Binary Perspectives - Jacobv.com

‘Writing’ going the way of the Dodo? ‘Reading’ too?

Jacob Varghese — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:23:28 +0000

“Are you beautiful?” My 11 yr old asked the feminine S voice of his Mom’s android device. “I’d rather not talk so much about myself. Let’s talk about you.” answered the voice, apparently fed up with the string of personal questions from my son. Creepy! That’s what I thought. The next generation is unlikely to share that reaction. Kids are getting increasingly comfortable [...]

How to identify fake LinkedIn and Facebook invites using Google Image Search

Jacob Varghese — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:27:31 +0000

You’re probably smart enough to know that your recent invites on LinkedIn and Facebook, from beautiful women (or men- where applicable), have little to do with your witty online persona or newly honed chick/hunk-magnet super powers. While the concept of open networking isn’t without merit, it’s a good idea to exercise due diligence. You do [...]

Facebook, you want pre-teens? Do more to stop bullying.

Jacob Varghese — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:40:33 +0000

If you were disturbed by 15 yr old Amanda Todd’s suicide by bullying on facebook; you were probably disgusted by the fact that the bullying and justification for her suicide continue, even on Facebook pages dedicated to her memory. While the sane among us, now go through the predictable soul searching and assigning blame on [...]

Embracing your creative dark side

Jacob Varghese — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 01:30:59 +0000

The morbid lineage of Nike’s ‘Just do it’, is just one example of creativity being inspired from darker realms. Murderer Gary Gilmore’s final words ‘Let’s do it’, in front of a firing squad, were playfully paraphrased to Nike’s trademarked slogan by Dan Wieden of Wieden and Kennedy. Though all of this may well have been [...]

ROInfluence: Overestimating the impact of social scoring

Jacob Varghese — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:18:08 +0000

If you read my previous opinions on social scoring, you know I’m skeptical on the viability of ’influence metrics‘. However, when Mark Schaefer (of the engaging marketing blog {Grow} ), mentioned me in his latest book ’Return on Influence‘, I decided to give the concept another look. I took Mark’s advice to heart; to look [...]

A billion users and a trillion dollars. The last hurrah of Facebook and Apple?

Jacob Varghese — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:20:51 +0000

Sergey Brin recently listed Apple and Facebook among threats to the open web. While Birn’s comments could be a case of sour grapes, there is not much of an argument that both Apple and Facebook do operate behind walled gardens. Brin noted that Google would never have come into existence if Facebook were dominant. Information [...]

Your digital life and the digital divide

Jacob Varghese — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:06:45 +0000

A project I am working on, has me wondering about the disconnect between the digital haves and have/want-nots and the impacts of this digital divide. This higher-ed marketing project requires me to contact academics and institutions throughout the world. An educator in Iraq confessed … in my country this service ( buying books from internet ) [...]

India on Social

Jacob Varghese — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:40:46 +0000

With Facebook touting India as one of their largest markets in the near future, there are obvious benefits to hitching on to the Indian social media marketing bandwagon. However, it is not clear that businesses in India are ready (like many businesses elsewhere).

Friends in Heaven

Jacob Varghese — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:53:08 +0000

Have you ever wondered what you want done with your social media account when you are no more? We now live our lives communicating, sharing and ‘being’, on one or more social media platforms. A digital presence is often an integral part of our identity. So when some one close passes on, what is the [...]

Freddy vs. Jason. The OWS Story

Jacob Varghese — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:40:49 +0000

A nightmare tied in with all the arguments for and against the OWS protest; a predominant perception; an epic battle brews between Capitalism and Communism/Socialism. I’d think Freddy to be communist. Tempting with dreams of utopia, only to dismember you in a fiendish, otherworldly gulag. Jason on the other hand, seems more capitalist. A purposeful, [...]