Trusted Sources Lend Credibility to Online Portals [Study]

February 3, 2012 coms 0

Just as retail stores are often judged by the brand names they stock, online news portals tend to be judged by the sources of the articles they post. According to a new study by researchers at Penn State and published in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, people who access news articles from credible sources through online portals such as Yahoo News or Google News tend to view the portals themselves as more credible.

Facebook App Comparison for Your Smartphone

February 3, 2012 coms 0

A whole host of apps have been spawned to give you Facebook on your phone. Each app offers different levels of access and features. Likewise each application has its own unique quirks and shortcomings. Let’s explore a few of them to better our understanding.

The Technology of Storytelling [Video]

January 23, 2012 coms 0

“The art of storytelling has remained unchanged and for the most part stories are recycled, but the way that humans tell the stories has always evolved with pure consistent novelty,” says iPad storyteller Joe Sabia. From cave walls to books, opera to vaudeville, radio to radio theater, silent films and now 3D movies, we are constantly embracing new technologies that help enhance our stories.

Social Media After Death [Video]

January 22, 2012 coms 0

With over 48 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute, 200 million Tweets posted daily, and an average of 90 pieces of content per user posted to Facebook every day, we are uploading our personalities, our thoughts, and our ideas onto the web, but what happens to these online personas after we die?

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The History of Dating and Communication

November 1, 2011 Elaine Hirsch 0

In the internet-connected world of the 21st century, the courtship rituals of yore have been largely replaced by online dating, social networking, and “hooking up.” Lovers have always relied upon the latest advances in communications technology to facilitate their budding relationships. The perfumed, handwritten letter delivered by personal courier was replaced by the more efficient postal service.

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The Role of Nonverbal Communication in Virtual Environments and Real Life Scenarios [Study]

October 14, 2011 coms 0

Modern technology has made great strides in personal communication, but some of the body gestures that are so critical to full understanding are lost in virtual translation. In a typical face-to-face communication, speakers and listeners both engage in certain body gestures that convey meaning and intent, but many technological advances in virtual communication have failed to account for this. According to research published in the PLoS ONE online journal, this limitation severely dampens the ability to communicate virtually.

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Social Network Analysis and the Dynamics of Web-Based Networking [Study]

September 26, 2011 coms 0

According to social networking researchers, the old saying “birds of a feather flock together” applies even in the vast realm of cyberspace. This is the topic of the recently published research findings of Dr. Cuihua Shen, an assistant professor at University of Texas Dallas. Her findings have been reported in a recent issue of the First Monday publication. Shen examined the community dynamics of users from SourceForge, a massive internet open source community. Shen conducted social network analyses on these users to determine the social motivations within the communities and the shaping of collaborations within these communities.

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The Ramifications of Social Media On Actual Social Interaction

September 18, 2011 coms 0

The adoption of social networking sites has been nothing less than spectacular. While once Google and other search engines reigned as kings, sites such as Facebook and Twitter attract more attention and more hours each day from nearly a billion users. Visits to Facebook and Twitter are at an all-time high. It has been reported that over 1 billion people are using social media sites, with Facebook in the lead.

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The Digital Divide in Online Content Production [Study]

August 1, 2011 coms 0

Despite the ease of access to the internet and social networks, a recent University of California, Berkeley, study has found that most web content is produced by the world wide web’s more affluent users. According to Jen Schradie, the author of the study and a researcher at the university’s Berkeley Center for New Media, most web content is still produced by individuals with higher income and higher levels of education.