Do your friends and family give you a hard time about spending too much time online, calling you a loner or saying you have no social life? You and I know they're wrong, but a new study proves that time spent on the Internet can actually increase your social activity rather than create isolation, as previously thought by many, especially in the days before the popularity of Facebook and celebrities on Twitter.
The study, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that social networking, e-mailing and blogging can lead to larger and more diverse social networks.
“Social media activities are associated with several beneficial social activities, including having discussion networks that are more likely to contain people from different backgrounds. For instance, frequent internet users, and those who maintain a blog are much more likely to confide in someone who is of another race. Those who share photos online are more likely to report that they discuss important matters with someone who is a member of another political party.”
The study states that though social isolation still effects roughly 6% of the population (and has since about 1985), internet usage isn't making that number grow.
In addition to confirming that internet users are more likely to reach out to those from different ethnic backgrounds, the research confirms some data already widely accepted, such as the primary reasons for use, i.e., keeping in touch with "IRL" family and friends. The group of 2,512 adults polled reported that they called each person in their close circle of friends at least 195 days in a year, and saw them in person 210 days a year. 71% of MySpace and Facebook users listed at least these same members of their core network of friends as a friend on one of these services.
The study also found that 45% of internet users are more likely to visit a coffee shop, bookstore or other public, un-isolated place where internet access is readily available for use.
The entire study's findings are pretty interesting and can be read here.
Has your internet usage caused you to be more or less social in the real world?
Have you always dreamed of taking a trip into outer space but couldn't convince your parents to foot the bill for space camp? Come 2012, you might be able to take a luxury vacation in space, as a Barcelona-based company Galactic Suite Ltd. is planning on opening the universe's first "out of this world" hotel.
The Galactic Suite Space Resort will be a multi-billion dollar resort that allows visitors to take a trip around the world 80 times, watching the sunrise an incredible 15 times a day (do you think that would be as interesting the 15th time as it was the first?)
Prior to their three-day retreat in their space condo, complete with velcro suits and fuzzy walls for Spiderman-like mobility, guests will complete an eight-day training session in the Caribbean. We hope that includes a few massages, because the cost of this trip will blow your mind.
The Galactic Suite will cost a mere $4.4 million, apparently chump change to some, as there are already 23 people who have booked reservations, and a growing list of others who are interested in taking a trip.
Providing food aid to Iraqi refugees in Syria is about to get a little bit easier, and a little bit more technologically advanced. The UN World Food Programme announced today that they are launching a new initiative that will deliver food vouchers to all 130,000 refugees via text.
The vouchers can be exchanged for food products such as rice, wheat flour, lentils, chickpeas, oil, canned fish, cheese, and eggs at certain stores. The 4-month long test project would provide 1,000 refugee families with $22 (15 euro) vouchers every two months via SMS through a special SIM card.
WFP spokesperson Emilia Casella told reporters that all food aid recipients in the region already have mobile phones: “We’re currently providing news about distributions on mobile phone messages to the 130,000 caseload right now.”
If the mobile distribution of food aid is successful, the organization will consider extending the program into other regions. Casella also pointed out the socio-economic benefits to allowing the refugees to buy food locally as they need it, as opposed to visiting distribution centers or having it delivered.
"It also is better for the economies of the communities in which we're able to use food vouchers because in essence we're not giving food away but we're actually providing an additional market to the local shopkeepers," she said.
We hope the program is successful and that it serves as an effective means to distributing food relief to those in need.
If you were impressed by the kid who created his own version of Guitar Hero using a bicycle and some sidewalk chalk in his neighborhood, you're really going to be blown away by this. This promo video for the UK band Kasabian's new album recreates the game by creating giant buttons attached to the wall, which are "pushed" by soccer players kicking balls at them in time with the music.
See the madness for yourself:
Pretty cool! What a creative way to promote an album.
Great news, members and friends of SocialVibe - we're a finalist in this year's Think Social awards! The Paley Center for Media's Think Social awards recognize individuals, initiatives and organizations who are using social media to connect people and ideas to address society's most pressing challenges.
We're in great company with the other list of worthy nominees, so we need your help to win!
This is a highly respected recognition and we are honored to have been nominated at all, much less make it to the final round. With your help, we have a great shot at winning. Please help us by voting for SocialVibe at this link, and don't forget to leave a comment on the voting page about why you think we deserve a Think Social award!
You'll have to register for an account, but it only takes a few moments. Thank you for your continued support of SocialVibe!
Facebook launched a new, official group this week called "Facebook for Good." The group encourages Facebook users to share stories about how they've used Facebook to help their communities, support their causes, and effect change. Obviously, SocialVibe need to be all over this.
Have you been using the SocialVibe Facebook app to earn free donations for your cause and help them reach their goals? Let them know!
Go join the Facebook for Good group and tell them how you've used SocialVibe on Facebook to help propel positive change and support your Cause. Include specific details, like which charities you support, how much money you've helped raise, or which goals you've been a part of reaching!
Are you fanatical about Google? That's a dumb question... who doesn't love Google? Besides being just an all around awesome company that has introduced a ton of revolutionary services, functions and applications, Google also has a really interesting story about how they got their legs in the early days.
This cute and creatively illustrated video tells The Google Story, chronicling the company's short history, including fun facts about how they chose the name and when various products launched.
It's hard to imagine an internet without them. Can you remember the pre-Google days? What is your favorite Google product?
Since the iPhone's release about two years ago, we've seen a number of decent iPhone Halloween costumes, but these getups from Reko Rivera and John Savio definitely take the cake. Using their real iPhones, they created full-size, wearable and "working" iPhone costumes.
Each costume features a 42" display, 1.5 hours of battery life, weighs 85 lbs and is connected to a "real" iPhone via USB. They also have 3 batteries each and last about 4.5 hours before needing overnight recharging.
In their words:
"This all started two years ago. Reko Rivera and Bobby Hartman created a wearable large iPhone costume with a real 37" lcd tv. An iPod was attached with a looping video of a real iphones screen in normal use. This time with the help of John Savio and John Matthews the team created yet another amazing rendition of the new iPhone 3GS. Savio loved the original idea but wanted to take it to the next level and make it thinner and actually work with user input! With some heavy researching and some solid determination Savio finally found a solution. He managed to modify the software on the iPhone to allow a live dual image output to the large 42" lcd tv while maintaining the image in landscape mode. Reko originally came up with the idea and really pushed to see his vision come to life two years ago. This year John and Reko plan to compete in most of the local and online contest to win back all the money they invested in the costumes. The team has about $2000 into the two costumes and has no regrets!"
Amazing! This is a great start to what is sure to be a week filled with awesome, creative, interesting and funny Halloween costumes.
