects that China has on the world. These effects, as explained in the book are great and explosive. Even the economy in China is growing rapidly. “China is the world’s factory floor and it’s the world’s greatest market opportunity” (Fishman, pg 9). Fishman goes on to explain how China works and he discusses that China might take opportunities from the developing world, but at the same time its hungry economy pulls poorer countries upward. The value of this book is the experience of reading about a country that was once at the bottom and is now at the top and is growing three times faster than the United States. This book also gives the reader a “play by play” with all the details of what is really happening in China so that the world (or just the people who read this book) can know the real truth, and not the media’s version of the truth.

As Ted Fishman takes us through China, I really was able to see how the county was in such poverty and shambles when it was being run by Communists. It’s overwhelming to me how this one county could pull itself up so fast and in Fishman’s words, climb the technological latter and become the worlds largest maker of consumer electronics. It only took 30 years to transform China into a market superpower. Now, China is producing some of the greatest experts in biotech and computer manufacturing as well as moving into industrialization very quickly. Also, he explains the cities so vividly and how they went up so quickly but fell just as fast with drugs and money.

“The urgent privatization of roads and other infrastructure utilities reveals another key to understanding why China is growing so fast. The government has unlocked the value of the land it owns beneath everyone’s feet. Every newly developed block in Chinese cities takes shape in part because the land under it gains a price from the government- or a connected official” (Fishman, pg 122). Consequently, China’s rise means that the world will need to get used to a different type of economic superpower. A superpower that has huge numbers of people poorer than those living in countries that china has surpassed in its uprising. The only thing holding China back from being at the top with the U.S. economy is the per capita income. If it doubled, that would then increase the standard of living in China to two and a half times that of the U.S. The Chinese government through all of this expansion has declared that it is only interested in a “peaceful rise”. Personally, I think that is wonderful and in these days, the world could try to be more like this and not so unbelievably competitive.

http://www.amazon.com/China-Inc-Superpower-Challenges-America/dp/0743257529

Posted by Michelle Seidman at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)