Communication Technologies Mini Semester 2017

I’ve always known that many of the things we had today are practically miracles in comparisson to their earliest versions. What keeps blowing my mind with every new detail I learn is the personal computer and its relationship with the development of the Internet. Eversince mankind discovered it is spread all around he globe, it has felt the need of bonding with itslef. Otherwise, such a big effort wouldn’t be currently done to reduce distances and making the world seem smaller. Personal computers weren’t the first invention that had this in mind, but it has one of the most remarkable developments when it comes to the history of technology. To think that the tiny laptops we see all the time came from massive mainframe computers isn’t a new concept. People mention this and many more examples when given the chance. However, to think that we have reached a point in - which thinking of how mind-boggling this comparisson should be isn’t as mind-boggling - has to be the most subtle yet rema...

Communication technologies have been very successful in their quest for total penetration. One of their tactics is to fuse with other technologies to offer consumers a complete experience. A complete experience that can be used however the customer chooses to; this is part of the promise that companies offer. Some, have taken the initiative of incorporating said communication technologies into their workplace. Companies have experimented from incorporating new hardware into their environment to even interviewing potential candidates for available positions. This is one of the most practical uses for video technology, and it could also be the reality that many communication technology developers had in mind for the future. One should bear in mind that video technology isn’t the only one needed to carry out a job interview, it is just the one that stands out the most. If analyzed part by part, an interview is a harmonious incorporation of many of the technologies discussed in this b...

The increasing presence  that technology has in an average pedestrian life wasn't an easy-going process; it involved moments of enlightment and dissappointing experiements. New technologies must undergo regulations before reaching the public. One of these includes the distinction of adult content to protect minors from it's traumatizing and horrendous display of the human body. Disgusting . Eventhough these debates arise from a wholesome and "pure" ideal, they end up using children as an excuse in the name of discrimination and to advocate for a mentality that lacks vision. Pornography - or anything involving nudity -  may not be the best example for this argument, but it is certainly shoved into this forbiden taboo category. One must admit, children have the right to not have a morbid outlook on society; and this includes more than just being self-aware of their bodies. This is the purity that efforts such as banning pornography strive for. However, most of these...

Being well informed is becoming more of an ordeal in a world with so much false information in it. I am not referrng exclusively to the combination words “fake news” - which has become very popular with the rise of president Donald J. Trump to power -; misleading information can be found everywhere, even on medical reports and findings. This is a very important area in civilian life becuase it deals with our well-being quite literally; and if our health is compromised, it’s repercussions affect other aspects of our lives as well. The availability of eHealth to more and more people makes it easier for them to seek medical attention when needed, but we often encounter the question of where to look. The right information and the right physician are out there in the web; but sometimes we may be too desperate to tell apart a well-known doctor in the field from Jerry, who just knows way too much about methamphetamines. Most - if not all - the time, this distinction is crucial when reaching...

As technology improves, people get an idea of what can be considered “obsolete”. This gives them a standard to build expectations for upcoming technologies. These expectations often include the quality of the features the technology offers (image, sound, audio, etc,), the design, and the practicality; but many people don’t give much of a thought to the price of said technology, not even the amount of work and research that needs to be done for it to become a reality. As time goes by, the amount of money people are willing to spend becomes more and more of a heated topic in the world of technology. Let’s focus on the example provided by Nick Schmiedicker on Sony’s new wireless headphones, the Sony MDR-1ABT. The article mentions how the sound quality is affected when the headphones aren’t connected to the streaming device of choice. However, the user of this particular headset can choose between connecting them or going wireless; and, no matter what the choice is, the sound quality bet...

The recent rise in technology has lead people to believe that traditional methods or implements are unfit to carry out a task or supply the demand of pretty much anything; in other words, believe they are useless. However, in some cases, this isn’t true. When it comes to books, there is still a considerable amount of people who prefer and trust print copies rather their eBook counterpart. This percentage of people includes millennials as well. *sarcastic tone* I know, shocking. There are many reasons for this, among them trust and style. Personally, I don’t mind the format - in which the book I need/want is in - as long as I have it. I usually go for the most convenient way of acquiring them, which is eBook. Yes, some people prefer hard copies because they like how it feels an smells; and I have to admit it is a very pleasant sensation. However, hard copies can’t be read in the dark at three in the morning when I need to study (I mean...err...review) for a test or when I have been go...

Eversince videogames appeared into the history of mankind, they have helped us explore new aspects of our lives we didn’t know existed. They have opened a whole new category and meaning for creativity. Coding can now be imagined as a lot more than what it is usually related to: some guy with thick glasses sitting on a computer sweating profusely while typing (probably to hack the FBI’s mainframe or anything of that sort). A player can get immersed if the premise or the mechanics of the game are good enough. It can even be the  most effective way to immerse the consumer into a fabricated world. Given the virtual reality systems being developed and the constant effort for graphics and sound quality to be improved. As with everything else, videogames are evolving in ways that couldn’t be possibly imagined thirty years ago. Videogames started out in a very simple manner. There where two vertical dashes on the screen trying to bounce a ball around and RPG’s (role-playing games) that r...

At a time like this in which freedom of speech is in jeopardy regarding various issues (some of which have been discussed in this blog), journalism has had the hard task of holding on together and avoid crumbling in the face of the government and social pressure. It has always held a crucial, yet troubling position throughout history because it was written by people - who are trying to get a point worth discussing -  to other people. Their argument can vary greatly from a passive article about an upcoming event to a roaring discussion about a recent political decision. Even so, writhin journalism, there are so many people that hold different opinions on the same subject. We can’t help it as human beings to have an opinion and acting upon it; this is what the French Revolution and  the Universal Declaration of Human Rights fight for. Besides freedom of speech and having an opinion, they also advocate for education. One is starting to believe that education is a social issue on ...

The Internet is one of the most – if not the most – widely used tool in the world. It serves various purposes such as: starting a business, gathering information, and making distances almost disappear; all of this can be done in a matter of minutes, even seconds. The true beauty of the Internet is that all of these interactions are accounted equally in this global community. The same applies for all the content uploaded. This is the concept of net neutrality, which now holds an unsteady position for the U.S government. Cable companies are fighting to bring net neutrality down and manipulate the speed and freedom at which users use other online-dependent services like Netflix and Google. This is a blatant effort to impose themselves as dominant communication companies. Subsequently, this will make it impossible for starting companies and small businesses. Everytime there is something good going on for everybody, like net neutrality, someone comes up with the great idea of cha...

Our rights end when those of others start. In India, the government is currently discussing if whether it should intervene or not with the “grossly offensive” or otherwise indecent user interactions in a communication service that may take place inside their borders. At first, I thought this article wanted to limit freedom of speech in another context. As in publishing defamatory allegations against the country or its government, or spreading controversial information about upcoming protocols or policies; in other words, I thought the section 66A of the Information Technology Act was an effort to censor the press. Soon enough, after two paragraphs and a half, it was clear that this document wanted to get rid of the offensive messages that could circulate in a communication service. As for any other discussion, there are certain grey areas that need to be clarified before reaching a veredict. As you may be able to tell, freedom of speech holds a dubious position in this Act. ...

Bitcoin is a rising trendy topic in economy that is rumored to change the way we handle our money. This is an active application of the Diffusion of Technology theory, which states that the tools we create shape us as well. The ideas - Bitcoin arises from - stem from the thought of giving the consumer more control over their money and perhaps over their lives. A form of money that could be coded into existance and be considered as valid in the market as the U.S. Dollar. The students at MIT have started a project to encourage the usage of this cryptocurrency in their campus. This iniciative has certainly spiked the technology savvy youths as they venture into what could possibly their standard form of payment in a couple years. Bitcoin's transparent management among users can give them a sense of freedom and even empowerment that could encourage superiority and control. People can truly feel they own their money because of this technology and this can shift a consumer's sen...

Humanity didn’t know it had rights until it realized its wrongs. The conundrum between freedom of speech and cultural appropriation has been one of the most controversial subjects in recent years, and the use of technology has made the world all too cautious but at the same time more aggressive about the matter at hand. One of the best examples is described by the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists - Joel Simon - in an article regarding the standpoint of technology among french political and cultural struggles in the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. For one, journalists and cartoonists (or anyone who wished to communicate) fight constantly to exercise their freedom of speech against a sea of ignorance and oppression coming either from their governments or international communities; but, on the other hand, their messages may not be culturally appropiate worldwide. So, where do we draw the line? To spice up the issue, the Internet has blurred the frontier even more...