Instagram vs. Twitter vs. Facebook

So hopefully, you guys have all heard of the platforms mentioned in the title. If not, get out from under the rock you're living under and smell the coffee.
Instagram, the photo-sharing platform that has gained nearly 100 million users over the past two years has gained respect among the social media giants and has been noticed by its social media competitors.
Twitter is trying to compete with the newcomer by offering a new filter feature for photos, however, this is under much criticism from social media experts. They claim that Twitter's feature is to share creativity through writing, not through images. Instagram has the monopoly on visual art. In the article attached, the writer attacks Twitter for attempting to merge the two. What's your opinion on Twitter trying to emulate Instagram's photo function?

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://mashable.com/2012/11/06/twitter-cannot-ape-instagram/

Nerdy Halloween With a Twist

Halloween is a thrilling time for young kids excited to go Trick-or-Treating, and dress up as witches, ghosts, and pumpkins.
But for teenage girls Halloween is all about, well, dressing down. If anything, young women's costumes are often a form of lingerie. But hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
The stereotype is that nerdy people can't be sexy. So does that exclude nerdy girls too?
Nope.
In the article attached, here are some nerdy, yet revealing costumes. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the provocative costumes girls where on Halloween, I gotta say, as a girl and nerd myself, I'm appreciating The Legend of Zelda outfit!

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://mashable.com/2012/10/22/sexy-video-game-halloween-costumes/

Kids' Perspective on the Presidential Election

Two kids are on the playground fighting over who's better at kickball. "I'm better!" exclaims one. "Nuh uhhh, I'm better!" retorts the other.
Now look at the presidential debates that have been playing the past few weeks.
See a similarity?
President Obama and Senator Romney may be debating over things such as economics and foreign policy, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that it's just a screaming contest of who can prove they're better.
In the link I am posting, there is a video in which kids ages 8-12 explain their reactions to the presidential debates. While some of their responses may seem funny and trivial, think twice about their answers: presidential debates aren't really anything but a fight on the playground.

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://mashable.com/2012/10/22/presidential-debates-kids-react/

Cartoon Network's 20th Anniversary!

As a kid growing up in the late 90's and early 2000's, Cartoon Network, Nickelodean, and Disney Channel were pretty much the only channels that existed. I remember rushing to turn on Cartoon Network to catch my favorite shows like Dexter's Lab, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Ed Edd and Eddy, Johnnie Bravo, and many more. This month marks Cartoon Networks' 20th anniversary, and in order to honor the event the channel has made its own video including many of their classic characters. While the video is very odd, it fits the mood of Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network always had the "weirder" shows of the three children's channels. The video brings back a lot of memories for me. So if you're up to feeling a little nostalgia, click this link and check out the video. Happy 20th Anniversary Cartoon Network!


http://mashable.com/2012/10/03/cartoon-network-20-year-video/

Obama: Social Media Wizard

With less than two months to go before the 2012 Presidential Election, things are getting intense. Time is ticking, and the race keeps raging on. Much of Barack Obama's success can be attributed to social media. An article I found on Mashable.com compares Obama's 2008 campaign with his 2012 campaign, focusing on his team's superb use of social media.
It is amazing how much can change technologically in only four years. In 2008, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter were just getting on their feet. Despite social media's new beginnings, Obama's campaign team jumped right on all the opportunities. Obama joined Twitter in March 2007 and slowly gained nearly 850,000 followers (compared to his opponent, McCain's measly 4,942. They had a Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and even made a website entitled My.Barack.Obama.com.
While all these accomplishments may sound impressive, Obama's 2012 social media campaign blows the 2008 campaign away. Obama has joined Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, Google, Foursquare, and even Pinterest. Obama for President has been created as a mobile app as well. Just as he did McCain in 2008, Obama's social media campaign outshines that of Mitt Romney's.
Quoted from the article, "Were it not for the internet, Obama would not be president."

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://mashable.com/2012/09/23/obama-digitial-comparison/

Social Media Marketing: Candy Corn Oreos and My Facebook News Feed

A few days ago as I mindlessly scrolled through my Facebook news feed, I saw someone post a picture of a thing called "Candy Corn Oreos". Being the Oreo lover that I am, I made a mental note of this limited edition offer and promised to buy it next time I went food shopping.
So imagine my surprise as I was searching through Mashable.com when I found an article entitled "What Makes Candy Corn Oreo a Viral Phenomenon?" The article summarizes how the release of these Oreos was not made from ads, but rather social media. Apparently not a single ad was released on Facebook, Twitter, or anything of the sort. The picture was merely circulated around the internet, and for some reason, people just liked to post the picture of these tasty treats to their Facebook’s and Pinterest accounts.
I can speak from personal experience about these limited time Oreos after viewing a picture of them on my own Facebook news feed, and feeling compelled to try them out. I guess we all fall to the ploy of social media sometimes.


LINK TO THE ARTICLE: http://mashable.com/2012/09/10/candy-corn-oreos-gross/