The Next New Thing

I believe a type of new media that doesn't currently exist is using holograms to communicate with the use of our mobile devices or laptops. This hologram communication can be implemented into social networking cites such as Facebook, twitter, etc. While video communication is present this would take virtual communication to another level. The idea would be to have a software that scans each user and projects them using a hologram to the other user. The hologram would be a representation of the actual user so it would move and speak identically. This can be projected through the webcam or the actual screen. This software then can be used on social networking sites to change how people communicate. The idea is to connect people on the next level and this would be the closest thing to face-to-face communication without actually having to be there. Video communication is where we are based on virtual communication; hologram communication would make communication that much more real and personal. It can bring a huge change to virtual communication. 

Our Class Wiki - So Far

While I haven't added to the class wiki yet, I have been doing research and collecting information to contribute to the wiki. After viewing the class wiki and seeing the various amount of sections to add to I specifically chose marketing. I found this to be the perfect section to contribute to as I am a marketing management major and I believe I have a solid material to contribute. I am planning to add a section on what a marketing plan is and actually create a marketing plan for an item to show as an example. A marketing plan consists of multiple sections and I will be showing this in the example I create and contribute to the wiki in the marketing section. I have started creating the marketing plan example once I complete it I will contribute it to the wiki.

P2P File Sharing

File sharing is sharing files that are digitally stored such as music, movies, documents, photos, games, etc. over a network. While file sharing is not illegal, what is being shared may be due to copyright issues. P2P file sharing also known as peer-to-peer file sharing refers to sharing files between one computer to another and each peer is an end-user’s computer connected to the other peer via the Internet without going through an intermediary server. It allows users to upload and download files directly to or from a P2P network. Some examples of P2P file sharing include pirate bay, napster, uTorrent, and BitTorrent.The article titled "The BitTorrent Effect" written by Clive Thompson talks about BitTorrent. Bram Cohen created BitTorrent and it is referred to as "one of the most successful peer-to-peer programs ever." It allows users to upload and download large amounts of data. BiTorrent is so successful that it accounts for more than one-third of all data sent across the Internet. P2P file sharing is very popular but can be illegal due to copyright issues.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Privacy and confidentiality are heavily related to new media, I believe new media always has a liability relating to privacy and confidentiality. Social media tends to be the place where privacy and confidentiality disappear. While social networking sites do allow people to make their accounts private so only people you have accepted can see your profile. Most people don't know about this, especially new users and with this anyone; anywhere can see their information. This can become a problem, as in todays world job opportunities may slip due to what you have said and posted on your social networking sites. New media has somehow become the definition of who are based on what you post and with the liability of privacy and confidentiality this can be used against you. While some people do know of these features there is still a possibility of being hacked of your account, meaning someone has breached your account and you lose capability of using it. The hacker then has access to your information and other data that you may have not wanted to share. The perfect example is the breach that happened with target. In the article titled "Target works on security-heavy credit cards, after breach" written by Dara Kerr talks about the issue of privacy and confidentially relating to new media. Like the rest of the world new media has made is mark in numerous areas and big retailers is one of them. However, as stated in the article target 110 million customers had their credit cards and personal data stolen through targets database. New media technology allows for our information to be stored within databases but these databases are not 100% secure as seen with target. While new media has advanced it still holds some spots of liability relating to privacy and confidentiality.

Advice to Baruch College

Hired by Baruch College to implement new media to make the college better, I would have a few suggestions. I believe the best way would to create an app, creating an app for students and faculty would be more sufficient than a website. In todays world apps have become the triumph of new media technology. Within this app there would be everything school related from events, to courses, to degrees and even guidance. Baruch would be able to spread the word of events and even post pictures of events; this will hopefully bring more attention towards future events. The app would also allow you to match up your degree and the courses you need in order to complete to obtain that degree. Being a student it can become hectic in understanding and remembering everything you need but this app will easily and efficiently help. Instead of making appointments to meet counselor you can easily chat with available counselor within the app for guidance. In today’s world technology has taken over and in a world where many run on a packed schedule it’s not a bad thing. This app will make it easier for student and faculty to connect and help one another while at Baruch more efficiently.

Creativity and New Media

The example I will be using to show how creativity is fostered through media is with an avatar of myself that I created for another online course at my previous college. The avatar was created through the website called levelfly. Since it was an online course this website became the virtual world where our classroom would be held. When you first start you are given a minimum amount of freedom on how your avatar looks, dresses and the accessories it acquires. As you go throughout the course you get points and badges for the work you do, the more points you get the more options you get in choosing how your avatar looks. You begin to unlock clothing, hairstyles and accessories. This avatar was the representation of myself in a virtual world, my fellow classmates in that course only knew me by how my avatar looked. The website encouraged creativity on how you would like for others to perceive yourself as it gave options to dress your avatar in causal, dress, or career like clothing. Giving options of watches, jewelry, backpacks, briefcases to choose from. The website encouraged efficient work and creativity.

This is the list of options it would give for you to edit and change to your desire:


Here is the actual avatar and overall page view of level, xp points and badges:

Creativity

Creativity is said to be the use of imagination or original ideas to create something that captures and represents that imagination and original idea. In todays world new media has allowed the encouragement of creativity. Through uses of new media and technology creativity has been able to reach new heights and has been able to reach people on a global scale. A perfect example of new media being able to foster creativity is the concept of digital technology talked about in the article titled "1+1+1= 1 the new math of mashups" written by Sasha Frere-Jones.  This article talks about how digital technology has allowed for mashups of songs to become a new form of music. It goes in depth talking about a DJ who goes by the name Jeremy Brown. It talks about how he used digital software to isolate different songs and combine different parts of songs together to make one mashup song. He worked on it for months and once completed it posted it on his website and from their it was made available on iTunes. Using new media and digital technology as shown in this article encourages creativity as stated in the article " You don’t need a distributor, because your distribution is the Internet. You don’t need a record label, because it’s your bedroom, and you don’t need a recording studio, because that’s your computer. You do it all yourself.” Having places to post your creativity on the web whether its your own website or a social networking site, it allows for you to encourage others to become creative as well, while also encouraging your own creativity. I believe the way new media allows us to foster creativity is by creating something using our imagination and ideas, and being able to share it with the world through the inter web.