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(Communication Technology: Newspaper Article)
The Changing Face of Communication: Connections Through Wires
It’s 2007. I’m sure many people vividly recall the scare that was the new millennium. Will the world end? Will the sun explode? Or will my hard-earned computer simply crash? Back then, it wasn’t assumed that every household owned a computer and it was extremely uncommon for ten-year-olds to own their own cell phones. Oh, how the times have changed.
Years ago, we were all wow-ed by the revolutionary technology that was the cellular phone, but now, we rely on technology for most every -aspect of our lives. There is no doubt that the convenience of communication has drastically increased with the advent of new, twenty-first century technology. However, does the utter convenience of communication through email, MSN, text messages and social profile websites (think Facebook or MySpace) reign over a good, real, face-to-face conversation? Through this technologically enhanced form of communication, we miss out on facial expressions and body language, and these components may be just as important as the conversation itself.
According to a national 2003 poll, the majority of high school students use instant messaging software such as the ever-popular MSN on a daily basis. We all know by now that instant messaging is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text.
Now the question is, just how often do we rely on technology-based communication to interact with the people we care about? I’m sure we’ve all heard of break-ups through emails and text messages. It seems that as a society, we have come to rely on technological communication as a basis for human interaction. Not only that, but we have come to rely on digital communication as our primary form of communication.
We have become satisfied with instant message conversations to exchange real, intimate, information about our lives. This does not simply apply to strangers and internet predators as is seen on the evening news, but even more so to our friends and the people we may even see on a daily basis. I’m sure it is quite clear that confiding in another person through instant messages and other forms of technology-based conversation is much easier than doing so in person.
A text message, instant message, or email allows a person to take more time thinking of what they want to say, and though this is convenient, it is not something we are given in real life, face-to-face situations. Some people take courses online in order to avoid face-to-face interaction. These people can feel empowered through technology-based communication. Technology provides people who may not be comfortable speaking their mind with the ability to hide behind a computer monitor or telephone. However, this factor of convenience should not become something we are accustomed to.
In the past, even the use of the telephone caused concern. People thought that it wasn’t a good way to communicate. But now, the telephone is a very normal form of communication, and communication itself seems as if it has become colder. I personally think that technology - now ranging far and beyond the telephone - has contributed to the deteriorating communication as a principle. I pass by a room where I know my thirteen-year-old sister talking to her friends, but I don’t hear any conversation. There is no comfortable silence between friends. Instead, I hear the clicking of the keys on her keyboard and the “ping” from the speakers as she receives instant messages from a dozen of her friends. When I ask her why she doesn’t just call them, she simply replies, “It’s easier.”
As a society, I think we are in the midst of forgetting how to really communicate in a genuine manner. The initial goal of communication through all our new technology was to provide an easier way to connect. But ask yourself this – are we really, truly connecting?
(Communication Technology: Question #3)
Media Mashup
The concept of “hybridity” is something which I experience in my life on a daily basis. A hybrid is essentially something which is a mix of more than one thing. Such hybrids can be found throughout contemporary life.
I have an email subscription to Nylon Magazine’s newsletter, and upon checking my email one day, I stumbled across the word “hybrid” in one of my many messages from Nylon. Immediately, I thought back to the media seminar about hybrids and creating my hybrid portrait. In the email newsletter I received, I was being informed of a new “art-bar hybrid” called GalleryBar opening in New York City. At this new bar, a person can browse the debut of artist Kevin Berlin’s “Slaves of Fashion” exhibit while taking in a drink and a snack and later posing for a picture in a vintage photo booth. This space, as the name suggests, integrates the workings of both a bar and an art gallery.
There are many other examples of hybridity in life, and in my daily life in particular. A popular example of hybridity in my life is my cell phone. It can be used as a phone but also as a clock, calculator, calendar and recording device. Another example of a hybrid is a hybrid car. It uses both electricity and gas to run, and not only is it convenient and less costly on gas, but it also works to help the environment. Hybridity is everywhere. If you think about it enough, I myself could even be considered a hybrid because I am a girl, but I am also a student and a daughter among many other different roles.
Hybridity in technology is very prevalent today. In our society, functionality has become a key aspect of life and people today are concerned with having things at the utmost convenience, so what’s more convenient than making numerous tasks possible just through the use of one handy gadget?
(Communication Technology: Question #5)
Computer Animation vs. Traditional Animation
When asked whether I prefer traditional hand drawn animation or computer animation, it is hard to come up with a justified answer. Although I respect computer animation and think that it is very visually pleasing, I ultimately prefer traditional hand animation.
I know that while traditional animation is considered too time-consuming and labour-intensive, computer animation is also a lot of work, taking considerable time, effort and most importantly talent. It is not a simple task to illustrate characters using just a tabloid or mouse and a computer screen.
However, I believe that with computer animation, animated films have lost some of its "magic." It is clear to see that the most popular animated Disney films such as the Disney Princess movies, like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid for example, were made during a time when computer animation had not yet been introduced. Many of the Disney films that have been created using traditional hand animation are now considered "classics," and I don’t think that this is something that can be achieved through computer animation.
As technology continues to revolutionize the world, it does not look like animators will be moving backward towards computer animation and therefore the classic animated picture will become a thing of the past. A few years ago, the film "Final Fantasy: The Spirit Within" was created based on the popular video game. Yet, this film was unsuccessful. It is said that this lack of success stems from the highly realistic animation of the characters. People do not want to watch animated films to see images that mirror life perfectly – that’s what actors are for.
Computer animation is useful and visually pleasing, but being someone who has a difficult time drawing, I have a great deal of respect for traditional hand animators. The process is long and time-consuming, but I think the final product, with all the little details that can only be achieved through hand animation is more satisfying and long-lasting.
(Communication Technology: Open Question)
Are Wii the Children of the Revolution?
On December 8, 2006, Nintendo successfully launched their newest video game console. It has since received much hype, and is said to be a technological revolution. What makes the Wii stand out from the competition - namely Sony´s Playstation 3 and Microsoft´s XBOX 360 - is its wireless controller. This controller can be used as a handheld pointing device and detect motion and rotation. Essentially, a person can play video games such as tennis on the Wii using the controller as a racquet. The Wii truly brings gamer-console interaction to another level. The video game player is no longer controlling the action onscreen with just their thumbs, but instead, they become part of the action.
Some say that the Wii has the ability to "democratize " gaming for people of all ages and ability. To an extent, this is true. Nintendo has released the statement, "Wii sounds like ´we´, which emphasizes that the console is for everyone." The Wii, through its interactive system targets people that do not necessarily hold video games as a prime interest. Because it is so interactive, the Wii can be fun for anyone no matter devoted they are to video games.
Now, is the Wii a true technological revolution, or just hype? Without question, the Wii has received a lot of hype. The system is considered to be a technological revolution, but in my opinion, it is just another step for technology. Just a few years ago, the Nintendo GameCube and the first Sony Playstation had come out, and gamers were raving with excitement. This just goes to show that as years pass, new technology will continue to be introduced. While the Wii´s technology is incredibly innovative, it is to be expected that another newer, even more ground-breaking technology will hit the market in a few years time. Ultimately, I think that the Wii deserved all the hype surrounding it because of its ingenious interactive technology. It has not created a complete revolution, but instead has contributed greatly to the transformation of video games and the way they are played.
