Language of New Media Response

            Language of New Media really taught me a lot about the birth and ever-changing face of new media.  I really enjoyed reading the section that discussed how modern media came about during the time of the Industrial Revolution. During the Industrial Revolution was when Henry Ford introduced factory line production.  It relied on two main principles, first was “standardized parts”, and the second was this new concept of breaking down the production process into simple and repetitive steps that could be “executed by workers who did not have to master the entire process and could be easily replaced”(29).  This is how modern media relates so strongly to the industrial revolution.  It aims to make electronic media both accessible and comprehendible to any and every person.  Modern media was also invented in order to connect people, ideas, and information in the easiest and fastest way possible.

            Automation is one of the principles of new media.  Examples of automation would be artificial intelligence and video games.   Automation is so exciting because there is still so much to be discovered with it.  We are currently building virtual theaters and actors with new media who adjust their actions based on what the user does.  For instance, on iChat there is an automated “person” that I used to instant message with sometimes when I was in middle school.  I liked IM with “him” because I was able to type “hangman” and hangman would pop up on the screen.  Based on what I would type, he would respond with an appropriate answer that allowed for conversations to be, for the most part, the same as if I was talking to a real person.  CollegeHumor.com also does a very funny skit on new media and the future of automation, called Auto Phone Sex.  It pokes fun at our society and how we are becoming so dependent on technology that one day we will even go so far as to having automated tellers for phone sex.

After the readings we also brought up using new media as a learning tool.  It is very exciting that modern media is now making it possible for kids to learn in every type of way.  This technology becomes really beneficial for kinesthetic learners.  XBox Connect Uses an infrared grid to tell how far away from the camera the user is (IR Cam), and uses a regular camera in order to view the actual person (Web Cam).  Kids can now learn dance moves, sport movements (learning proper techniques for swinging a bat), etc.  New media could be a breakthrough-learning tool for kids across the nation.

Variability within media allows each user to personalize it took make it their own.  For example, websites such as StumbleUpon, Google, and Pandora all allow each user to decide what kind of information or media to view or hear at any particular time.  We are now able to control the types of media and information we surround ourselves with.  This sorting and customization of data is done without us even asking.  Today’s computers can take your user history and customize information based on prior and past search history, in order to make your Internet surfing experience as personal as possible.

            New media is both exciting and a little scary.  Technology is evolving and media is changing so fast that we have to make sure that we can keep up with it, and make sure society is accepting of it.

To see the College Humor video, click on the link below:

(Just a little heads up, it is a little inappropriate but goes hand in hand with automation)

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/3548526/auto-phone-sex

What do you see?

I have always been really intrigued to optical illusions and abstract face art.  I think that optical illusions that are well done are some of the coolest things ever!  I have always been jealous of the artists that have the ability to take random object, scenes, body parts, etc. and put them together to create an image of something real such as a face or an animal.  I posted some of my favorite ones below.  Enjoy!

My Keepon

I found an interesting article on Wired Magazine's website about a new gadget called a My Keepon.  This blob-like creature was originally invented by a woman as a tool to help autistic kids.  My Keepons respond to sounds and touch.  They dance to whatever music might be playing around them using ultrasonic beat sensors and react differently to actual physical interaction humans have with them.  These creatures have become so popular that within the next year they will be for sale in stores around the nation for people to take home.

I am a little surprised that a gadget like this is gaining so much momentum.  It is funny to see that our society is taking new age technology such as this and using it in such a mundane way.  My Keepons started off as a tool to help researchers understand how autistic children learn best, and are now turning into a silly blob that people clutter their desks with.  It seems a little contradictory to me, because we created new media and new technology to help "de-clutter" our lives, yet My Keepons will do the exact opposite for the random person that feels compelled to spend $50 to take one home as their own.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/dancing-my-keepon-robot/

RIP: A Remix Manifesto

I really enjoyed RIP: A Remix Manifesto, a documentary on copyright laws within the US.  It sheds light on the unrealistic and overbearing copyright laws and regulations in the US and they are impacting the creation of a new pop culture.  The documentary focuses on one artist in particular, Girl Talk, who has created music mash-ups using thousands of pop songs both new and old.

            I had no knowledge of copyright laws prior to watching this documentary, so I found it very informative.  One of the facts I found most interesting and disheartening is that when it comes to copyright infringement, it is less about whether these artists are breaking the law than who they’re messing with.  Copyright laws are all dependent on whose music or films are being mashed up and how mad they are. These laws make it easy for large record label companies to annihilate mash-up artists because they own the rights to a large percent of popular music.

            After watching RIP, I was left feeling frustrated because the US is enacting laws that suppress new ideas, collaborative thinking, innovation, and modern art.  The US is so afraid to embrace new ideas because of this fear of losing the conservative values and traditions it was built upon.  However, what many of our lawmakers don’t realize is that by not permitting this mash-up culture we are abandoning one of our core values– freedom of expression. These ridiculous copyright laws do not give artists the freedom to create and re-create brilliant works of art using earlier works as inspiration for their own. 

At one point in RIP, DJ Marlboro from Brazil said, “Originality is mixing two things together that have never been mixed before”.  Amen!  So much of what I create is ripped off of other artists I have come across, just like every other artist.  In order to broaden our own artistic horizons we look to others for inspiration.  When something intrigues us, we pull it apart, mix it up, and mash it together with other ideas we have seen and/or come up with ourselves, and the end product is a new and completely original piece of work that we call ours. 

Social Media Websites

At dinner last night, I was talking with a family friend about social media websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.com.  He is the CEO of a large chain of retail stores in the United States, and this past week the company released a deal via LivingSocial that gave participants a $20 for $10 coupon.  Because of the store's popularity, the coupon sold out within a couple of hours and sold at an average of 30 per second.  Not only was my friend thrilled, but it also showed him how much our society is changing and embracing the techno and electronic world.
It is very exciting how technology is constantly changing and reshaping the way humans interact, obtain knowledge, and discover new ideas.  This is one of the reasons why I became so interested in electronic media, and I am very excited to be part of it.

Laser Cutting- New Age Tailoring

It seems that more and more designers around the globe are swapping the sewing machine out for a laser cutter.  One company in particular named Gemesco has created a laser cutting machine that is able to cut fabrics.  This type of technology has the ability to greatly impact the clothing and textiles industry, because it allows for clothes to be manufactured more quickly, precisely, and potentially cheaper in the long run.  eurolaser.com points out some of the other benefits of this laser cutting technology:

• Laser engraving, laser marking and laser cutting all in one step
• No tool wear - no loss of quality
• No material fixation required due to contact-free and force-free processing 
• Smooth, clean cutting edges; no reworking necessary
• No fraying of the fabric: lint-free & clean
• In the case of synthetic fibres: formation of a fused seam
• Internal and external contours always in the same consistent high edge quality

I first learned about laser cutting within the clothing industry when I came across a clothing designer named, Diane Eng, who had done a series of tees, tops, and scarves with a laser cutter.  Although I was not a huge fan of her style and designs, I found the idea to be brilliant.  A dream of mine is to start my own sustainable clothing company, so this new idea really resonated with me.

I then stumbled upon two other designers who I found absolutely amazing, Marchesa and Lily Heine.  To see more images of both designers work and to learn more about them, click on the link, http://www.thecreatorsproject.com/blog/the-techno-atelier—the-fashion-labs-of-today, which will take you to another blog which talks about the designers a little bit more in detail.  

Marchesa creates laser cut gowns that are the most beautiful, creative, and artistic pieces of clothing I have ever seen.  Her designs are below:

 Lily Heine creates clothes that look as if they are made using a 3D printer.  She has a very modern and sophisticated style that is amplified through her use of the laser cutter.  I have posted some photos of her work below:

Hello Friends!

Welcome to the wonderful world of eMagical Ideas!
Enjoy!