App to the Future

By Dave Struzzi
Apple’s recent “Back to the Mac” event got a lot of Mac fans excited. The big hardware news from that event, of course, was the introduction of the next generation of the MacBook Air, their ultraportable and futuristically thin notebook. Lost in the shuffle of Apple’s hardware and operating system upgrades, however, was a smaller news item that I believe can drastically change the landscape of the Mac vs. PC wars: the introduction of a new App Store for Macs.

Similar to how the App store caters to iPhone and iPads, Apple plans to give software developers a portal for distributing their apps directly to consumers with MacBooks and other Apple products. The goal is likely to recapture the excitement and runaway success of the original App Store; one that gave iPhone users access to hundreds of thousands of programs, games, and tools, at a minimal price.

Adding this capability to MacBooks is a major milestone because the sheer number of available software compatible for Apple computers has historically paled in comparison to its PC counterpart. One stroll through the software section of your local Best Buy can attest to that, with aisles filled with PC software versus the shelves filled with Mac software.

The App Store for Macs is a smart move on Apple’s part to bolster its software lineup, especially considering that all the software in that portal will get the Apple “stamp of approval” to be there. Its biggest hurdle, however, will be ensuring that all developers get a fair chance to appear in the store, even if their software competes with Apple’s own offerings.

Giving Back to Our Alma Mater

By Danielle Salvato and Ana Embry
At Kulesa Faul we see the value in following through with ideas and passions that our company and employees believe in, such as traveling to Costa Rica for a week to help others less fortunate, or donating our time to advise students on their potential. It’s a privilege to say that Kulesa Faul strongly believes in giving back in different ways.

The two of us have a great amount of respect for our alma mater, Chico State. We believe strongly in giving back to the program that helped get us where we are today. This past Friday, we went to visit and speak to the Chico State Department of Journalism. Within the department is a well-driven PR program that leads Tehama Group Communications, a student-run PR agency. Twenty years ago, TGC opened its doors at Chico State. Since then, it has brought together more than 400 students to serve nearly 100 local, regional, national and nonprofit clients. We are just two of the 400 students.

For TGC’s 20th Anniversary, the department had two full days filled with alumni speaking panels and individual insight on various topics. We led speaking sessions on job-hunting for college seniors—more specifically, how to find a job in a tough economy and interviewing do’s and don’ts.

We are honored to do something that gives back to the college that gave us so much and appreciate that Kulesa Faul supports us in this endeavor.