Final Exam Post - Technology

Blog Post #11

Technology 

My Relationship with Technology 

I think I have a pretty healthy relationship with technology. I do not think I overuse technology, I believe I use just the right amount. With that being said, technology does play a very important role in the world we live in today, so the right amount of technology to me and the right amount of technology for an older generation may be different.  Every day I use social media. I use Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest in my day-to-day life. I use my iPhone to facetime and iMessage my friends and family. I watch movie streaming networks like Netflix and HBO Max every day. I use my Macbook in class to do work, and I probably use even more technology that I cannot even think of, but I do not believe it is overtaking my life. With all of the technology available in the world, I still find time to take walks outside and spend time away from the internet. I think my friends and family are not too caught up in technology either. However, there are many people that revolve their life around technology and that can be a bit dangerous. 

I did take the time out to google search my name and I did not find anything surprising. I only found images of people that have the same name as me and I found images of boots that had my name. I also found my LinkedIn profile. 

Misinformation or Information? 

With all of the use of technology in the world, we are bound to be exposed to rumors, hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and misleading news. This misinformation can be easily mixed in with reliable and honest sources, making the truth hard to perceive. A researcher on the spread of misinformation found that the industry has an easy way of creating "social bots", or fake accounts that are controlled by software that appear to be real people. In his lab, he and his team developed the BotOrNot tool to detect social bots. With the BotOrNot, his team discovered that that large portions of online chatter from an election in 2016 were generated by robots. This makes you wonder just how much information that we see is put out there by robots. 

Humans are quite naturally vulnerable to the manipulation of misinformation, however, there is a way to avoid fake news. We have to be aware of ways to detect bots. There are many companies and teams that are building platforms to track the spread of fake news and "unverified claims". With the help of these teams, we will be given real-world data that informs us on simulated social network platforms. 

Futurama & Tears For Fears 

I believe the video about the famous display called FUTURAMA was an optimistic video. The visuals and the music were very optimistic. The narrator talked highly about new technology. The narrator made technology made it seem like it was the best thing going for the world. He mentioned that technology would make public transportation more convenient, it would provide ample space, and radiate shopping areas. He concluded by saying "there is a new beauty and new strength in the city of tomorrow. technology can point the way to a future of limitless promise...".  The second video of the remix by Moby of the song by the group Tears For Fears was immediately pessimistic. You could tell by the tone of the video. The video showed people on their phone all the time, people recording fights rather than stepping in and trying to help, at the dinner table on their phone, etc. There was so much going on in the world and nobody realized what was happening because they were so attached to their phones. 

Good or Bad? 

With that being said, technology has its happy side and it has its dark side. The internet can pose plenty of dangers to us. however, meaningful social interaction can be made with the use of technology. We have to be mindful and study every detail of how people spend their time online. Take some time to think about how much technology and social media you use. if you feel like you are worried about your online time, try to cut back and be conscious about how technology can be used to improve your life and not worsen your life. 

EOTO Terms & Concepts: Total Information

Blog Post #10

Total Information 

The Total Information Awareness Program (TIA) pulls as much information as possible about as many people as it can into an “ultra-large-scale” database, making the information available to government officials, to identify terrorists.  The TIA was used as a mass detection program. From February to May 2003 it operated under the name Total Information Awareness and then it was renamed Terrorism Information Awareness.

The TIA was run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. This is a branch of the Department of Defense that works on military research. John Poindexter is the leader. Poindexter is the former National Security adviser who was caught up in scandals and famously said that it was his duty to withhold information from congress. 

How might it affect society? 

This is obviously a radical and frightening thing for everyone. The government was basically seeking to access private information about you and those around you. The TIA affects ALL segments. It does not matter if you are rich, poor, male, female, gay, straight, etc. The TIA will search for information on every single person no matter the segmentation. The TIA can incorporate government records, medical records, financial records, political beliefs, travel history, buying habits, communications (phone calls, emails, web history), school records, personal and family background, etc. There has been a large amount of information tracking of individuals in the US due to Technology and The commercialization of data. 

Computers, cameras, location sensors, and other technology makes it extremely easy to track and analyze data and information about people and what they are doing. One article stated, “consumers are increasingly being asked for their information everywhere they turn, from product registration forms to loyalty programs to sweepstakes entry forms.” The government has been said to be a  primary source for the TIA database. 

The TIA claims that it was made to identify, classify, and detect terrorists, but quite frankly if you do not know who the terrorists are, you must search and observe the activities and lives of every single person. 

What is the problem? 

The main problems of Total Information are it could kill privacy, it is a potential for abuse, it is based on virtual dragnets, and it fails the balancing test. This program makes our lives completely available to the government. The motto of the TIA is "knowledge is power". The database of the TIA gains an abundant amount of power of the citizens. One example from ACLU stated "An example of the kind of abuses that can happen was chronicled in a July 2001 investigation by the Detroit Free Press (and December 2001 followup): the newspaper found that police officers with access to a database for Michigan law enforcement had used it to help their friends or themselves stalk women, threaten motorists, track estranged spouses - even to intimidate political opponents. "  The government can use real citizens' surveillance and use it against them. The TIA is a great example of ruining the American values that our government portrays to have. 

Although the TIA is not in use anymore, the US never really ended the Total Information Awareness Program. 

 

Diffusion Theory

Blog Post # 9 

 Diffusion Theory - The iPhone

Why did the iPhone become so popular? 

Apple is one of the most powerful brands worldwide. Before the iPhone came out in 2007, Apple already had well-known items already invented like the Apple iPod. This may have something to do with why the iPhone took off so quickly. Studies have shown that people use Apple products because of the qualities, characteristics, and marketing. Apple uses methods to boost its recognition. Apple gives out free products for big-name producers to use on-screen. This makes people want to buy their products. The iPhone was considered a revolutionary product of its time. The iPhone had a new, aesthetic, sleek design that no other smartphone had at the time. The combination of all of these ideas leads to making the existence of the iPhone so successful. 

Early and Late Adopters 

The term "early majority" refers to the first segment of a population to adopt an innovation. Individuals that are in the early majority are usually willing to take a chance on a new product. The late adopters tend to need more time to feel comfortable with the new product before they try the product out or make a purchase.  Check out this real statistic: On June 19, 2007, Apple rolled out the first iPhone, with a relatively high price tag of $600. Two months later, Apple lowered the price to $400. And in June of 2009, the price again dropped, to $200. By that time, the latest iteration of the iPhone offered twice the storage as the original.

The early adopters went out and bought the phone as soon as it came out, while the late adapters bought the phone after they saw the early adapters embrace the new technology. The early adopters were probably young aged people and people who were into technology. The late adopters were probably the older generation of people that did not really care about new technology. 

Pros and Cons 

Before the iPhone, many people used Samsung. Many people probably switched over to the iPhone because of the superior hardware that the iPhone has. The iPhone is easy to use, it has advanced features, a beautiful design, high build quality, and great performance. You may wonder why there are people that have not switched to the iPhone.  Many people have argued that the iPhone is too expensive and too high-tech for their liking. The iPhone has its pros and cons, but I think it just varies on the person and the generation. 

EOTO Peer Presentations - Netflix

Blog Post #8    

Netflix 

Today we love to get together and watch movies with our friends and family. Before technology really took off, the way to access movies was by DVDs. Today we have the leisure of logging in to movie streaming services by the access of our phones, laptops, tablets, and SmartTV's. One of the most popular movie streaming services today is Netflix. 

The Launch of Netflix 

Netflix was launched by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings in 1998 competing with the Blockbuster DVD rental industry. When Netflix was first launched, users were able to order from the Netflix website and have movies delivered to them. In 2007, Netflix gave the option of direct movie streaming right onto your laptop or computer. In 2011, Netflix got rid of DVDs altogether. In 2010, Netflix was available in Canada and later released in other countries worldwide. 

Today, Netflix currently has over 203.7 million subscribers. People obviously love Netflix because it is extremely easy to use. You can simply search the movie you are looking for, click on it, and watch it! With DVDs, you would have to take the time out of your day to go pick up a physical copy of a movie. 

Problems and Competitors 

One huge problem that Netflix faced was the issue of split streaming and DVD services in two different services.  Today, Netflix competes with another movie streaming service called "Disney Plus" Disney Plus was released in December 2019 and already has the same amount of subscribers that Netflix has. Netflix has lost over 1 million subscribers to Disney Plus.  These streaming services compete with each other with user prices, movie varieties, and more, Although Netflix has a number of competitors, I feel like Netflix will still continue to evolve and try to make its platform stronger than it already is. 

Take the time out to view the Top 10 Video Streaming Services  On the Market Today to see the pros and cons of our most popular video services today. 

The Progressive Era - Antiwar

Blog Post #7 

 Antiwar Voices 

US troops have been fighting around the world for decades. A magazine article from Dissent Magazine stated that "Nearly 8,000 Americans have died in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq combined; tens of thousands have been badly and permanently injured. Troops are still risking their lives in Afghanistan to stop the Taliban from overrunning Kabul." We hear about all of these different wars, but we rarely hear the antiwar voices being mainstreamed. 

There is a website called "Antiwar" that acts as a publicity and discussion site to promote people to get involved in the retaliation against war. Although this website exists, it has been years since an actual act of protest was implemented. This protest occurred in February 2003, when the U.S. military went to war with Baghdad. In the streets of Washington, D.C., New York, and other cities, millions around the world protested together to protests the invasion. Since then, protests have been rare to none. 

Dissent magazine suggests that the most obvious reason for the absence of the antiwar movement is "the nature of the enemies the United States has been fighting since the fall of 2001". Antiwar activists have switched to focusing on how U.S. military actions kill civilians. An article that I read by Common Dreams, stated "There are so many problems at home to deal with. Why should we care what’s happening on the other side of the world when the police here at home are shooting unarmed black people when millions of young people can’t afford a college education or leave college burdened with enormous debts when millions of Americans can’t afford adequate health care when immigrants are being deported and locked in cages when there are mass shootings every few weeks when the planet is burning?" This really made me think. 

You would think that the world would be concerned and care more about the impact of war, but in reality, we are affected by militarism. People have been trying to find ways to get people - specifically young people, to become engaged in anti-war activism. The more information people know about the impacts and effects of militarism, the more they would want to work towards peace. Young people are mainly targeted because the movement may die out altogether. Wars seem like they will not die down, so the need for antiwar must go on. 

EOTO - The Invention of Apple iPhone

Blog Post #6

 The Creation of the iPhone 

On January 9, 2007, Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs unveils the iPhone—a touchscreen mobile phone with an iPod, camera, and Web-browsing capabilities, along with many other groundbreaking features. Steve Jobs called the iPhone a “revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone.” Six months later on June 29, thousands of customers were lined up at Apple Stores worldwide to purchase an iPhone. 

The iPhone helped turn Apple into one of the most valuable corporations. In 2012, five years after the iPhone’s debut, more than 200 million had been sold. Today, iPhones and other Apple products are a part of everyday life for most. I myself own many Apple products. I own an iPhone, an Ipad, an Apple Watch, and what I am certain most of my classmate's use, a Macbook. 

A Revelation

Take a look at why the iPhone was considered a "Revelation". On the left is a picture of the iPhone's competitors around the time of its release date. As you can see, the iPhone was a huge difference. The iPhone had a touch screen, longer talk time, Internet Use, Video Playback, and Audio Playback. One thing that stands out to me is the price of the first iPhone. The price ranged from $499 to $599. Now iPhones can cost more than $1,000!

The Design

The first iPhone technology was considered "state-of-the-art" at the time. John Casey and Jonathan Ive are the most credited designers for bringing CEO Steve Jobs' vision for a game-changing smartphone to life.  The concept for the iPhone came about in 2000 when John Casey came up with the concept "Telipod". A Telipod was a telephone and iPod combination. The telipod never made it to production, however, Steve Jobs did like the idea of a cell phone with a touchscreen and high Internet access. Steve Jobs then sent engineers to get started on this idea. 

Apple's first smartphone was the ROKR E1. This phone was a collaboration with Motorola, released on September 7, 2005. The ROKR was the first mobile phone that used iTunes, Apple's music software that debuted in 2001. Apple was not happy with the contributions that Motorola put forth. A year later, Apple discontinued support for the ROKR. This led to the announcement on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld Convention that, the iPhone would be coming into the world. 

Jonathan Ive, Apple's chief design officer, was responsible for the sleek look and feel of the iPhone. Ive was also the main designer of the iMac, the titanium and aluminum PowerBook G4, Macbook, iPod, and iPad. The first iPhone was entirely touchscreen and had all of these new features that people have never seen before. The iPhone had no keypad for dialing, it had multitouch controls, and everything was controlled by a finger swipe. Along with those features, the very first iPhone introduced the accelerometer. The accelerometer is a motion sensor that allowed the phone to turn sideways and automatically display the rotation of the user's choice. The iPhone was not the first device to have applications or software add-ons,  but it was the first smartphone to be successful at it. 

What Is Next? 

Since the debut of the first iPhone, Apple has released so many more phones and products. As new products are released, new and better features are released as well. Going forward, we do not know what Apple has in store for us, but I believe it will only get better and better! 

In The Age of AI

Blog Post #5

Artificial Intelligence 

 Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as learning and problem-solving." Artificial intelligence refers to the concept of a computer being able to automatically adapt to new data without being helped by a human. This is a frightening topic and it really made me skeptical about even wanting to use the internet. 

Positive Aspects

The positive aspect of this technology is it convenient, it can predict and meet your needs quickly. Reduction in human error would be less. Humans make careless mistakes, but computers do not if they are programmed the right way. By having a robot of this type of technology, we can allow it to do the things that we do not want to do, such as defusing bombs, going to mars, exploring unknown parts of the ocean, and more. AI can be available whenever you want it to be. Having this 24/7 digital assistance will help with saving human resources. New inventions can easily be made along with faster decisions. 

The Downsides 

Obviously, the fact that this technology can know so much about me and people, in general, is scary, but there are also more downsides than just that. This technology can also be a bad thing because of the high costs of development, it can take away jobs, and it can promote a lack of human contact. In today's world, contact is more important than ever before. This leads to no emotion and no "out of the box" thinking. A piece of technology will not be able to connect with humans and it will not be able to have ideas other than those that are designed and programmed into them

Security 

Many people are skeptical of AI security and whether it is a good or bad thing for cybersecurity. The advantages of security are it is able to identify the behavior of dangerous individuals, it can improve the responses of local authorities towards National threats, and it can pick up criminal behavior. The cons are people can be easily targeted and hacked,  it can steal banking information, and it makes manually tracking more difficult. Overall, the video really surprised me. I never really thought about what technology can learn about you based off of daily activities, buying habits, and google searches.