Web 2.0, also known as the 2nd generation of Web, focused on
the ability for internet users to collaborate and share information online.
There are over 1.5 billion social networking (Web 2.0) users globally.
As a full time university student and employee, I believe Web 2.0 tools are very beneficial and have helped greatly with increasing my
personal productivity.
Benefits of Using Web 2.0 Tools
These tools have helped and encouraged me to:
Communicate efficiently, effectively online
Collaborate online for study and work purposes
Receive up to date information quickly
Utilise online user generated information and content
Build digital identity and reputation
Share living, studying and working experiences
Document thoughts, ideas and other information
Share information, content and knowledge
Take initiatives to start communities and groups
Join other’s communities and groups
Meet new friend and perform online networking
In summarisation, Web 2.0 tools have helped me to find
interesting things to do, stay motivated and conduct
lifelong learning.
Recently, I have tested out 2 social media tools that I haven't used previously; and would like to share the experience with you.
Pinterest is a social bookmarking website similar to Digg
and StumbleUpon.
Pinterest is like a microblogging platform for photo and video sharing; where users can view and create
categorised Pinboards to pin photos, videos clips and to share with others. Users can pin images and video clips to express personal styles; and most importantly to share and talk about interesting visual contents.
So if you simply like to share, discover and discuss images and videos in a billboard similar environment, then Pinterest will be the perfect choice for you!
Habbo
Habbo is an online virtual community mainly used by teens to meet new friends. Habbo is one of the successful Web 2.0 examples for combining social networking and gaming experience, so called gamification.
Like the famous gamified virtual community, Second Life, Habbo visualised the online communication by utilising avatar, virtual
coins, virtual items and etc. But unlike Second Life, Habbo utilises pixeled graphic and text chats to ensure the speed and user experience.
Another special feature about Habbo is that it hires staff
to serve as online ‘helper’, users can simply click a button to chat with a real
person and reach for help. I suppose all
users on social platforms want to be accepted and involve in the community; and Habbo
has definitely done great to make me feel welcomed and attached.
So if you like to interact with people in a "simplified
Second Life" environment; love to decorate your virtual room, dress up your
avatar to the style, and not minding the pixeled graphical effect; then Habbo would definitely be my
recommendation.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Please leave your comment, or maybe you also want to
recommend a few interesting online social media tools.
Hmm i have tried using pinterest once but it didn't really interest me like how instagram did.
ReplyDeleteMaybe because its directed for a more casual users compared to pinterest?
That habbo looks interesting, i might try it later
Anw nice post, keep up the good work!
Thank you for commenting on my post.
DeleteBoth Pinterest and Instagram are open, highly visualised and organic social networking platforms.
But Pinterest is definitely more focused on images(images people found on other websites and etc.)and video sharing.
While Instagram is more a photography-based mobile social network; with 130 million users focused on photos(taken by smart phones) sharing.
On the topic of Habbo and Second Life. Perhaps it is just me, but aren't these types of social networking sites on the decline? It sort of defeats the point of online social networks. When you think about it, you wouldn't turn Amazon.com (the leading online retailer, although not in Australia) into a virtual store where you had to travel down the aisles to find what you want to buy. Yes, there are some people who want this sort of online experience, but to me it seems less of an evolution and more of a port from reality to the internet.
ReplyDeleteJames
www.enterprise-activa.com
Thank you for commenting on the post! You have definitely made a point here.
DeleteI have chosen to try out 2 social media tools that I haven't used previously; not based on their popularity.
In regards to the Habbo/SL topic, I did mention that "Habbo is an online virtual community mainly used by TEENS to meet new friends" and I would only recommend it if you like the pixeled graphic and gamification effect.
As in
"So if you like to interact with people in a "simplified Second Life" environment; love to decorate your virtual room, dress up your avatar to the style, and not minding the pixeled graphical effect; then Habbo would definitely be my recommendation."
Older university students(such as us) and adults might found Habbo less evoluted, 'naive' or even lagged behind, but it has the social media networking "elements" for teens; and it targets at teenagers only(its slogan: Hangout for teens!).
And I have tried Habbo out because only I haven't used it before and because it is one of the platform engaging gamification.
I think there certainly is a future for gamified approaches, although sites like Habbo and Second Life might take the concept a bit too far for many users.
DeleteMoreover, people are used to interacting with physical objects, and providing user interfaces that resemble these, is a way to design an intuitive and attractive software or website.
I agreed and I suppose that the current gamified social networking applications are a bit like online games such as WOW; there are always gonna be someone interested at them, but not everyone.
DeleteNice post on the benefits of using Web 2.0 tools, congratulations. I wasn't aware of Habbo previously, so thanks for sharing this with you. I find it particularly interesting that the Facebook user interaction is combined with a game like user interface.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am glad that you have enjoyed my post :)
DeleteHi Jiabao
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my blog. I definitely agree with you that we are responsible for becoming familiar with the tools of Web 2.0. I also really enjoyed reading your blog and think you answered the weekly topic in a nice and clear way (perhaps I need to do a little rework myself). Also I really think you are right in your points; it is like the Web 2.0 tools (or at least some of them) have become indispensable for our productivity. Last but not least thanks for sharing the two tools Pinterest and Habbo as well as teaching me about “gamification”. I can only agree with you that we really have learnt a lot already – if this continues world domination is just around the corner ;-)
Thank you, and I am glad that you have enjoyed my post :)
DeleteTalking about fantastic social media tools for increasing productivity; there is a lovely website called Mindomo which allows users to create and share ideas (in a mind map format); just thought you might be interested as well.
Mindomo: http://www.mindomo.com/
I keep loosing all the comments I post to you blog..don't know why..
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with Grif 22, the reason most people do their shopping or transactions online is because it saves them the time of actually going to a store...but I am guessing (not really familiar with it) that Habbo hotel is some sort of online game where, using an avatar, one could meet and chat with people...and since it has a gamification feature, there will be some kind of reward involved...
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I am not really sure what you mean here, but still... thank you for commenting on the post.
DeleteIn regards to the comment disappearing issue, it is because of your browser/internet setting problem; please enable(stop filtering) "third party cookies" in your browser and on your computer.
View following links to learn how to enable "third party cookies" for the relevant browser.
For Firefox: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences?redirectlocale=en-US&redirectslug=Enabling+and+disabling+cookies
For Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en
For Safari: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5042