Business Topic- The Apple iPad.

The New Apple iPad is set to be released sometime next month. It is interesting to see the mixed reactions to this new product. The majority of students that I've talked to on the Utah State campus are not interested in purchasing this new "gadget". There are a couple of reasons that explain this lack of enthusiasm for the iPad. It is likely that with this new release, Apple is targeting those who own iPhones, iPods, iMacs, and other apple products. The iPad allows users to read books, check email, surf the internet, and listen to music. Isn't that already available on an iMac and an iPhone? It seems as though Apple has failed to conduct sufficient market research to release a "new" product that doesn't overlap with its own product line.
What do large technology companies do to figure out what their customers want? In the iPad situation, the researchers that work for apple feel that this product won't be as immediately successful as the iPhone or iPad but there is enough demand to justify its production. The researchers may be right but my own research has revealed that purchasing an iPad is comparable to taking the screen off of a laptop and carrying it around along with an iMac laptop and iPhone. It doesn't look like Apple is creating a lot of value to its company, rather it wants to just sell "something" because it has a loyal enough fan base that will buy anything with the Apple name on it.

Is Letter Writing Archaic?

I believe that there is room for traditional letter writing in today's high-tech world. It is obvious that this is the case because letters are still widely used today in business, politics, academics, and even in informal communication between friends and family. When a letter is actually written and sent on paper it usually brings with it a sense of formality.
Typically when acceptance letters are sent to applicants, it is done so in letter format. A simple email does not suffice. A written letter translates into, "I cared enough about your request that I took the time to hand write a letter and send it back to you." Once a letter is received, there is a certain level of privacy between sender and receiver that can't quite be matched by email messages. You are the only on that has read the letter. Why is that? Because you physically broke the seal, opened the envelope, and read the message written on paper. When engaging in online communication, their is always a chance of having a message intercepted or even read by a third party. For these reasons letter writing should be and is still considered an acceptable practice today.

Blogging for Businesses and Organizations.

What can professional blogs do for businesses and organizations? Blogs are a way for the customer to have a connection with a specific organization. When a business creates a professional blog, they are creating a source for news and updates of a company which the customers care about. This helps businesses out in a two-fold manner. First, they are developing relationships with their customers, who are more likely to stay supporters once some type of a connection is established. Second, they are able to freely advertise to their customer base. This not only increases sales but it also helps in the struggle to top the "Google charts" with search engine optimization. The more a company can be found in different locations online, the better its chances are of being found in online queries.
The same benefits apply to organizations that may be not for profit. It can receive additional free advertising which then translates to more support for its charitable cause.
When professional blogs are created, they can greatly benefit the organization by finding another way to connect with its customers or supporters.