What next?

Britian has unleashed the next greatest thing into the market; storytelling. Now are they not only leaps ahead of us in the field of technology, but they have also surpassed us in their storytelling skills. With Britian's recent explosion in this unique technique of time use, I believe that the imaginative level and cognitive development of young adults and people of all ages will be enhanced, if they embrace it. The lure of this new attraction is still oblivious to me, but if it works in Britian my guess is it won't be too long before storytelling is back in the market for the U.S.

Sometimes I feel that the media is taken for granted in today's society. Parents, grandparents, even some aunts and uncles didn't have the privlage that today's youth encounter everyday through media devices. Facebooking, blogging, texting, gps systems, laptops, and I-pods are a part of my everyday life, okay not all of that, but the majority. Considering the media today I feel that if we were less "into it" as a society there would be a greater emphasis placed on conversation and life long learning, as well as less confusion on how to run things. I don't think that we would be technologically backward if we found better ways to spend our time, and sliced our media time in two. The more time spent with ourselves, the more lonely and depressed we can become, and an unhappy society leads to a depressed world; maybe that's why we are in a recession.

Summary 13

Basically personalization and finding a niche are key to obtaining the full potential that the internet and other major forms of communication and mass media in our everyday lives will have. There is no mass media without us there to bring it up to what it could be. Continuing with the formation and pattern that is being set through media trends is the best way to keep up with the way things are going. I feel like if we don't it's not going to hurt anyone but ourselves, and we will be miserable because of it.

Summary 12

Europe has taken on all of the media in order to promote jobs and growth into the digital age. I think that if it works we should do the same, because we need a big boost in the number of jobs we have to pull out of the recent recession. It's great that other countries are moving into technology too!

Summary 11

Even though this is an opinion article I found that he brought up some very valid points. I found that he could talk to me like I was standing right in front of him. Some points that were made is that we as the people viewing the products that are being made etc...are essentially in charge of the media, and those who catch onto that idea quick will be leading the market.

Summary 10

I love to blog. I haven't had a blog before this one, but it has become a type of hobby for me. I want to take it a step further, so people will be able to look at my work for what it is worth, and in that sense it will become a bigger part of citizen journalism with some recognition. Citizen Journalism adds intensity and perspective, without it the news would have been loosing some great insights.

Summary 9

This article gave a lot of information and facts, but I thought that they represented them clearly, because they showed my exact view with greater emphasis. I didn't really watch TV when I was younger, I was an outdoor kid all the way. Now, with the new transformation of analog to digital my parents have no TV in their home. I don't think this is a good thing, or a bad thing nessicarily, but I do know that I benefitted greatly from thinking on my own, instead of letting things I learned on TV be implanted there.

Summary 8

I believe that in some cases media can actually benefit the far reaching sights of education. There are of course points to where it can get out of control, but it can be a very effective learning tool. I don't think that starting kids out young will help them develop technological skills because by the time they actually get to use them that technology will most likely be outdated.

Summary 7

New levels of technology have been found in the CD making industrous part of the Sony Company. A new type of media called PERM will be able to hold more information, be more efficent, and work well with the new digital age that we have found ourselves in. Be sure to click on the title to find the articles I used.

Podcast Summary 6

Why not turn off the internet? Many places like colleges such as BYU-Idaho want to restrict websites like Facebook and twitter to promote learning, but it is easier said then done. In places like Iran the restrictions the government has placed is basically closing the internet down in that area. People are still determined to find ways to get around the blockings because they aren’t reliable blocks. By trying to “turn off” the internet in today’s society it’s like closing down an essential utility integrated into life, industry, and business; it would be horrendous. Analog to Digital has confused so many, the question is the change really worth the effort? In most cases yes, but a plethora of Public Education and local channels have been lost, and will now cost money to get back. Also, Elementary students are being allowed, in many places like Washington D.C., the option to use computers and the internet 24/7. The reason is to ignite communication and creation on the new frontier of the internet so kids will be able to advance along with technology. Some say this is irrelevant technology that is being pushed on the kids, but so many others are for it, that it is being implemented all over the U.S.. Electronic books are becoming a bigger part of the world today, with such places online like, Amazon with Kindle and Google’s recent idea for an E-book plan. It is becoming harder for traditional book sellers, but they recognize that this new frontier is where the industry is headed. Book ecosystems, where authors can submit new books online and get reviews on them are still in development. Sometimes I feel like we are placing too much emphasis on the media in our lives, especially with the little kids. Eventually we will come to this realization, but I think it will be too late!

Summary of Podcast 5

This is a summary of all the topics found in the NPR broadcast on Technology. Small and easy is what people want in a camera. Most people knowhow to run these types of cameras already; phones provide this type of camera, they are usually 3 megapixels. Cameras that are available in phones have made it easier for people to take pictures at anytime. Usually people don’t always have their camera on them, but they will have their phone. I didn’t realize that the government could get any information they wanted in the blink of an eye. All they need is a connection or warrant and they are off the hook of any penalty. I feel like that is a violation of privacy, but now they have new software that can identify who is looking at the information to hinder its misuse. Also, they spoke about Facebook ads, which I think is revolutionizing the personalization of advertising. A person can vote for which ads they like, don’t like, and don’t want. If this type of personalization could come to other parts of the communication field, like newspaper, I don’t think the communications fields would be suffering as much.

Summary 4

Not everyone wants the media to become the new frontier. It has become a hazard for many companies, and I thought it was only right that another viewpoint be shown. The points that they brought up where valid and strong. If companies don't get over the fact that the internet is going to continue to grow, then the development of the future will be dramatically hindered.

Summary 3

I loved this article because it highlights the changes that have taken place and some of the neat advancements in technology and the effect that has had on the media and our lives. There are so many options available to us as U.S. citizens; it’s amazing how far things really have come.

Summary 2

The E-book revolution is coming, I can feel it, and apparently many others can too! Barnes and Noble is creating their own E-book store to promote more people to read books they are not only going to make it available on a laptop or computer, but also as an application to an Iphone, Blackberry, and many other technologies. This will make the internet book market bigger than ever with a new competitor entering.

Summary 1

I enjoyed this article because it brought the vision of the internet to life. I think that most people doubt that the internet can ever become a substantial tool in our society, but now with the recent recession and many unstable conditions, the internet has become the stability that we thought we didn’t have. This completely emphasized the dramatic effect that internet will continue to have on our ever changing society and the fact is if we don’t embrace and move with the technology we have it will run us over.

Observation #26

The more interactive the media, the more people watch them, that is completely my opinion. I think it's true though. Music provides an enlightenment and rememberance that doesn't occur with just words on a screen. I have found that I am able to retain more information if I incorrporate my thoughts into a song. This is also true with movies and television programs. I think that is why they sell the music soundtracks to movies, and why they don't need words at really inspirational or intense parts of movies, the song does all the work for the actors. That is why I love the music in the movies, it makes things that much more exciting and entertaining. WIthout music there wouldn't be a movie. I think movies wouldn't be anything without music and the other way around. These two types of communication form a very big mass media that has encompassed time.

Observation #25

Why are name brand clothes, accessories and electronics a must have within the media? What is the difference between Western Family products at a foods store compared to Kellogg? Most people would say the quality, but I tend to disagree. I watched a type of documentary about this, and they gave a pretty good example of how brands have an effect on a customer. Kellogg’s Rice Crispies use the same product as Western Family, but on the shelf they have a cooler box, so therefore they are better, at least that is what everyday people think. I believe that the fashion craze goes to people’s heads. I am as much a victim of this as the next guy. Just because a shirt has the name of the store on it, or a little eagle in the corner, doesn’t mean that it is a better quality, for the most part, it mainly means that the store is getting free advertising. Of course we don’t get paid for the advertising that we do, in fact we actually pay to wear or eat it, so why do we continually do it? It’s like we are on display for everyone around to see; we are what make companies like Aeropostale, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ambercrombie what they are. I am not saying that we shouldn’t dress nice, or eat wonderful food, but measure the difference and see if the little eagle in the corner is worth the extra money.

Observation #24

The difference in news stations and their views can tint what we may formally see as truth. Take for example Fox news and CNN. They are both fairly popular news stations, but the views of these stations are on completely different ends of the spectrum. One, Fox news, is very conservative, and the other, CNN, is especially liberal. I think both forms are needed, so when put together it will give us the big picture, but I also feel that, depending on which station we watch, we find differing opinions instead of the deliverance of truth which is what the journalists are supposed to give us. Although it would be extremely difficult to mesh these two vastly different views into a culmination of medium views on the spectrum, I think it is needed. Not only would this combination deliver truth, but it would keep the guess work out of facts and opinions would have a limit. This is not the only way to fix what I see as a problem, but a solution, no matter what it is, needs to be found; truth needs to be restored.

Observation #23

Freedom of speech is a vital aspect of the American culture. It not only defines how our nation came to be independent, but it also shows the amount of trust we put into our government, and how much faith they put into us. With all this freedom I sometimes think that we get carried away into believing that we can say or do anything without thinking about the ethical effects of our behaviors; in other words, the power has gone to our heads. I wanted to know why and how the people in the other countries can deal with having limitations in the way that they express themselves. My conclusion, as well as the culmination of thoughts given through discussion by my roommates and I, is that the people don’t want that power, they like having some of their decisions made for them. Although this idea is the complete opposite point of view looking from our country into theirs, if we change our perspective around, we may catch a glimpse of the freedom that they have found. The New York Times has said that freedom of speech is the weakest card in Europe’s hands right now, but maybe we are holding the wrong cards. Maybe too much control over every aspect in the media and in language and speech is just too much control.

Observation #22

Our reliance on technology has destroyed the fundamental truth that we can do things without the internet and computers. In a way I think the creativity and imaginative effect that can come from relying on the brain, instead of technology that can downfall at any moment, has been lost. Recently the wireless internet and BYU-Idaho school website went down for the weekend. Although this may not seem like a big deal, many assignments couldn’t be turned in and learning stopped because teachers didn’t know what to have their students do. One of my friends Megan Jacobsen said, “I haven’t been able to get online all day, it has been a nightmare,” and I think that is the truth. If our use of technology results in an ineffectual communicative effort and lack of fundamental creativity to work without modern convenience, then we have lost to a virtual world.

Observation #21

Almost all modes of communication want to extract the most efficient and entertaining tools from the media. Even our transportation devices, such as cars, have cashed in on this find. With new developments and devices in the music area, as well as television and phones, cars have implemented all the necessary technology to advance the age of digitalization. New cars have sync features for mp3s and IPods, phones, along with GPS systems, that all have voice activated technology. Many cars also have technology for televisions and DVD systems. Although I love the new innovative technology, I dislike the fact that they are a distraction from the road. The time spent in a car should be enjoyable, but if taken too far, as with most things, it will go downhill. Drivers are already detached from the road with their phones, add another appealing item to the list of technology and you have a wreck on your hands. One of my friends was too close to being hit by a distracted driver while she was running, and later in the week a pedestrian was hit by a texting driver. My question is how far will technology go before it becomes destructive instead of instructive or entertaining?

Observation #20

Stop, pause, start, skip are all terms associated with using a remote control or a DVD player, but not with fast forwarding television, that would be crazy. The knowledge of TiVo has redefined how television is viewed and how ad agencies choose to advertise their products. All the commercials that advertisers think are being viewed can now be skipped over by just the push of a button. I am sure ad campaigns have been hurting from this revolutionary tool, but it hasn’t resulted in better commercials. One of the main reasons why people would skip over a commercial is because it is lame, cheesy, and long. I love the Super Bowl commercials because they make me laugh and they take on a new spin, instead of being boring and annoying. If commercials were always trying to live up to their potential, I think TiVo wouldn’t have as big of an impact on the advertising markets.

Observation #19

Disney doesn’t make movies like they used to. Disney classic styles like Cinderella, Aladdin, and the Little Mermaid aren’t found on the newly released, exciting racks, but they are still available. I just watched one of the new Disney movies, Enchanted. I loved it, but it wasn’t a classic in my eyes. Although the new Disney movies have a type of appeal to them, I don’t see them lasting through times like the older movies have. My mom and her mom used to watch Cinderella. I know that Disney can’t remake classics, they have to move on with the times of technology too, but I miss it. What made those movies classics? Will movies of today become classics for future times? In some cases I think the answer is yes, but the world of media is so unpredictable it’s almost impossible to even guess.

Observation #18

New terms in the way we gaggle to one another have emerged since technology has become an everyday necessity in our lives. No, gaggle is not one of them, but expressions like, “I just googled it,” have become a part of our vocabulary. Just like Coca-Cola became a symbol of American life and language, I believe that these new terms like googled, twittering, facebooked, and other technological lingo, as well as, texting abbreviations are already taking up too much of our brains memory, but I can’t help but use the terminology because I hear it so often. Does this type of language just come with the times we are living in, or will it stay with us as a memoir of this technological revolution?

Observation #17

Express yourself, post it on YouTube. If it’s not on YouTube it’s not news, or so I’ve heard. The wide variety of information and entertainment found on YouTube has redefined what expression means. Although many people use YouTube for humor, several great musical artists have found their start on YouTube. The purposes of this site are without number. Personally, I go on YouTube to get fun clips for presentations that I am giving, or to get a real laugh. I think this type of expression allows the Hollywood part of the media become more attainable for the average person, and allows others to enjoy the results for free, that is probably one of the reasons that it is so popular. By clicking on the title of this post it will take you to a YouTube clip produced by madTV called I-rack, I think it is pretty fun!

Observation #16

Digitalization is taking over the world. This digital reform is being exemplified through music. There is a drastic difference in the way we buy music in this day and age. Records were replaced with tapes, which were replaced with CDs, which are now being replaced by I-tunes and single track purchases. Although this adjustment has changed the way recording companies highlight an individual’s music, I think this revolution in music purchases was vital to get people to start buying music again. It requires every song by every artist to be a hit in order to sell, and this creates a more competitive market forcing good music to be a requirement. I love it!

Observation #15

Are we really, truly a literate people? Of course some things have improved since the times of the caveman, we can read, or else you wouldn’t be looking at this, but at what price? Has the influence of media and the new standard of technology brought down the intellectual capacity of the human mind by not stressing the importance of knowledge and answering the difficult questions of life? We are still asking and answering the same questions that have been asked since the Dark Ages. Instead of reading books back then, since they were expensive and unavailable, they used art, music and symbols to interpret and communicate allegorical and symbolic meaning. The book industry today is declining, not because we don’t have the money to buy books or the materials to make books, but because we don’t want to read books. Today we use spell check to conquer the homonyms and spelling errors, but in some cases its spelled write, but not used write, for example. Today’s society doesn’t search for knowledge; it doesn’t dig deeper than the surface unless it is required. Celebration of life and knowledge is being replaced with superficial, inept entertainment which is at the standard of everyday life. So, are we really literate, or have we lost the art?

Observation #14

One of the best new technologies for me, as a college student, is wireless internet. Even though there are kinks that still need to be worked out in some of the systems, for the most part it is a very efficient tool. This technology is spreading to cafés and restaurants all over, and has become a device that we rely on everyday. The internet is still young. If it has come this far in such a short amount of time I can’t imagine where it will be in another couple of years. Things can only get better from here. Faster, stronger, bigger; the options are endless, at least that is what some of the experts say.

Observation #13

Here at BYU-Idaho we have something called the laptop initiative. At first I thought that buying a laptop when I had a plethora of other options available was a bad idea, because it would be cheaper not to buy a laptop, but I bought one anyway. Now I have found that having a laptop while in school is the best idea to improve my study and efficiency. Everything is available online, and it is very effective to bring my laptop to class to take notes. If I didn’t have a laptop I would have to be very dependant on my roommates and library, which can be a hassle. Without the laptop initiative I wouldn’t have a laptop, and probably would have never gotten one.

Observation #12

There is something that I really enjoy about technology getting better, and that is having everything available in one place at one time, with me always. I think this is true of an iPhone. They are really unique pieces of technology that will let you contact people, connect to the internet, listen to music, find locations, and give you tips, as well as, keep you informed of your social calendar, dates, and times. This type of synchronization between all the different things that you section your life into can really help you see how much you have, and plan your time better. If I had one of these I am not saying that I still wouldn’t be jumping all over the place, but at least everything would be at my fingertips.

Observation #11

The new technology of blue ray in viewing movies is something that isn’t catching on very well right now. DVDs are working to totally replace tapes, but there is a major difference between DVDs and tapes. I think one of the reasons why blue ray isn’t catching on is because number 1 they are more expensive to create, number 2 they are more expensive to purchase and you have to buy certain equipment to watch them, as well as, DVDs are still pretty new, and blue ray really isn’t all that different. I think if they brought blue ray out later when DVDs were done having their glory, then and only then would they stand a chance. Right now I think it is too soon for blue ray to even think that they will make it big.

Observation #10

Facebook to me is just another way to communicate fast. Like texting, twitter, and instant messenger, facebook is a distraction. I do have facebook and I spend a lot of time on it, updating my status, figuring out what’s going on at home, but is it needed? I was just fine with my phone and the word of mouth. The ability that media has to connect us with the rest of society is an appeal that strikes everyone, whether they like it or not. We like to know what is going on and have it at our fingertips. Before I had facebook I felt like I was missing out, but I was just as in the loop as any of my friends, the reason I got it was the thought of loosing their friendship because I was moving away for school. Facebook, as a distraction, leaves the media wide open to usurp its ability to advertise. This is the way the media is moving slowly but surely into every aspect of the internet.

Observation #9

Commercials are well thought out and highly researched to be put with the television programs that they are. I never realized how much they were researched and surveyed, but I was working on a project and it came to light. I was writing down what commercials showed and how many times they were played. It was amazing how directly connected the commercials were with the show. I watched Gilmore Girls. Commercials came on 5 times within the hour-long program for about 3 1/2 minutes for every break, resulting in about 17 minutes worth of commercials. The products highlighted in them were for makeup, clothing and facial cleansers, all things that a teenager or young adult would probably be associated with. I don’t know how well commercials work to actually sell things, but I do know that it gets the product on the market, and that in and of itself is a note of what commercials do.

Observation #8

I went to Elder Bednar’s CES fireside on May 3. The topic of discussion caught me off guard, not because I didn’t think that the church would ever address the issue of the media, but because the specific manner that he addressed it. So many people reacted harshly to what he said, even though he was very carful about how he said it. I think that the realization of the effect media has on our lives was a harsh reality for people to face. Just because they are good LDS people doesn’t mean that they can’t be tempted or be deceived by the effects of the media. I think that reality was the cause of most people’s feelings to this talk, no one likes to be told that what they are viewing or doing isn’t right or helpful to them.

Observation #7

Texting is a social hazard for me, and it should be for many other people. Texting results in a separation from the area and environment. The dialogue between people and the normal social aspects of getting together are ruined. Texting does communicate things faster to people all over the world, but there are certain instances that texting is not appropriate; texting does have an expense that is given up. I don’t have texting, and I don’t ever want it. Text is another distraction that isn’t needed, but people feel like now it is a social wrong not to have it. Although I don’t have text, I feel like if I did I wouldn’t have a personal relationship with my friends. Texting like many other things when taken too far can be detrimental.

Observation #6

I know from experience that getting older generations into the newer technologies is a challenge. I frequently get phone calls about how to run certain things or how to make programs work. I think one of the reasons that they don’t embrace the new technology is they think the older things work just fine and it is just a trend that will disappear by the time they understand it. Although in some cases this may be true, for the most part it’s not. My parents will never get the new technology, but they will get it when it has been out for three to four years. I feel that if the new technology was brought in slower to the media it would pick up faster because people would be able to trust it and make sure it is good before they buy it.

Observation #5

Recently television has been transformed from analog to digital signals. My apartment didn’t really notice the change because we have cable, and it changed automatically, but my family at home in Utah noticed. Even though they can still watch movies and DVDs, the regular stations come up with a dark screen that says the stations have changed their signals and in order to watch them a converter box or cable is needed. My family is now part of the 1% population that could be considered as not having a T.V. I wonder how this change has affected the ratings of some of the local stations, and how many other families like mine are not making the switch over. I feel like this change has defined how technology moves on and leaves others behind.

Observation #4

Music has always been a big part of my life. I am a very sentimental person when it comes to music. I don’t have an iPod, but if I did I know I would have it in my ear everywhere I went. Even though I love music I think that iPods have made things so mobile and personal that self-centeredness is a common occurrence in today’s society. When students on campus are “plugged-in” they are, for the most part, unaware of the people around them. As long as the purpose of the iPod isn’t pushed to an obsession I think they are okay, because then at least there is a limit. The iPod has redefined the way we buy and listen to music, but should it define who we are and how we are perceived?

Observation #3

No TV=more time. That is one of the things that I found out when I went on a T.V. diet for two weeks. Television has never been a really big part of my life. I love to spend time outside, and I am a very diligent worker, but T.V. plays a bigger part in my life than I anticipated. Even though I work hard on my homework, somehow I always felt rushed to get it done. A reason for this: television. I found that my sense of time is thrown off when I watch T.V. I also found that I was more willing to purchase items when I went out if I had seen a commercial about them recently. Going on this diet helped me portion out my time, and I got things done at a faster rate than I had ever had before, as well as, I didn’t spend as much money. It was a great feeling. Once I stopped my diet I went back to watching television here and there, but I haven’t let it take control, I have been in charge of the remote.

Observation #2

Ahhhhhhhh! My screen just went blank! Beep….beep….beep; it’s beeping at me! My laptop just died! When my roommate’s laptop died it was a very dramatic incident. As traumatic as this experience was for me and my roommates, it was even a more traumatic experience for the world of computers. The reason was, my roommate’s laptop was a HP, her new one is a Mac. One of the reasons for her purchase of a Mac was she thought that all her problems would go away because Mac’s have newer technology. Although it does have a different set-up, that doesn’t mean that the other competitor’s in the computer world should go extinct. I personally love my Dell and I haven’t had any problems with it. Just because a computer is new doesn’t mean it is void of any or all problems, Mac’s still have problems, technology will continue to get better, but computers, whether they be an HP or a Mac, will still die. I think that it is a preference issue more than just a brand name or trendy issue.

Observation #1

A great idea can go really far in the world of media, maybe even start a trend. Take for instance the new series “Twilight”. Vampires are now an image in society almost like a real person. Edward is in almost every girls fantasy, just saying the name will start a conversation. When the series first came out I didn’t think that it would go far. I thought of all the television shows that had a vampire topic or star, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angels, and True Blood, the fact is, they didn’t go very far. After the Twilight series came out, these shows received a big boost in their ratings. It is amazing that from one fictional book series so many other mass media were affected. All parts of the media want to be apart of this breakthrough idea.