Chapter 1 Themes: Political Economy, Technology, Culture, Media & Capitalism
(*=Key people; -= key words/meanings)
*Douglas Rushkoff: one of the 1st journalists to explore cyberspace. 1994 published 'Cyberia: Life in the trenches of hyperspace'.
*Aldous Huxley: 1965 'Brave New World' - utopian view of the future world initially, future revealed as dystopian with reference to people as 'drones'
*George Orwell: 1988 'Nineteen Eighty four' - dystopian view of the future.
Both Huxley and Orwell introduce the idea of 'constant surveillance' of people
*William Gibson: 1995 'The Gernsback continuum' - utopian/dystopian tension in dreams of the future
*Kingsley Aims: 1960 'New Maps of Hell' discussed the tension of utopia versus dystopia
*Alex Callinicos: 1995 British philosopher - human nature to attempt to control nature through implements of technology
- technology: series of intersecting scientific methods, discoveries and practices, often embodied in 'things'
-mass broadcasting vs narrowcasting - mass audience split into individual particles
...
Chapter 2 Theme: Communication
- dialectic: a concept of thinking systematically using a process of logic; the idea that history is shaped by opposing forces); methods of discussion and debate - determining the interrelation of ideas in light of a single principle
- Hegelian dialectic: the proposition (thesis); an opposite/competing proposition (antithesis); & the logical resolution of the tension between them (synthesis).
*Georg Hegel: 1770 - 1831 'process of resolving a contradiction between competing ideas'
*Karl Marx(1818 - 1883)
*Friedrick Engels (1820 - 1895)
*Marx & Engels 1973 'Manifesto of the Communist Party'
(both Marx & Engels took Hegel's understanding of dialectic being about ideas and formed the belief that dialectic reasoning had an application to the study of human history)
*Charles Darwin - theory of natural selection
- ideology: a world view based on principles or intuitions that may or may not be internally consistent
- idealism: worldview in which all manifestations of reality actually stem from the thought process of human beings
- materialism: philosophical mode of thought - events, situations & relationships in the physical world determine to the largest degree human consciousness & thinking
- meme: small, transmittable lump of ideology - ideas that carry a particular set of social attitudes & directions, meanings/trends that pass through time & space by mimetic transfer
*Richard Dawkins 1989 'The Selfish Gene' - first use of 'meme'
-vector: a parthway/pathways open for communication e.g. transmissions of ideology via mimetic transfer
- analogue: mechanical technology used to transmit sound, light, temparature, position, or pressure (wave measured by variations in time & amptitude during transmission) - basis of digital
- digital: digital electronic technology works using a binary code to store & transmit data using 'positive' & 'non-positive' ; either 'on' or 'off'; two digits 'one' and 'zero' - used in new com. media
*Neil Postman 1993 - technological pessimist - neither good nor bad
...
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Microsoft Word & Excel
I have grown up using Microsoft Word is various editions - older less complicated versions; and lately the more efficient and detailed version.
Microsoft Word is very simple to use I find - it has a help panel and many functions to allow for faster, more correct writing. The functions at the top of the screen make editing very easy and personalising documents quite fun. Spellcheck is definitely something to be wary of! The spellcheck can sometimes replace words that have been spelt wrong with the incorrect word - leaving your sentence completely out of context and hard to understand.
Microsoft Excel however did take me sometime to get used to. On the surface it a simple 'insert numbers in columns' program; however, once you have dug around there are many formulas and functions to learn and use.
Correctly using these can allow for faster, more efficient calculations with just a few letters and digits entered. On the otherhand, it is very easy to make mistakes with Excel functions and formulas and this can set you back with calculations. With a bit of help and practise it is possible to wrap your head around Excel and put it to use in a very beneficial way.
Personally, I would be lost without Excel and Word. I'm sure I could find another program to do the job - but being familiar with the offspring of Microsoft has allowed me to complete assignments and tasks with time efficiency and effectiveness. Go Microsoft!
Microsoft Word is very simple to use I find - it has a help panel and many functions to allow for faster, more correct writing. The functions at the top of the screen make editing very easy and personalising documents quite fun. Spellcheck is definitely something to be wary of! The spellcheck can sometimes replace words that have been spelt wrong with the incorrect word - leaving your sentence completely out of context and hard to understand.
Microsoft Excel however did take me sometime to get used to. On the surface it a simple 'insert numbers in columns' program; however, once you have dug around there are many formulas and functions to learn and use.
Correctly using these can allow for faster, more efficient calculations with just a few letters and digits entered. On the otherhand, it is very easy to make mistakes with Excel functions and formulas and this can set you back with calculations. With a bit of help and practise it is possible to wrap your head around Excel and put it to use in a very beneficial way.
Personally, I would be lost without Excel and Word. I'm sure I could find another program to do the job - but being familiar with the offspring of Microsoft has allowed me to complete assignments and tasks with time efficiency and effectiveness. Go Microsoft!
References for Mobile Tech Essay
References
Anonymous (1992) ‘Mobile Phones:
Australian Government (2007) ‘The Australian Wireless Industry’ Text www.investaustralia.com (accessed 01 May 2007)
Beaton, J. & Wajcman, J. (2004) ‘The Impact of the Mobile Telephone in
Datacomm Research Company (2006) ‘Mobile Phone Evolution’ Text www.datacommresearch.com (accessed 01 May 2007)
Flanagan, W. (2007) ‘Hold the Phone: Is the Incentive market ready for SmartPhones?’ Incentive 181:4, pg 22
Lipoff, S. (1992) ‘New Frontiers in Wireless Communications’ Telecommunications. 26:2 ABI/INFORM Global, pg. 65
Lush, E. (2007) ‘The real 3G phone boom: it’s about girls, girls, girls’ The Spectator,
SMS.ac (2004) ‘The Evolution of Mobile Phones as from the Perspective of SMS.ac’ Text www.sms.ac/corporate (accessed 01 May 2007)
Smyth, P (2000) ‘A history of Mobile Communications – 1995 – 2010’ Text www.springerlink.com/index/N47227744J532725.pdf (accessed 01 May 2007)
Take, S (2004) ‘Evolution of the Mobile Technology’ Text http://www.buzzle.com/chapters/science-and-technology.asp (accessed 01 May 2007)
Taylor, P. (2002) ‘Nokia goes from Humble Origins to Global Success: The world’s leading maker of cell phones has always had to look beyond its Finnish roots’ Financial Times
Friday, May 4, 2007
The Mobile Phone: An Evolved Species
Shopping centres are overflowing with them, schools are filled with them, workplaces operate on them and they are even found in third world countries; it is undeniable that the mobile phone has evolved greatly to impact the world in a profound way.
According to the Australian Government, at the end of 2006 there were approximately 19.5 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia; almost matching the estimated population figure in the same year (Australian Government).
Before the mobile phone concept came into being, the United States developed a new technology called the ‘radiotelephone service’; this connected users in their cars to the public network (Take, S. 2004). The evolution of the mobile telephone begins with the ‘First Generation’ (1G) mobile – developed in the 1970s; this system allowed users to make calls across the country (Take, S. 2004). When the ‘Second Generation’ (2G) mobile phone was first introduced in the 1980s it was seen as a ‘rich man’s indulgence’, assumed that only the upper-class businessman would possess such an object (Anonymous. 1992). The 2G phone offered better quality and greater capability than the 1G phone (Take, S. 2004).
After proving successful with the general public, improvements were made to the mobile telephone to introduce more features and increase its appeal (Smyth, P. 2000). The 1990s saw the introduction of an integrated mobile phone and personal organiser; this machine incorporating voice and messaging services, global positioning services (GPS) and even Internet browsing (Smyth, P. 2000). During this evolution and progression; it became evident that mobile telephone users were after unique devices with a large array of features, highest speed functions and mobility (Flanagan, W. 2007). This prompted the introduction of new multimedia devices in the year 2000, known as the ‘Third Generation’ (3G) of the mobile phone (Take, S. 2004). These devices were seen as a breakthrough in technology; incorporated personal media players, global roaming, colour and touch screens (Anonymous. 1992), video conferencing, and high-speed internet access into one compact machine (Lush, E. 2007).
The evolution of the ‘mobile’ has caused several mobile telephone manufacturers to become leading names in the communications industry. As it became evident that there was a large market for new technology devices within the general public; manufacturers began to compete to produce the most impressive and high-speed devices (Lipoff, S. 1992). Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson have risen above the other manufacturers to become the leaders in mobile communication technology (Taylor, P. 2002). The continuing competition to produce the most ‘cutting-edge’ mobile devices has shaped the way business is conducted; created many opportunities for small and large businesses and also impacted greatly on users’ personal lives (Coventry. 2001).
The development of the mobile phone has altered the way people communicate on business and personal terms. Modern day communication surpasses the traditional methods and it has allowed for faster contact and increased mobility (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004). The mobile telephone has enhanced and increased personal communication; as people can now communicate via short text messages, video messages and images sent from mobile phone to mobile phone (Lipoff, S. 1992).
The evolution of the mobile phone from enabling basic voice calls to sending and receiving text/video/image messages, now sees the 'mobile’ as an essential personal device for most users (Lush, E. 2007).
The mobile telephone has allowed for a greater connection to be made between the work life and the personal life. However, the fast-connection and increased mobility of mobile telephones today allows users to organize and coordinate home and work activities (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004). Most mobile phones have calendar and notebook facilities that allow users to set appointments and reminders for both work and personal matters (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004).
Users of the mobile telephone from a business perspective have been greatly affected as the new technology allows for faster communication and Internet/company Intranet access and greater data storage capacity (Flanagan, W. 2007). The faster transportation of information and data that new mobile telephone technology has produced, has seen many large companies and smaller businesses grow (Mobile Anonymous. 1992). Highly complex functions such as mobile-tracking, high-speed downloading capabilities and Internet access have enabled quicker, less problematic communication for business persons (Datacomm Research Company. 2006).
It is evident in everyday life that most business people depend of the capability of their mobile phone; during business hours most communication is conducted through a mobile telephone, and after business hours most business people are still making appointments and sending and receiving data in text or image form (Anonymous. 1992).
The evolution of the mobile telephone and the continuous drive from consumers for the most up-to-date communication methods; has ensured that the mobile telephone market will continue to expand as technology improves. The last decade has seen this communication device push the boundaries of creativity and technological features and function.
New mobile telephone technology has seen high speed data transmission, colour videos, 3D images, games and wireless Internet come into being in the form of compact mobile telephones (Take, S. 2004). These devices allow users to ‘personalise’ them with backgrounds, ring-tones, layouts and icons; transforming them from a mobile telephone to a personal organiser (SMS.ac 2004).
After the breakthrough in mobile technology by Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson; the future of the ‘mobile phone’ is beyond imaginable. A personal banking function is a foreseeable development in mobile telephone technology; as mobile operators are aiming at becoming banking institutions in the future (SMS.ac 2004). The evolution of the mobile telephone has seen it grow from a basic and limited machine to a high-speed, functional device that is capable of almost anything in the technology realm (Take, S. 2004).
According to the Australian Government, at the end of 2006 there were approximately 19.5 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia; almost matching the estimated population figure in the same year (Australian Government).
Before the mobile phone concept came into being, the United States developed a new technology called the ‘radiotelephone service’; this connected users in their cars to the public network (Take, S. 2004). The evolution of the mobile telephone begins with the ‘First Generation’ (1G) mobile – developed in the 1970s; this system allowed users to make calls across the country (Take, S. 2004). When the ‘Second Generation’ (2G) mobile phone was first introduced in the 1980s it was seen as a ‘rich man’s indulgence’, assumed that only the upper-class businessman would possess such an object (Anonymous. 1992). The 2G phone offered better quality and greater capability than the 1G phone (Take, S. 2004).
After proving successful with the general public, improvements were made to the mobile telephone to introduce more features and increase its appeal (Smyth, P. 2000). The 1990s saw the introduction of an integrated mobile phone and personal organiser; this machine incorporating voice and messaging services, global positioning services (GPS) and even Internet browsing (Smyth, P. 2000). During this evolution and progression; it became evident that mobile telephone users were after unique devices with a large array of features, highest speed functions and mobility (Flanagan, W. 2007). This prompted the introduction of new multimedia devices in the year 2000, known as the ‘Third Generation’ (3G) of the mobile phone (Take, S. 2004). These devices were seen as a breakthrough in technology; incorporated personal media players, global roaming, colour and touch screens (Anonymous. 1992), video conferencing, and high-speed internet access into one compact machine (Lush, E. 2007).
The evolution of the ‘mobile’ has caused several mobile telephone manufacturers to become leading names in the communications industry. As it became evident that there was a large market for new technology devices within the general public; manufacturers began to compete to produce the most impressive and high-speed devices (Lipoff, S. 1992). Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson have risen above the other manufacturers to become the leaders in mobile communication technology (Taylor, P. 2002). The continuing competition to produce the most ‘cutting-edge’ mobile devices has shaped the way business is conducted; created many opportunities for small and large businesses and also impacted greatly on users’ personal lives (Coventry. 2001).
The development of the mobile phone has altered the way people communicate on business and personal terms. Modern day communication surpasses the traditional methods and it has allowed for faster contact and increased mobility (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004). The mobile telephone has enhanced and increased personal communication; as people can now communicate via short text messages, video messages and images sent from mobile phone to mobile phone (Lipoff, S. 1992).
The evolution of the mobile phone from enabling basic voice calls to sending and receiving text/video/image messages, now sees the 'mobile’ as an essential personal device for most users (Lush, E. 2007).
The mobile telephone has allowed for a greater connection to be made between the work life and the personal life. However, the fast-connection and increased mobility of mobile telephones today allows users to organize and coordinate home and work activities (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004). Most mobile phones have calendar and notebook facilities that allow users to set appointments and reminders for both work and personal matters (Beaton, J & Wajcman, J. 2004).
Users of the mobile telephone from a business perspective have been greatly affected as the new technology allows for faster communication and Internet/company Intranet access and greater data storage capacity (Flanagan, W. 2007). The faster transportation of information and data that new mobile telephone technology has produced, has seen many large companies and smaller businesses grow (Mobile Anonymous. 1992). Highly complex functions such as mobile-tracking, high-speed downloading capabilities and Internet access have enabled quicker, less problematic communication for business persons (Datacomm Research Company. 2006).
It is evident in everyday life that most business people depend of the capability of their mobile phone; during business hours most communication is conducted through a mobile telephone, and after business hours most business people are still making appointments and sending and receiving data in text or image form (Anonymous. 1992).
The evolution of the mobile telephone and the continuous drive from consumers for the most up-to-date communication methods; has ensured that the mobile telephone market will continue to expand as technology improves. The last decade has seen this communication device push the boundaries of creativity and technological features and function.
New mobile telephone technology has seen high speed data transmission, colour videos, 3D images, games and wireless Internet come into being in the form of compact mobile telephones (Take, S. 2004). These devices allow users to ‘personalise’ them with backgrounds, ring-tones, layouts and icons; transforming them from a mobile telephone to a personal organiser (SMS.ac 2004).
After the breakthrough in mobile technology by Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson; the future of the ‘mobile phone’ is beyond imaginable. A personal banking function is a foreseeable development in mobile telephone technology; as mobile operators are aiming at becoming banking institutions in the future (SMS.ac 2004). The evolution of the mobile telephone has seen it grow from a basic and limited machine to a high-speed, functional device that is capable of almost anything in the technology realm (Take, S. 2004).
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Online Gaming
I've never been a big fan of online gaming but after the lecture I admit I was impressed. I've always thought of it as a time-wasting, no-social life attempt to have fun; but shown the detail and effects that are put into 3D gaming I can now see that there is more to it.
It is an art form, a job title, a creative outlet and somewhat fun - online games that allow you to communicate with others and enter into a 3D mystical world.
Online games have definitely changed from the past 'space invaders' to some of the new more impressive games that allow interaction and communication and creativity.
There is a slim to none chance that I will convert to being an 'online gamer' because I still prefer the outdoors and physical activity. However, I now understand the detail and time that goes into these games to create an individual touch for those playing. Its amazing what can now be called an 'online game'.
It is an art form, a job title, a creative outlet and somewhat fun - online games that allow you to communicate with others and enter into a 3D mystical world.
Online games have definitely changed from the past 'space invaders' to some of the new more impressive games that allow interaction and communication and creativity.
There is a slim to none chance that I will convert to being an 'online gamer' because I still prefer the outdoors and physical activity. However, I now understand the detail and time that goes into these games to create an individual touch for those playing. Its amazing what can now be called an 'online game'.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
You're all addicts!
My new discovery...
I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that bed sales have decreased and futon sales have increased. Kitchen table sales have dropped and office desks have boomed. Coffee shops/caffeine products have increased and coffee growers are now loaded...
The effects are all around... first it spreads in ripples then in waves.
Phrases like "do you have myspace?" "come hang at my place, habbo hotel suite 349" "have you buzzed me yet?" are replacing the former more traditional conversation lines.
It's an addiction. As the internet upgrades and improves; becomes more detailed and individual, the general public spends more time in a dark corner of their house staring at the computer screen.
Almost everything can be done online these days... and I mean everything!
Myspace and various other chat sites are global; the tiny details that allow you to create an 'online personality' means that you can sit down to chat and leave friends comments and before you know it 3 hours has passed.
Its an addiction. Myspace and the internet - its an affair and the majority of the public have heard about it or are involved.
You can fight or deny it... but sooner or later you are faced with "free membership, backgrounds, CHOOSE YOUR OWN PROFILE SONG, as many friends as you want, opportunity to secretly stalk your ex-girl/boyfriend"... apparently anything is possible these days!
If your reading this... chances are you've had or are having your 'fix'. You're addicted to this phenomenon... I guess then so am I.
I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that bed sales have decreased and futon sales have increased. Kitchen table sales have dropped and office desks have boomed. Coffee shops/caffeine products have increased and coffee growers are now loaded...
The effects are all around... first it spreads in ripples then in waves.
Phrases like "do you have myspace?" "come hang at my place, habbo hotel suite 349" "have you buzzed me yet?" are replacing the former more traditional conversation lines.
It's an addiction. As the internet upgrades and improves; becomes more detailed and individual, the general public spends more time in a dark corner of their house staring at the computer screen.
Almost everything can be done online these days... and I mean everything!
Myspace and various other chat sites are global; the tiny details that allow you to create an 'online personality' means that you can sit down to chat and leave friends comments and before you know it 3 hours has passed.
Its an addiction. Myspace and the internet - its an affair and the majority of the public have heard about it or are involved.
You can fight or deny it... but sooner or later you are faced with "free membership, backgrounds, CHOOSE YOUR OWN PROFILE SONG, as many friends as you want, opportunity to secretly stalk your ex-girl/boyfriend"... apparently anything is possible these days!
If your reading this... chances are you've had or are having your 'fix'. You're addicted to this phenomenon... I guess then so am I.
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