Steve Jobs & the Apple Tablet

After reading the article, I searched for a video demonstration of this new piece of technology. My initial reaction was that this little tablet was the most amazing thing ever and everyone is going to want one, but after thinking more critically, I realized that all it really is is a larger version of the iPhone. There will even be a '3G' version released after the original wi-fi version! So is this technology cool? Of course. But is it shocking that it will sell for about $500 and combines iPod technology with that of a laptop computer? Not really. It seems like this product was going to happen someday anyway. The only mediatic feature it does not have is a camera, but I am sure this will be added soon enough.

Assignment 13: Foursquare Response

Parental monitoring of children is necessary, obviously. In the past, parents have tried their best to monitor their children with whatever technology was available at the time: from baby monitors to providing children with cell phones at a certain age when the parents may feel it is necessary as a form of communication/tracking as children gain independence. Child surveillance is important, but at a certain age (probably early teenage years) children start to resent their parents if they feel like their mom or dad is encroaching on their personal information. Although it would create a safer environment and parents technically have the right to do whatever they think is in their child's best interest until they reach the age of 18, too much intrusive surveillance may be more destructive to the parent/child relationship than beneficial. In early years, children probably won't understand or mind the fact that their parents are tracking them- it would improve kidnapping situations by possibly deterring kidnappers or being able to locate children if they do get kidnapped. So- to wrap this idea up, maybe this intense technological surveillance is necessary, but only until a certain age like 13 or so.. after that the monitoring can be turned over to the police or some other confidential, outside monitoring party only to be used if a child goes missing. There needs to be a balance between a child's best interest and their privacy growing up. Teens are rebellious and may not always make the right decisions, but it is a part of growing up that should not be taken away from them.

Assignment 16: Emergent Flipbook

CeLL DiViSiOn

Assignment 18: TiME TrAvEL

Upon reading this article, my first thoughts were that it is an interesting new technological medium, but I don't see it as a means of "time travel" in the common sense that most of us picture when we hear the term. When I think of the concept of time travel, I envision a person being transported to a certain location or locations through a passage of time. I guess I can see how this new technology could be looked at as a form of time travel because it is linking our present perceptions to a digital representation of what WAS in the past or what COULD BE in the future. This form of time travel is not as tangible as my traditional thoughts on time travel.

Assignment 14: (part 2) museum exhibits

SCOTT SNIBBE, DANIEL ROZIN

(and other Interactive artists)

ERWIN REDL

LED art

Q.S. SERAFJIN and LARS SPUYBROEK

D-Tower

an interactive structure

Assignment 14: (part 1) museum exhibits

Assignment 12: A world of Avatars: Response to the Real you...

Overall, avatars and the idea of virtual reality that some people live vicariously through freaks me out. Virtual reality gives an interesting perspective to entertainment and shows some amazing technological advances, but some people get so involved in these kind of virtual reality realms to the point where I think the line between their real lives and their virtual lives becomes blurred and very fine. On the other hand, some people use these virtual lives completely separate from their lives in real life: I was watching a TV show on this issue, I think it was True Life on MTV. One young lady was quiet, and shy to people on the outside. She lived alone and being in social atmospheres was her biggest fear- even going to the grocery store gave her severe anxiety. That is what her life was to people on the outside. Little does everyone know she is a sultry sex goddess on the internet in her alone time... she posts scandalous pictures and "talks" to her fans online. Another woman is a musician who performs in front of crowds and has a huge fan base....... in the virtual world. She has a normal social life but WILL NOT perform live in person. She sings and plays the guitar into a microphone and will broadcast to the avatars.

All of those combinations of an extreme virtual reality as an alter-self seem unhealthy to me, so I personally choose to stay away from things like that altogether. I use facebook as a form of communication and networking but would never think of using it to portray myself as something I am not..