Posts
Adam Roll
DTC 375
Dr. Jason Farman
Word Count: 942
Communication For A Fast Paced World
On a daily basis, millions of people engage in a form of communication. Cell phones are a simple way to stay in contact with friends and loved ones. It has been a big benefactor for business purposes as well. Within the emergence of the cell phone, it wasn’t long before text messaging rapidly spread and become the fad in communication. In the fast paced world we live in today, text messaging is emerged as a new way of communication that is utilized on a daily basis due to its simplistic, strait to the point form. Here I will discuss the effects it has on communication, how it pays ‘homage’ to older media as Marshal Mcluhan would say, and how it is utilized by myself.
Text messaging has emerged as a new form of communication due to the fast paced world we live in today and has changed the way we communicate. We live in a world where we want instant results now, cutting out all the nonsense, pre-chatter and getting strait to the point. Text messaging does just that. Picture this, you want to wish your friend Happy Birthday but you are busy, perhaps in a meeting, you don’t have time to call your friend and chat for 5 minutes, so you text him Happy Birthday. It takes seconds to do. Text messaging is faster, it is more discrete and for some, an easier platform to communicate with, rather than a cell phone. Fore example, lets look at the last election, “More than 2.9 million text messages were said to have been sent out on that particular occasion. The Obama campaign has never really released the size of its mobile database, but the Biden announcement goes down in history as the largest mobile marketing push by text, at least to date.” (Mickey Alam Khan, Parra 11) As you can see text messaging was taken advantage of in the last elections and may have contributed to President Obama’s success.
Although text messaging is a new form of communication that is used on a daily basis it is not always the most appropriate platform to communicate with. For example, you do not want to use text messaging in cases such as: fights between two people or while operating a moving vehicle. The purpose for this is it is dry and emotionless, therefore sometimes difficult for the recipient to interpret mood or tone of the conversation. You may say something that can be taken wrong and ruin your relationship. In the case of operating a moving vehicle, it can prove to be deadly.
Text messaging, as McLuhan would say, pays ‘homage’ to older media. Text messaging formed a new name for itself as a form of communication. It is true, where we’re at today in this technology advanced world, is due to all the technological advancements that have came before it. Communication started at one point in time as hand written letters, then to the telegraph, and eventually transformed into the advancement we have today. Cell phones are a wireless form of communication that we can take with us on the go. Text messaging is an advancement that grew off of the cell phone which is needed for our world we live in today. As Bolt and Grusin states, “Media function as objects within the world--within systems of linguistic, cultural, social, and economic exchange. Media are hybrids in Latour’s sense and are therefore real for the cultures that create and use them.” (Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin, pg. 58) This goes the same for text messaging, it only exists because we as a society have a need for it.
I use text messaging on a daily basis for several purposes. For me, in certain circumstances, it is cheaper and less time consuming to send a text message to my friends and loved ones than making a phone call. It’s not that I am trying to avoid engaging in a conversation with them, its just that I am a very busy individual and it’s sometimes more convenient to send a text. At other times, I utilize the technology of text messaging because I am out of minutes and its simply cheaper than going over in minutes. One of the greatest things about text messaging in my opinion is that it can be done more discretely without interrupting anyone around you. Another example of the use of text messaging in my life would be for work. The prior position I held was a Managment position. It was not uncommon for me to receive text messages from employees and other superiors. Sometimes they were simple questions, and other times they were informative. On occasion, I would even be called into work through a text message. For me, text messaging has become an necessity, I use it on a daily basis in order to keep in contact with friends, family and even work, with little interruption or time consumption in my busiest moments.
Text messaging is great technology that has advanced due to specific cultural needs. Text messaging is a simple way to stay in contact with friends and loved ones when time is of the essence. It is best said by McLuhann when he states, “media as extensions of our senses institute new ratios, not only among our private senses, but among themselves when they interact among themselves.” (Marshal McLuhan, pg 152) It goes the same for text messaging, the cell phone becomes one with our senses. As you know, there are many ways of staying in contact with the world, some are more personal than text messaging, but it gets the job done.
Bibliography
Remediation, Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin, “Understanding New Media” http://www.jasonfarman.com/dtc375_sp09/Remediation2.pdf, 2000,
Mickey Alam Khan, Mobile Marketer, A victory for Obama, a victory for mobile, Novmber 5, 2008, Parra, 11. http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/editorials/2049.html
Essential, Marshal McLuhan, edited by Eric McLuhan and Frank Zingrone, 1995, http://www.jasonfarman.com/dtc375_sp09/McLuhan1.pdf
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Text Messaging: Bittersweet Efficiency
Josh Colby
DTC 375
Jason Farman
1.27.09
Word Count: 1,191
Text messaging: Bittersweet Efficiency
Interestingly enough, no matter what anyone writing on the topic of text messaging or many other convenient and efficient types of communication from email to social networking websites in my generation, whether it is an argument for or against the medium, chances are that they are themselves entrenched in its use. All of that to say that while I can objectively look at a communication medium such as text messaging and criticize it for its many qualities that attract my concern for what it is doing and has done to our society, we use it. I use it. It is widespread and the only real feasible tech that increasingly efficient yet less personal media like texting can give way to is I believe techs that become increasingly more efficient as it amplifies its own pros and cons.
As mentioned in the introduction, among the very efficient technologies that allow us instant and fast communication with one another, I chose text messaging. This is because that, of the several media that allow us to communicate, texting is one of the widely used by me and I believe among those in my generation. While I’m sure I would check my Facebook on and send email and use the internet on a phone if it had those capabilities within a reasonable price, the reality is that I don’t and plenty of people are in the same boat as me. However, texting is very simple, basically being very short and informal email messages, and a good texting plan doesn’t cost very much relatively speaking. So again, since it is widely used compared to the more pricey alternatives of cell phone communication, this is a good platform to explore the ins and outs of the medium as pertaining to why people use it and its effects on those that use it, and perhaps where it is taking us.
First off, the most obvious point I need to clarify is that it’s not just the fact that it [texting] is cheaper to use than other media that makes it so widely used. Texting in many ways is a phenomenon to me because of its enigmatic nature. It is a very compelling medium. The why behind that statement can be argued I’m sure by using multiple theories about what make people tick, but I’m going to stick with security. Many may not really notice it as they use texting but as a medium, texting rarely encroaches upon ones sense of security, personal space, boundaries, etc. Text message communicating leaves you to interpret based on sight alone, i.e. in seeing the text. You cannot interpret someone’s body language, disposition, or tone; information that we normally would have if talking to someone in person and in hearing their voice. I notice that because of this, people have a lot more balls to say certain things over text than in person because that sense of security is left intact. To say certain things in an in person setting or even over the phone would leave you vulnerable to others reactions. Seeing these reactions and hearing the sound of them is much more personal and intimate compared to just texting something to someone. I think that this is probably the strongest reason behind the avid use of the technology.
Big deal though, right? You can do that over email. However, that sense of security matched with the faced paced efficiency of texting compared to having to log on to an email account potentially at a computer that you have to boot up is bar none. Granted, they have email over the phone which is nice, but texting is still widely used because it’s just faster. I can have a conversation with five people all at once, or I can hide behind the impersonality of the medium if I want to say something that should left to a more personal setting all without breaching my security that much. If someone isn’t into it because for security reasons, people still use it all the time for its efficiency. I could take care of an order of business in one text rather than a short phone call or meeting all without seeming rude. Excellent. These benefits however are not without their consequences.
This a generalization, but I believe that if everyone were to boil down their greatest priorities in life down to only a couple or a few things, at the top of the list would be the relationships in their life, e.g. their family, friends, etc. Texting and similar media allow communication with all of these people, but it has begun to sacrifice the personal touch to many of these relationships that generates some of the greatest feelings of gratification in life. Not that it has compromised them altogether, but as the newer generations are growing into this technology more than any other generations before it, I think that impersonal media like this dumb down certain important personal social skills. What if someone develops their personal relationships with people over texting more than in person? This actually happens. Let’s say you meet someone in a chat room, you exchange numbers, and then start getting to know each other more over text. Let’s also say that you’re a teen. What happens when you meet this person for the first time? Granted, it could work, but also you could come to realize that this person you’ve been chatting with might not even be the person they thought they were.
Texting allows you to miss someone’s physical style of communicating and their personality is almost completely lost in translation as well. Certain things should just be done more in person or by actually hearing someone’s voice rather than over an impersonal media. There is SO much room for misinterpreting the content portrayed through the medium that it can create something false in the minds of those who use it in the place of a more intimate way of relating to each other.
All of this is to say that this medium, while coming out other media like email, has become a medium all in its own because of its widespread use, efficiency, and effects that come with it. So much more can be done through this medium with so many contacts, yet while using you become less acquainted with the present and in being personal with people. It’s not to say that we are doomed, but it’s not teaching us a good lesson in relationship. Ever tried talking someone while they are texting? Some are getting very good at it, but it still is irritating at times. It’s like they’re not being personal when you are trying to be. They are in another moment when they should be in that one with you.
This medium is here to stay. I will continue to use it because almost everyone I know except for the especially “out-of-touch” people. It is incredibly efficient and convenient to use, and because of that it fits perfectly in this culture. I wonder though what the next generation will be like socially because of many technologies just like text messaging.
Text Messaging Craze
Denise Garner
DTC 375: Language, Texts & Technology
Dr. Jason Farman
Tuesday 27th, Jan. 2009
Word count: 770
Text Messaging Craze
Experts say that technology has added new layers to our understanding of what means to be literate. In fact, technology has put new emphasis on reading and writing, according to experts. For instance, cell phones have twice as many features as are necessary. Cell phones are a handy tool. It is not uncommon if we hear those cell phones ring different tunes altering the user of a new message or if we see people with the case of their phones matching the color of their attire. That common saying may have some truth, but cell phones are not the only communication device the media enjoys. For many people, text messaging has become the most popular up coming new fad in town because it has created a new form of condensed communication that fits with the pace of our current generation of the information age.
First of all, people enjoy communicating in text messaging, you see this especially in young teens. Text messaging is a whole new language all of its own. This is what makes it so unique. Also, it affects the way people communicate through ownership. For instance, in younger teens, it gives them a sense of stability and makes them feel more confident in themselves. People fully utilize text messaging with their friends, boyfriend, or girlfriend as their main form of communicating similar to email or talking on their cell phones. Since this seems to be all fun and games now a days, "as I argue here, in what context is it appropriate or inappropriate to use text messaging? It is very inappropriate to use this technology in the classroom. Not only this, but it can also distract the person next to you as well as loosing important information notes from your instructor that you are going to utilize on your test. One more to consider is that, it poses a potential danger while driving and accidents have happened from the cause. Some are more alert to the beep then to watch that traffic signal. Rule: don’t text and drive." http//memberslycos.co.uk/arbee222/doxhmtl
Second of all, text massagers are down to earth people of an ordinary household. Unlike cell phones, text messaging doesn’t make loud annoying rings. In fact, it just makes a funny noise. It generally makes a quiet existence. Text messaging also doesn’t have restrictions unlike cell phones when communicating. Although text messaging can rack up a bill if you don’t keep track, people must make provisions for this. As a last resort, of course, an unlimited text messaging plan is a good idea to consider that fits the pace.
Thirdly, another communication that fit’s the pace of our generation is that "having our phone subscribed to the Globe, in fact, it has become the new status symbol and seldom do we see people without their phones glued to their fingers text messaging in some form or another. For example, teenagers elsewhere in the world have been texting furiously for years, using the cheap technology to evade government controls on dating in Saudi Arabia and to foment revolution in the Philippines. Now that texting has exploded in America, it’s regarded as one of the current teen generation’s inexplicable behaviors, like text messaging." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/05/19AR2007051901284.htdyn/content/article/2007/05/19AR2007051901284.ht
Further more, communicating via text messaging most attractive feature is a fast learning
communication. Text messaging doesn’t have to be that image of keeping up with the pace of the information age. Just think of it as the old school, for example, going back to short hand. Texting is quick, painless procedure. Text messaging also takes care of how we might be afraid to communicate in person if we want to apologize to someone. In everyday use, text messaging can become a creative tool of communication. For instance, just look how many abbreviations you can choose from just to know how to communicate in text messaging form of content. You can Google the word abbreviation of text messaging and you come up with over a 1000 words from A- Z, or just go to the store and get a small version on a poster so you can understand what the generation age is talking about. There it is again, going back to the latest fad of communication with short hand.
In conclusion, last but not least, the development of text messaging through the new communication that fits the pace of our current generation of information age has truly become the new talk of the town.
Work Cited
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/19/AR2007051901284.ht
2. http//memberslycos.co.uk/arbee222/dox.hmtl
DTC 375: Language, Texts & Technology
Dr. Jason Farman
Tuesday 27th, Jan. 2009
Word count: 770
Text Messaging Craze
Experts say that technology has added new layers to our understanding of what means to be literate. In fact, technology has put new emphasis on reading and writing, according to experts. For instance, cell phones have twice as many features as are necessary. Cell phones are a handy tool. It is not uncommon if we hear those cell phones ring different tunes altering the user of a new message or if we see people with the case of their phones matching the color of their attire. That common saying may have some truth, but cell phones are not the only communication device the media enjoys. For many people, text messaging has become the most popular up coming new fad in town because it has created a new form of condensed communication that fits with the pace of our current generation of the information age.
First of all, people enjoy communicating in text messaging, you see this especially in young teens. Text messaging is a whole new language all of its own. This is what makes it so unique. Also, it affects the way people communicate through ownership. For instance, in younger teens, it gives them a sense of stability and makes them feel more confident in themselves. People fully utilize text messaging with their friends, boyfriend, or girlfriend as their main form of communicating similar to email or talking on their cell phones. Since this seems to be all fun and games now a days, "as I argue here, in what context is it appropriate or inappropriate to use text messaging? It is very inappropriate to use this technology in the classroom. Not only this, but it can also distract the person next to you as well as loosing important information notes from your instructor that you are going to utilize on your test. One more to consider is that, it poses a potential danger while driving and accidents have happened from the cause. Some are more alert to the beep then to watch that traffic signal. Rule: don’t text and drive." http//memberslycos.co.uk/arbee222/doxhmtl
Second of all, text massagers are down to earth people of an ordinary household. Unlike cell phones, text messaging doesn’t make loud annoying rings. In fact, it just makes a funny noise. It generally makes a quiet existence. Text messaging also doesn’t have restrictions unlike cell phones when communicating. Although text messaging can rack up a bill if you don’t keep track, people must make provisions for this. As a last resort, of course, an unlimited text messaging plan is a good idea to consider that fits the pace.
Thirdly, another communication that fit’s the pace of our generation is that "having our phone subscribed to the Globe, in fact, it has become the new status symbol and seldom do we see people without their phones glued to their fingers text messaging in some form or another. For example, teenagers elsewhere in the world have been texting furiously for years, using the cheap technology to evade government controls on dating in Saudi Arabia and to foment revolution in the Philippines. Now that texting has exploded in America, it’s regarded as one of the current teen generation’s inexplicable behaviors, like text messaging." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/05/19AR2007051901284.htdyn/content/article/2007/05/19AR2007051901284.ht
Further more, communicating via text messaging most attractive feature is a fast learning
communication. Text messaging doesn’t have to be that image of keeping up with the pace of the information age. Just think of it as the old school, for example, going back to short hand. Texting is quick, painless procedure. Text messaging also takes care of how we might be afraid to communicate in person if we want to apologize to someone. In everyday use, text messaging can become a creative tool of communication. For instance, just look how many abbreviations you can choose from just to know how to communicate in text messaging form of content. You can Google the word abbreviation of text messaging and you come up with over a 1000 words from A- Z, or just go to the store and get a small version on a poster so you can understand what the generation age is talking about. There it is again, going back to the latest fad of communication with short hand.
In conclusion, last but not least, the development of text messaging through the new communication that fits the pace of our current generation of information age has truly become the new talk of the town.
Work Cited
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/19/AR2007051901284.ht
2. http//memberslycos.co.uk/arbee222/dox.hmtl
Blog Wars: A New Hope
James Makki
DTC 375 Essay #1
Word Count: 1511
DTC 375 Essay #1
Word Count: 1511
In 1839 when Edward Bulwer-Lytton coined the adage of, “the pen is mightier then the sword,” he was observing how power was being measured in the changing world. Information can change the variables in any equation. Where a sword can cut flesh, a word can assassinate characters. For ages the voice of the common man was hindered by the limitations of technology. Printed word and broadcasting were a craft monitored by wealth and industry. In today’s world, the ability to have our voices heard is easier then ever. One of the new outlets to challenge older media and give a channel to the common man’s voice is the blog.
It was the inception of the internet—a tool originally created for academic and military functions—that would inevitably breathe new life into old media. The internet has given society better, faster access to the content we desire. Only little more then a decade ago, an individual would wait for the newspaper to arrive in the morning, or wait for a televised broadcast to begin, to receive their feed of the news and/or entertainment. With the internet the data is out there, from multiple websites, the second someone wants it. Popular news websites such as CNN, MSNBC and Yahoo! News were becoming routine, just as the newspaper and 6 o’clock news were in days prior. Today, after dealing with the delivery of the media, we’re beginning to see a shift in the source of where the media itself is coming from.
Enter the BLOG.
The term ‘blog’ is shorthand for the word weblog, assembled from the words ‘web’ (internet) and ‘log’ (diary). The encompassing term used for all of the blogs on the internet is the ‘blogosphere’. When the blogosphere emerged into existence, a little after 1999 when Blogger.com was founded, the concept was new and attractive.[1] For the most part blogs were used in academia and for personal expression. The idea was pleasing. We, as a culture, could become more interactive online through these new technologies, and people were signing up. Teachers were pleased at the prospect of students using technologies such a blog since it would get them writing more often, and more importantly, for reasons other then having assignments due.
With students becoming more assimilated into the internet culture and being more interactive, there were those who would question the validity of the content being produced. There of course detractors who called the concept ‘risky’ because there was no academic or libel requirements to starting a blog.
This is not slow the movement down, whatsoever. It only took a few short years before the concept took off. People were sharing ideas, views, complaints and common interests with others all across the globe. Information barriers were being broken down rapidly. As of December of 07, Technorati, a popular website that sifts through the content of blogs across the internet, was collecting data from over 112 million blogs.[3] With so many users maintaining a blog, a plethora of new information erupted on the internet and was changing where users got their media.
It was clearly time for a change. Multi-billion dollar news empires process their information as a product, so there is a natural loss in credibility. The situation fairs no better in the entertainment sector. Large studios will no longer take chances with movies, video games and music. High production values come with high price tags. Failure to move product after investing so much money into it spells disaster on the bottom line. Close market research and branded sociologists expend excessive resources to find out what sells and what might be risky, never straying from what they predict to be successful. The end products are usually formulaic and predictable.
One of the most amazing aspects of blogging is that the media can be fresh and innovative since the users demanding experiences are simply creating that which they wish to see. When someone creates a blog article they aren’t inherently trying to fill a demand created by market analysis. They are creating content they care about and feel like-minded individuals would care to read. J.D. Lasica of USC Annenberg journalism said, “Weblogging will drive a powerful new form of amateur journalism as millions of [4]Net users — young people especially — take on the role of columnist, reporter, analyst and publisher while fashioning their own personal broadcasting networks.”
Now comes the new paradigm and the challenges associated with it; does it cost millions of dollars to create compelling content? Does it require fancystudios with models delivering headlines to draw in viewers? Does money increase the accuracy and validity in receiving news? After witnessing the success in blogging, one could definitively say no; people only need to be engaged with the experience for it to catch on.
Word of mouth, or rather, forwarding of email/links, is again the most dominating form of advertising. Hugh Hewitt, in his 2005 book on the topic, says that “People’s attentions are up for grabs. Trust is being transferred. It up to you or your business—or your faith or family—depending upon the trust in you, your institution, or your product.”[5] People are finding it harder to trust traditional media outlets since they have for years and rather then getting innovative new mediums, they’ve gotten the same repackaged material laced up with shiny new gimmicks.
Viral videos are a rampant example of this concept. People pick up on a piece of content, post it to their website and watch the hits skyrocket. Link sharing sites (and a blogger’s best friend) such as Digg.com, Reddit.com and stumbleupon.com have redefined the way users can gain access to engaging content.
The age is gone where ‘hard luck’ stories are not as valid as they once were; if you have a dream, create something from scratch, and put it on the internet, people will generally see it, then pick it apart or praise it appropriately. If you are a witty, entertaining writer, and you put together a blog to showcase your abilities, you can have viewers see your talents with minimal advertising.
If you are able to do something amazing, there is now a wide audience out there just waiting to find out. Judson Laipply, an inspirational speaker, created a little dance number to end his shows with. He called it the “Evolution of Dance.” He recorded his performance and leaked it onto the internet where the buzz began. He did something amazing; the difference is talk of his performance didn’t become idle chit-chat to be forgotten by the few who witnessed it. Bloggers started snatching copies of his dance routine and spread his performance like wildfire. His dance number hit the internet where everyone got to have a good look at it. In 3 years time that video has over 111,291,545 views—compare that to any other media put out 3 years ago.
These days, blogging is faring better then ever thought possible. In the 2000 election, it would have been absurd to think the jargon of internet panelists would have any influence on the nature of the political machine. These days, with the creation of political blog feed sites such as the Huffington Post, many people are choosing to get political viewpoints from just as many guest contributors as they are political pundits.
No longer does a writer need permission to be published. They a writer can be anywhere, viewing nearly any event, and be ready to give commentary. Blogs are out there being updated on a constant basis from mobile phones, laptops, anything. Viewpoints you would never hear before are now as loud as ever. Vanessa Farguharson, who speaks about new trends in live blogging, say “Now, some will argue that this trend, which has risen in popularity over the past year, is better suited to important events that aren't covered live on television due to either legal restraints or lack of broad-based interest.”[6]
Literacy is a powerful tool. As technology has made advancements the common man, more then anyone, has become the beneficiary. There is never a reason to feel isolated, regardless of the views you may have. Blogging is a juggernaut, there is no question. As humans spiral through the 21st, the crack rifting under the traditional media outlets will eventually become a chasm. There is a very real possibility that media outlets could administer their own death sentences, ala the music industry, unless they foresee these changes coming and take appropriate measures. With the power blogging gives us, if society can’t be placated by media, we’ll make the changes ourselves and create another obsolete conglomerate empire.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, I am afraid the days of the pen are gone. In this new digital age, the keyboard is now mightier then the pen.
[1] Jared Conley “Where the Heck did Blogs Come From?” EZine Articles. Oct 02, 2008.
[2] Ramaswami, Rama “The Prose (And Some Cons, Too) Of Blogging” T.H.E. Journal Nov 2008. Vol. 35 Issue 11, Pages 20-25
[3]
[4] Lasica, J.D. “Blogging as a form of journalism” USC Annenberg Online. May 05, 2001
[5] Hewitt, Hugh “BLOG: Understanding the Information Reformation”
[6] Farguharson, Vanessa “Live Blogging Equivalent of Eating Fast Food” The
Digital Photography Evolution
Ben Oliver
DTC 375: Language, Texts & Technology
Dr. Farman
Jan. 27, 2009
Word Count: 807
Symbols have evolved. Simple doodles produced by the Michelangelo of the age using charcoal or squashed berries have, over time, turned into art and pictures and photos and more. In this manner of evolution I believe these simple symbols have become even more descriptive and less complex in design and at the same time have actually evolved full circle.
The symbols most of us relate to as being ancient are typically pictographs. More elaborate information could be shared by grouping several pictographs together and so the evolution began. At least for this example and in the simplest terms, visual representation eventually evolved into art then photography and then digital photography.
Unknown to many, digital photography is a compilation of symbols and is unique in many ways. Pictures can be produced, reproduced, shared, sent, or stored as easily as snapping the picture itself. This has lead to a different style of communication. A person may not know the name of a certain part for fixing his/her car however a simple picture of the part taken on a cell phone can prevent any misunderstandings and help identify the proper part at the local auto parts supply house. Ever try and buy a bag of bolts at the hardware store? You are typically directed to write down all the pertinent information with a nonexistent pen. Instead, use your phone to take a picture of the barcode. All these photos can be recalled at no cost and shared with whoever requires the information.
As with most new technologies digital photography was expensive in the beginning and limited to use by professionals with a specific need. Digital photography has evolved beyond the level of professional and prosumer. It has become communication for the masses. Special people, places and moments are captured without the slightest hesitation, instantly. Conversations typically start out with “Guess what happened last weekend” and somewhere in the middle the phrase “Wait, I think I have some pictures on my phone.” is injected. In fact many people don’t even have time to tell the story and simply direct you to their site on the web containing the pictures while they dash off possibly to take more pictures.
Digital photographs are not a replacement of another form of communication but more an enhancement like a flashlight in a cave. You could fumble around with words and descriptions that may describe something specific only to you but a photograph is more likely to mean the same thing to a higher percentage of an audience.
I choose to use this form of communication because of the return on investment. It is simple, cheap and reduces the opportunities for misunderstanding when trying to convey ideas. One of the largest returns on investment for me has been time. Meeting times have been reduced by injecting a digital representation into presentations. Concepts have been more readily received and quickly decided on. Even delays at the check-out line have been reduced, especially if you have the forethought to check your merchandise for the UPC symbol. If it does not have one, you better snap a picture of the one on the display to present to the cashier later.
Digital photography is teetering on the line of paying homage to analog photography while at the same time spinning off on its own. Animations are now produced completely digitally. Classic movies and animations are “digitally enhanced”. Movies are still very much a homogenous blend of digital and analog photography particularly for special effects, at least when initially created. Eventually productions are captured in a digital format to be reproduced en masse.
Not only does the ease of use or return on investment make digital photography appealing to folks with good intentions but it attracts the not so good folks as well. A crook may not be able to remember all the information on your check or credit card as he looks over your shoulder but you can bet his phone can, easy, quiet, and cheap. Simple invasion of privacy with digital video is almost commonplace in the news.
So how have we come full circle with symbols? How have we evolved from charcoal to art to photography to digital photography and back? In my opinion they all have a message or story to tell or it’s not communication. We have made a leap from a complex analog organic medium of many symbols to an electronic, digital, basic medium of two symbols that can be arranged to represent anything we can imagine. The symbols are either “ON” or “OFF” or 1 or 0 (zero).
Do you know what the following says?
0000000000000000000000000
0111110111110111110100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0111110111110111110111110
0000000000000000000000000
Hint: Connect the ones to see what this is a picture of.
DTC 375: Language, Texts & Technology
Dr. Farman
Jan. 27, 2009
Word Count: 807
Symbols have evolved. Simple doodles produced by the Michelangelo of the age using charcoal or squashed berries have, over time, turned into art and pictures and photos and more. In this manner of evolution I believe these simple symbols have become even more descriptive and less complex in design and at the same time have actually evolved full circle.
The symbols most of us relate to as being ancient are typically pictographs. More elaborate information could be shared by grouping several pictographs together and so the evolution began. At least for this example and in the simplest terms, visual representation eventually evolved into art then photography and then digital photography.
Unknown to many, digital photography is a compilation of symbols and is unique in many ways. Pictures can be produced, reproduced, shared, sent, or stored as easily as snapping the picture itself. This has lead to a different style of communication. A person may not know the name of a certain part for fixing his/her car however a simple picture of the part taken on a cell phone can prevent any misunderstandings and help identify the proper part at the local auto parts supply house. Ever try and buy a bag of bolts at the hardware store? You are typically directed to write down all the pertinent information with a nonexistent pen. Instead, use your phone to take a picture of the barcode. All these photos can be recalled at no cost and shared with whoever requires the information.
As with most new technologies digital photography was expensive in the beginning and limited to use by professionals with a specific need. Digital photography has evolved beyond the level of professional and prosumer. It has become communication for the masses. Special people, places and moments are captured without the slightest hesitation, instantly. Conversations typically start out with “Guess what happened last weekend” and somewhere in the middle the phrase “Wait, I think I have some pictures on my phone.” is injected. In fact many people don’t even have time to tell the story and simply direct you to their site on the web containing the pictures while they dash off possibly to take more pictures.
Digital photographs are not a replacement of another form of communication but more an enhancement like a flashlight in a cave. You could fumble around with words and descriptions that may describe something specific only to you but a photograph is more likely to mean the same thing to a higher percentage of an audience.
I choose to use this form of communication because of the return on investment. It is simple, cheap and reduces the opportunities for misunderstanding when trying to convey ideas. One of the largest returns on investment for me has been time. Meeting times have been reduced by injecting a digital representation into presentations. Concepts have been more readily received and quickly decided on. Even delays at the check-out line have been reduced, especially if you have the forethought to check your merchandise for the UPC symbol. If it does not have one, you better snap a picture of the one on the display to present to the cashier later.
Digital photography is teetering on the line of paying homage to analog photography while at the same time spinning off on its own. Animations are now produced completely digitally. Classic movies and animations are “digitally enhanced”. Movies are still very much a homogenous blend of digital and analog photography particularly for special effects, at least when initially created. Eventually productions are captured in a digital format to be reproduced en masse.
Not only does the ease of use or return on investment make digital photography appealing to folks with good intentions but it attracts the not so good folks as well. A crook may not be able to remember all the information on your check or credit card as he looks over your shoulder but you can bet his phone can, easy, quiet, and cheap. Simple invasion of privacy with digital video is almost commonplace in the news.
So how have we come full circle with symbols? How have we evolved from charcoal to art to photography to digital photography and back? In my opinion they all have a message or story to tell or it’s not communication. We have made a leap from a complex analog organic medium of many symbols to an electronic, digital, basic medium of two symbols that can be arranged to represent anything we can imagine. The symbols are either “ON” or “OFF” or 1 or 0 (zero).
Do you know what the following says?
0000000000000000000000000
0111110111110111110100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0100000100010100010100000
0111110111110111110111110
0000000000000000000000000
Hint: Connect the ones to see what this is a picture of.
Pioneer's Magnificent Multi-Media Medium Master Piece
Owen Gillespie
DTC 375: Language, Texts, & Technology
January 25, 2009
Pioneer’s Magnificent Multi-Media Medium Masterpiece
Pioneer’s AVIC Z3 has changed and shaped the way entertainment, navigation, and especially communication is used in a vehicle. The AVIC Z3 is the most state of the art piece of equipment a vehicle can be given. It has voice command capabilities, 30 Gigabyte hard drive, Bluetooth hands free communication, XM satellite radio, and the industry’s finest navigation system. Not to mention many more options. Many individuals think that they communicate at the highest level, think again. When you have capabilities of communicating with your vehicle with the same options at a faster rate than at home, you experience a sense of communication technology you could never imagine. Therefore making it a “multi-media master.”
The voice command capabilities of this system are unbelievable. You can ask it or tell it to do anything that pertains to the vehicle. The processor is in its second generation and can understand just about anything you tell it. You have the ability to say simple things like “search” or you can give it complex statements like saying a city name, street name, and address. You can tell it radio, XM, I-pod, Bluetooth, DVD, rear monitor on, or navigation and it will switch to the source that you have chosen. If it doesn’t understand it will ask you questions until it gets you what you want. It has full voice command capabilities over your phone through Bluetooth. You can say “call home” or “call whoever” and it will do so. It is like having a passenger you are telling what to do without having the passenger. I never thought that I would be telling my car what to do.
The thirty gigabyte hard drive is pretty self explanatory. It can store any media that you can import into its library. I have all my music (and some movies) stored into it which can be accessed by song title, author, genre, albums, audio books, compilations, composers, and podcasts (also done through voice command). It also asks if I would like to record any of the media that is inserted into it (whether it is DVD or CD). I have pictures of my daughter, places I’ve been, and things that make me happy stored on it. Between my I-pod and I-phone that are connected to it, I have more memory than my laptop itself. Not to mention, I have a dock for my laptop in the car too.
The Bluetooth aspect of the AVIC Z3 is very important to me as far as communication goes. I can do everything that a normal Bluetooth earpiece does times 10. When someone calls, my music is muted and I have every bit of information I have stored about that person displayed on the screen (home, cell, work, address, e-mail, etc.). At that point, I have the ability to answer or decline, in which case the person’s voice is displayed throughout the vehicles speakers or the music comes back on (if declined). Calling is very similar, I can tell the system to call whoever, and it brings up information about that person and I tell it to call work. Now here is the cool part; when I need access to the internet, I can pull over and use the internet through my phone anywhere I may possibly be. It can be a little slow, but at least I have it. One of the other cool combinations between my phone and the AVIC Z3 is that I have many people’s pictures stored in my phone; therefore I have a picture display of the person I’m talking to for more of a sense of reality.
XM satellite radio has a large variety of media which helps keep me involved with what is going on in the world, entertain me, and also a program to re-route me in the event of road closures and accidents. I spent a lot of time on the road in the past and would jump in the car in the morning and listen to the news. It gave me a sense of reading the paper while I was driving. I also frequently listened to games that I was unable to see in the evenings. XM satellite radio has over 100 channels of music, comedy, talk radio, and much more. So entertainment is endless. To complement all of this, XM offers XM Nav Traffic. This is a program which alerts you to traffic conditions and gives you alternate routes if there may be traffic jams, accidents, or road work.
The final medium that many travelers do not take advantage of is a navigation system. Many “old timers” use the traditional map. There is no problem with maps until you look at when they are printed and realize that they do not match up to the roads, new roads, and altered exits. Highways, interstates, county roads, streets, etc. seem to change and be updated faster than we realize. People move to new housing developments that are simply not on maps. With Pioneer’s navigation system, you get yearly update disks and XM Nav Traffic updates it continuously. With 12 million points of interest and frequent updates, it’s pretty hard to get lost.
In conclusion, this multi-media extravaganza is a medium in which I never thought my life time would never see. I have more resources and fun in my car than I ever thought possible. Imagine being on a long trip in an old station wagon with an eight track player and your children screaming. I was one of those children growing up. Now I see my daughter sitting in the back of my IS300 watching movies (using wireless head phones) and me being able to do more that I do at home at the tone of my voice. Vacation travel is almost better than the vacation. If anyone is interested or has any questions regarding this enjoyable masterpiece, visit http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/Navigation/In-Dash/AVIC-Z3.
DTC 375: Language, Texts, & Technology
January 25, 2009
Pioneer’s Magnificent Multi-Media Medium Masterpiece
Pioneer’s AVIC Z3 has changed and shaped the way entertainment, navigation, and especially communication is used in a vehicle. The AVIC Z3 is the most state of the art piece of equipment a vehicle can be given. It has voice command capabilities, 30 Gigabyte hard drive, Bluetooth hands free communication, XM satellite radio, and the industry’s finest navigation system. Not to mention many more options. Many individuals think that they communicate at the highest level, think again. When you have capabilities of communicating with your vehicle with the same options at a faster rate than at home, you experience a sense of communication technology you could never imagine. Therefore making it a “multi-media master.”
The voice command capabilities of this system are unbelievable. You can ask it or tell it to do anything that pertains to the vehicle. The processor is in its second generation and can understand just about anything you tell it. You have the ability to say simple things like “search” or you can give it complex statements like saying a city name, street name, and address. You can tell it radio, XM, I-pod, Bluetooth, DVD, rear monitor on, or navigation and it will switch to the source that you have chosen. If it doesn’t understand it will ask you questions until it gets you what you want. It has full voice command capabilities over your phone through Bluetooth. You can say “call home” or “call whoever” and it will do so. It is like having a passenger you are telling what to do without having the passenger. I never thought that I would be telling my car what to do.
The thirty gigabyte hard drive is pretty self explanatory. It can store any media that you can import into its library. I have all my music (and some movies) stored into it which can be accessed by song title, author, genre, albums, audio books, compilations, composers, and podcasts (also done through voice command). It also asks if I would like to record any of the media that is inserted into it (whether it is DVD or CD). I have pictures of my daughter, places I’ve been, and things that make me happy stored on it. Between my I-pod and I-phone that are connected to it, I have more memory than my laptop itself. Not to mention, I have a dock for my laptop in the car too.
The Bluetooth aspect of the AVIC Z3 is very important to me as far as communication goes. I can do everything that a normal Bluetooth earpiece does times 10. When someone calls, my music is muted and I have every bit of information I have stored about that person displayed on the screen (home, cell, work, address, e-mail, etc.). At that point, I have the ability to answer or decline, in which case the person’s voice is displayed throughout the vehicles speakers or the music comes back on (if declined). Calling is very similar, I can tell the system to call whoever, and it brings up information about that person and I tell it to call work. Now here is the cool part; when I need access to the internet, I can pull over and use the internet through my phone anywhere I may possibly be. It can be a little slow, but at least I have it. One of the other cool combinations between my phone and the AVIC Z3 is that I have many people’s pictures stored in my phone; therefore I have a picture display of the person I’m talking to for more of a sense of reality.
XM satellite radio has a large variety of media which helps keep me involved with what is going on in the world, entertain me, and also a program to re-route me in the event of road closures and accidents. I spent a lot of time on the road in the past and would jump in the car in the morning and listen to the news. It gave me a sense of reading the paper while I was driving. I also frequently listened to games that I was unable to see in the evenings. XM satellite radio has over 100 channels of music, comedy, talk radio, and much more. So entertainment is endless. To complement all of this, XM offers XM Nav Traffic. This is a program which alerts you to traffic conditions and gives you alternate routes if there may be traffic jams, accidents, or road work.
The final medium that many travelers do not take advantage of is a navigation system. Many “old timers” use the traditional map. There is no problem with maps until you look at when they are printed and realize that they do not match up to the roads, new roads, and altered exits. Highways, interstates, county roads, streets, etc. seem to change and be updated faster than we realize. People move to new housing developments that are simply not on maps. With Pioneer’s navigation system, you get yearly update disks and XM Nav Traffic updates it continuously. With 12 million points of interest and frequent updates, it’s pretty hard to get lost.
In conclusion, this multi-media extravaganza is a medium in which I never thought my life time would never see. I have more resources and fun in my car than I ever thought possible. Imagine being on a long trip in an old station wagon with an eight track player and your children screaming. I was one of those children growing up. Now I see my daughter sitting in the back of my IS300 watching movies (using wireless head phones) and me being able to do more that I do at home at the tone of my voice. Vacation travel is almost better than the vacation. If anyone is interested or has any questions regarding this enjoyable masterpiece, visit http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/Navigation/In-Dash/AVIC-Z3.
My Name's Eric Higginbotham...and I've Got an Addiction
The consequences of sliding through the gates of the 21st century are the constant reliance of our ever important digital media. No longer do we open our once overused desk drawer to grab the mighty pen and pad to write letters and notes. We now have our Blackberries and PDAs holstered and ready for the next task at hand. The instantaneous value that E-mail has is something we may never relinquish. A gamer from Canada can strategize with a gamer in Japan on Xbox Live to stop the Nazi regime in Call of Duty. These communication methods were only a fantasy to many thirty years ago. Food, water and shelter, labeled as essentials, have now been replaced by email, text messaging and MySpace. Today, I, along with many others, I’m sure, cannot exist in this world without the invaluable machine like the all mighty cell phone.
Why wouldn’t one want to invest in such a helpful machine like the cell phone? The cell phone has been a huge asset to many people’s daily lives that almost everyone takes the machine for granted. The cell phone is simply an extension of our bodies. Many don’t sit and marvel over the mechanics of our hands or the wondrous functions of our brains. We just use them and don’t really appreciate the way they work.
Let’s face it; the cell phone has come a long ways from its conception in the early 70s. The functions have advanced from the single action of communicating with another person, much like Zach Morris did in the Saved by the Bell sitcom. Today, we can not only communicate with friends and family instantly, but we can perform many other tasks with our cell phones. We can now take pictures and videos and send them across the world for others to see. I can now contact my sister in Maryland with a touch of a button. I can now see my newborn niece grow up by the uses of the camera feature on our cell phones. I can understand her personality through videos that my sister sends me. I can get to know my family even though they’re thousands of miles away, which is something that I am so very grateful for.
Text messaging has become more and more of a routine for me in the last few years. With the ability to send and receive unlimited text messages for only a small fee, it’s difficult to avoid its addictive effect. Text messaging has worked well because of the fact that it allows me to type something very quickly and send it within seconds. The person receiving the text message can now view what I had sent a few seconds prior whenever he or she has time to view it and can respond whenever they feel is necessary.
The cell phone and text messaging has become my primary way of contacting all my friends and family because of the ability to quickly send and receive messages. I don’t have to wait for someone to pick up the phone like the traditional phone call. I also don’t have to compose a well thought out message to leave on the voice mail. If the recipient doesn’t have voicemail then I don’t have to worry about making several phone calls so that I can get his or hers attention. I don’t have to worry about if they received the message or not. I can see the status of my text message delivery as success or a failure.
Text messaging and all its glory do have some drawbacks though. Within the last few years we’ve seen laws being passed against the use of cell phones while driving. The purpose of this law is simple: keep distractions away from the driver so that they may safely operate a vehicle. People don’t see this law as keeping them safe; rather we tend to see it as a obstacle that we need to get around to function every day. To counter this many people have purchased Bluetooth headsets that allow the driver to carry on a conversation without holding his or her phone. Unfortunately, text messaging is hard to regulate. The fact that you can hide the cell phone while texting, to avoid being spotted by the police, is an obvious advantage of text messengers. Although it puts the driver and other drivers around at risk of being involved in an auto accident.
In conclusion, the cell phone is a very useful way for me to communicate with my family and friends. I don’t see myself without a cell phone for the rest of my life. Without it, unfortunately, I feel as if I may become like a lost puppy dog trying to find his way home. I can’t leave my house unless I’ve got that machine within my grasp. My name is Eric Higginbotham and I’m suffering from the addiction of the cell phone.
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