The I-Pod: The revolution

I-pods have revolutionised the way we listen to and buy music. We used to buy CDs’ or tapes from our local music store, which entailed a trip to the store and back with no guarantee that you would find exactly what you where looking for.

Today we can easily use the internet and buy the music we want from the I- Tunes store online. Alternatively, we may illegally download it from a site such as Lime Wire, all from the comfort of our homes! We can now choose and buy a particular song that we enjoy listening to; no longer having to pay for a CD that only has one or two tracks that we enjoy listening to. With i-Music we are also guaranteed the music we want, we no longer have to travel to music stores in an attempt to find our desired song. It’s now much cheaper and guaranteed from the comfort of our homes!

Listening to music has also become a simpler process. We no longer have to keep changing the CD or tape, as we can easily just change from artist to artist with the click of a button. We can also make a playlist and listen to many different artists in order of preference. We no longer have to carry large CD cases or tape cassettes because the I-Pod is small and can easily fit into our pockets. The I-Pod can be taken anywhere. Its versatility makes it easy to use anywhere as we can listen to it on a bus, train or car!

With the invention of the I-Pod we can see just how easy and accessible listening to and buying music has become!

Social Networks: From old to new

The Social Network is a fundamental and dynamic aspect of society. Fundamental in the sense that change, development and progression would have little relevance or actual occurrence if there were no arena for discussion. Dynamic in that the manner in which people communicate and the network is constantly shifting.

The computer revolution and the development of the internet, alongside the conception of mobile forms of communication has completely transformed human interaction. The “Public Sphere” was possibly the first recognized system of a social network and originally consisted of a physical place in which people could converge to discuss topical issues. The notion of a formal and physical place in which one could do this is rather bizarre to us nowadays.

The social network today is a mixture of binary digits. A computer and technologically dependant system whereby people can communicate over great distance and time. The internet, with the development of Facebook and other “social utilities” has impacted the barriers of time, distance and even social standing. Where distance previously hampered communications, now people are able to participate in conversation regardless of where they are situated. While the Public Sphere was largely dominated by the white upper class – Facebook holds no exclusion based on race, age, ideological beliefs or situation.

The question is, has this change in communication removed the physical aspect that previously characterised the public sphere? Has the distance between people de-humanised communication? There is no doubt that change is laced with positive and negative, but is it possible that one outweighs the other? What do you think?

Mike Smith