Homework 2

Paul Trant
Homework # 2

Tom Freidman’s Flatteners

One of the first flattener’s I considered to be significant was In-Forming: Google, Yahoo and MSN Web Search. Without any of these search engines, navigating throughout the online world would be next to impossible. Companies will invest large sums of money just so their company name can appear first or in the top searches.

The next flattener in which I feel was significant was when Netscape went public, and shifted from a PC based platform to an Internet-based platform. The Internet is a quick growing form of technology. It has become so complex, that it is nearly impossible to not find what your looking for on the internet.

One of the flatteners I found to be very interesting was the one that pertained to FedEx and UPS. They went on to discuss if you owned a Toshiba laptop and it broke and was under warranty that it was sent to a UPS workshop that specialized on computers. Another interesting point that was made, was that UPS also dispatches the drivers and schedules supply pickup and deliver for Papa John’s Pizza.  When people hear about UPS or FedEx, they merely think that all they do is deliver packages.

Under the 10^th flattener, “The Steroids: Digital, Mobile, Personal and Virtual” the fifth steroid talks about the advancement of computer graphics. I have been playing video games pretty much all my life, so I have seen first hand how the graphics have become far more advanced. Technology is increasing so rapidly, that they have begun creating video games in 3-D.

Also, the fourth steroid discusses videoconferencing. I personally feel that videoconferencing is still coming into its own, primarily through Skype. However, it has lead to positive mock interview simulations, which help in the business world. The simulations act as if you are in a real life meeting for a potential job, and you are asked simulated interview questions, in order to prepare you for the real deal.