Source: mag-corp.com

This weeks lecture was on visual media.

Visual social media can be used:

• Academically
• Recreationally
• Socially
• Politically
• Commercially
• and more

In the lecture we learnt that:

1. Tweets with images get twice the engagement.
2. Larger images tend to get more likes, shares and comments.
3. YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine on the web.
4. 700 YouTube video links are shared on Twitter every minute.
5. 500 years of YouTube videos are watched on Facebook everyday.
6. 44% of U.S. email marketers report increased engagement rates in messages containing video.
7. Consumers are 27 times more likely to click through online video ads than standard banners.

This Friday we had to complete an e-tutorial on Flickr. The task was to create a profile and upload some photos. We had to add tags and descriptions and titles. Here is my album.

Here are the photos I uploaded:

Week 7 - Mashups and I made a new app!

Source: ioexception.de

This week in Social Computing and Media, we discussed web mashups!

A mashup, in web development, is a web page, or web application, that uses content from more than one source to create a single new service displayed in a single graphical interface. For example, you could combine the addresses and photographs of your library branches with a Google map to create a map mashup.In our Friday f2f lab, we were given the task to create a web mashup using Google Maps. I made a mashup that displays heritage oak trees of Ireland. The map displays oak trees and sacred trees found in Ireland. Each tree has a location pin, and each pin is different. When a pin is selected, information about the chosen tree is displayed.

Here is my web mashup:

I have also been developing my own app in my spare time. The app is aimed at beginner mountain

Download!

bikers. The app is called Mountain Bike Shock Doctor.

The Shock Doctor has many features including:  

• Sag Calculator: Calculate sag for forks, air and coil rear shocks. 

• Trouble-shooter: Solve your bike's suspension problems on the trail.

• My Notes Section: Take note of your favorite suspension set up for each trail that you ride!

• Sag recommendations for all styles of riding.

• Suspension tuning terminology guides.

• Setup guides with detailed explanations.

• Detailed diagrams and definitions & More!

The app has received way more downloads than I expected!

Week 6 - Video Communication Methods

Source: s3.amazonaws.com

This week in Social Computing and Media, we discussed various methods of video communication.

In our lab time we were given the task to create a screen cast video using Screencast-o-Matic. This site allows users to record the screen on their computer in other words, its a screen capture website.
Our task was to create a short video demonstrating a Google Image search and upload it to YouTube.
We were also to experiment using the edit feature in the YouTube video manager.
I added a backing track to my video and also transcribed the video and added subtitles for the hard of hearing.

Here is my screen cast video: 

I also used this opportunity to make another screen cast video explaining how the UCD Societies App works: