Apple Under Pressure

Apple is in a unique situation that we are not accustomed to seeing them in. The competition in the mobile phone sector has grown fierce and fast. Apple finds themselves in a situation where investors have heavier than usual expectations for their next line of hardware and software. It is difficult to bet against the company that has been so innovative over the past decade yet they have high standards to live up to with the numerous impressive Android handsets.

I am an Apple fan boy to say the least, but lately it is becoming harder to stay excited about my iPhone 5. HTC, Samsung and numerous other companies have developed extremely sexy and advanced products. I am cheering for Apple to answer these companies with not hardware, we already have the best hardware, but software. The iOS that we use today is basically the same as it was when the iPhone first entered the market plus a few major feature upgrades. The appearance of the software is the exact same. This lack of visual change makes it easy for other companies to show off their flashy new Android overlay software and draw converts from the Apple family.

There are a few changes that are rumored which could give the investors exactly what they are looking for. Apple wants to be the best “wallet” solution for each individual. The goal would be the iPhone being the only thing a person would need to purchase products wherever they are. Security has always been the main threat to mobile phones replacing wallets. We could see Apple come out with a biometric security system in their next iteration of the iPhone, which would answer the security questions.

The second major update would be to the software. Rumors have it that iOS 7 will feature a “flatter” interface. The skeuomorphism, that is when digital items on a screen resemble how they look in real life, will be eliminated. One example of this is the leather calendar with the visible page tears from past months. Digital items are not the same as the real life equivalent so why must they look the same? This has long been a criticism of Apple’s appearance. A major change to eliminate skeuomorphism will give Apple a large boost from their customers.

These two changes would be great for Apple but nobody truly knows what they are going to do until after the stunning keynote presentation. We will all wait in anxious excitement for WWDC in June. Investors and fans alike hope for Apple to announce a slew of new feature that bring back the Job’s era “wow factor.”

Learning to learn at Creighton

Years from now I will look back at my college years and have a deep appreciation for what Creighton has done for me. The time I have spent has been fulfilling on many different levels. Creighton has taught me how to learn. They have given me the drive to continually seek new information. Never letting ones self become complacent with the knowledge they have is a major theme I found in most of my college courses.

I may not remember long algebraic formulas or the political structure of the European countries but what I do know is how to learn. I have the ability to find information I am seeking, digest it, and reiterate it in a cohesive and concise manner. These are all skills that I had coming into college but they increased dramatically over the last four years. This is not to say that I did not learn tangible information, because I have done that as well. I am just voicing what I feel is the most important lesson learned while at Creighton.

The yearning for new knowledge is the second major theme that every professor seemed to ingrain in our minds from day one. Many of the courses encouraged self-exploration of areas we found interesting. We are encouraged to always want to go above and beyond what others expect from us. The learning for us as seniors does not end on the day we hand in our final exam. We have just gained the base knowledge we need to succeed in our careers and gained the ability to continue seeking information.

It can be difficult to see past the college bubble and understand when and where we are going to use all of the information that we have learned. Yet it should excite us that we are just now embarking on a journey that is not yet traveled. Each of us is going to experience different circumstances in the coming years. We should welcome them with open arms because we have been given the rock solid foundation needed to succeed.

Self-taught Social Media Strategy

Social media can be a feared topic by companies all across the world. In this media driven society companies are expected to have some sort of social media. Not only are they expected to have it but they are also expected to use it effectively. Unlike most people I have the privilege of taking a college course devoted to learning the ins and outs of the trade. However, most managers who run the company social media sites have had no formal class and must learn it as they go.

Our class got to hear from the social media director at the Nebraska Humane Society. What struck me about her talk was that she learned everything on the job and most of it came from playing around with different sites. It was intriguing to hear about here development of the Facebook site. Throughout the time she has been at the company she has learned how Facebook’s ranking algorithms work so that her posts can appear to as many eyes as possible. She has a set plan on when she posts and what she post so that all content gets a large audience.

Everything the director learned was self-taught. I feel that this is important for students to know as they graduate from college. The learning does not stop when we walk across the stage at graduation. We are entering into a world where knowledge is ever changing and we have instant access to that knowledge. It is our responsibility to keep expanding our skills and stay up to date on our knowledge base. This will be even more important for those wanting jobs in social media due to the fact that new social sites are coming and going every day.