I found an awesome website with the title “New Media of Mass Communication” which really grabbed my attention. Some of the media technologies I would like to discuss, such as virtual worlds, social networks, blogging, twitter, and ITunes, I found on this website, at http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html. It really does have a lot of neat listings if anyone wants to check it out!
Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality- Is “a genre of online community that often takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment, through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects.” (Wikipedia, 2010) A good example of a virtual world is the game “World of Warcraft.” You can be anyone and do just about anything in these three-dimensional worlds in the computer through gaming. You create an Avatar (object or virtual being) to represent yourself in the virtual world. This is very popular because people can do things completely out of character or things they have always dreamed of. Other people playing online have no stereotypes of who you are in real life. You are judged on your skills and avatar online. The gaming community isn’t the only type of audience for the virtual world, though it is the most popular to that group. There are also training virtual worlds to better companies and employee skills, and education tools for younger generations. (Curtis, 2009)
Social Networks- Facebook and Myspace are great examples of social networks. Anyone can use them. From posting pictures to chatting daily with friends this form of interacting via the internet has exploded. A lot of people can now stay “in touch” due to this convenient form of communication. I know of teenagers to people older than my mom who use facebook. It’s a great way to give out some personal information, share interests, voice opinions, post pictures and stay in contact with people all over the globe.
E-mail, bloggs, twitter- “Blog is short for weblog, a form of online journal.” (Curtis, 2009) Tweeting is done via cell phone or internet. It gives you instant information on which you are inquiring. E-mail and blogging is done via the internet mostly, although you can still e-mail things via cell phones. E-mail is used by just about everyone from personal to business reasons. I use e-mail everyday at work to inform my boss on any issues that came up during the day, or concerns that need to be addressed. Blogging can be done by anyone and is a great source for others to communicate their opinions or input about a particular subject. We all use at least one of these forms of communication.
ITunes- I love this media tool! I use ITunes for my IPod, another popular form of media technology. I tunes allows you to download music online or from your own personal compact disc collection. You can then import them into ITunes and make playlists. Also, media books are downloadable to this media tool. I use media books on my ipod, along with games and an address book. I don’t see a lot of the older generation using ipods, mostly young kids to maybe the age of 50 year olds. If you enjoy listening to music on the go, or in the gym, this is definitely the tool to use paired with I-Tunes!
Cell phones/I Phones- Working for FedEx has given me a huge inside track on things that are popular and shipped out daily. We receive an unimaginable amount of cell phones from Virizon Wireless everyday and it astounds me. Most of the time, when we attempt a cell phone package and the recipient isn’t home, they will drive to our office that night to pick it up. It doesn’t matter how far away they live, they will come get it because it is their new cell phone, and they can’t wait to have it. Really, I mean REALLY?! I guess that is what it’s coming down to. There is no discrepancy in age for the popularity of phones, well, with the exception that I don’t see many elderly people reacting that way. Cell phones are a wonderful tool that help us complete everyday tasks on the go. Kids can stay in contact with their parents, and parents can have the comfort of knowing their child is a phone call away at all times. Adults use their phones for everything anymore, such as e-mailing, using the web, and taking pictures. Phones store address books and data that is depended upon by the user.
We use all of these things on a daily basis. Doesn't that just blow your mind? Of course, most of the people in today's world have a cell phone attatched to their ear out in public, grrrr.... While these are wonderful tools and toys, taking time out and enjoying the great outdoors away from all of this technology is important now and then. I recommend finding your zen, if only once in a great while. Disconnect that cell phone from your ear, and get out and enjoy a nice walk or the pleasures that awaits you in the outdoors.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world#cite_note-0http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html
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