The Post-it Note Joins the Digital World

By: Kristin Feisler

Do you ever wish you could turn your hand written notes into a digital form that you could carry with you? You're in luck. According to a Mashable article, Evernote and 3M have entered into a partnership which will turn Post-it sticky-notes into digital notes. Emily Price explains that these Post-it notes become digitized through a feature in Evernote's iOS 7 app called "Post-it Note Camera". This new feature will work with any Post-it note, but 3M has created special packs of Post-it notes that come with a 30-day subscription to Evernote Premium. Now you can write down your grocery list on a sticky-note, digitize it, and share it with your spouse miles away.

Post-it Notes create a digital-looking Marilyn Monroe face

Although I find the idea of digitizing Post-it notes unique and interesting, I don't believe this app is extremely useful. If I want a note to be digitized, why would I go through two steps? I could save time by just typing it out on my smartphone and sending it directly. Those who are fans of Evernote already have the option to share their notes with anyone within the app. I believe this app will be used more for entertainment rather than efficiency. There is even an app called FastEver Share that allows you to share your Evernote notes simply by "bumping" two iPhones together.

On the plus side, the Post-it Note Camera feature will come in handy for those uncomfortable with typing out notes on their smartphone or computer. Using this feature may just be pure fun. The app is able to distinguish which color sticky-note you are writing on and helps to organize your notes within the app. I will have to try this app out for myself before I completely knock it. Do you think this new feature will be a home-run, or will you stick to typing out your notes? Check out the poll at the end of my page!

Are Celebrities and Twitter Headed for Divorce Court?

By: Kristin Feisler

The never ending war between Twitter and Facebook continues. Twitter has a popularity with users for its ability to follow celebrities like you would an old high school friend. According to a Mashable article, celebrities like Maria Sharapova are starting to use Facebook to reveal their breaking news. Sharapova used the hashtag #misstheopen on her Twitter page implying she would not be participating in this year's U.S. Open. In order to view the entire story, though, users had to view her Facebook page. Why the sudden move from Twitter to Facebook? Mashable author, Todd Wasserman suggests the change has a lot to do with Facebook now including trending topic lists and the ability to embed posts. Facebook is also wooing celebrities to try their improved platform. Wasserman still gives Twitter the upper hand as the best platform for breaking news because these additions to Facebook like embed posts are still new.

The battle continues

Even though I'm a Facebook girl, I am not convinced that celebrities will ditch their beloved Twitter pages and hop on the Facebook train. I used to mildly use Twitter, and one of the reasons I enjoyed it was because I could keep up with my favorite celebrities or news channels simultaneously. I felt like I was part of the action or an insider to breaking news when I scrolled through my Twitter feed. Facebook, on the other hand, was first invented to keep college students connected. It is meant to be more personal. I don't get on Facebook to see what Taylor Swift is up to. I get on Facebook to see what my cousin in Pennsylvania is doing.

Celebrity Twitter Birds

Wasserman made a great argument for both sides of this debate. It was genius for Facebook to copy Twitter's use of hashtags, Although some Facebook users are annoyed with this new feature, I believe it makes Twitter less of a threat to Facebook. A strong company is one that is able to humble themselves enough to know when their competition has a great idea and run with it. Another advantage for celebrities using Facebook is the ability to write a full story. Twitter posts are restricted to 140 characters. How much of a story can a celebrity give in 140 characters? Some users don't care to know the whole story, but those users who do care will be forced to go to Facebook. I am still convinced that celebrities will stick with Twitter when it comes to breaking news. Time will tell if these new "improvements" to Facebook will cause celebrities to divorce their Twitter accounts, or if Twitter's love spell is too strong for any platform to break.