Google and Yet Another Privacy Concern

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-11/google-social-search/52506216/1

Summary:

These days one can learn about anything simply by “Googling” it.  Suppose, for example, at lunch one day, a colleague references “critical paths”.  A quick Google search will tell you that a critical path is the optimal sequence of project activities.

But what if a Google search for “critical path” yielded links to posts by members of your Google+ network?  Would you be surprised if one of your Google+ contact’s rant about how confused he (not mentioning names!) was reading about critical paths for his upcoming MBA project management class on Saturday was one of the top hits on your search?

Earlier this year Google launched a personalized search feature that includes photos, comments and news posted by a user’s Google+ contacts.  Google claims that it is trying to “make searches deeper and more personalized” for its users.  However, the search changes have not come without controversy.  As one might suspect, privacy concerns are at the height of the uproar.

Analysis:

Are there any privacy issues that arise from this type of enhancement?  The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in Washington, D. C. believes so.  The Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest research center that works to protect privacy, the First Amendment and other constitutional values1, has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.  In the letter, the EPIC writes “Google’s business practices raise concerns related to both competition and the implementation of the Commission’s consent order” 2.  This is a reference to the March 2011 settlement between the FTC and Google that required Google to “implement a comprehensive privacy program, and calls for regular, independent privacy audits for the next 20 years”. 3

Is this yet another example of Google getting right up to the creepy line but not crossing it?A quick “Bing” search yields several hits on examples in which Google has invaded individuals’ privacy.  Take, for example, the 2010 instance where it was discovered that Google field analysts were gathering personal and commercial data while accessing individuals’ and businesses’ unprotected Wi-Fi networks. 5 Initially Google said that it was obtaining Wi-Fi location information for Google Map’s “My Location” cell phone feature.  But later it was discovered that Google had obtained some 600 million gigabytes of personal and commercial data.  Google faced international backlash when a federal agency in Germany insisted that Google begin to disclose such practices as well as disclose the information that it has obtained.  And Ireland requested that all information that Google obtained in its country be destroyed (which Google obliged to).  The US, on the contrary, does not have a federal agency that regulates Internet privacy.

However, what expectations of privacy can one expect on the Internet?  The rate at which technology rapidly and exponentially progresses is difficult for the law and regulators to keep up with.  I believe that having an account with a social network comes with certain responsibilities.  As an individual, I am accountable for the photos and comments that I post, and I am accountable for maintaining the privacy settings of my account (given they are offered).  However, if the social network owns a search engine, I have the expectation that my information will not pop up as a search result.  And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I do not expect any Internet company to obtain information about me by accessing my home or work Wi-Fi network.  Yes, Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, I find that in this instance, and in many others too numerous to name, Google has crossed the creepy line.  What do you think?

References:

  1. http://epic.org/epic/about.html
  2. http://epic.org/2012/01/epic-urges-trade-commission-to.html
  3. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/03/google.shtm
  4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/04/google-ceo-eric-schmidt-privacy_n_776924.html
  5. http://lastwatchdog.com/google-facing-global-backlash-wi-fi-war-driving-campaign/

The Xbox Kinect in Healthcare

I saw a blog post on here a couple weeks ago about Microsoft and their Kinect gaming console.  The main idea of the article was that whether or not gaming consoles are sustainable as gaming on smart phones continues to increase rapidly.  I thought to myself that the Kinect has so much more potential than the “typical” gaming console where all you can do is play video games on a television screen while sitting on your couch.  So I thought I’d do a little bit of research and see what was out there, and I came across this article:

http://www.healthcareglobal.com/healthcare_technology/the-xbox-kinect-in-healthcare-a-winning-combination

Summary:

Healthcare has progressed pretty rapidly since our grandparents and even our parents were kids.  From the polio vaccine to face transplants, more can be done than ever thought possible before.  So how about bringing a video game console into the operating room or into a group therapy session?  Sound far-fetched?  Maybe it does, but it’s happening in Canada.  At Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Canada, surgeons and other medical staff use the Xbox Kinect to browse patients’ files, test results, pictures, etc without ever having to touch a single foreign object.

When surgeons, doctors and nurses have to stop the medical procedure and touch a foreign object, the risk of contamination and infection increases.  By using the Xbox Kinect game console, the doctor can use his or her hand to flip through the pages of the patient’s electronic medical file.  This also saves valuable time for both the patient and the doctor.  This way the doctor does not have re-scrub his or her hands and arms before he or she can get back to the patient’s procedure.  That may be precious time that the patient does not have and cannot afford to lose.  It may free up the doctor’s time so that he or she can perform more procedures in a day and help save more lives.

Furthermore, Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, announced that the Xbox Kinect can be used to help patients remotely with therapy sessions, both physical therapy and group therapy-type settings.  In fact, the Kinect’s sensors are so refined that the doctors can actually see facial expressions demonstrated by the patients!  An additional bonus is that the remote nature of the group therapy sessions allows people the anonymity to open up and be honest without feeling embarrassed or self-conscious.

Analysis:

So does this mean that we will never have to take another day off work to go the doctor’s office?  I doubt it, at least for now anyway.  One thing to keep in mind is that the Kinect is an add-on to the Xbox 360, which will cost you $200 to $4001.  The Kinect is an additional $150.  And then there are add-ons such as the wireless adaptor, hard drive and annual memberships.  This may not seem like a very large investment for a doctor’s office or a hospital, but when you consider that each household would have to purchase these items, the cost savings of taking the day off of work and the transportation costs saved may not justify the investment of the materials purchase.

Another thing to consider is that technology is always improving.  So while the Xbox Kinect may be today’s “new developments in IT”, it could very well be surpassed by another company’s newer, better invention or even Microsoft’s (the maker of Xbox) latest and greatest model.

In summary, on an individual-basis for appointments such as therapy, the Xbox Kinect may not be a viable alternative to the “old fashioned” doctor’s office visit.  That said, if it helps decrease the risk of infection and contamination in a surgical setting, the Xbox Kinect is a low-cost investment for operating rooms everywhere.  It could also save doctors and patients valuable time, which is priceless in comparison.

So to respond to my original thought about the Kinect having a lot more potential than other gaming consoles, I believe the answer is yes, the Kinect is more than just for video games.  Some gaming consoles may become obsolete as smart phone gaming continues to increase in popularity, but I don’t think that the Kinect is one of them.  What do you think?

Reference:

1. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Much-Does-an-Xbox-360-Cost?&id=6134094

3-D Printing

Mechanics and engineers have been using 3-D printing for several years.  Prototypes are printed during the Research and Design (R&D) phase as it is cheaper to print one prototype than have to pay to manufacture several only to find out that specifications may be slightly off.  Today more than 20% of goods printed by a 3-D printer are not prototypes, but actual products.  And it’s estimated that by 2020, this will rise to 50%.1

The process of using 3-D printing in the manufacturing industry is known as “additive” manufacturing whereby the manual construction of a prototype is known as “subtractive” manufacturing.  This is because utilizing software to print a prototype saves a lot of retooling costs that would otherwise eat up a large portion of the R&D budget.  3-D printing also saves time and raw materials since the printer is more precise and more efficient than cutting, molding, soldering, etc. by hand.

Not only does 3-D lower costs, but it also lowers risk associated with developing a new product.  Before, a manufacturer would have manufacture and sell hundreds and even thousands of a new product just to recoup the R&D and manufacturing costs.  With 3-D printing, the break-even point is lowered substantially.  This is good for consumers as well as more unique products may be brought to market for consumption.

Another cost savings of 3-D printing is the reduction of scrap waste.  During the normal manufacturing process, sheets or coils of steel may be used and the edges are considered scrap after the shape of the product has been cut out of the sheet/coal.  With 3-D printing, you hit a “print” button, much like a typical ink-filled printer we use today at home.  However, there is no scrap because the 3-D printer prints in layers, and only uses the raw materials necessary to make the object.

This article mainly discussed the 3-D printing of airplane parts, but there’s no telling how far this new technology will take other industries as well.

The world of 3-D printing is pretty amazing.  I was pretty impressed with the concept and found that it has opened a lot of doors for a lot of people.  Hobbyists such as jewelry makers can utilize a 3-D printer to print their designs.  What was once a hobby can perhaps turn into a small business.  And an architect at MIT is experimenting with the possibility of printing buildings!  In her experiment, the 3-D printer is able to print layers of concrete for the building construction.

Furthermore, human organs have even been printed with a 3-D printer!Ten years ago, a young boy was given a printed bladder.  The bladder was printed using a combination of synthetic, biomaterials and the boy’s own cells.  The boy would go barely go outside for recess and had been on dialysis for ten years went to become captain of his high school wrestling team and is now majoring in Communications at the University of Connecticut.  His quality of life improved drastically due to 3-D printing.  Other 3-D organs are currently undergoing testing before being approved for transplant.

In summary, I think the possibilities are endless.  It’s hard to believe that this technology has actually been around in manufacturing for at least ten years, but it’s not hard to see that it is taking off rapidly (and with great success) in many fields.  It’ll be exciting to see what comes next!  Which industries do you think 3-D printing may have the most impact on?

Sources:

  1. http://www.economist.com/node/18114221

2. http://blog.ted.com/2011/03/07/printing-a-human-kidney-anthony-atala-on-ted-com/

 

Black Friday and the Capsim Connection

Okay, so if you’re like me, you’re already tired of all the annoying holiday shopping ads on TV that are all telling you that right now is the best time to buy (fill in the blank product here) right now!  And of course with Black Friday just past us, the ads were in full force with “door buster” deals and other extra perks for shopping early.  Added to the drama this year was the fact that value stores such as Wal-Mart and Target opened on Thanksgiving evening as opposed to 4 AM or whatever obnoxiously early time it was last year.  But now that the drama of the biggest shopping day of the year has died down a bit, I started to wonder if any of the ads and marketing strategies actually paid off for these brick-and-mortar stores.

In a Forbes.com article posted on November 28th, the author suggests that rather than Black Friday sales results giving us a glimpse of the holiday season’s hottest items or predictions on whether this holiday season will be better or worse than last year, consumers’ shopping and purchasing trends and habits are changing and that retailers should be cognizant of these changes if they are to have a successful holiday sales season.

For example, the traditional big shopping days such as Black Friday are less and less appealing to consumers with Black Friday sales down 1.8% from 2011.  Whether stores open on Thanksgiving night or at 4 AM on Friday, consumers find neither time convenient.  They are choosing to shop at more schedule-friendly times or even online.  With e-commerce and personalized electronic ads becoming more and more prevalent, is it any surprise that Black Friday online says were over $1 billion, which made it the largest (dollar wise) online shopping day of 2012 so far?  This is a 26% increase from online sales on Black Friday 2011!

Another message retailers need to interpret is that consumers may be becoming calloused to the inundation of sales ads.  As we learned in our marketing class last quarter, mass media is not nearly successful as it used to be.  Retailers need to create more personalized, relevant ads for their target market and cut through the incessant advertising noise that bombards consumers every day.

This article got me thinking about our Capsim simulation and how some of these concepts might apply.  Although we just started and we’re all still forming our strategy, there are some key concepts that we’re putting into practice this quarter.  It will be key for us all to identify our target market, know and understand the needs/wants of that market and then create products and a marketing campaign that our target market will be receptive to.   Although there is no Black Friday in the Capsim simulation (which I think we’re all thankful for!) for us to use as a basis for purchasing trends such as the Forbes.com article suggests, we will hopefully put into practice some of these key business concepts as we move through the 7 Capsim rounds.