What technology could look like in the future

Okay so I have been thinking lately about the advancement of future technologies, because well it almost seems like we could be at a dead end. The iPhone's have been created and are a success however what is next? Everything seems all too familiar, proven by the iPhone 5 we have seen the phone get larger in screen size. Is this the platform for increasing the size of all phones to the old style 60s versions? Is this going to be the new fad for years to come? Getting people purchasing something different deterring them from the comfort of owning an iPhone?

                          

I believe there could be a different idea something that can be used like a phone, but interactive within the household to make things easier. Imagine if you could have apps literally in front of you in your own living room. Imagine if you could use apps in your homes instead of being on a phone. This way others can interact and communicate with you at the same time. If the app acted like a button it could be turned on and off, but then you could scroll the app as the button is used like a mousepad on a laptop. All you would need to do is touch the button and scroll around.

                           

In order for the app to be interactive it could work like a holo projector like that of sci-fi movies where a person or invisible screen in the air appears and everyone is able to see the "screen" and interact with it. Apps could include music apps where people could choose their songs and it would automatically play in their houses stereo. When making phone calls you could look at the person and talk to them while making dinner. When making dinner recipes the projectors would be literally right in front of your face and this way the small size of the device prevents it from getting damaged. Yes, we already have similar devices such as iPad's and iPhones, although their size makes them a lot easier to get broken.You could still play games but multiple people can watch you play too. When you are not using it, the button could show what the date and time were, and your calendar for the week.There would be no need for having to turn on the screen to show this, as it would be literally showing you in the air. You wouldn't need to use your phone or lose it because you wouldn't need it. Imagine being able to talk on a tiny little button that you could carry everywhere fit in the side of your zips in your handbag and even plug in headphones for the go.

As we have seen the iPhone advance with the use of apps there has got to be something new, something that like the iPhone took the world by storm. Yes if this was real it would take away the idea of watching TV as the buttons act like the Internet and you could watch all your shows on there. However, some people would still prefer to watch shows on a screen, much similar in the way people still enjoy reading newspapers rather than on a screen. Unlike watching it on a phone, laptop or iPad everyone is able to watch it too. 

Viral Media

Who has seen the video Charlie bit my finger?  Funny right? Well if you haven't seen it you can click on the link previous, so you know what I am talking about. But what makes the video spiral out of control? Why do millions of people around the world want to watch it?

 It was originally just a home video that was put on YouTube. Is it our love for innocent little children and when we see the youngest smile and laugh we find it hilarious because no longer is Charlie an innocent little child, he smirks with an evil grin. The video becomes viral starting with the first viewer and if they think its funny, then they want their family and friends to experience the same laughter, therefore expanding the networks. It could be suggested that there is a cycle for this where the video is online then watched by someone who shares it with others. When the cycle is repeated many times, and a large quantity of people have viewed the video this is when it has gone viral. Regarding the video Charlie bit my finger uploaded in 2007, therefore over six years this video has had enough time to go viral, with having 522,958,661 views on You Tube. All you have to do is type into Google charlie bit and already four different versions of the video appear.

However, another way of looking at viral media is identifying all the various connections and how they interact with each other as some people may show the person the video yet they have already seen it before. This model shows that viral media works like the human brain, when we learn new things we create new pathways in our brain.

In contrast, when each person views the video they have never seen, it creates new links in the network. This expands the network and over time when it has reached worldwide, there are several connections and people watching. Viral media never ends it continues, when a new person watches it. Due to videos being online they are irremovable and views will always be increasing over time. In a short amount of time already the video would become watched around the world, although it all starts in one place.

Networked Storytelling

As a group each participant was required to film a frame using a video/digital camera to make the video look more effective. We brainstormed some ideas and found that having a murder video left us with many options to choose from. Although, we could not just simply think up an idea for a story as we required a story with options so that participants watching the video can get involved. Some original choices we thought of was consequences for going right or left, taking a short or long route and our chosen idea of whether to investigate a tapping noise or not.

We attempted in making it as realistic as possible and presenting the video from the viewers point of view, therefore engaging them in realising that they are part of the video. As this was the second time of working together in a group, it made it easier in knowing where people's strengths and weaknesses lie. We worked very well in establishing the video together, as it was from the audiences point of view which made it easier as we were able to create the videos individually in our houses.

Again, we communicated on a page on facebook posting our videos and allowing the videos to be easily accessible for creating the you tube video.

I really like the video we have created, it holds suspense and by the end presents a shock factor to viewers. The intention is making people jump out of their seats! The video represents our everyday lives and that at night if we hear something out of the usual, we immediately think the worst. However, this video provides the options that an unusual sound can actually sway both ways depending upon the choices you make. I also like the video because the viewer doesn't know what will happen about the decision they make. However, it can be assumed that this type of video would not become viral due to the shock factor, however many scary videos have become viral such as slender man and that zombie that pops up while you focus on watching a car. This proves that viewers want to see different shocking things. They might be terrified, yet they cannot take their eyes off the screen due to the eeriness, they just have to find out what will happen next.

After each option is chosen another video is opened to continue the story, therefore relying on the memory of the viewers. We hope they have not clicked on the add button and then forgotten about it, as this interference could affect how they see the video later.

The idea of add buttons is the access of opening new networks as by the end of watching the video we have four tabs opened in our browser, which originally began from only one video. If we map out this video as displayed below, we can notice the various networks, how each frame has expanded, started and ended.It also provides the information of cable like connections that each videos duration stops and then begins after travelling along a cable. Wireframes are like pathways which is very similar to how our brains function, this could suggest that many things in our world today, relate to the way our minds think.The interconnections made prove that without them no story would be present. The same process is used with devices such as phones, computers and other screen related devices.

Manipulating Sound

Firstly, our group brainstormed some ideas such as beaches, café’s, public transport however we believed these environments to be what other people would already be recording. Our group intended on making a twist to find a different environment that people are usually unaware of. Our group was not available to meet somewhere over the break due to how far away everyone lives. Therefore, we came up with an idea that would be convenient for everyone to draw sounds from, this is where the environment of noises around the house at night came about. Originally it was intended to be night time environment although we changed it to make it more specific by calling our environment, the sounds that occur around the house at night time.

To remain in contact our group created a page for the assignment on Facebook where everyone was able to post their ideas, sounds and comment on what they thought about each one. Sounds were easily accessible on the Facebook page all that needed to be done was saving the sound and uploading it on sound cloud.

The group decided that we would record these sounds over the break and present them on Wednesday to see how they all formulated together. The putting together of sounds was completed on Audacity where we needed to send our sounds via Facebook or email. Recordings on phones had to be sent to a laptop then saved and uploaded on to sound cloud. From there we had to find out how we would embed the sound cloud posts on to our blogs. This was discovered by simply searching on Google, for instructions of how to accomplish this. Google provided information that we were to click on share underneath the sound cloud upload, then copy the widget URL address and then simply paste it into the HTML section on our new post.

We had a minor challenge as someone’s sound was accidently forgotten, therefore I clarified it on our page on Facebook, to ensure everyone knew about the extra sound. This way of communicating really helps because we are able to make sure we all present the same material. It is hard to think how we could have accomplished this assignment back in the 1800s.  This would be extremely hard as back then we would need to be writing letters to each other and if a letter got lost then there would be no way of communicating. The advancement of technology has made living a lot easier, although has it made us lazy?

I am pleased with the result it sounds good and represents the sounds that occur during the night time that may not always be recognised. I believe that perhaps the pigeon could be removed only because I do not think that pigeons are awake at night; however in this case maybe it happened to be awake.

Overall, our group worked well together with the help of social media and everyone helped each other in areas of weakness. As a result, everyone improved their skills, with the help of the internet and each other. 

Partners: Samantha Layton, John Italia and Janet Bridgman