Lyndsey083's Blog

What I’ve Learned This Semester

lyndsey083 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:12:53 +0000

The most interesting type of technology I have learned about this semester is the analog and digital technology. I had really never attempted to realize the differences between the two. It surprised me in the video we watched in class over the two types that there are so many minute as well as huge differences. There is so much more to these two sounds than I ever imagined.

On the topic of communication technology in general, I would almost say that it scares me. So much is going on all the time and so many things are being invented everyday, and technology is continuing to grow every second. It’s almost frightening that technology is advancing so fast, but it is also exciting. Learning about all these types of technologies has opened my eyes even more to how we communicate all the time, anywhere, in so many different ways.

Teleconferencing

lyndsey083 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:08:01 +0000

I think teleconferencing is an amazing invention and piece of technology. It benefits everyone. I just use it for my personal benefit, but I love it because I can talk to my friends who are far away at college that I only see a few times a year. I don’t really think it is intrusive because you can choose to use it, but it is really beneficial especially if I need advice on outfits, which my best friend and I sometimes do on iChat. I have always known that video conferencing was going to become a big thing, and I think that it’s an easy, fun way to chat with someone far away and also feel like you are in the same room with them. There are, of course, times when I don’t want anyone to see me on video, but I just don’t use it then; I use a phone. Otherwise, I think it is great, efficient, and fun to chat over video.

Cell Phones

lyndsey083 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:07:07 +0000

The cell phone has impacted my life in many ways. It has actually helped me in all three of the ways listed, but since I can only choose one, I choose the fact that my cell phone helps me feel safer. I received a cell phone for Christmas when I was 13. It seems pretty young, but I was almost done with middle school and would be attending school in downtown Louisville the next fall. My parents got it for me because of that reason and the fact that I was starting to go more places and needed to get a hold of them more.

My cell phone has saved me many times. I use it when I am in uncomfortable situations, like walking to my car in the dark, walking into school (when I attended high school downtown and parked far away), when my car has broken down and I need to call AAA and my parents, and just in general when I need something while I am out. I think that a cell phone is an amazing thing to have. I know that if I can just get a hold of someone or call 911 when I need to, I feel safer. Since I live downtown at the present time, I take extra precautions because it is not that great of a neighborhood. Having a cell phone helps me feel safe. It is very important that I have it in my hand at all times, just in case.

Telephone

lyndsey083 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:36:18 +0000

I cannot remember the first time I used a telephone, exactly, but I do remember the impact it had on my life after I did learn that I could use it. I would talk on the phone for hours, as many girls do, to anyone who would listen or talk back. I loved calling people and answering the phone. Just having something new around that was almost like a toy, but real, if that makes sense. I remember always calling my cousin, because she was my age and also loved to talk on the phone. I also taught my sister how to use the phone, and how to pick up and listen to our parents without them knowing, which she eventually used on me. I used a landline phone well into high school, although I have had a cell phone since 8th grade. It’s hard to believe that the landline phone barely serves any purpose anymore; it seems that only sales people call and everyone who really needs to get a hold of us calls a cell.

VOIP

lyndsey083 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:28:06 +0000

VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. This encompasses all the transmission technologies that can transfer voices over the Internet. The computer and internet are used like a phone, instead of using a real phone. This changes things because first, the computer can be used for one more thing, meaning that other technologies are not as necessary as we all thought. Also, the internet phone can be a lot cheaper, or even free in some cases. It also allowed long distance calls easier and the communicators can do other things like surf the net while they are on the phone. Skype is a really popular VOIP. I have used it many times and I know a lot of people who do as well. If they can’t video chat on a computer, Skype comes in handy because it can be done without video. It makes a phone call a lot easier and more convenient. VOIP is just another change in technology that is moving us forward, but it may not take off as well as it wants to. I don’t see it really going anywhere because people use their telephones too much. It’s just a random handy device that isn’t completely necessary, but is beneficial.

Music

lyndsey083 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:10:38 +0000

I listen to several different devices when I listen to music. I usually use my iPod, but I use it the normal way, hooked up to the cassette player in my car, or hooked up to my iHome at my apartment. I also use the CD player/stereo in my apartment to listen to music and use my iTunes on my computer when I am working on homework or something.

I listen to music on the way to class as I walk, in the car always, at home when I am just hanging out, and out at parties.

Music is very important to me. It inspires me to do things, helps me exercise, and relaxes me when I just need a break from everything. I listen to all types of music and they very much reflect the mood I am in. I love going to concerts and getting to hear live music too, it’s my favorite thing to do.

Video

lyndsey083 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:25:48 +0000

In my life, video has been very important. My dad has hundreds of hours of video that he has taken since I was really small. He still video tapes family events, and although I may get annoyed sometimes, I know that I will appreciate it in the future, because I love watching old home movies now.

Video cameras were popular in the 90s I feel like, and then kind of lost a space, and now they are back on track. More people are getting into making movies on iMovie on MACs. They are taking videos in college and making home movies and using that instead of photographs. I learned how to edit video in high school communications classes, so I think it’s a great thing to be able to do as a communication major. Just so we have one more back up plan; one more talent. It’s a fairly easy process and actually very interesting.

I think video will gain more ground as communication technology continues to grow. Already, Skype and iChat are convenient ways to keep up with friends and family if we are not near them. Eventually, maybe there won’t be phones; just a video chat. It’s a slow process with video, but I think it will replace regular communication styles in the future.

Virtual Reality

lyndsey083 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:20:45 +0000

I’d like to focus on a lighter version of virtual reality. We have talked about video games a lot, and I see the Wii as the next level into virtual reality and video games. The Wii keeps coming out with games to get people more into the concept of virutal reality. The one I am most familiar with is the sporting one, which I think is really neat. To be able to play sports, play Guitar Hero and Rock Band, etc. on the Wii is a great invention to help people interact with the game the game they are playing instead of sitting in front of a television and moving their thumbs. However, I do think that virtual reality is becoming too much in our society. It almost allows people to turn away from natural, normal ways of doing things (i.e. going outside to throw a ball or learning the guitar) because it’s easier and less stressful. Sports aren’t exactly that big of a deal, but I see the games becoming more serious and harder to step away from in the future. It relates to the study of communication because it is a growing technology that allows people to communicate with each other, with technology, and with themselves.

Video Games

lyndsey083 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:13:01 +0000

I have really never been into video games. I do remember playing that duck-hunting game when I was about three years old, and playing Mario Party at the dentist when I was in elementary school. I also had a GameCube at home and recently got a Wii. However, I think I stay pretty mainstream with video games. I always got bored of them quickly. My attention doesn’t hold up long enough to get very interested in video games.

However, I think that video games have changed society. I think it is the first real way kids become obsessed with technology. Boys go through a gaming stage more noticeably than girls, first of all. Madden, Halo, Super Smash, etc. are all huge parts of many boys’ lives. Either way, from the moment a kid uses a video game, they understand the power of technology and the ways is can create an entire new world.

I don’t necessarily think video games are bad. I think that many games are very inappropriate and give children the wrong ideas about society (i.e. those shooting games with girls in revealing clothes on them), and some games are so strange that kids and even young adults become sucked into their virtual world (Halo and other games like that). But for the most part, I think that they are the reason kids become obsessed with technology at such a young age.

I have seen it in boys more than girls, but as a college student, video games are still a distraction. Somehow, being in a different world like the Sims or Halo or playing an NFL game in Madden is more appealing to many than being in the real world. I don’t particularly understand it and I think it is pretty strange and annoying, but if that’s the world someone wants to live in, hey, as long as they don’t hurt anyone in the real world, more power to them.

I don’t think video games are the root of all violence, but I do believe some plant bad seeds. Kids need to know that there is a real world with real rules, life isn’t just a constant game or stage of battle. However, the age old “do video games lead to violence” question is still hard to answer. In some cases, yes, some type of game probably has planted these seeds. But in many, probably not. It’s a case by case question. Many people just play for fun. They don’t believe it’s the real world.

PC Experience

lyndsey083 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:01:00 +0000

I don’t remember the exact first time I used a computer, but I do remember using them for one of the first times in elementary school. We were allowed to do a search for something on a search engine. It was either Google or another site. We were all in a computer lab and I just remember thinking that it was so cool that we could find anything we wanted on the internet. It still amazes me that we can find anything we ever wanted by just typing in a few words. It’s important for children to know that but also not to be able to take advantage of it. It just shows that my generation was able to use a computer from the very beginning. This could have only been in third grade or so. We are completely a computer generation and will continue to be more technologically advanced. It’s a lot to take in, but very important that we take our role seriously as a technological generation.