Capturing Cameras

When people go on holiday they always take all the necessaries that they will need. However, the question always asked by a family member before they leave home is: ‘Have you got the camera?’ A camera has become a household necessary for most people. The significance of a camera is that it catches a moment which will never ever happen again! The first known camera was the ‘Camera Obscura’ as seen in the picture on the left. This camera used a pinhole or lens to project an image of the scene outside onto a viewing surface. The camera obscura was a large piece of equipment which wouldn’t be considered practical for most people. It did however, do the job and it created a stepping-stone for cameras to develop. With technology evolving at a rapid rate, digital cameras came onto the scene. Pictures were taken and stored on a memory card which was in the camera. The pictures could be viewed on the camera via the screen situated on the camera. The arrival of the digital camera proved very convenient as no more spools had to be bought and much more photos could be stored on the camera. The quality of the pictures taken was also vastly improved. As expected, people weren’t completely satisfied with the digital camera. They wanted smaller and thinner cameras. The smallest camera on the market at the moment is the Casio EXILIM EX-S1 as seen in the picture on the right. It is a credit card size unit which weighs 86 grams and is 11.3 mm thick. This is another example of how technology is adapting. Multimedia devices are getting smaller in size, yet better. Technology is evolving at such a rapid rate that it is almost impossible to keep up. How much longer until the world is saturated in technology and it comes to a stand still?

Digital Devices

The first ever known computer was the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) as seen on the left. It took up an entire room and weighed approximately 30 tons. It was designed by the U.S. Army during World War 2 to make artillery calculations. Most people now days don’t even know where computers came from or how they came about. People are more interested in the latest and fastest computers. The main uses of computers in our era are for playing games or surfing the net. The only computers which are known to younger people are Personal Computers (PC’s). PC’s are found in almost every single household. Most people cannot survive without their computers. They are used for banking, business, pleasure etc. The next invention was laptops, these were PC’s which folded up and could be used anywhere. The latest laptop development is a laptop which weighs 800 grams as seen in the picture on the right. What’s next? None of us will know until we are amazed with a new invention. They became a necessary accessory for all businessmen. Carrying around a laptop also gives the person a sense of class and status. The majority of people want computers which are smaller, better and faster. Technology which was amazing in the past is now criticized by people and people of today always want better things. The demand for technology is so high that producers are under pressure when releasing new products. Will we ever reach our limit with technology? Is their a limit? It seems that people have forgotten the intended purpose of such technology.

The Issue of Social Networks

The introduction of social networks has indeed revolutionized the world we live in today. It has changed our lifestyles completely and obviously created an impact on our generation. A huge debate has been brewing over the idea of fractured identities through these social networks.
It is fare to say that social networks have changed the way we communicate to each other forever. Through this, the internet has brought its very own cyber world, where we are able to create our perspectives of ourselves. One can easily say that we have the ability to create our own identity in this cyber world, be it false or not.
This begs the question of what is reality. One can see it as being able to jump through these parallel worlds, from actual reality to virtual reality. The thing is, which world do you prefer to occupy your time? We sit at our computer for hours on end chatting to people who we assume we know through what we read from them but in actual reality they are far from this assumption.
I guess it’s how you want to perceive yourself in these two worlds. If you want to make yourself true to your true identity in real life or you choose otherwise and create a whole new you.
It’s obvious that things like facebook and my space has impacted on our lives forever. Stories I’ve heard of people committing suicide over a concept of “cyber bullying” where a girl killed herself over girl from her school pretending to be a guy, led her on then ridiculed her to the point she killed herself. Virtual reality is serious and should be treated that way. It’s has to be taken seriously as it seems to be starting to take control over our live rather than us taking control over it.
To learn more go to the link stopcyberbullying.org.

iRate iPods..

Music…the first thing that comes to mind is radio. The first technology ever used to listen to music with was record players. These were big, bulky pieces of furniture which seemed ingenious at the time. These large record players used big records which played only tunes, no singing was heard. The invention of radio and cassette tape players and CD players and walkmans and disc mans followed. These forms of multimedia were very practical and disc mans became used by all scholars who wanted to listen to music at break or on buses when they went on outings. These inventions were very impressive until iPods were invented. IPods added a whole new dimension to the music industry. Music could now be downloaded straight from the internet within minutes. The music was then transferred to the iPod and it could be listened to. Another bonus was that the iPods were fully portable and now come in sizes as small as a chappie bubblegum (as seen in the picture on the left). IPods are now used by almost every single runner, walker, gym-bunny, and student and so on. They have become more like a fashion accessory which people don’t go anywhere without. The latest music at the touch of a button…now that’s technology.

Yet another Social Network!!!

I came across another social network the other day. Skyrock.com is a application, like most other social networks, one where you are able to make your own account and get in touch with other friends.
Skyrock.com is mainly a blogging website where you can startup blogs and debate or discuss issues with other people. The site seems quite popular revealing, on their homepage, a climbing figure of over 5 million profiles and over fifteen million blogs. The application tends to highlight that fact that you are able to stock unlimited photos, videos, and texts in your blog.
The site is allows for a variety of different activities. Its as if Facebook, Youtube and Blogspot has been rolled into one. As you can watch a whole lot of different videos from other people you don’t even know. You also have the opportunity of finding friends from distant places and chat with them.
But the concept that I find the most disappointing is the signing in process. I find it quite concerning that, to sign in, you are forced to submit your address and the whereabouts to where you live. This concerns me because of the lack of concrete privacy surrounding the net. One shouldn’t have to give that type of information to people that they don’t know.
But that said, Skyrock.com is quite an interesting website but t be honest you could be getting dejavu when trying to sign in to this one.

Total Television Technology

The invention of the television was a vitally important benchmark in terms of multimedia and people’s lives. Most parents have told their children stories of how they used to sit by a radio and listen to a series. This sounds very idiotic to people born in the 90’s. A black and white television is also something which is unheard of now days. The invention of colour televisions and flat screens and high definition models has added whole new elements to viewing. Portable televisions the size of a wallet can now be purchased and watched wherever desired. Cell phones have also come onto the markets which have built-in televisions in them. Multimedia has developed to such an extent that television screens have now been placed on the outside of fridge doors. This seems like an over-the-top invention but how many mothers have complained that they cannot see the television when they are busy in the kitchen? Another development of multimedia which has proven to be very convenient is television screens in motor vehicles. This development has helped making long road trips for children much more manageable. The parents put on a movie for their kids and that’s the last time they hear from them. No more, ‘mommy are we there yet?’ A television has now become more of a toy than anything else. People have installed projector televisions into their homes and this adds to their social status when they have friends around. The bigger…the better!

Compact Convenient Cellphones

The first cell phone was invented in April 1973. The person responsible for this invention was Dr Martin Cooper (as seen on the left) who was the systems general manager of Motorola. The mobile phone he invented was called the Motorola Dyna-Tac. As seen in the picture on the right, this phone had no display. Back in the 1970's, this handset would have been considered as breath-taking multimedia. The only features of this mobile were talk, listen and dial. Nowadays, not even grandparents would be caught dead with this handset. The way multimedia has developed over the years has had a phenomenal impact on mobile phones. Almost every single phone made now days has a built-in digital camera. The internet is now accessible on a cell phone and anything can be downloaded. A GPS used to be a luxury which came at a high price…one can now buy a cell phone which has a GPS built-into it which has all the features of a normal GPS. In the old days, people used to listen to music on huge record players. Now days one can download music onto one’s cell phone within seconds and listen to it straight away, wherever you are. The development of multimedia such as cell phones has taken every body by storm. The multimedia which people use is no longer chosen by what the actual product does, but rather how the product makes that person look and how adds to their social status. Mobile phones are no longer chosen for their practicality or features, they are now chosen by which the latest model is or which one matches my outfit. The original point of cell phones has been forgotten.