Class- New Communication Technology

Assignment- create a blog about technology

Grade- A

When the class was finished I had no intention of continuing to blog but I have had a change of heart. A good friend of mine is an avid blogger and she has created a name for herself and has a lot of people who follow her blog. She has inspired, helped, and advised many through her writing, myself included, and it is because of her that I have decided to continue with my own blog.

When I think of blogging I don’t think of perfect grammar, correct punctuation, or anything like that. I consider a blog to be an arena to type what you want and to type it however you want to. Whether I chose to type long, run on sentences or babble on about how morning traffic annoyed me or any other random event I feel the urge to write about then I feel it’s my prerogative to do go ahead and do so.

Don’t get me wrong, to some extent I am weary of what I am writing and it is not my intention to bore or offend anyone I just want an opportunity to explore the world of blogging.

So join me on my adventure into the bloggers universe!

Ps: Before I decided to become a ‘blogger’ why do people blog was my biggest question so I decided to look into it and I liked the below article.

Why I Blog

By: Andrew Sullivan

November 2008. Atlantic Magazine.

“The word blog is a conflation of two words: Web and log. It contains in its four letters a concise and accurate self-description: it is a log of thoughts and writing posted publicly on the World Wide Web. In the monosyllabic vernacular of the Internet, Web log soon became the word blog…”

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/why-i-blog/7060/

Technology is an ever advancing field that will continue to mesmerize billions every time something new is created and the world will continue to prosper and reach technological achievements that I cannot even fathom…

Blackboard is used on many college campuses and is a great example of teachers and students using technology to interact.  Blackboard allows teachers to upload assignments, notes and anything else they believe will benefit the students in their classes.  On the other side students can use blackboard to keep track of their grades, group discussions and several other options.  Before Blackboard came onto college campuses, teachers would have to provide all materials in class.  This could get costly and what better way to battle the cost issue than put all the information needed in a central location that only has to be reproduced once.  Everyone would be able to share these documents at their shared location and would not have to worry if they had heard the teacher correctly or not.

Online classes are one of the best things to ever happen to those part-time students that could not coordinate their work and school schedules.  Online classes are extremely convenient and also effective.  The main difference being that there is no teacher directly in front of you that you can ask questions.  Although many students prefer the lectures and having teachers there that they can talk to, just as many prefer online classes.  The ability to take these classes online is an acknowledgement to how far technology has come.  The technology used is allowing people to better their lives and seek degrees that they may not have been able to before.

As I sit here and write this blog entry on my laptop (technology), using my word processor (technology) and the internet (technology), it has occurred to me how important constant technological advancements are.  To think, my grandparents thought they lived in one of the greatest and most intelligent times, it seems naive to me to think that the world as we know it will remain the same and not get any better.

Technology is everywhere in academia and the world and before you known it you will be sitting in your house with a holographic professor teaching you lessons.

Four years ago I moved 400 miles away from my friends and family to attend Florida State University. Moving to a brand new town and attending a school with over 40,000 students is very intimidating. It was a big adjustment for me and definitely was not an easy one. One thing that helped me adjust was my mom bought me a cell phone before I moved away. The plan included unlimited minutes, text messaging and picture messaging. This allowed me to call my mom or dad anytime I needed to talk and it didn’t matter where I was. I could also send them pictures of what was going on in my daily life and the could do the same for me. My cell phone helped make the transition a little easier because it made me feel like my family was only a button away.

After graduating high school many of my friends went to different schools and we all worried that we would lose contact with one another. Facebook helped solve this problem by making staying in touch with my friends and family simple and easy. Through the news feed I can see what they are doing and how they are feeling. The unlimited amount of pictures you are allowed to upload makes me feel like I am there making the memories with them.

Skype has changed the way phone calls are made. It is “software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Skype’s buzzing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, worldwide. At peak times, there are up to 20 million people online. What’s most important, however, is what Skype can do. Voice and video calling, IM and SMS are now available on a wide range of operating systems and mobile devices. They connect business colleagues, saving them time and money and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition. And they help keep friends and families together, wherever they are in the world.” (Connect to outside source)

Text messaging, cell phones, e-mail, Facebook, IM, skype and so many other technological advancements have made staying in contact with those you love easy no matter how far apart you are. Running around in this busy world with work, school, chores, homework, studying and the other million things that pile up in your life it is not easy to stay in touch with people especially when they don’t live within driving distance. Technology has allowed us to see the death of distance and I am so grateful for this because I never have to feel like my family is that far away when they are just a phone call or text away.

Limited, S. (2010). About Skype: What is Skype? Retrieved March 19, 2010 , from About Skype: http://about.skype.com/

Now I am extremely thankful that I can accomplish all of these errands and more using technology. For example, you can go to almost any retailer’s website and buy clothes online. Even if the retailer is based out of China, chances are they have a website that allows you to browse this season’s newest fashion selections, chose your size and color options, and have it shipped directly to your house!  All with a quick and easy click of your mouse-it doesn’t get more convenient than that.  (Some popular online retailers: Forever21, Francesca’s Collections, Bass Pro Shops, and Bloomingdales).

Another recent trend that I find fascinating is you can now buy all of your groceries online-including frozen foods! Sites such as Netgrocer and Freshdirect allow you to buy all of your groceries and have them shipped directly to your front door. Though the convenience of websites such as these is undeniable, there are some disadvantages. One website took a deeper look into online grocery shopping and found that “sometimes orders are mixed up, things go out of stock so you are delivered a different item, quality is lower than you expected, or there are the inevitable problems associated with internet security” (connect to outside source).

Renting movies is another hassle that technology has recently made much easier.  Usually people had  to drive to a local video store, pay for each movie or DVD they rented, return it within just a few short days or else get charged ridiculous overages. Now, websites such as Netflix and handy video vending machines such as the Redbox are replacing these stores.  They offer convenience and a flat rate and their accommodating aspects are quickly causing problems for their competition.  Netflix has millions of subscribers and have mailed out billions of DVD’s and are causing big problems for big time companies like Blockbuster (End of the Line for Blockbuster?-click here for article by the Associated Press)

The convenience technology has brought to us is a luxury I have learned to become used to and although everything has its disadvantages for me, the pros have definitely outweighed the cons.

The article ends by proposing a question to its readers: “What are the technological advances or inventions that have changed our lives?” They give you ten inventions they came up with and why they feel that way but I thought it was a great topic to explore.  Have you ever really thought about what inventions have impacted your life? Or better yet, have you tried functioning without certain technology for a day…think you could do it?

Before you answer, take a minute to think beyond iPods, cell phones, and computers. Think about something like indoor plumbing, it may not be wireless or play music but it is an invention. Now picture not being able to flush the toilet, turn the sink on to wash your hands, or take a hot shower in the convenience of your own bathroom. Now, after considering this scenario do you really think you could live without technology for a day? I know there are some things that I just could NOT live without. (In case you are interested, click here: History of Plumbing)

Below are five of the ten technological advancements that they feel have helped change our lives…to find out the other five you will have to visit their website:

Top 10 Inventions That Have Changed Our Lives (eNasha.com)

Computer: the father of laptops, computer must be the greatest invention till date.

Internet: Resized the world in terms of information accessibility.

Cell Phones: Redefined “staying in touch”.

The washing machine: No doubt played a role in the women’s Liberation!

Contact lens: Took a load off the nose and ears!

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Some inventions I couldn’t live without:

1. Air conditioning (it gets way too hot in the summertime and I don’t like to sweat)

2. The automobile (easier on the feet)

3. Microwave (how else do you make hot dogs and popcorn?)

4. TV (Friends, The Office, Family Guy…need I say more?)

5. Text Messaging (sometimes you just don’t want to talk to people directly)

My list could could on and on because I was raised in an era in which technology is evolving faster than we can keep up with it and I have become too accustomed to living in a world filled with gadgets.

John Chambers, CEO of CISCO

Everyday businesses are running smoother, reaching a broader audience, and are becoming more efficient since technology has taken over the work place. Fax machines, computers, telephones, and printers have all helped businesses over the years but the internet has single-handedly allowed businesses to reach endless possibilities.

“The workplace and our working lives have been transformed by the Internet and the netcentric innovations it has brought. Netcentric technologies bring a host of new tools and capabilities to workers, especially in the areas of information access, communications, and collaboration. People can open a window to the digital world on their desktops or laptops, and they have access to a limitless supply of information and business intelligence. Twenty-four-hour connection to coworkers, clients, and the information resources of the workplace itself is commonplace. Team members can use collaborative technologies to work together regardless of physical location. These new capabilities bring extraordinary advantages to employees and their organizations…” (Link to Outside Web Page)

The internet is a communication network that allows almost every computer around the world to connect and share information. Since its origin, the internet has allowed companies to reach new levels of success that were virtually inconceivable a few short decades ago. With the birth of the internet and the dawn of the information age upon us, the way companies are run and business is conducted has completely changed.

“The internet changed the business landscape, making it far more competitive and the workplace considerably more fast-moving.”

Websites, e-mails, search engines, instant messaging, and now social networking sites have helped set the stage for how business is conducted in our technology savvy society. With an internet connection businesses can advertise their products at the click of a mouse, products can be presented to people living in other countries, and nearly anything can be bought or sold to people all over the world.

Nowadays companies have their own website, an e-mail address for each employee, and a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account that is updated daily. Most companies also hold web or phone conferences instead of the traditional face to face meeting, have prospective employees apply online, and want their staff to be experienced in programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

In 1943 the Chairman of IBM, Thomas Watson stated: “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” I think it is safe to say that he was very, very wrong.

In today’s competitive job market it is no longer who you know but what you know.  Whether you want to start your own business or climb the corporate ladder you had better know how to use a computer.

Wallace, P. M. (2004). The Internet in the workplace: how new technology is transforming work. New York, New York : Cambridge University Press.

Music Video: “Welcome to the Future”

“Welcome to the Future”

–Brad Paisley

Songwriters: Dubois, Charles; Paisley, Brad Douglas;

When I was ten years old
I remember thinkin’ how cool it would be
When we were goin’ on an eight hour drive
And I could just watch TV

And I’d have given anything
To have my own Pac-Man game at home
I used to have to get a ride down to the arcade
Now I’ve got it on my phone

Hey, glory, glory, hallelujah
Welcome to the future

My grandpa was in World War II
He fought against the Japanese
He wrote a hundred letters to my grandma
Mailed ‘em from his base in the Philippines

I wish they could see this now
[Incomprehensible]
‘Cause I was on a video chat this morning
With a company in Tokyo

Hey, everyday is a revolution
Welcome to the future

Hey, look around it’s all so clear
Hey, wherever we would go and when we
Hey, so many things I never thought I’d see
Happening right in front of me

I had a friend in school
Running back on a football team
They burned a cross in his front yard
For asking out the home coming queen

I thought about him today
And everybody who’s seen what he’s seen
From a woman on a bus
To a man with a dream

Hey, wake up Martin Luther
Welcome to the future
Hey, glory, glory, hallelujah
Welcome to the future

Music Video: “Welcome to the Future”

Information technology has recently spread into “every facet of life. Exponential increases in computing power and dramatic decreases in the physical size and price of computers have created a frenzied cycle in which both individuals and organizations increasingly use computers, spawning phenomenal growth in and dependence on computer based services, and resulting in greater demand for and use of computers.” (Connect to outside website)

One of the growing trends is using a computer for all of your banking needs. I, like many people in my generation, do most of my banking online. Most major banks (Wachovia, Suntrust, Bank of America, etc.) allow their customer’s access to online banking which allows people to conduct financial transactions or pay bills on a website that is safe and secure.

“The result is that more data than ever before are made available in digital format, which is significant because digital information is easier and less expensive than non-digital data to access, manipulate and store especially from disparate, geographically distant, locations.” (Connect to outside website)
Thanks to technology, specifically the internet, online banking allows me to make deposits, withdrawals, transfer money and pay bills all with the click of a mouse. I no longer have to leave my house to accomplish simple money matters and I can virtually be anywhere and still access my account information.

Online banking is also helpful because I no longer have to complete the tedious task of balancing a checkbook or wait for my statement to arrive in the mail. To keep track of my money I just log into my bank account and I can see how much money I have available to spend as well as what purchases I have made. Most banks also allow you to view all of your statements online which means you don’t have to wait every month, and they also give you access to many of your previous statements in case you need them.

Electronic banking helps more than just your everyday person though. The availability of online banking also helps small businesses manage their finances and it allows large corporations to reach a global market through offshore banking accessible from any computer.

One concern I know many people have is whether or not online banking is secure. In my experience online banking is safe, but I know it is important to check with your bank and see what guarantees they offer. I know many banks set up different security measures to ensure that you have peace of mind while banking online. For example, many online banks have you set up a username and password, they use Secure Socket Layer (SSL), encryption, and log you out after a few minutes of in activity on your account to help protect your information.

According to a 2006 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, roughly 43% of people who use the Internet (approximately 63 million Americans) do some type of banking online. And why not? Online banking has made managing money easy for businesses as well as your everyday consumer. Can you imagine NOT having online banking? How many of us even know how to balance a checkbook? I sure don’t. Being able to transfer money and pay bills online has made my life (and I’m sure many of your lives) much simpler and I’m very thankful that technology allows me this luxury.

Works Cited:

Cate, F. H. (1997). Privacy in the Information Age . Washington D.C: The Brookings Institution .

Dorn, J. A. (1997). The Future of Money in the Information Age . Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute.

Every single day we use technology. Whether we are managing our money through online banking, reaching a global market through e-commerce, or staying in touch with family and friends through social network sites, technology makes all of this possible and easier.

Technology provides us with answers to questions and information as quick as we can type it into the search engine.

Computers and the internet allow us limitless hours of entertainment at the click of a button and laptops allow this entertainment to be portable.

GPS systems allow directionally challenged individuals (such as myself) to travel to any destination without a problem by providing its user with step by step directions.

Cell phones allow people to call each other from any location and are continuously advancing in their capabilities.

Over the next few weeks I will pay attention to how dependant I am on different technologies and I will use this blog to address how technology helps us function on a daily basis.