Batch It Up: A New Way To Your Photography Sharing

I'm having a very good day today, because I just learned about two new Apps that tailor to my interests and biggest hobbies of mine - movies (MovieGoer) and photography (Batch), and it's all about sharing.

Not that I haven't shared my photos and film reviews before, but with the new Apps it might have just become easier for me to do so, as well as - more visual, more involving, more ... engaging.

Of course current all-time favorites are - Instagram and Photosynth, but I'm open to explore other Apps.

Join me in learning about the new App called Batch, which is aimed at bringing back profligate photo sharing. It encourages users to take as many photos as they want, and to share them all...

MovieGoer: A Social App for Going to the Movies

This is exactly what I've been looking for - an App for going to the movies! I can very much see myself becoming one active user of this application, despite the fact that not many of my friends in the social circle are as passionate about movie going - [and sharing their experiences] - as I am, so let's see if it's gonna be applicable in my case since the App is meant for a social experience, not the solo indulgence.

Digital Age's Generation: What's Next?

Here is a revelation for you:

We live in a d i g i t a l  a g e!

And there's no more denial that we no longer limit ourselves to the traditional press. While TV still plays an important role in our lives - and I don't think it would ever cease to exist as we all enjoy our evenings and Sunday sport games in front of a big plazma TV - but as far as the print press is concerned - it is becoming obsolete.

It's been quickly replaced by the digital media and tech/gadgets that we use to access the information. And all thanks to Steve Jobs and his genius device - iPad, proceeded by the preparation to turn into the all-in-one-gadget-for-all-we-need-to-know-and-do device - iPhone.

However, slowly, but surely - except for a few individual progressive publications such as The New York Times and Wired - most of the print press took a note of the Appalachian iPad use and now most of the newspapers and magazines could be read on iPads and other tablets...

What is going to happen next, now that Steve Jobs is no longer with us? Would the new innovations be coming from the Apple Inc., or Samsung, or...? We don't know. We just know that with Hulu, Netflix, and similar online video content sites, where we can watch TV and movies from online streaming, our TV watching is no longer the same as it was just a year ago...

 Here is how it all happened:

(Courtesy of Newseum, www.newseum.org)

Here’s the a list of  some more Places To Watch TV For Free Online:

Social Media Becomes A Profession

...And I can't blame it. I actually strongly believe that social media not only will infuse in all the spheres of companies' businesses - from HR to  custodians, but it would actually become a full-time job - profession on its own... It's about time that all companies and organizations understand that any outreach they do - it needs to go beyond traditional marketing, promotion and PR practices...

Immortal Steve Jobs: Tweeter fans' tribute

I opened my email box this morning and saw an update from my Tweeter feeder to check out something amazing that only in this time and age could have been possible (yes, they did it before with old computers when it was hip and cool to print out in 'numbers' famous paintings in the likes of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, but this time it's different...it's WAAAAY different)...This is something that has been created by the social media...

Overheard in New York

Don't we all rush in to share with our friends something funny/odd/peculiar/amazing/newsworthy/dangerous that you've overheard someone is saying to someone else?

I, personally, don't eavesdropping on purpose, per say, but if I happen to hear something that is worthy of my attention, I share it with my friends and family...

Say, how often have you passed someone on the street and caught a snippet of conversation out of context that was so funny or bizarre that you wanted to share it with someone else? There's no better place for this experience than New York City and not surprisingly, there is a website devoted to capturing these stray asides that make eavesdropping such a fun sport. And I just found out about it from my favorite blogger, a social media Guru, Paul Gillin.

Fashion's Night Out is out: First Look from Fashion Week, New York

September 8, 2011 was Fashion’s Night Out in New York and - in Milan, Moscow, London, Paris, etc. - and it was crazy, taking into consideration the fact that only once a year not only all stores stay open till late, but they offer discounts + celebrity sightings + refreshments + mini extravaganza entertainment.

As a bouqet of "complete" happiness for fashionistas out there, the streets were filled with huge crowds, everyone was happy and a little "drunk" from all the shopping and sightings.

Fashion's Night Out comes right in time for many of us to start our fall shopping – just in time for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to kick-off today in New York City, which means the fashion bloggers (like Bryan Boy), style columnists (like Eric Wilson) and street fashion photographers will be in and about, so watch out and dress to impress. Remember – personal style counts! As a matter of fact, Scott Schuman has already offered a very first look from the Fashion Week this morning.

The New Era of False-Advertising: Rejuvination and Perfectionism

Not the news anymore, but it still bothers me.

It bothers because this matter has been brought up at least a couple of times in the past. And as much as many people know (by now) that all the ads and glamour shots we see on the pages of the glossy magazines are air-brushed and PhotoShoped. Models and celebrities do NOT look THAT perfect. They do have flaws too - they do have lines, pimples and birthmarks. They do have dark circles and yellow teeth. They do have facial and body hair. And not many people (in general) have even facial characteristic - or as they say - symmetric.

So, any time you open a magazine - and it mostly concerns the teenagers, who are more than anyone are concerned with body images and status - one thing should not be taken seriously - is the way how PERFECT the models and celebrities look like in the ads for cosmetics.

But we still do take it for real and it bothers us why the rare snapshots of celebrities in real life without make reveals a not-so-perfect and/or a not-so-young features? That means the cosmetics do not really make one younger by 10-15 years from using their products. Yes, good quality products do make a difference - but not a drastic, sci-fy one...

It’s not what you thought: The Next Big Market Opportunity?

You might have heard – over and over and a lot – economists and analysts talking about China, India and Russia as the next big market opportunities. But, as it turned out, they are not.

It’s not China or India. It’s Turkey.

Vans Custom Made: Too Fab for slip-ons

I do believe in a perfect combination of comfort and style. If I don’t look for it for my home sleepers – even though I try – I do seek it in anything comfortable for the outdoors. And stylish always needs to go with the “lasting long” quality – and not up to the first rain drops.

So, how amazing are these custom made slip-ons from Vans? These were made using Robert Verdi’s own personal collection of Hermes scarves.

Measuring Social Media Influence?

It’s a known fact (even if it’s not discussed openly at an office coffee room) that every office has a certain something-something boss who always finds a question that’s impossible to answer - and not because you lack the knowledge and/or experience, but because there is not a real answer to the question.

The question of such nature that I’m referring to is – how to measure social  media influence. In other words – how to measure the success of the social media? You can’t, really.

I keep thinking on how to actually answer this question, every time someone asks that. That’s why I really liked how it was defined by Mashable.com.

“Social media influence is a bit like oxygen – we "know" it's there and we know in some sense that it is essential for “life” if we’re in marketing, advertising or public relations”, but we can’t really physically touch, smell and taste it, can we? 

However, don’t get too discouraged and anxious at the thought that you won’t be able to answer this question, once approached again by your boss.

There are a number of tools – freely available on the Web – purport to tell us our overall social media influence or at least a bit of it. And while none is perfect or complete yet, using a combination of them can prove useful.

Here then is a roundup of tools that measure influence in the social web:

Washington, DC: 50 Fastest Growing Companies

Just as I returned from my two-week getaway from the U.S. realities and the proximity of The White House, I've learned the names of the companies that made the list of "50 Fastest Growing Companies" in Washington, DC.

These companies have grown consecutively over the past three years and it is time to mention them:

What Are Your Favorite iPhone Apps?

I could never stress enough the importance of sharing - and I mean it for everything in life.

When I just got my new iPhone, I knew nothing about its Apps. Slowly, one by one, I've first added the essential ones and then - by interest and need. There are Apps for everything and then some, but only a few we use on a daily basis. Here is what I use...

Social Media: Your Friend or Your Enemy?

Fab Event: Social Media Marketing Boot Camp

I thought I'd share the goods.

Produced by Mediabistro, SocialTimes and AllFacebook, Social Media Marketing Boot Camp offers a great opportunity to learn from the social media marketing gurus in a format of a world-class conference, but in a small group workshop.

I personally think that no matter how proficient and knowledgeable one is, there is always a place to learn more...

When/How:  September 27 - November 15, 2011 | All Online

iPad: Circa 1994...

There is an evolution in everything: plants, animals, humans, gadgets...

At the time when Yahoo.com emails were very happening, and The Huffington Post and Gawker.com haven't existed yet, for the most part we were pretty happy with a modem Internet connection, now - only a few of us have it...

Here’s what an iPad looked like back in the days - in 1004, when VHS tapes were pretty cool and - happening - to have.

iSpaceship: Apple's Proposed Designs For Its Office

It's about time we got used to the very clean cut modern designs of its products and stores - round corners, glass walls and ceilings, armless and cushion-less chairs, bold colors, wall-wide screen displays, and an accurately, evenly bitten apple... Apple's designs has been always a huge part of our decision-making on whether get an Apple's product and/or a product by another company.

They know it and play it out very well for the consumers around the world.

And this is exactly what's happening with the new architectural plans and sketches of Apple’s proposed headquarters. 

Travel and Save: Apps for Smartphones

I came across a very helpful information - just in time for my trip abroad. Since I'll be gone more than a few days, I decided to tackle data roaming fees, which wireless providers charge when customers use their phones outside their service area. (Let's just admit it already - I'm addicted to my Apps, and I often update my social networks from my iPhone - there's always a perfect situation to take a photo of something unique and beautiful and/or weird and different to share with your friends.)

This information, hopefully, would allow you to save and avoid roaming fees when you travel abroad.

USA Divided On Smartphone Preferences: Android vs. iPhone

If you think that USA can be only "evaluated" by a division on republicans, democrats and/or independents - you are wrong.

Politics, specifically - the conflicts and disagreements between the members of GOP and democrats - might be one of the most important things on the minds of the Americans right now, but it's the phone service that could, sometimes, ruin an important moment - like an ability to timely respond to a very controversial Facebook remark. Which - in the case of the smartphones - could be avoided.

The disagreement and imbalance of smartphones' ownership does interest tech geeks. In particular - the number of the 'electoral voters' that Androids and iPhones have against each other.

Fab Shoelaces: Converse Gets Innovative

I wish I didn't!

I wish I didn't visit the official site of Converse. It's too much. Too intimidating for someone who's been a big fan of Converse from the beginning.


And now they came up with something that's even more intimidating - great for sneaker fashionistas and personal stylists - than choosing a sneaker style out of like...thousands of styles.

Dig in in the innovative world of one of my favorite American brands - Converse.

36 Hours With NYC.GOV

I can't stop repeating myself that we are living in exciting, inventive times. The innovation, modernizatin and innovation happens in front of our eyes and even before we think of it. We then digest it as something that we can call "Ah, that would change the way we live and work"... Every day we are given the power to invent.

This is exactly the power that was given to the website developers across the USA - about 75 of whom from across the country (and at least one from Canada) responded to the offer by New York City Chief Digital Officer Rachel Sterne to spend 36 hours of last weekend envisioning a better nyc.gov.(You can follow Sterne on Twitter @RachelSterne or follow the City @nycgov).

From America, With Love: iPhone 5 Goes To Russia

It's time. It's time - to open an Apple store in Russia.

There are a lot of Russians living in USA who must be tired by now smuggling multiple copies of iPhones and iPads across the border every time they go to visit friends and relatives in Russia. 

The New Yorker's Free Apps: Goings On and Festival. Cartoons come with it too

What I love about iPhones (and that's NOT an endorsement) is that each day there is a new cool  App for it - to satisfy any tastebud - from silly, entertaining ones to very helpful ones, like navigation, travel guides, traffic or personal organizer Apps. Moreover, now any company, organization and/or individual can create an application - and that's what they do and that's what makes me very envious of such enterprenural technical skills to do so.

Courtesy of The New Yorker

I especially like the media Apps, especially when it concerns a publication/site I read/follow. And this is exactly the case with The New Yorker magazine. It now offers - not one - but two FREE Apps:

London's Burning, You're Tweeting

This is NOT what one should be proud about:

But it looks as if there are some Londoners who feel the need to brag about looting in their own home town, making their own neighbors homeless and business-less. Many small business owners - the likes of mom's and pop's kind of shops - have families to feed and leaving them without their only income, is brutal - it's just not right.

Nevertheless, those who bash the places and steal stuff, they post their photos on Twitter. First of all: that's a sure way to be caught by Scotland's Yard police, second of all - in what kind of a mind set one should be to be proud of the wrong-doings?

Just, please, stop tweeting pictures of yourself and the things you've done to your own town and people. Like this one:

Sites To Ruin One's Reputation: Friends, Colleagues, Family And Exes

As if social media space wasn’t freaky enough. With all the sites, social networks and blogs out there, it’s unlikely there is nothing that’s impossible NOT to find on the Internet. From very freaky, absurd and sexually-explicit sites to mom's&pop's, dating, cooking and lifestyle blogs. However, the question is, how far we CAN go? Or, how far we SHOULD go?

Fab Fashion Sites and Books: Apply To Your Style

A few years ago I've discovered street fashion blogs and decided it could be a great way to get feedback about the trends, brands and styles right off the street through the great photographs of professional street fashion bloggers. This is - don't you think - what social media is all about? Easy access to your interests, hobbies and passions...

Having photographed all my life and having a fascination with the street photography, some of the blogs were a true finding for me not only to stay current on all the trends from around the world, but also to stay true with my passion for photography. And  now ,what feels like back-to-old-school times - an oxymoron, the books are following the social media - to capture and conserve the street styles that change.

Tweet the Tweets That Matter: Ways To Get Followers

Ever wondered why your colleague and/or friend who tweets on the same subject matter has more followers? Aside from having an established - prior to the Twitter era – brand and/or personality, there are a few tricks that you should now to attract more followers. They are ways that could get people to avoid your Twitter Account in the first place. It’s more or less along the lines with your Facebook and LinkedIn Accounts that you’d like to keep simple, clean, informative and – professional!

All experts would tell you the same things – or close to it. It’s an unspoken Bible of “how to use and grow” your Twitter. Here they are:

French Use Social Networks, But Incorrectly

Apparently, Twitter and Facebook is no longer “American” social networks. They did originate in USA, but with a global take on growth and profit. With the introduction of the other language platforms, such as Chinese, Hindu and Russia – for example – Twitter and Facebook moved to the largest markets in the world, penetrated so deep that no longer the local social networks are capable to compete.

And other countries picked up. France, Germany, Sweden – you name it – all of the casual, business and charitiful networking is now happening on Facebook and Twitter.

Take me, for example – I follow Arabic, Russian, British world-changing sources of information and individuals who both inform and entertain me. I’m “friends” with the Egyptian bloggers and reporters, Russian fashion designers and celebrities, British press and trendsetters, and French chefs – it can’t get any better than that.

Katie Couric on iPad at CBS Evening News

However, for all the obvious things that we are using Twitter and Facebook, the American press, for example, does not hide the fact that they are using the social media to promote the stories and personalities. Moreover, all the prominent news and show are now running promos luring the audience to write, contact, and comment to them on their social networks. But – not in France!

Online Rating Expands: Yelping for Religion

One learns every day that there are still things that one would never think could exist. I’m sure one can say it about the first computers in the beginning of the 20th Century or about the bikes in the 14th Century. Every day things are invented and trends and brands are created. Some – we follow, some - we disregard, but in both cases – we take a notice.

 

Pope Benedict XVI checks the new Vatican web portal on an iPad.

In the age of social media, as it seems nothing more can surprise us – our lives are slowly moving from offline to – online: shopping (Amazon, eBay, Overstock - you name it), friendships, jobs, travel, reading and drawing, and even – relationships. And all the above can be rated and the opinion can be shared with the others – online as well. So, it is no surprise that from rating our restaurant meals, make up, doctors, lawyers and tax accountants, movies and concerts, we can now rate a PRIEST.

Social Media Etiquette: A salad with a side of iPhone

How many times you were annoyed with someone on your company who would in your presence text, email and/or do whatever you do on the mobile devices? I, personally, cannot tolerate someone in my company using mobile devices (or any of those cool gadgets – tablets and such) because I believe that’s the time for face-to-face communication and enjoying each other’s company.
 

I would care less for someone who is not part of my company but is sharing the same space with me use their devices, although – you’d agree with me – it’s rather rude, especially if the devices make a notice.
 

It’s especially rude, if another person who is using a device in front of you – is your partner and/or a family member. This is away crossing the line of the basic etiquette.

Book Local Activities Thru Local Bloggers

Almost any city offers a website with local activities - from parks to shows - and each city has local afficionados who are more than willing to share the local treasures with you. Those are - the local bloggers who write on things that go on in and around their city.

App-Visuals of Fashion: Make Your Own Fashion Mag

A newly launched Self Service Magazine's iPad App comes just in time for the craving of so many fashion-conscious followers of styles and trends who want not only read the news mobile-ly, but also be completely immersed in the visual aspects of it...

Here’s a demo of the new magazine iPad App from fashion biannual Self Service. It’s a very nice adaptation of the print magazine, retaining the same monochrome decorative typography and presenting the content in a satisfyingly simple manner. Little gratuitous interaction but some intelligent use of touch to access details. It’s free, and recommended to anyone planning their own app.

Social Media's Casual Fridays

You can post it on Twitter: #fridaycasuals and/or #casualfridays and tag me.
I do love my casual Fridays: bring on my Jikatabi and Diesel! #fridaycasuals 

or

Social Media's Casual Fridays: wishing a @happyfriday via social networks http://t.co/pGLuwKS

Moi...

You can Twitpic it to your Twitter

You can "Wall" it on Facebook:
There's a reason why we love Fridays...You kinda think that you are working, but in your mind you're already ordering a drink at a bar, chatting with friends and anticipating long sleeps on the weekend... Oh - and Friday casuals (bring on my Jikatabi and Diesel!)

Or you can post it on your Blog: I just did.

Or you can even share it with your fellow Bloggers, like the ones (in my case), who are into #Fashion, #Fridays, #FridayCasuals. Or you can...

Do you need a social media specialist?

Yes, you do. 

Even if you think you know what Facebook and Twitter are.

For about three years I’ve been managing up to 10 social networks/microblogs/blogs for a big organization (naming no names). Before I took on the role of a social media manager, the organization had NO presence on social networks. Yes, you’ve heard me – no Facebook, no Twitter, no LinkedIn… Nada!

Now, the organization is represented on more than 10 social networks and holds a strong position on Facebook and Twitter with thousands of followers… But as every day shows, the strong positioning of the organization in the social media space, does not mean that its management, actually, knows what these social networks are, how they work and so on….As a matter of fact, some of them still think that a twit can hold a 500-word text and that one can go back to the twit that was sent a few days ago and edit it. Hmm, how would I explain it again that it’s impossible to do so with a twitter?

Any Domain You Want: The Era of Domain Indulgence

According to Reuters, no more one would be restricted to a domain. Anything goes now. You name it:  good.food, learnto.salsa, glossy.lipstick - people and companies will be able to set up a website with almost any address by the end of next year if they have a legitimate claim to the domain name and can pay a hefty fee.
 

The Internet body that oversees domain names decided to end restricting to suffixes like .com or .gov. Now the new names (applications for the new names would begin to be reviewed in January 2012) can be in any characters - Cyrillic, Kanji or Devanagari for instance, for users of Russian, Japanese and Hindi.

Competition, Humor, & IPO Drives Social Media Business

Groupon's CEO Andrew Mason

At least that’s what Groupon's CEO Andrew Mason claims. He does not mind the very many plagiarists who are copying his business plan. He thinks of them as healthy competitors.
 

Perhaps LivingSocial and Bloomspot might Groupon’s biggest competitors out there, it does not stop Mason to invent and pursue diversification to over-run the competitors’ businesses.  And he is pretty much accomplishing it. 

Street Fashion Bloggers: Best Sites For Street Style And Trends

Illustration by Garance Dore (follow her on Twitter)

The influence of the street fashion bloggers has been tremendous over the past few years - some of them are more influential than the others, but the trend is still very obvious and noticeable - street fashion dictates the trends, not the prêt-à-porter.

Twitter Catchphrase To Take Over: #FuckYouWashington

Yes. You’ve seen it. You’ve probably even re-Twitted it the other day, when Obama addressed the nation on the situation of the debt and economy. The thing is – whatever can start a buzz, catch up in the trend, raise awareness – it all goes now.

The origins, though, go to the very core of the ongoing on-and-on-and-on debates over the federal budget stalemate with Democrats and Republicans squaring off against each other. And some of us have been slowly, but surely, losing patience over it.

And this is how the tag #fuckyouwashington (Pardon my French) has been born. Impatience with non-ending debates and the politicians behind it - triggered the running-out patience of the new media pundit Jeff Jarvis, and he launched the catchphrase #fuckyouwashington. 

Become Your Own DJ: Turnable.fm Spins Your Jams

I’ve just received an invitation to join a new social network (?). No, it's not Google+. I'm already there!

I'm talking about Turnable.fm. As of the moment, this site is in Beta, and it's by an Invite Only. So, I'll tell you a bit about it so that you'd decide, whether to pursue a membership there or not...

I went to the site, and it looked rather amusing – although neither my professional, nor my personal life has anything to do with wanting to be a DJ. At least - not yet.

Amy Winehouse: The Victim of Fame and Media

Yes. It's official. Amy Winehouse - the young, talented British rock and soul musician is dead. She was only 27. Drug overdose? Alcohol overdose? Depression, Prescription drugs? Homocide? Suicide? They are looking into it, but this is a mere post-factum detail that concerns little, if any people out there. What most people are concerned with is that this UNIQUE talent is gone. 

Many celebrities spoke kindly, warmly and with a certain fascination for her. She was rather outspoken. She had very interesting thoughts. And apparently she was not a twitter (she has more than 370 000 friends), her latest twit was posted on July 7th announcing a new album... However, there are more than 15 twitter accounts that twit on her, about her, of her...The question is, is the MEDIA playing any role in this death? Regardless if you like it or not, but it does - it goes back to Rupert Murdoch, Princess Diana... MEDIA can be brutal, with no limits on what one can report on... Winehouse always fell into the media trap, who picked up the best of her "looks" and "conditions" to showcase to the world. Would you be able to deal with it? I don't think so...

Social Media for Safe Sex: anything goes...

There will be absolutely no need soon for pharmacies, grocery stores, and post offices - the Apps might replace these aspects of our lives. The only thing that might still stay is movie theaters and restaurants/bars - even gyms might soon become as an App program that allows to "customize your exercise routine, choose a trainer you find the most appealing and background motifs that speak to your physique"...either way - the "App-ful" future is here...

But for now, Apple has decided to simplify personal, intimate lives for New Yorkers by providing them with  iPhone App that assists in locating sites with free condoms within NYC. No more worries about going on a date without a condom. You've got it and it's - FREE.

Japanese street wear: Jikatabi

A year ago I’ve discovered Jikatabi - split-toe canvas shoes with rubber soles, the shoe style that, apparently, was adopted from the Japanese construction workers who still favor them.

However, now, it’s more than just shoes for the construction workers – it’s now a fashionable trend on its own.

These shoes now come in many colors and styles, keeping one feature the same – split toes.

Foursquare: Whereabouts + 5 Daily Deals

Foursquare is no longer just a social network to follow the parties that interest you. Of course you can still tell "the world" that you are heading to the near by Subway, only now you might get a few more sandwich places choices, targeted to your whereabouts, from the site.

The thing is that the local social app maker foursquare has signed revenue-sharing distribution partnerships to target deals sites to its users’ locations.

It stroke the deal with coupon sites, such as LivingSocial, Gilt City, AT&T Interactive, BuyWithMe and Zozi — to users of its iPhone, Android and BlackBerry applications in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — that would now customize deals to your needs. (So, the more you'd attend those Dupont Circle's little book shops, the more you'd get coupons for the nearby shops and books...)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Social Impact on Hunger

Can Social Media Help Feed A Billion Hungry People?

It can. It definitely can, and to celebrate World Population Day, the World Food Program has launched a campaign to pair a billion Internet users with the billion-plus hungry people in the world. 

The Billion for a Billion campaign makes a stark contrast between the daily activities of the digital community and the world’s have-nots. During the one minute you spent watching the above video, more than 145 million emails will be sent, more than 2 million other YouTube videos will be watched, $43,681 will be spent on eBay, 83,273 people will log onto Facebook, 2,083 tweets will be sent and 10 children will die from hunger.

Apps, Apps, Apps: the new digital 'it' thing to do

According to All Things Digital by WSJ, an average iPhone owner will download 83 Apps this year. 

In 2010, typical iOS device owners downloaded an average of 51 apps over the course of the year. This year, they’ll download 83, and they’ll likely pay a higher price for those that aren’t free.

It looks that smartphone users are showing an increasing appetite to use apps to add features to their phones and iOS has the leading app ecosystem. Paid app ASPs appear to be rebounding in 2011. And for some reason it does not surprise me. 

Murdoch, Brooks to apologize: public to forgive?

Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks have issued full-page apologies for the phone-hacking scandal that has hit his media empire. 

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks testifies at a UK hearing.

 Watch live coverage of Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks answering questions before the British Parliament in the phone-hacking scandal on CNN.com/Live, the CNN apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and selected Nokia handsets internationally.

The question is, however, would the public forgive, what do you think?

Media succumbs to smartphones, but not to tablets yet

No matter how hard the editors and writers of the New York Times, featured in the recent documentary from the director Andrew Rossi Page One: Inside the New  York Times, tried to argue that the traditional media is neither dying out nor it’s being survived and replaced by the new media, the future, however, looks much brighter on the side of the latter.

David Carr at The New York Times stays true to the traditional media

David Carr, the notorious columnist of the Media Desk of the NYT in the film refuses to be succumbed to Twitter and Facebook, calling his colleague Brian Stelter who mastered up the new media better than anyone in the department (wanna succumb to Brian's Twitter?) - the DEVIL (or similar to it), who might soon drive the players of the traditional media out of business. However, at the end of the movie, the audience sees Carr using Twitter for his articles and updates and using iPad apps to read the press. (Check out The New York Times App for iPad here.)

I’m, personally, falling David Carr on the Twitter – as well as some of his colleagues, including the press I’m reading on a regular basis, like The Huffington Post, National Geographic, Daily Beast, CNN, and such. And this IS the future of the media, want it or not – the media future is in your phone.

Despite the fact that the “old school” journalists have it harder to adapt to the changing realities of the media - especially the execs - big media companies have never been comfortable with the web – they are, however, much more optimistic about smartphones.

MEDIA: British Journalists and Phone Hacking Devices

In September 2008 a reporter at the well known British newspaper The Guardian wrote: “I could not believe my eyes. The News of the World ran the diaries of Kate McCann, the mother of missing Madeleine. Why, I wondered, would the McCanns suddenly agree to a red-top publishing such an intimate document? And surely they could not have sold the rights?”

Well, but now we all know HOW and via WHAT MEANS the reporters at the News of the World were able to dig out this information. We also know how they “knew” personal conversations of the celebrities, members of the Royal family, politicians and more. Hugh Grant is still pretty upset about it – can’t you just let Grant and his personal hook-ups with certain ladies be? So is upset Gordon Brown – can’t you just let a person be with his very ill son? Public should learn to NOT know EVERTHING about public people, they are entitled to a privacy like any of us.

Believe me, British people are as disguised with the News of the World’s hacking schemes as is the rest of the world. It also disqualifies and demoralizes the rest of us – the journalists who work very hard to obey and follow the Journalism Code of Ethics.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Obviously, Twitter's Founders Need Obvious

It's official. Twitter has become as popular as Facebook and Google Search. Well, maybe not LIKE THAT popular, but according to the keyword search results, Twitter is in top daily search ratings on a daily basis.

It's used by more than 175 million people around the world (vs. 600 million on Facebook). Its platform allows to communicate in various languages. Presidents use it. Celebrities use it. Athletes use it.  Revolutionists use it. Businessmen use it. Journalists use it. Even terrorists use it. Who does NOT use it? Maybe only toddlers and animals - although they still get their accounts - for the "cute" effect of it. And now, Twitter has finally figured out how to monetize it. So there is no really any need to "grow" it, anymore because now the popular microblog is growing organically - pretty much everyone know what it is, where to get it and how to use it.

That's why it comes to no surprise that Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams (who I've met at the Fast Company's "The 100 Most Creative People in Business" last June) plan to leave their love child be and go back to the neglected child - Obvious.