34 Places You Should Attend While Visiting Savannah

River Street in Downtown Savannah

Have you been planning a fun-filled summer? Maybe a road trip is on your mind. If Savannah, Georgia is not on that list of yours, you may want to think twice. Taken from a locals perspective, here are just a few spots you may want to hit up while touring the beautiful city of Savannah:

1. Broughton Street

2. City Market

3. Tybee Island Beach

4. Skidaway Island State Park

5. Wilmington Island

6. Dutch Island

7. Isle of Hope Bluff

8. Telfair Museum

9. Forsyth Park

10. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

11. Juliet Gordon Low House

12. Leopold's Ice Cream

13. Jen's & Friend's 

14. Lulu's Chocolate Bar

15. Drive under the Oaks

16. Elan Bar

17. The Rail Pub

18. Wet Willie's

19. Attend the St. Paddy's Day Parade

20. Spanky's 

21. Kevin Barry's Irish Pub

22. Jepson Center

23. Congress Street Social Club 

24. Tour the Squares

25. Stay in one of the Bed & Breakfast Inns

26. Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room

27. Mercer-Williams House Museum

28. Starland Cafe

29. Fort Pulaski National Monument

30. Bonaventure Cemetery 

31. Oatland Island

32. Ossabaw Island

33. River Street

34. Take a selfie in Downtown 

What are some of your favorite spots to visit in Savannah? Comment below! 

Fire Tablet Gets A Facelift

Amazon Fire Colors
Taken from talkingnewmedia.com

By: Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA, Ga- Amazon Kindle readers are in for a real treat with the release of the Fire with color.

Amazon announced April 21 that their newest Kindle Fire Tablet will come in three new colors with more storage as well. The Fire is available in black, blue, magenta, and tangerine. The new Fire will also offer an 8 GB starting at $49.99 and a 16 GB at $69.99. Customers have the luxury to carry their Fire on the go. The newer Fire will allow consumers to take more movies, shows, songs, books, apps, and take pictures. Alongside the Fire colors, Fire Kids Edition is available with 16 GB starting out at $119.99.

"We're excited to introduce Fire with bright new colors and even more storage-so that customers can enjoy a great entertainment experience on a fun, colorful tablet starting at less than $50," said Kevin Keith, GM, and Fire Tablets. The new Fire won't just have three new colors and two storage options to choose from, it has many new features as well. The newer Fire will have a 7 IPS display that will have vivid and accurate color reproduction that can be seen at all angles. Consumers will also have a faster processor that will allow easier ways to switch between apps, stream movies, and browse the Internet.

Now you won't have to whip out your iPhone to take pictures of your family and friends because the Fire has a front-and-rear facing camera. You'll be able to video chat with friends and family, take and share photos, and save them later on cloud storage. The newer tablet also offers up to 128 GB of expandable storage through a microSD card; a battery life that lasts all day, filters that limit the exposure of blue light so it's easier to read at bedtime, along with 38 different movies, shows, books, and songs with unlimited free cloud storage. If that isn't enough, the Kids Edition also comes in new colors and storage. The Kids Edition comes with one year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited which features 10,000 children's books, videos, and educational apps. There is even a 2-year, worry-free guarantee if anything happens to your device, return it and Amazon will ship you a new one for free.

What more could an Amazon Fire bring to the table? I know the storage sounds small to everyone. But I love how you now have the option to choose a color and it comes with all these new features. The first Kindle version was just black and white, no camera, no Internet, no music or videos. I think the Fire tablet is trying to compete with the iPad. Yes, the iPad has everything the new Fire has; but the Fire is significantly less in price. If I can purchase a new Fire with the capability to roam the Internet, watch movies, TV shows, read a novel, and take pictures why not pay $49.99 or $69.99 instead of $200 or $300 dollars for an iPad Mini.

I'm sure there are still some customers partial to their Apple products, but with the newer Fire, I think more and more consumers will flock because of the newer details. Personally, I do not own a Fire or iPad, but from people I know who own both, they seem to enjoy the Fire. With the cheaper price tag and similar features, the Fire could possibly out rank the iPad in years to come. What do you all think? Will Fire become the new iPad? Check out the new Fire HD 6 on the Amazon.

Layer3 TV-The New Comcast

Layer3 TV box from Wired.com

By: Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA, Ga- A new wave of cable being refurbished with Layer3 TV.

Most Americans today are paying an average of $161 a month to an all-in-one service provider for cable. “The traditional experience we have at home seems really outdated,” said BTIG media and tech analyst Richard Greenfield. Layer3 TV is the new innovation coined by CEO Jeff Binder. According to Binder, Layer3 will make cable better by adding clearer pictures, better design, and stellar customer service. This new service will combine pay TV channels which include traditional broadcasters that Comcast or Time Warner provide. There will also be an Internet-enabled video in a channel guide that allows you to find what you want to watch. Layer3 after a while learn to show you programs you most likely will want to view.

Binder bought the URL for “Layer3” in 2007 before he knew what he’d do with it. (The name is a reference to network protocol architecture, which has seven layers; the third is network routing over which internet protocol travels.) Binder rose to fame as an entrepreneur working for Motorola and later leaving by age 50. His success comes from his video-on-demand startup called Broadbus Technologies. He sold this company to Motorola for $200 million in 2006. 

Binder created a partnership shortly after selling Broadbus Technologies with Dave Fellows, the chief technology officer for Comcast who had just recently left his position. Fellows had created the 'triple play' of bundling cable, broadband and television subscriptions. Binder and Fellows created an investment firm, Genovation Capital that partnered with TPG and Silver Lake to determine startups and cable companies to invest in or buy. By the year 2014, Binder and Fellows thought of a brilliant idea to incorporate not only cable, but also Internet to allow everyone access to their favorite programs. 

Essentially, Layer3 has shrunk bandwidth. Bandwidth is needed to transmit video. According to wired.com, "To transmit typical web video, an Internet connection must support download speeds of 10 to 15 megabits per second. If a lot of viewers are attempting to watch video using this amount of bandwidth, it becomes very taxing on the cables that carry the Internet to a home. "Binder explained Layer3 is able to send high-def video into a home at less than 4 megabits per second. This is on par with Netflix, but using a different video compression technology called HEVC (high efficiency video coding). Binder wants to emphasize this is not Internet TV. Layer3 will not have to rely on public Internet, they have their own Supercomputer. 

Layer3 recently tested out its technology under Umio. Two Texas communities experimented with Umio which offers 300 channels with cable and Internet offerings. The easy-to-use guide uses algorithms that analyze demographic data, time of day, and viewer preferences. Layer3 will eventually be available to customers in Chicago and a few other major cities on the East and West coasts. The cost of Layer3 will be somewhere around $80-150, depending on how many TVs a home has. Personally, I would be interested in testing out Layer3. I know Comcast now has Xfinity X1 which allows individuals to search by voice controlled remotes and use some aspects of Apps as well. I like how Layer3 is not as expensive as Comcast or Time Warner. I think $80-150 is a reasonable price. Right now, I'm paying over $100 for Comcast Internet and basic cable and I could receive faster Internet and over 300 channels for an $80 value. 

Instagram's New Facelift

Noncommerical Instagram Feed

By: Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA,Ga- Instagram changing the game and following in the footsteps of Facebook.

Instagram, which is an image and video-sharing platform that caters to almost 400 million users, announced on Tuesday, March, 15th, that they will incorporate an algorithm that shows theirs users feed by importance rather than chronology. Essentially Instagram users will have their very own personalized News Feed. This new algorithm assumes posts individuals want to see will be shown at the top of their Feed. According to an Instagram blog posting “If your favorite musician shares a video from last night’s concert, it will be waiting for you when you wake up, no matter how many accounts you follow or what time zone you live in." 

Instagram is following in the foot steps of Facebook. Facebook first began having posts rolled out that were "relevant" to each user. According to n4bb.com, Instagram allows you to follow someone and see their posts as and when they post. Facebook however, is a company that controls what you see first. Many avid Instagram users are not happy about this change. One Twitter user, "Any chance of having the option to turn the algorithm on/off ? One of my favorite things about IG was seeing everything." 

Noncommerical Instagram Feed Image

The company stated that the change is being implemented because about 70 percent of photos and videos are missed being looked at by users. The introduction of the algorithmic feed on the mobile photo-sharing app hopes to address issues where people would miss posts because they are bumped down due to newer posts taking their place. Instagram didn't address when these new changes will occur, but within a few months your Feed will look a little different. Social apps continue to face problems of delivering content to the ever increasing user base. News Feeds are essential to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Personally, I'm a little iffy about the change in the algorithm for Instagram. I understand they're trying to house more users and show their current users what they "think" they want to see. But it's the fun of Instagram browsing all the different photos and videos that you wouldn't normally see if they switch over to the algorithm. I think almost every IG user enjoys seeing posts they wouldn't normally see if their Feed is just categorized to what they usually look at or the individuals they follow on a daily basis. 

I think if Instagram slowly introduces the algorithm more people will begin to adjust to it. No one likes change, I know I don't. But this will allow you to look at posts from your friends and favorite celebrities you may not see on a regular basis if you're not on Instagram frequently. I'm indifferent, but I think Instagram needs a new facelift to their mass media platform. 

Facebook v. Periscope: Live debate

Facebook Live ad
Noncommercial use image 

By: Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA, Ga- Facebook Live better than Periscope. You be the judge of that.

Facebook Live is the new feature Facebook has brought to its social media platform. Facebook Live is quite similar to Periscope in where individuals can view video that's occurring right in the moment. But Facebook has the idea to permanently save and show your streams then Periscope deleting streaming video within 24 hours. According to Facebook, people watch Live streams 3 times longer than saved ones. Facebook decided from the urgency and interaction with people and Live streams that the News Feed in where ranked videos appear higher in your News Feed than saved streams.

Facebook initially launched Live for celebrities in August before it slowly was released to individuals with Verified Profiles and Pages. Facebook also determined instead of spamming all your friends and family with broadcasts, it would send push notifications if the video came from a close friend, Page you interacted with, or you subscribed to a Live video. This process allows Facebook users to catch Live streams while they're still happening. Likes and comments will be seen immediately by broadcasters.

Periscope video of the Today Show
Noncommercial use image

Periscope and Facebook Live are actually quite different, but still great ways to interact with Live streaming content. Periscope's motive is to get individuals involved within the first few minutes of the Live stream. Facebook on the other hand, will use their new Live streaming to show their users the best on-going streams presented on their News Feeds.

I personally think Facebook's Live streaming is a great way for broadcasters to get involved with their viewers and readers. I will get push notifications from WSB-TV or 11Alive to alert me of breaking news or even weather related issues. I know this will be a great way for news corporations to get more viewers. As the article stated, "But it's urgency, interaction, and raw unpredictability that make Live videos so fun to watch." I can wholeheartedly agree that Live videos will make people want to interact through likes and comments.

Facebook Live will make a huge impact on how news and events will be displayed within the future. I think not only myself, but also my fellow peers obtain their news through social media. These Live streaming videos make you stop and want to watch in that instant. When there are videos that are so popular, it'll be a great way to get awareness out to the public. Live videos are the new wave of the future!

Emojis the new 'like' On Facebook

Desktop Version

By Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA, Ga- Emoji's in. 'likes' out. Emoji Reactions are the new 'like' on Facebook.

Facebook's 1.5 billion users will now have the option to sort from five different categories of emoji reactions. Categories range from 'love', 'haha', 'wow', 'sad' and 'angry'. But don't think you can run to your Facebook accounts too quickly to check out the new feature; conveniently called 'Reactions'. Facebook is currently testing out the feature in several countries. These include both Ireland and Spain. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated his sites users will begin to see the emojis "pretty soon".

Emoji Reactions

Zuckerberg explained that the emoji faces will appear below individual user's posts. The 'like' button below user's posts has been a huge hit on Facebook's site. For years users have been asking for a 'dislike' button because certain content shared can be labeled as sad or make you angry. That is one reason Facebook has decided to add on the 'Reaction' tool. “When you only have a like button, if you share a sad piece of content or something that makes you angry, people may not have the tool to react to it," said Zuckerberg. 

According to pcmag.com, Facebook users in Japan are now using emoji's to interact with their friends' timelines. Reactions are also now available in Chile, Portugal and the Philippines. The Reactions are easily accessible by holding down the like button on your cellphone, or you can hover over on your desktop to see the options to choose from. No word on when Zuckerberg will bring Features to the U.S., but only time will tell. 

Emoji Reactions on cellphone

I discovered the phenomenon of emoji's when I got my first iPhone in 2012. They were a great way to express how you were feeling when you just didn't have the words to say how you felt. Personally, I would love for Facebook to expend the Reaction emoji's to the U.S. I think it would be a big hit because almost everyone I know uses emoji's on a regular basis. There is just something about sending a sad or happy emoji and that person immediately knows how you're feeling. 

Also, as Zuckerberg mentioned, there are certain content pieces that a user posts that either makes you sad or angry, and you don't want to go and 'like' it. It would be great to have an option where you can show how you really feel about the content. The Reactions won't replace the 'like' option; it will just be there in cases where the 'like' is not appropriate. If they're a hit in several other countries, I don't see why they wouldn't be a hit in the U.S. Zuckerberg; bring Reactions to the U.S. so we can crack our hand at it.

What do you think? Emoji Reactions a good thing? Should Zuckerberg implement them to the U.S.? 

iPhone 7: Rumored New Features and Release Date

YouTube image of the iPhone 7

By Lexi Thayer

ATLANTA, Ga- Rumors are swirling about the newest iPhone set to be released in September of 2016.

The iPhone 7 has been on the minds of Apple consumers since the release of the iPhone 6 and 6S just back in September of 2015. The newer version of Apple's iPhone is rumored to offer wireless charging and a touchscreen with a built-in Touch 3-D. It's also been rumored that Apple may be ditching its 3.5 mm headphone jack. Apple is notorious for alternating between internal upgrades for the 'S' and creating a completely new design for the full-number update. Macworld believes a 4.7 inch iPhone 7 and a 5.5 inch iPhone 7 Plus will be released either in the summer or in September of 2016. The newer version will be thinner with no headphone jack; thus making iPhone users connect to wireless Bluetooth headphones, or plugging into an adaptor. More speculation is that there will be higher screen resolution, the 16 GB storage will be phased out since that is not enough storage; predicting the iPhone 7 will start out at 32 GB. More features could include a USB-C port, possible wireless charging, and waterproofing.

I gave some thought into the rumor features and release date for the iPhone 7, and have some mixed reviews. Though I think it's great that Apple wants to keep revamping and making their products even better. There are features that should and should not be replaced. Personally, I think removing the headphone jack and having people invest in Bluetooth headphones or plugging into an adaptor to listen to their music is not the best strategy. Of course I listen to my music via Bluetooth in the car, but what if I still enjoy plugging my headphones in and jamming out? I could always invest in the Bluetooth version of headphones; but those could be expensive depending on what brand and the quality you're looking for.

On the other hand, I did like how Apple is phasing out the 16 GB version of the iPhone, because I know for a fact in this day in age that 16 GB is not enough storage for someone. The iPhone is more than just a phone, it helps us connect via email, social media, through pictures, and video. The 32 GB upgrade would be very beneficial for all consumers. One other feature I enjoyed is the wireless charging. I know that a lot of busy college students and professionals are constantly using our phones and not have access to a wall outlet to charge our devices. I think it would be great to have a wireless charging aspect that comes with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7S. I know this article is merely just rumor about new features and the release date, but I really do hope Apple invest in a few of these features listed.

YouTube: iPhone 7 running iOS 10

What do you think? Should Apple invest in the rumored features? Or, maybe they already have invested in these. The world will know soon coming September 2016.