Who needs instructions!

Jane McGonigal states to us what that "all games share four defining traits: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation." (McGonigal, 2011, p.21) 

Without rules it would make the goal very easy to achieve as it would be basic, as in the example McGonigal talks about golf, as it is very easy to simply put the ball in the hole with your hand when your standing beside it but when you add the rules that you must hit the ball with a golf club and that you have to be at a certain distance from the hole this is what makes the game hard. It is the hardness that we thrive for as "in a good computer or video game you’re always playing on the very edge of your skill level, always on the brink of falling off. When you do fall off, you feel the urge to climb back on." (McGonigal, 2011, p.24) So basically a game isn't a good game unless we are always pushing ourselves. Feedback is also what keeps the addiction for us as throughout the game we are always able to see the goal and see how far we are to the goal this makes us want to achieve the goal and not let the game win.

"Games today come in more forms, platforms, and genres than at any other time in human history." (McGonigal, 2011, p.20) Gaming has evolved so fast from the beginning of gaming. It has evolved that quickly that we don't even play games in the same way in which we first begun. In games such as portal as Jane McGonigal puts the point forward that "Traditionally, we have needed instructions in order to play a game. But now we’re often invited to learn as we go."(McGonigal, 2011, p.26) This just proves that we as a culture and society have become more advanced and more creative in the fact that we no longer want to know how things work or how to do it but that we like the challenge and self satisfaction from working it out yourself and just basically trying to achieve the goal before you no the goal. 


Bibliography
McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, Penguin Press HC.

 

One to Another

"The representation of one medium in another" (Bolter, 2000 pg 45.) This is talking about the fact that we no longer just use are phone as a conventional ring and message it has now become our lives. We find ourselves not simply watching television we find ourselves watching it but also on our phones at the same time. It has come to the point where it just doesn't seem good enough to watch a television but that we now have to be on our phones checking Facebook or on twitter. We even find ourselves turned into cyborgs by the fact that we don't even read things on Facebook we find ourselves sitting there pointlessly scrolling.

We find that old media such as the television has been transformed as we can now interact with it bringing television from old media into the new media with the whole thought of second screens coming along but we find that second screening isn't enough any more as there is people out there who are trying to make a third or even fourth screen for us as become more and more active. 'At some point in the future we'll start thinking more strategically about the marketing value associated with a second or multi-screen content experience.' ( Forbes. 2012. The Big Problem with the Second Screen. [ONLINE] Available)

So we now find ourselves not happy with the conventional way of viewing but that we have to make our lives around phones and new media. Its like the fact when you are out with your friend you don't spend your unconditional attention to them but i bet that you are texting the whole time and eve on Facebook when you are with your friends. We never actually leave our phones down anymore. New media has took over society and culture as we know it.

Bibliography

Forbes. 2012. The Big Problem with the Second Screen. [ONLINE] Available at http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidmartin/2012/02/23/the-big-problem-with-the-second-screen/. [Accessed 06 November 13].

Bolter, J.D. (2000) Remediation: Understanding New Media (Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT Press)

Humans and technology

"In other words, the concept of 'human' is unthinkable without technology but we act as if it is." (Shaw, 2008: p.81)

Have we been overcome by machines or are still human? Without technology the human race wouldn't get on very well. Think about how many times you use technology, we are always using are phones and iPods and laptops we couldn't live without these appliances. Try for one day leave your phone down and not use it, I bet u struggle. This shows how new media has overcome and that we can't live without them this shows how new media revolution has took over. This is basically meaning that we aren't being ourselves and that new media and technology has become an extension from ourselves and that we actually need them instead of want them.

Although new media wouldn’t have come about if it wasn’t for us we wouldn’t have evolved if it wasn’t for technology. We have developed a lot over the pasts due to the revolution of technology I would say that we have got smarter but also that we have got lazier as we no longer find the need to do maths we just use a calculator on our phones or we don’t remember history we just google it.

Shaw looks at William Harvey's circulatory system this is telling us that the body is "produced by technology in the simple sense that Harvey had necessarily to use tools to examine the workings of the heart"(Shaw, 2008: p.82) Now a days we don't need tools to look at the heart but that we can actually use technology to look at the heart beat and to do blood pressure and all things like that.

So overall we find ourselves turning into cyborgs as we are no longer ourselves but that we are just a form of media and that we find that humans wouldn't have evolved that fast if it wasn't for technology but also that technology wouldn't have evolved that quick if it wasn't for us.

Bibliography
Shaw, D (2008) Technoculture: The Key Concepts (Oxford: Berg Press)

We are human, Aren't we?

"The concept of 'human' is unthinkable without technology but we act as if it is"
(Shaw, 2008: p.81)

Shaw opens the chapter with a paraphrase of the quote from Stiegler (1998) where he claims "The human [..] invents himself in the technical by inventing the tool - by becoming exteriorised techno-logically" (p.141)

Shaw is talking about the means which we find out for ourself that we are human. The technological advancements in departments such as health and sports, help us program, monitor and test out bodies to see if everything is running as it should be. The idea that there needs to be blood pumping around out bodies to be alive, only came about after Galem understanding of our veins and hearts. This was later proved to be incorrect, when William Harvey's findings, which were aided by technology, showed that blood came from and to the heart. 

We can also look at different objects which hold a similar principle. For example, gender, race, age, class. These are things which are highlighted in our society, more than what they should be. Of course, race and gender have their obvious technicalities, but society uses these to categorise humans into separate groups, as if to divide us. Shaw re-refences to the quote made ealier in the chapter, which said that "bodies are obsolete", (Shaw, 2008: 81) and pushes this even further, saying that the human body in society is "dependent on accepted differentiations" (Shaw, 2008:87)

Gender is the most prolific of this differentiation. As with the first 30 seconds of being born, a baby is judged on whether it is male or female. Its a baby, a human, but according to society, it has already been deemed as to which class it will be placed in.

I can never imagine a society without these classes. It will never happen.

Bibliography
Shaw, D. (2008), Technoculture: The Key Concepts, Oxford Press.
Stiegler, B. (Technics and Time, 1: The Fault of Epimetheus. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

The cultural changes of New Media

The ideas of New Media were not simply created by new technologies alone but though cultural changes in society, changes such as Modernism. As Creeber notes, "Modernism is the umbrella term we give to the way that human society responded to the changes that took place during the industrial revolution", (Creeber, 2009, pg.11). A world transformed by ideas of a beneficial and progressive industrial society, diminishing previous societal structures such as a religious monopoly of dominance.

The faith of the masses now invested in technological advancement and material goods to help deal with the stresses of daily life rather than relying on spiritual guidance, "A triumph of consumerism, commercial culture"(Manovich, 2002, pg.31). The Fordism production line ethic resonated this change across all layers of society, the same product replicated cheaply, quickly and with little collective thought, as the "Modernists came to perceive  industrialization as the enemy of free thought and individuality", (Creeber, 2009, pg.12). Manovich notes this practice in today's media production, where "modern media follows the factory logic", dividing a singular project into repetitive jobs such as an artist who only colours backgrounds for an animation, (Manovich, 2002, pg.51).

In Post-Modern society, focus changed from the consumption of material goods to that of information. Leading to the rise of "information technologies, the globalization of  financial markets, the growth of the service and the white-collar", an information age, (Creeber, 2009, pg.15). The Frankfurt school feared the "ideological influence of the media on a gullible and powerless audience", the masses drooling over their mass produced, mind numbing, popular culture? (Creeber, 2009, pg.15). The elites who dismissed popular culture as a low brow mind control underestimated the complex relationship between the reader and the text. Audiences are not mere puppets of media but "active  participants in the production of meaning", they can interpret the meaning of texts using their own cultural means (Creeber, 2009, pg.16).

Identifying how elements such as popular culture cannot be categorised as high or low brow, "as the 'real' and 'unreal', the 'authentic' and 'inauthentic'", as the meaning  lies within the cultural view of the reader (Creeber, 2009, pg.17). This is identified in today's culture where the meaning and status of media is being blurred, using multimedia mediums such as YouTube. Where low brow mash-ups such as the "What does the wolf say?" become more significant than professional industry standard media. The masses now hold more power and influence over the media they consume, sharing, choosing, participating and driving New Media.

Bibliography
Creeber, G. Digital Theory: Theorizing New Media (Maidstone: OUP)

Computerization

Computing and Media Technologies begin as two separate entities converging together overtime through, film, photography and binary information. These technologies are developing through experimentation and the format in which the cultural collective forms for the needs of mass.
New media can be broken down into two distinct layers, Cultural Layer and Computer layer. The understanding of the cultural layer is to be known as the input information (user generated), whereas the computer layer is generated from the input information through automation and variations of the same. This transition from the user generated information to the media form and the transcoding for computer or digital information.

During the text of 'Language of New Media' as Manovich speaks of transcoding he states that "computerization turns media into computer data"  (Manovich, 2002, p.63). The computer storing and re distributing the media that it has been given. "In new media lingo, to “transcode” something is to translate it into another form." (Manovich, 2002 p.64)


Transcoding doesn't happen without another 4 principles of new media such as numerical representation, modulation, automation, variability. Each of which cross one path or another. Computerization requires numerical or coded information, binary or otherwise, Modulation through mixed mediums being digitized, automation, the process of creating the binary and coding into a visual or piece of spectral information. Variability the changing of the medium e.g. photograph into a video format. Although suggesting that all within the cultural layer has to be of human origin Manovich states a database "originally a computer technology to organize and access data, is becoming a new cultural form of its own" (Manovich, 2002 p.64), can be consequence of the principle transcoding. 

Manovich suggests that the "computer layer and media/culture layer influence each other" (Manovich, 2002 p.64) rather than have computer layer overpowering the cultural layer, they converge to develop each other further. With the development of computer and digital technology, new media continues to grow along side rather than being the technology. Is it suggestible that transcoding is changing the development of software and the skills required?


Bibliography

Manovich, L., The Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2001)

Automated Media

Lev Manovich has shown us how media function has changed through the years and how media actually first begun. From the daguerreotype to computerisation, media has come a long way in this time. Manovich "reduces all principles of new media to five: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and cultural transcoding" (Manovich, 2002, p.44). Computers were invented at first to be used as a calculators and store date but now they are used to store, make, view and distribute  media and data etc. Media back then when computers where just calculators hadn't crossed paths with computers until they met when "The tape Zuse used was actually discarded 35mm movie film" (Manovich, 2002, p47) This was kind of the beginning f the "new media revolution" (Manovich, 2002, p.43).

Humans are no longer needed to actually make media forms as we have been replaced as the 'new media revolution' takes over and we are being surrounded by programs that used to do what we do and at the click of the button we can edit any photo in anyway or we make a film without really doing much due to templates and other sorts of editing.

Automated media has come to be the most revolutionary part of media development as we are seeing a computer communicate with us in real life and it can also "guess user's emotional state and to adjust the style of interaction accordingly." (Manovich, 2002, pg54) this means that people are now able to game and communicate in many different ways now as they can play against 'someone' without their actually being anyone with you or playing online you can now play against the computer as it is called "AL (Artificial life) software" (Manovich, 2002, pg53).

 Without Media access we would basically be lost because think about the amount of times you have needed a picture for a picture and you have just simply gone to 'google images'. We all have the most remarkable ability to just pull a picture off the internet without having to contribute to it in anyway financially or creatively.  This is what Is the automated revolution contributing to the new media revolution.

Media, Technology and Convergence

"Old Media are not being displaced. Rather, their functions and status are shifted by introduction of new technology's" (Jenkins, 2008 p.16)

Jenkins explains during the course of his book that there is a dynamic shift between older mediums and technologies such as "the word-processing program converged with the typewriter" (Jenkins, 2008, p.5). Most technologies derive from older versions of the next version. Updates,  Recreations and Reinterpretations of the same thing making it feel new. Convergence being a form of forced teamwork, technology takes on a working progress of multiple abilities. Streaming platforms now a convergent of Television and Internet spaces shows the development of modern re imaginations by global brands such as BBC with the Iplayer.

Internet available Televisions known as 'Smart Televisions' have access to streaming broadcasters such as BBC, 4oD and Netflix. Although it seems like a great idea, one flaw always stands above the rest. The end user. Unable to understand or wont let themselves understand because they don't want to see it as a re-imagined form of Television. The Convergence of these technologies forces those end users to take a side they prefer

With all the technologies forming into one device creates an inevitable question, what can we put in it next? Jenkins talks about being at the New Orleans Media Experience, which was to discuss the future of media with its technologies. Jenkins suggests that those participants of the conference had taken a different approach towards the event, instead of visiting the conference to view ways of changing the media industry, they come to look for the "just right - the right investments, predictions, and business models" (Jenkins, 2008 p.7). Being happy with just getting by, business being more money making rather than life changing. If these companies insist on giving their consumers products that have all singing all dancing technologies and no one understands it, How does this help our future developments? Are they just reinventing the wheel for no reason?


Bibliography:

Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.

Convergence Culture

Convergence is basically where old and new media come together to become one with multiple mediums put into one. It is where different kinds of media are put into the same device or place. Such as the way Jenkins talks about with his phone. Mobile phones aren't just for calling, as they were built for but have now become a place where you can find multiple media forms in one place such as internet, games, mp3 etc. This has been revolutionary as "they don't make single-function phones anymore. No one wants them." (Jenkins, 2006, p.7) It has become apparent that people are no longer interested in something thats serves its purpose but that it fulfils many needs and has lots of added extras.

We don't even have time to think about the amount of mediums that are being produced as they are being produced that quickly so really we don't have a chance to think about the impact that it has had. Although we actually don't realise it but technology controls are lives. We are that passive that we don't realise that media is no longer for information but that we have a relationship with it. Think of the last time you left the house without your phone? Think about the last time you looked at your phone, checking emails or Facebook. Bet it wasn't that long ago.

Jenkins talks about that we should not think of media as the different technologies but think about emerging the different media cultures and theories together. So that different forms of media are no longer singular but have become multiple by having a relationship with another form of media.

Convergence isn't only the way in which different kinds of media are made one but in the way that we are selves use media. For instance we don't ever just watch television. While watching television we will be on Facebook on our phone and maybe even doing coursework on your laptop.

Bibliography

Jenkins H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where old and new media collide. New York: NYU Press.

Video Did Not Kill The Radio Star

"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms" (Jenkins, 2008, p2)

Henry Jenkins is introducing to us the convergence, or mixing, of mediums to create new ways for the media audience to interact with different platforms. Although this seems strange to consider a generation of technology where multiple mediums aren't adapted by technology, we have to consider Jenkins' time of writing. In 2008, the first iPhone was only just released. Steve Jobs presented the iPhone as a "revolutionary mobile phone". He talks about three new products, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device. However, he soon reveals that these are all in the one product.

(BorisLeeHK, 2012)

The breakthrough of the iPhone is exactly what Jenkins is talking about when he talks about convergence. Jenkins says "Each old medium was forced to coexist with the emerging media (..) printed words did not kill spoken words. Cinema did not kill theatre. Television did not kill radio." (Jenkins, 2008, p14)

Jenkins talks about his living room, "I am seeing more and more black boxes" (Jenkins, 2008 p15) How long is it before we have one  device which literally does everything? Considering the technological advances of the past 5 years, we aren't to far away. Mobile phones are a cinema, doctors, supermarket, photo albums, (practically) DSLRs, banks, take aways, bibles, loyalty cards, compasses, book stores and anything we want them to be. What else needs to be converged with our pocket device to make life easier?

The "Black Box Fallacy" (Jenkins, 2008, p13) is when he talks about the technologies which are used to deliver the media, change and update, so for example, the iPhone, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 5c. These were all updated with new technologies, for example, voice recognition, mobile internet, finger print recognition, etc. "Media, on the other hand, evolve" (Jenkins 2008, p13)

Jenkins doesn't give much away about his opinion on how convergence is affecting our culture in the introduction but he talks technologies which we are using and seeing being developed today. I think that the Cheskin Research which he mentions would have a different view on todays technology, eleven years after their initial research.

"The old idea of convergence was that all devices would converge into one central device that did everything for you (a la universal remote). What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges."( Cheskin Research, 2002, p8,9)

Bibliography

Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.

Cheskin., 2002. Designing Digital Experiences For Youth
BorisLeeHK. (2012) Steve Jobs - 2007 iPhone Presentation (Part 1 of 2). [Online Video]. 22 April. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etyt4osHgX0. [Accessed: 8 October 2013].