Creativity and New Media

New media introduces a host of new applications for the rising market of tablets and smart phones. One application that I've recently fallen in love with is Bamboo. It is an interactive tablet interface that allows for the user to scribble and draw. IT is completely interactive and controlled by the user which is one of the benefits that new media provides. Below are some creations I quickly drew up and scribbled for reference. :) Enjoy! (The application is free in the appstore!)

You can doodle in class!

or be more productive and take notes :)

Creativity

New media fosters creativity by giving people an additional way to interact with others. It allows for people to share their art for in ways that they were never able to before as seen in the article "1+1+1=1 The New Math of Mashups" New media allows for users to reach new audiences and gives them access to other users as well. This provides for inspiration, and joint projects with users across the globe. Because new media is constantly changing and improving, this allows for creativity to have no limits or boundaries. New media allows for users to be innovative, creative, and artistic thinkers due to the endless possibilties that new media provides.
Sources Cited:
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/01/10/050110crmu_music

Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds

With games that simulate an online virtual world rising to prominence in today's society We often wonder what benefits these virtual worlds can have. These different virtual worlds can help us simulate real life scenarios without having to face all the consequences posed to us when facing reality. Virtual worlds allow us to try things in an open community without doing so much harm to ppl. Virtual worlds leave many things open to imagination and give users the convenience of visiting these places from their home. They allow for an open community where people from all over the world can mingle and be free without the limitations of reality.

 Some pros of virtual worlds include: The convenience of not having to leave your home to experience a new environment. Being able to build a community with users all over the world. People can do things in virtual worlds that they may not be able to do in reality due to financial or medical issues.

Cons: People can be so entranced in a virtual world that they might forget what reality is. I imagine virtual worlds can also become very addictive and might lead to some social problems. Virtuak worlds are just that...virtual. Also, they are very timely to construct and often take away from actual human interaction.

Virtual worlds foster creativity by leaving everything open to interpretation. It allows for people to escape from reality.

In my opinion virtual worlds would look like a 3d replica of the actual world with the difference that one is all graphics while the other is tangible.

Works Cited:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/arts/television/06itzk.html?_r=1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/04/01/ST2008040103032.html

Blog about Twitter

In terms of interaction, I believe that blackboard discussions are on one end of the spectrum and in class discussions are on the opposite end with twitter discussions being the middle ground. Twitter discussions are definitely more interactive than blackboard discussions. Partially because Twitter has a bigger presence in mobile media in comparison to blackboard. In order to access a blackboard discussion you have to sign into your account and go search through unread messages just to get to yours. With a twitter discussion, the accessibility is much easier and it is also a lot easier to find what & who you're talking to. 

In a technological world, I believe twitter discussions are the closest thing we can get to in class discussions. Tweets in real time are what really differentiate twitter and blackboard discussions and what makes it one step closer to in class discussions.  

Social Networking Sites

The four social networking sites I visited were Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Although these four sites are all deemed "social networking" sites, they give off very different impressions.

Facebook: Gives off the impression of what a social networking site really should be. It puts a great emphasis on building connections with friends or people that you may have things in common with. Reminds of the "Six Degrees of Separation" theory.

Myspace: Similar to Facebook but for a younger generation. The format and layout of Myspace in comparison to Facebook seems more targeted towards a younger demographic. Myspace reminds me of a online dating website for young teens where as Facebook reminds me of a site like yearbook.com used to reconnect with people.

Twitter: Twitter is the new thing. It limits what users can write to 140 characters which can somewhat be frustrating. I do believe that the layout and format of twitter allows for it to be the most interactive social networking site of the four.

LinkedIn: Something that has become my become my good friend within the last year. LinkedIn is like the grown up version of Facebook. You get to network with professionals in your field, and you get to post recommendations for your peers and vice versa. LinkedIn gives off a more professional vibe and allows for users to interact with individuals in the corporate world that they might otherwise not have a chance to. i also love how LinkedIn has a feature that shows your degree of connection to other people.

Social Networking

Social networking has played a pivotal role in today's society. Now more than ever, social networking sites have become places where you reconnect with old pals, fellow co-workers, class mates, and even future employers. With corporations now introducing Facebook fan pages, twitters, and LinkedIn profiles, it has become another way to network with professionals. This is both good and bad.
Starting with the good: it allows for more interaction between the individual and the corporation. It seems more personal. A negative thing is that it may be too personal. Often times we post pictures, status updates, tweets and we don't even think twice about it. However, recent news suggests that now, employers will most likely conduct a search essentially exposing all the social networking sites you use.
Regardless, I do think social networking sites are beneficial to society. It allows for open communication and allows for individuals to reconnect. It has made "keeping in touch" so much easier. The fact that it occurs in real time is what I believe to be one of the greatest assets social networking has introduced.

Having said that, I wonder what will happen when we become so accustomed to social networking that we forget how to network with actual people and not just people behind a computer screen. Will it create a generation of individuals who are socially awkward and reliant on technology? This is one of problems social networking presents. I can't say for sure whether or not the good outweighs the bad. I guess it all depends on how much of yourself you're willing to put out there.

Sources Cited:
Being There: The subtle art of the Facebook update
Social Networking Technology Boosts Job Recruiting