Facebook or Google+?

As I am sure by now most, if not all, of you out there have heard of the social media Google has pushed out called "Google+." This is a new social media driving many users who have a Gmail account to use this version of social media. There are many different features as well as similar features to those competitors in the industry. I guess the best question is which one should I use? I'm afraid there is no good answer for that question as it is an opinion. However, I can give you my opinion.

I have been trying to get in to the Google+ social media now for about two months or so. When I first heard about the idea I was very excited to see what types of new and different ideas the geniuses at Google were going to come up with. Looking at some of the leaps they have made over time I considered my excitement and anticipation a sure thing. Unfortunately I was less than blown away when I fort used Google+. I was really expecting more people to be on there. I was expecting more innovation. I was expecting to be blown away and use the over achievements of Google let me cast Facebook aside and continue to be distracted by something new. Google+ in my opinion fell short. The actual set up is neither too visually pleasing nor very user friendly.

I think it is safe to say that Facebook has won this battle of the social medias. The war may be far from over however the battles have slowed down just in time for Facebook to release many new features to possibly attract more users or keep the ones they have.

In releasing these new features I think it is clear that Facebook was a little uneasy with Google's release of Google+. Why else make such an attempt to upgrade so much at one time?  I would have done the same if I were lucky enough to be a decision maker at Facebook. All the fighting aside the new features are very cool. Just to ramble off my favorite is the way you will be able to tune into a friends radio station or watch their video as they are streaming it at the same time.

I do not do the explanation justice. But I think by now it should be clear that Google+ although had the momentum to topple Facebook; it has fallen short so far.

Interviewing Tips

Good day to all! Recently I have been blogging here about interesting articles related to IT and usually some connection to open source technology. I thought we here at Relay|technology could offer some great insight to the mad world of interviewing. We are a staffing firm and knowing interviews and being able to coach people through interviews are just a couple services we can provide to our candidates and clients. Below are the top interviewing tips along with a link to an article to elaborate on them. Please enjoy and if you need any help or advise let us know!

Top Interviewing Tips:

1) Practice: Practice makes perfect, everyone knows that, at why should an interview process be any different. Set aside time to practice in the mirror, with a partner, or whatever will best prepare you in your mind because when you feel most ready to interview; you will do your best.

2) Prepare: To best prepare yourself make sure you leave enough time to review all materials that pertain to the interview. Look over and know every inch of your resume, the job description, details on the company and also the people you are interviewing with. This will bring you confidence, and knowledge that will show through in a interview.

3) Get Ready: Make sure you have everything in order before your interview. Often times it is a good idea to lay out everything you will need the night before; suite, resumes, briefcase, portfolio, etc.. Make a checklist to walk down to ensure you are best prepared as possible. DO NOT be running around the day of trying to pick up dry cleaning or printing resumes or anything else for that matter. The last thing you want to be on the day of an interview is rushed!

4) Be On Time: It still amazes me how many people are late to interviews. This is one of the most unprofessional things to do in an interview. Sometimes it is not a bad is a to drive to the interview location a day or two before to make sure you know how to get there. There is nothing wrong with getting to an interview 5-10 minutes early or even drive around the block a couple times to go over your resume again. The last thing you should be in an interview is LATE!

5) Calm Down: It is much easier said than done, I understand. But remember that the reason why you prepared so much is why you should be calm. Try to make the interview a conversation between two professionals not an interrogation. Take a deep breath and keep eye contact. Make sure you listen to the questions asked to you and try to answer them as fully as you can. Lastly, don't be afraid to take a quick second to think about your answer before talking. It is not so bad to take 5 to 10 seconds to think of a great answer as opposed to blurting out a bad one.

7) Show What You Know: A good reason why you should you do so much research on the company and role your interviewing for is to reference that during an interview. This shows what you know about the company and role you're interview shows professionalism and that you care enough to look into it before coming. This could play out very well for you in the end of the process.

8) Follow Up: No matter if it is your first interview, your last or even just got done excepting an offer; you should always follow up via e-mail, letter, or some thank you note. Show the company you are going the extra mile and act in a professional manner. The thank you note could be the one thing that sets you apart from another interviewer. Or the note could be the tiny reminder to the manager or whom ever was interviewing you that you're the person for the job.

Please take what you can from the information above and do your best! The best tip I can give anyone is to be yourself. you will find the right job for you.

For more information go to the following link:
http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/jobinterviewtip.htm

Joe Catalano
RELAY|technology

Hackers to Destroy Facebook!

Today I read an article and watched a YouTube video form the group who is telling all that they will destroy Facebook on November 5th 2011. I really don't know what to call it other than strange. A group's hatred towards a social media is a little absurd and unneeded. The claim that Facebook is holding all this very private information and will always keep it or even sell it to a government agency even after your profile and account is deleted is not a reason to "destroy." The beauty about social media is the user's free will to choose. No one has ever been forced to create a Facebook account. No one puts a gun to your head or threatens your life to set up an account. If you are willing to have your private information on their network then you are responsible to understand what that could mean for your information in the future.

If any social media is selling information to different governments I do agree that it is a problem that should be solved. However, If you are not doing anything that would be considered bad or illegal then who cares? I would find it hard to believe that someone or some agency could steal my identity with one of my old pictures from college. I doubt any foreign country looking to harm me or the country I live in would find my interest in technology, my favorite music, my favorite foods, or where I graduated from college useful in any way.

Overall, if you have not seen the video or read up on any newscasts or articles on this please do. If the group making threats towards Facebook or any other social media sees how many people think this is ridiculous then maybe we can put all this nonsense behind us. On a side note, I think it would be really funny if there was a group on Facebook that liked the "Hacktivist" group making threats.

http://www.businessinsider.com/anonymous-facebook-2011-8

Cloud Architechts: Supply VS Demand

The link below is to a great article that touches a few different topics that are great for all you cloud enthusiasts, professionals, students, and unemployed geniuses! There is a rise everyday in the amount of companies switching to a cloud based infrastructure. This is a big decision but by all means a necessary one. Besides technically better for most companies the Cloud is a more attractive route for these companies to take. The marketing scheme for Cloud Computing is fantastic. Hosting companies have been on the rise since the technology came out because it is the "Sexy" new product for IT. But companies beware, this may be a giant failure if not done right the first time around.

Due to the rise of demand for Clouds and the architects to design them, there may be a decrease in the level of skill going into the design. A "bad" Cloud being built could result in a catastrophic disaster for a company. Most companies usually have an infrastructure base equal to the amount of business it does. Therefore, the bigger the company the more money it could lose from a bad Cloud. Many companies are not hiring the best Cloud Architects because they don't know what to look for. As a recruiter myself I must take a moment to say that this is why recruiting firms like RELAY|technology are so useful. Let us be the ones to determine if they can do the job properly and then an employer can screen for if they are a fit for the company. 

In the article the author mentions 3 different solutions which are great in my opinion. One; steal the talent from other companies or even top competitors. Two; build the team to design, implement and teach the Cloud technology all at the same time (I'm not as big of a fan for this one as I feel it could waste time and money which a company doesn't usually want to do). Third; rent out your Cloud to a hosting company. I think any company could benefit from this as these hosting companies around the US are becoming more and more sophisticated. One company in particular, Contegix, is doing amazing work for its clients and the development and building of its opensource technology. Contegix is an amazing hosting environment utilizing all the most cutting edge technology in the opensource community.

All companies beware of building a bad Cloud. The process is detrimental to success and if not carefully executed it could lead to a massive failure for your company. Do the right thing; pay the high dollar to someone who knows what they are doing, or a company who can provide it for you.

Thank you for reading.

The article:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/why-the-shortage-cloud-architects-will-lead-bad-clouds-167674-0

Joseph V. Catalano
RELAY|technology

Rumor: iPhone 4S Sold in Sprint Stores

The link below rumors the inevitable; the iPhone being sold by Sprint. Now this is still called a rumor but can anyone deny you saw this coming? The deal makes sense on too many levels to ignore. As AT&T/Verizon ask for government bailout Sprint still holds a large portion of the cellular phone consumer market. Sprint has released over time a good number of android based smart phones and continues to come out with newer features, better cameras, larger screens, ect. This dynamic of options speaks to a consumer and what better option to have in your arsenal than the beloved iPhone.

Over time the iPhone has been marketed more uniquely than any other cell phone in history. The catchy and visually pleasing commercials backed by a tune that make you tap your feet. The Smartphone has set a standard for those to come. It has become a status symbol among many across the world. I think it would be a great deal for sprint and Apple both. There have been so many people over the years that have left Sprint only because they want an iPhone. With an iPhone available Sprint could retain much more consumers and maybe even welcome back more with their competitive prices and plans.

For a company like AT&T this could be a major setback in the future development of the company while it takes one of the biggest bargaining chips they hold. After the purchase of T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom AT&T could use the iPhone in their corner to continue a steady revenue stream. Let's be real, this is a big deal to Sprint and AT&T both.

From my perspective I am very interested in seeing what kind of complications Apple has with testing iPhones for Sprint. If done correctly this could change the cellular provider market for good. Don't let me tell you what is what, read it for yourself. Please provide me with feedback. We are all just spectators in this with great opinions. What's yours?

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Apple-iPhone-4S-Coming-to-Sprint-Rumors-332135/?kc=EWKNLWMU06162011STR5

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Joe Catalano
jcatalano@relaytechnology.com

GOOGLE's "Tap-to-Pay"

CASH, CREDIT OR GOOGLE?

Google has launched the trial of the new “Tap-to-Pay” feature that it is very unique and brings a new approach to online payments. Still only in the trial period this is very cool and borderline un-needed. The feature is meant to be able to hold payment transactions between customers and retailers over the Smartphone. Don’t get me wrong, I like a worthless application as much as the next person. However, I do not see the big picture idea in this product. Why is it so important to be able to pay from your smart phone? Have we really gotten so fed up with signing receipts and paying with cash that we as consumers feel comfortable only tapping our own personal device to pay for a good? I think the two words that come to mind with that idea are creative and lazy. Although this new “Tap-to-Pay” feature may be creative, it may also be proven to be worthless.

On the other hand, when looking at this feature from a pure technology perspective I this is genius. Looking at the scalability, the transaction, the touch screen, the security, and the idea it’s self it is completely genius. I would be very interested to hear about the challenges they are faced when testing the feature. It is very inspiring to think that you could be anywhere buying anything and able to purchase it through a single tap on your Smartphone.

Please tell me what you think about this new payment system. I am very eager to hear another person’s perspective on this breakthrough.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9NF96EG1.htm

Joe Catalano

RELAY|technology

Apple iCloud To Bring In A Storm

On June 6th 2011 Apple is to release to the world the new Apple iCloud. Unlike most of their more popular products this is no phone. We have all seen the commercials for the new cloud computers able to link up to everything in your home and surroundings. It is not surprising that Apple would make their own rendition. on May 31st is the kick off at the WWDC where Apple and Steve Jobs is showing off the new toys and products to be released. The iCloud is joined by new software, new phone, new pad and their latest OS. Apple showcases these over 100 product demos and hopes to make a big splash with the new products.

Can Apple really expect to compete with all these new products. Sharing a tenth of the PC market I don't know if they should be focusing on the iCloud. Don't get me wrong, I am a sucker for a flashy, catchy commercial for any iProduct but why must Apple offer the cloud services? They have created a newer classed society separated by phones. Sure, smart phones are essential and their popularity has reached new heights so many people have Internet capable phones. However, an individual really sets a standard by carrying an iPhone. Phones and Music re-vamped the company in my opinion. So shouldn't they stick to what they know best?

On the flip side, it is inconceivable to think that Apple will not compete on every level of the Computer, Software, Phone, Music and who knows whatever other industry. Cloud computing is an essential stepping stone in the progression of IT. I hope soon there will be a cloud computing phone and for all I know there already is. So is Apple is to continue breaking barriers in every field they must unveil a cloud. But a different cloud; an iCloud.

As someone not versed in iProducts please give me your thoughts about the new toys. Tell me what you think and how your opinion lines up with either side if the argument. Or even if you have your own.

Thanks for reading,

Joe Catalano
RELAY|technology