Week 13-The intetnet of things

We talk about the internet of things this week. Internet is an intangible service offers users a virtual place allowed internet users to communicate to each other. I think it is an amazing thing that people can communicate through mass media platform, on one hand it is such a convenience for people that they can have chat at home without the trouble of physical distance. On the other hand, people would ignore each other in public because they are embedded into social network. Apple is a case in point, instead of commemorate Jobs’ past away, Gold queries that why Jobs’ past away could drew such attention. Gold mentioned that people start to routinely ignore each in public, rather they playing with them technology things such as iphone. (Gold 2011) Personally, I do not think it is technology’s fault; instead we benefit form technology rather than suffer from it.

Personally, internet is a virtual palace allowed physical information exchanged. The reason why we think internet is a realistic is because internet carries content which has exactly the meaning. Every single symbol has its meaning; it is the real reflection from users who form real world. Ted mentioned that physical objects be connected to the internet then those objects becoming tangible social actors. I agree with him, in a sense internet is a virtual conglomerates which carries narratives. Those narratives be encoded into different languages then be transferred to others.

I am interested in the reading of this week. The internet been defined as a tool to gather people. Also the differences between interne and blog been mentioned.

“the distinction between objects that blog, and human agents that blog is important to flesh out, starting with what blogger are ‘blogger’ loosely defined, are participants in a network of exchange, disseminating thought, opinions, idea-making culture-through this particular instrument of connection called the internet”.  (Bleecker 2006)

Personally, I think the significant difference between internet and an internet of thing is, internet just a tool been offered at the same time it carries symbols of language transfer to others.

Biography: :

Bleecker J 2006, “Why Things Matter. A Manifesto for Networked Objects”,

http://www.nearfuturelaboratory.com/files/WhyThingsMatter.pdf

Gold T 2011, “The Deification of Steve Jobs is Apple’s Greatest Marketing Triumph to Date”, The Guardian, 21 October, accessed 22/10/2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/21/tanya-gold-steve-jobs-deification-apple

wek 12 Apple vs Google

With increased technology products realised, the competition between companies is fierce. Typically, the competition between Google and Apple is a case in point.  It seems that, the competition is not only involved into technical products, also involved in ideas of products, advertising and customer’s services. Ted mentioned that Apple is a closed ecosystem, whereas Google is a free and open platform. Comparing with two companies through some dates and market researches, it shows that Google growth faster than Apple. Moreover, Apple gain huge profit margin from one product, but Google gains the small profit from one single product with long tail. The fact is, lots of friends of mine prefer use products of Google, they think Android system is more easy to use and it has strong connection with internet. However, we have to say Apple’s closed economy system draws much attention.

The reading of this week is interesting. Roth mentioned that

“Google didn’t care how any individual model was pimped out as long as he hidden Android DNA was here underneath, keeping everything tied to the internet and running smoothly”.

Different business strategies are used in Apple and Google. As Ted mentioned that, Apple is closed economy; oppositely Google is a free platform and make strong connection between internet and users. I am also interested in the question of what is money which was asked in the tutorial. I think money is not value when it can no exchange anything, it becomes worthy because it can exchange something useful such as food and car. Personally, I think if everything is free, it will lost its value.

week 11 #mena #arabspring: the social network revolutions

The case study provided in the lecture of this week is about Arab Spring, Arabians summed up through Facebook and Twittter and to exchange information.   Some claim that Facebook and Twitter boost the revolution, whereas it is just a media platform. Personally, the reason why it is an issue is because the vital role of media played in society.  Comparing with traditional media, audience are more active engaged within activities of new media. As Ted mentioned that audience do not have any power within traditional media. From that point, audience within new media is more creative and active rather than passive and controlled.  Ted mentioned that what was a permanent periphery can now become a new centre. In the other words, new media gives civilians power to distribute information and used them for democracy.

Networked computer allow social networks to expand and grow in ways that were previously unanticipated, social networking, as the phrase is being used in industry and in popular culture today. Also it allowed us focus on the creation and growth of online social networks which allows users to interact. (Coyle & Vaughn, 2008)I am also interested in the reading of this week. The same issue been discussed by Morozov, he portrays that internet is democracy, and also the internet can be and effective tool for political change when used by grassroots organisation. Personally, I agree with him. Whereas, the network revolution would not be happen in some countries, such as China. Because China has the great Firewall, it can filter anything. In a sense, internet boost democracy in some countries, mass media especially new media grant people power to against dictatorship.

Reference:

Coyle C L, & Vaughn H, 2008, “Social Networking: Communication Revolution or Evolution?”, Bell Labs Technical Journal, Vol 13, No 2, accessed 09/10/2011,  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bltj.20298/pdf

Morozov E 2011, “Facebook and Twitter are just places revolutionaries go”, The Guardian, 7 March, accessed 16/10/2011, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/07/facebook-twitter-revolutionaries-cyber-utopians