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Everyday, we are surrounded with different information being taken from every sources. But how much of information can we accept or even to remember? Information is like a never ending knowledge that we want to find out. Everyday we are exposed to information. Just take news for example, without fail we will definately glance or look through the newspaper or news website.

Information has been changing since the development of computer technology. Now we could produce information much more faster than we are able to process it. Information and data production is always at all time high. Based on Shenk (2005), he argues that information overload has surfaced as a continuous social, political and even emotional problem, as well as pollutant which can be contribute to the effect of data smog.

Lets talk about information overload on political problem. Everyday, when we log on to the Internet, we tend to see or hear too much news information about political. It’s good in a way that we could find out truth or stories behind a political issue, but bad is are we supposed to know every little details regarding any political issues? because usually all those information overload on political would only lead to another fight, arguements or even to another issue again. And again, we will be told or “notified” about another issue again. It’s like a never ending stories that will always being circulated around us.

Sometimes I do think that too much of information are being exposed in the society now. Once we go online, we will be exposed to different website with different information available. Take YouTube for example, there are videos that contains violence or even vulgar words are being used in a video, is it appropriate for any kids out there? All these information are somehow indirectly shaping the society.

Too much of information leads to issues or questions. What is the truth out there? Should we still believe in those information? What kinda of information is worth our time to even look through or listen to it? Too much of information sometimes creates more confusion.

Information Overload:

Do you suffer from Information Overload Symdrome:

As we all know old media existed before the advent of new medium of Internet, such as television, radio, magazines, newspaper, and many more. Though its an old media, but it served us well in so many ways and so many years. All these old media brings the emergence and improvement to the new media. Because of this, old media has become less profitable than previous time. New media can be defined as digital technologies such as the Internet, computer games, digital cameras and etc. People are constantly improving by getting adapted to every new technologies that emerged. For example, parents are learning how to use laptop, webcam, how to access to Internet just to chat or meet online more often with their children who are studying in oversea. Not only that, more and more people are learning how to use the handphone by exploring the applications inside the phone.

People are becoming more dependant on technologies. For example, we can’t live without handphone, we make calls and send text messages whenever we are. Everywhere we go, handphone is a must. Besides that, the most significant changes among teenagers is that, almost all the teenagers out there has a facebook account. Almost everyday, without fail, they will log in to Facebook just to check updates and just to spend some times on the Facebook games. Technologies are so connected to our daily life. Almost everything that we do or use are intefered with technologies. Take hotel room keys for example, keys are no longer the traditional key but a access card. People are no longer listening to a walkman player while waiting for transport but a MP3 player. We can even now scan the bar code by using handphone. Isn’t it amazing how technologies are taking control over our daily life?

Even though new media is a great feature in our daily life. But after all old media still being preferred by mass population out there. Take television for instance, even until now every family out there still prefer to sit together with other family members and start watching tv drama on a clear and big screen television rather than a small screen laptop. Advertisements in television are still very effective in bringing the impacts to affect consumer’s decision on purchasing a service or product. Television is still the major entertainment for every family and it still has the power that could alter our society. As what we have learned, new media promises a “paperless” society too, meaning all the paperwork or books reading will be done electronically. For example, we read news through the news website rather than a newspaper or receiving emails about a certain sales or event rather than an invitation car or brochures. To me, the paperless socity isn’t here yet. How many people out there has a handphone featured with wireless software to go online and search for news whenever they want it? In the end, people would still go back to the bookstore and purchase the newspaper just because of it is portable. Until now, from students to workers, they are still very much preferred to print out their assignments or presentations. Even during examinations, students are required to answer questions on the answer sheet rather than answering questions electronically.

So many doubts and questions are in my mind now. What will really happen to the society or old media in the future? Are we ready to have robots to replace the human being in just any kind of job?

The Media Revolution:

The Media Revolution part II:

The other day Mr.Ben was teaching about the term Taylorism. It impressed me how taylorism was practised even during the 1920s.

Taylorism which also referred as scientific management too. This management practices was found by Frederik Taylor and it was used to meet demands from the changing and improving economic, technological environment and society. During this management, each worker will be supervised under a camera or manager to ensure each worker is devoted and focosed during work. Different methods were developed for performing each job. Different workers with different abilities were assigned with different task. This management supports and train workers by eliminating interruptions. This practice has bring the realisation of business management that will affect company productions. Tasks and jobs were carefully organised.

In my opinion, Although taylorism does bring a more efficient worker which could produce more output and perform better. But it feels like as though worker is worth less than a machine. Worker is working and supervised under a machine. Is that good or bad?

Scientific Management by Ford Company:

As we all know, Web 2.0 is an enhancement of the Internet. There are many advantages about Web 2.0. Web 2.0 allows user to become the participant rather than just the viewer. With Web 2.0, users can read different types of news from mutiple sources rather than just one sourse. Not only, it allows user to create new application or edit an application upon an existing application. Information can be taken anywhere on the Interney and can be edited based on the needs of the user. Web 2.0 allows a huge population of users to be connected to each other.

With this advantages from Web 2.0, it has bring in the D.I.Y culture, meaning we can create anything without the help from others. For example, if we want to know about certain cooking recipe, a click into the Internet world would allow us to have different types of cooking recipe. We could also produce a video to express ourselves and post it on the YouTube. Not only that, the social networking website such as Facebook allows us to create our personal profile and start “socializing” with people from around the world. D.I.Y culture in the Web 2.0 is really brings lots of benefits to us.

Video about cooking recipe, how to cook spaghetti bolognese:

YouTube, I guess everyone out there knows or even have heard about this website.
So today, I’m gonna talk about YouTube as an Archive.

YouTube is famously known to serve as a medium or media for people to contribute their own videos or for people to look for just any kind of videos for entertainment or even for learning. YouTube website is like a convergence of media. We can find almost any kind of videos in YouTube. We can find videos that taught about make up lesson, cooking lesson or even videos that taught us how to kiss or even how to be emo. Not only that, we could find videos that could raise the political issues around the world. YouTube is targeted as a place to promote awareness about certain campaign or certain political issue. Besides all that, YouTube is a place for anybody who want to show their self made funny videos to the world or even a place for them to show their talents, such as the singer Marie Digby who got famous after the video of her singing the song “Umbrella” by Rihanna in a acoustic way. There are people who would post videos of their daily life or of them singing hit song by famous singer. YouTube is really an interesting website.

How to be emo:

A girl singing the song “Teardrops on my guitar” by Taylor Swift:

What is convergence?
Convergence can refer to previously separate technologies that now share resources and interact with each other, creating a new media world.

Today, we are living in the world of new media where everything, everyone are improving to adapt to the high demands of technologies.

Convergence can be defined as a process but not an endpoint. Due to the evolution and popularisation of the Internet, digital media has slowly taken over the traditional media and the media convergence shapes the media environment. Convergence alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres and audiences. As we can see, new media technologies have lowered production and distribution costs and it has expanded the availability of more channels that enable consumers to archive and spread media content in an efficient way.

For example, we no longer need to buy a book or DVD to learn about Yoga or any cooking recipes. With a click to the Internet, websites such as Google and YouTube allow us to search for just anything that we demanded for in just few seconds. Anybody can become a producer of his or her own video production. All these need no distribution costs. We no longer need to dirtribute our self made video to each person. With YouTube, anybody can “distribute” their own self made videos to the whole world out there. It just so easy and effcient. Even President of United States, President Barrack Obama uses Internet to promote awareness during the previous election. In my opinion, convergence brings everybody together.

Videos about Media Convergence:

In the previous post, I’ve talked about factors that create motivation to play online games.

Everyday, millions of people interact with each other from different countries or regions, not by calling or meeting each other in real life, but is by interacting with each other through a online environment, the online game especially the role playing games.

As we all know, the role playing games are very interesting and addictive, it allow users to create any identity with any background story or pesona that they want regardless of who they are, how old they are. For example, a fat guy can create a sexy and hot young lady identity in a role playing game. Like I mentioned in the previous post, it makes the users feel more confident and comfortable in socializing with others in any role playing games. This explains why the developer has created games such as Second Life, The Sims and etc. All these games are very lively. User create any identity that they want and then they get to interact with other users, they can make friends, go out for lunch, attend the same party and etc. These games even allow users to get intimate or even to have sex until the extend of getting pregnant. It really feels like so connected to the reality. Which is another word, user can have a “second life” during game. A perfect life that a user desired. Nobody knows who they really are.

All these role playing are just so addictive, as in gamers willing to spend most of their time, glued to the computer just to “socialize” with more people. Is it good or bad??

Second Life:

The Sims 3:

Gaming has become something common especially among the teenagers or youngsters out there. Back to 10 years ago, gamers are mostly being classified under the categories of teenagers or youngsters, who are addictive to games by buying video games such as the very famous play stations and not to forget the ever convenient play stations portable, PSP. But after the emerged of online video games, even an adult who is his of her mid-30s are seen playing the online games such as Counter Strike, WarCraft and etc. Isn’t it amazing how online games can bring everybody regardless of how old together and get addictive to it?

So what are the main reasons behind it??Accoding to Nick Yee (2006), there are three major facts that create the motivations to play in online games, which are the achievement, social and immersion.

In this reality world, everybody wants to get better and has the desire of gaining power to make themselves feel more confident. For example, if a gamer had just upgraded his or her level by winning in a battle, it somehow makes them feel like they have achieved something. This could boast their confidence. Gaming also allows them to add more colours and excitement into the “boring daily routine” life by having the desire to challenge and compete with others during gaming. As for the social fact in game motivation, somehow in a way, it makes the gamer “socialize” more. There are so many role playing online games out there that allow users to become who they want to be, and with this role playing, users feel more comfortable in socializing and would be interested in helping and chatting with other players. Just for example, no offence, there is this scene in the movie Gamer, they showed this very fat guy who was actually playing the role of a very sexy and hot lady in the Sociey game. Nobody can ever find who they really are in role playing games unless if they meet up in real life. But how many people to reveal who they really are during a game? What about the immersion factor in motivation to play online games? Gamers feel better and proud when they discover something that other gamers do not know or aware of. Not only that, users get to create any nice background story in role playing games.

Therefore, without doubt, I do agree that all these facts are the motivation to play online games.

Scene from the movie, Gamer

History of online games:

iPhone is a great adaptation to digital culture. iPhone is a trend. Almost everybody wants to own an iPhone. Not only the design is beautiful, it has thousands of features or application for users too. iPhone is not a phone but a platform. iPhone is also a great example of contemporary culture too.

In comparison with blackberry, I do prefer iPhone more than blackberry, simply because of it’s cool applications and sleek design.

Here are some interesting videos about iPhone:

This is a smart commercial from blackberry. Enjoy!

Mobile technology is a trend that shape social entrepreneurship or setting and people do agree that mobile technology could change the world.

Mobiles can be used to increase wealth, to start a fight hunger, conflict or even to do publicity. Mobile phones are no longer just a communication tool to call or sms. Not only mobile phones have lots of different features, besides going online and start surfing net, people could get updated with any information available or even just to upload photos into facebook or to tweet into the tweeter.  Not only that, mobile phones are seen as the market opportunities. For example, we often receive messages telling us the upcoming sales or promotions from certain brand or even upcoming event in certain clubs. Mobile phones are becoming more like a super mini laptop that allows users to be more convenient in everything they do. For example, signing in to the Windows Live Messenger for chatting even if they are having coffee at a cafe or waiting for taxi, or even during a meeting. All these are making people more dependant on mobile phones.

Here are the videos about the effects of cellphone: