My New Media Class – So Far

1. What kinds of technologies are part of the new media?

New media has revolutionized our daily lives, almost each and everyone of us use it but might not be aware of it. New media is just not limited to Internet or computers. Technologies in New media vary through various platforms from the Internet, entertainment, news, advertising industries to the incorporation of communication technologies (such as PDA, VOD, DVD, 3G, VR and smart phones). These technologies are well known, but what we may over look is the use of web based communication technologies such as Skype, Google Talk, Yahoo! Voice etc. Skype is reminiscent of the telephone. It enables two-party audio and video chat and multi-party audioconferencing. Skype can make computer-to-computer calls as well as computer-to-land or mobile phone calls. Yahoo! Voice is an Internet calling service that has the ability to assign a phone number to your computer so that it can be called from land-line and mobile phones; computer-to-computer calls from within Yahoo! Messenger; and computer-to-phone calls.

Apart from these there are many useful new conversion and building tools appearing on the Web. For instance, the free Online PDF Converter and Document Creator. Another is Vixy, which offers a free service to convert YouTube videos to QuickTime-playable MP4 files. And Videobox, that converts Flash from most video sites to Quicktime. More free Web Tools including webmaster tools, and tlbox, and W3C HTML Tools.

http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html

2. How important is the Internet to the new media?

The Internet leads a rise in most media usage, its the heartbeat of new media. The Internet is the most essential medium for consumers and newspapers are the least, according to an Edison Media Research study conducted by Arbitron in January and February 2007. Respondents were all from the US and ages 12 and older. Over a third of respondents said they were using the Internet and television more than in 2002. (Below are the Statistics).
http://www.emarketer.com/images/chart_gifs/085001-086000/085276.gif
Use of Internet has increased rapidly is because of Web 2.0 technology which has enabled new innovations such as blogs, wikis, online social networking and virtual worlds etc. Such new innovations has increased consumer awareness and satisfaction in terms of their voices and opinions being heard. Without these innovations through Internet the new technologies that we are able to use today would not be possible. New media is not limited to Internet but it surely is the backbone with which new technologies are made available easier, faster, and efficiently.

3. Why and how are the new media replacing / enhancing the old media?
One of the biggest reasons why old media is being replaced by new media is that its static- it has rarely changed at all. From newspapers to Stamps, from Radio to Books, hardly have we seen any innovations in these technologies for a long period of time. However the replacement is taking place majorly due to what New Media has to offer. Unlike old media, new media has user generated content, its easy to access, convenient to use, globalized, promotes interactivity, and arguably has made the quality of life better.

Old Media/ New Media
Static- Doesn't Change/ User Generated Content, Remote, Convenient

1. Newspapers/ Blogs
   
2. Books/ Ebooks- Hypertext
   
3. Photography/ Flickr
   
4. TV/ Streaming Full Episodes- Webisodes
   
5. Radio / Podcasting
   
6. Art /Fractals
   
7. Magazines / Ezines
   
8. Telephone/ Skype, Yahoo!Voice
   
9. Stamps/ Stamp Expressions (Pitney Bowes)

One of the oldest part of Old Media is Stamps which are now being replaced by New Postage Technology called Stamp Expressions introduced by Pitney Bowes. I personally use of these machines in my office to print stamps, and no longer have to wait on those long lines in an post office. It really convenient and accurate.

"Pitney Bowes Inc. has debuted the Stamp Expressions Printer, patented technology that lets customers securely print postage on-demand with unique images in their home or office. Targeted to small and home offices, The Stamp Expressions Printer's web-based software makes it easy to design one's own postage images, according to the Stamford, CT-based company. Images can be submitted for online approval with a response delivered usually within one business day. Once approved, the postage can be downloaded and printed instantly. Approved images can be used repeatedly without additional cost."

Below is the link to the complete article.

http://www.dmnews.com/Pitney-Bowes-Launches-New-Postage-Technology-Stamp-Expressions/article/91530/