The Early Bird Catches the Worm (Media Meditation Eight)

Referred to as a social network and mini-blogging service, Twitter allows its users to send and receive quick posts known as tweets, being no more then 140 characters in length. While I have never been a big fan of Twitter I understand it's appeal and it is without a doubt a great example of our four tool sets.

For starters Twitter "grabs" the Limbic brain with the cute and creative homepage. The colors and fonts engage the brain while surfing through people's pages.

Since each tweet is a mini blog post on a social network that can be accessed on personal computers and cell phones, Twitter is a combination of a personal, aesthetic, and a discursive shift.

The reality construction/trade-offs of Twitter is that since each post can only be 140 characters, certain information if left off. Also each tweet is one view of one person, therefore all the tweets are personal opinions and subjective.

Twitter uses many of the 29 Topics of Production to their advantage. The most important being their ability to successfully brand the Twitter logo and the word "tweet". It also creates a bandwagon by creating the illusion that everyone has an account, this is mostly brought about by big businesses and celebrities (beautiful people) being followed. Twitter also presents its users with a simple solution of if you sign up for an account you can update your status from anywhere, preferably your phone. Another big T.O.P. is the feeling of group dynamics once you join Twitter. This is due to the online family feel of the website and the fact that once you start posting and following people you get a "crowd" of followers. What else could create a better sense of belonging then a published number of how many people are paying attention to you?

However, one has to keep in mind that "newer media forms - from music distributed as MP3s , to online streaming of films and TV shows, to an array of blogs - allow greater participation than any other medium"(67).

"Broadcast Yourself" (Media Meditation Seven)

YouTube, a video sharing website that is so much more. It's a way to stay entertain, to share your ideas or compulsions with the world, or just have a good laugh with a friend. This isn't the only use of YouTube, perhaps for the average citizen, but think about its relationship with the news, advertisements, and politics. It's so much more then a girl lip-syncing to Hannah Montana.

It's everything from politics to pop culture to...

cats?

YouTube acts as a personal, aesthetic, and cultural shift, similarly because it exports personal information on a mass scale through multiple forms of media. You are able to access YouTube on your computer by different websites and through certain cell phones. You don't even have to go to the home website to find a video from YouTube, it could be on a blog, a Facebook or Myspace page, or even a link from a Twitter post.

What is most interesting is how eager people are to post videos for everyone to see. There is no privacy on YouTube, let alone on the Internet. While on YouTube, not only are you able to see the many video posts, but also all the advertisements. They've even started playing short commercials before certain clips.

While YouTube is probably one of my favorite websites, I'm afraid it may be turning into a mini television station ruled by the public and dominated by advertising. While "Commercial Alert has been working to 'limit excessive commercialism in society'"(372) I fear we will still be forced to watch a 30 second ad in order to see our 1 minute video. How much time are we willing to waste waiting?

Truth or Dare? (Media Meditation Six)

As we've learned in class real, honest news is often hard to come by, especially since 80 percent of news is actually advertising in disguise. Instead of looking at one particular news corporation I decided to give the news in general a brief overview, and I say brief only because there is so much to look at it would be nearly impossible.

The reasons and ways behind the transformation of news from newsprint to online sources is what interests me most. "Because of their local monopoly status, many newspapers were slower than other media to confront the challenges of the electronic and digital revolution.... While some observers think newspapers are on the verge of extinction as the digital age eclipses the print era, the industry is no dinosaur. In fact, the history of communication demonstrates that older mass media have always adapted"(274).

This may not be a bad thing, now with unlimited space, online newspapers can post articles that otherwise wouldn't make the cut for the simple fact there wasn't enough room in the print version. However, this must be taken with a grain of salt due to the onslaught of the "blogosphere". The Discursive shift, reminds one that with the ability to post news online comes the possibility that certain sources might not be as reliable as others.

Now online sources such as The New York Times is able to include video along with articles. Creating a technological shift that combines newspapers with the Internet. Almost as good a combination as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The most important part of having easy accessible news is remembering that since it is mainstream most of it has been shaped by ownership, advertising, the news makers and shapes, and finally flak. So what is easy to find might not always be reliable, it is usually the thing that takes the most time to find holds the most truth.

Video News Release:

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away (Media Meditation Five)

From tape players to ipods, cassettes to mp3 files, and burning CDs to Limewire, music technology has made a great leap in the last decade. Out of all the recently developed technology "Apple's iPod [is] the leading portable music and video player" which "began a revolution in digital music"(79).

Now, anyone who has an iPod can download music, podcasts, games, and videos to watch/listen to at any time.

Out of the triune brian, iPods effect the limbic system for two main reasons:

1. The most obvious is how music effects the limbic brain. Since the limbic system supports a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, and long term memory it responds quite strongly to music.

2. The second way is how Apple is able to market the iPod and its components. The flashy, bold colors and print draw the eye into advertisements. The branding of the Apple icon is also key to creating a popular brand that is recognizable.

The reality construction/trade-off of the iPod is that their advertisements excludes people who own PCs. Only recently did Apple begin adding in that iPods were compatible with PC and other non-Mac computers. However, there is still a great deal of company rivalry between Mac and PC. I must say that Mac is doing a much better job of using 29 T.O.P.s to further their company, some of which are name calling, humor, group dynamics, beautiful people, and bribery.

Opening Pandora's Box (Media Meditation Four)

One of the biggest influences on culture and society is music. With the recent advancements in media, the technology to share and download music has increased in demand.

"Over the past decade or so, four alternative radio technologies have helped bring more diverse sounds to listeners: the Internet, satellite, podcasts, and HD (digital) radio"(133). Programs such as Limewire, DC++, and ShakesPeer are allowing people to illegally download music, which is all good. However, if you're looking for good, clean fun Pandora is the place for you. Pandora, an internet radio website, is a online music source where users can create playlists, share ideas, and connect with other music lovers.

Not only is Pandora an example of a personal shift, because it is a combination of a social network and a music sharing website, but it is also an aesthetic shift. This is because along with being accessible from a computer, Pandora is also available for download on multiple cell phones such as, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm Pre, and Windows Mobile.

In 2007 a sound-exchange was requested and agreed to by a federal panel that said each song played on a Web radio station would be doubled in order to pay performers and record companies. So even though there are multiple owners, i.e. Pandora Music, Inc. as well as each individual artist and their record companies, each were receiving payment for their services.

Fo' Shizzle My... What?! (Media Meditation Three)

Language is always evolving in order to keep up with popular culture and each new generation. Since the dictionary, while extremely useful, can be out dated at times Urban Dictionary is the perfect way to keep up with the ever changing vocabulary of today's youth.

For obvious reasons Urban Dictionary is a technological shift because it can be found online, unlike the original dictionaries that have to be purchased in hard cover. It is also an aesthetic shift because iTouch and iPhone users can purchase an Urban Dictionary application for on the go use.

Urban Dictionary is also personal shift because it is a link to multiple social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, and users can also "add today's word to [their] rss reader" as well as the google calendar.

The reality constructs/trade-offs of Urban Dictionary are few, but vital. First, is its user defined content. While Urban Dictionary is regulated at two levels, a user must not forget that the information they are seeking is most likely a perception of someone else and not necessarily a fact. Much of Urban Dictionary depends on the views of others. For example the two levels which regulate the dictionary's definitions are, users vote to accept or reject new definitions and definitions can be voted "up" or "down" by any viewer. Therefore a particular fact that is not extremely interesting, yet an important piece of information, may be located at the bottom of the page where most users don't bother to look, so certain information is being hidden or even absent.

The fact that such a large portion of the book industry is based off of reference books makes me wonder how large the online industry of books can get, since "[t]he two most common reference books are encyclopedias and dictionaries"(326). Will online sources eventually take over the written word, and will they be as reliable?

Found While Stumbling

Just found this after I finished the post about Stumble Upon and wanted to share it with everyone.

Enjoy!