When reflecting on the reading by Fischer,
a few ides began to resonate with me about the roles of new media in our world.
America Calling is an illustration of
the effect caused by the introduction of the telephone into the American society.
Looking at the effects of a new technology introduced in the past reveals a lot
about what we deal with today. Our sensory overload with new media allows for further
theory creation for our worlds connections to technology.
I think an important aspect that Fischer
questions is the idea of how the same device operates for everyone who uses it
(pg. 15). Each device and new piece of technology has a new use or purpose. Whether
that intended purpose is seen by all using it is up for debate. The example of
the use of the computer office really points out the differences in purpose. If
secretaries can more easily and readily do the job of the manager, then why are
there still mangers to boss us around? Each piece of new technology has shaped
each user differently applying a different purpose to each person. A modern day
example of this could be the intended purpose of a drone. At first the use was
to provide a safe way for soldiers to operate aircraft. Now it is used for many
more purposes. But those interpretations of purpose are purely up to the user. Takes Amazons purpose of drone and their uses for package delivery. Completely different
than the intended purpose but a clear example of how purpose is in the eye of
the user.
I really like Fischer’s warning of
video game crazes. Being a gamer, I was drawn towards this point. I wanted to
see what was being said about the idea of video games effecting our youth. One
thing the author says is that this rebirth of the video game craze is most
likely only temporary. With the advent of next generation gaming, this craze is
most likely not going to fade. As technology is released such as the PS4 and
Xbox One, the crossover into other media can be seen. As this cross continues,
more and more users will be able to adapt to these new platforms. But if that
is the case, what is the true purpose to each user? For me video games first
and foremost will drive me to buy a system, not the fact that I can connect to Facebook
or share game clips. I feel as more and more crossovers occur, the video game
console will lose part of its intended purpose and users will purchase these
devices for other intended purposes.
While the idea of purpose is an
issue with technology, it could be viewed as a positive piece of new media. Allowing
the user to find a purpose allows for greater usability. Even when advertising
for the new telephone, the only way to open it up to more users was to show
more purposes. For people to invest in this product (pg.66), the creators of
the telephone needed clever ways to provide multiple purposes for people. Some
of the purposes may be intended or may not be, but people interpreted them in their
own individual ways and found ways to use the telephone in an efficient way for
themselves. This is where we are at today with not just the telephone but
laptops, tablets and even e-readers. The purpose of each of them varies and
crosses over many facets of new media and finding the purpose for each device
is purely up to the user. Some purposes may be the same as other users but
other users may have completely opposite uses of the same device.
Fisher wanted to point out that
these new media had different intents for each individual user. Finding those
purposes was the key to unlocking the intended purpose of a device or new
technology. But the sense of purpose found comes on the individual level and on
the group level. The individuals who find the same purpose for a device can be
linked to those who find the same purpose.
Chris Santoro
I agree with your statement that manufacturers are constantly thinking of ways to make their devices provide multipurpose functions. I feel like originally this idea was mainly to compete with other companies in order to sell the most appealing and useful gadget to others, but now this idea of making technology contain multipurpose functions is almost a give-in in our society and considered the "norm". Speaking from personal experience, I know that when I was about to get a iPhone for the first time that I did not need to get a new iPod for music as well as a GPS for my car because the iPhone would cover all these functions and be overall cheaper. In present day, since most phones provide additional services (i.e. camera, gps capability, social media access, etc) it makes people dependent on technology to accommodate any of their needs, and therefore now holds the standard for technology higher. Additionally the same goes for gaming consoles because although we have progressed from consoles like sega, or even early nintendo, it is outstanding to believe that play station and xbox are still innovating ways to improve their console... solely by giving them more functions (internet access, ability to play movies/dvds, etc) the same way that smart phones have been doing over the years. Overall it seems the standard of new technology products is too continuous expand and improve
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your perspective on video games and their usage because I thought the same exact way. If I am buying the "newest" technology, I find that I have my own way of using it and the majority of added tid-bits that are commercialized tend be not that important to me. There is certainly no doubt that these people who are creating these cross-over products understand our tendencies but I wonder if their philosophy is solely to overload you with all the "extras". For example, my iPhone has just about every accessory from Siri to Angry Birds but I really only use the basics of calling and texting. The trick is that I feel much more at ease knowing my phone has the capabilities even if I don't intend to use them. Now I do not think this is necessarily an issue but it seems that people tend to look at the situation negatively. I think you get at the point of it having a positive effect but I do not know if everyone else feels the same way. My question to you is, do you believe all the "tid-bits" that are overloaded on the new technologies are better together or separate? Is there really more benefit in having them on one device? Does that make us too dependable regardless of usage?
Chris, I was also able to resonate with your post about the video game craze. PlayStation and Xbox have always been intense rivals and they have always tried to steal away customers from one another. The way video game systems are being built today, I do feel as though they could lose their intended purpose. After the creation of the Kinect and the PlayStation’s camera, it was apparent that interconnectivity was becoming a big part of the systems’ functions. In some cases, people like the idea of having a camera in the living room that is always ready for use at any moment. In other cases, people see this as a huge invasion of privacy. Similarly to the creation of the telephone, there are privacy issues but as the technology becomes more advanced, it burrows deeper into our personal lives in an attempt to connect us and make us come closer together. I definitely agree with the fact that some people might not use certain devices for their intended purpose and this fact can be seen in many different ways. Sticking with the game console idea, it’s almost as if the main idea circulating today is not to use game systems, consoles, mp3 players, etc “as they’re intended.” Although that might have been the idea before because of the need to educate consumers about communication products like the telephone, it seems like today, people are being encouraged to think outside of the box and customize consoles and devices to cater to their own needs in ways not thought of before. Because of the abundance of technology and the many uses that there are, technology "can" connect everyone depending on how its used but today it seems like technology creates tons of separate niches instead. So i'll ask, in comparison with the phone that needed instructions when it came out on usage and such, what do consumers assume about the intelligence of the consumers of communications devices today? And why has deviating from the norm, or customization/personalization become a big part of the way our communication tech advances?
ReplyDeleteChris--I think that having all the tid-bits together makes for a better device. Economically speaking, it is easier on the wallet. Also I believe that being able to access the most information on one platform is the best option considering ease of access. The easier it is to access information, the more popular a device will become.
ReplyDelete