Monday, September 20, 2010

Discussion Questions


1.Today many TV shows and advertisements try to look amateurish or "homegrown" to emulate what is often seen on the Web. Do you think professional production values will continue to drop, or do you think amateur user-generated content will get better over time? WHY?


I think that the things we see on TV will continue to look amateurish and "homegrown" because it is popular and easy to do. Reality TV doesn't require as much work as a regular TV show. In reality TV there's no script or professional actors. The only thing the TV network has to do is film the show and edit what they filmed. Reality shows are popular and lots of people watch them, so why would TV producers make shows that are more expensive with less viewers? I think that the shows on TV are going to continue to get worse and production values will continue to drop.


2. What social media sites do you find yourself using the most, and why? In your opinion why is Facebook so much more successful than MySpace, and do you think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term.


I find myself using facebook more than myspace because all of my friends are on facebook. I think facebook is more successful than myspace because it got "cool" and everybody started using it. If none of my friends are using myspace then I am not going to use myspace. The whole point of a social networking website is to connect with all the people involved in your life. If the people you know don't use the website you use, then you are probably going to switch to the website they use. I think facebook will be here to stay for a long time unless another social networking website catches on and becomes "cool."


3. Why is transparency such an important concept in the Social Media world? Is it MORE or LESS important in the offline world? Why?


Transparency is an important concept in the social media world because "it implies openess, communication and accountability." I also use transparency in Photoshop when I want viewers to focus on one object more than the others. An object with 50% opacity wont be looked at the same as an object with 100%. I think transparency is equally important in the online world and offline world. Strong communication using transparency is critical in forming relationships with other people whether it is online or offline.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Joker Photoshopped


     Playing around with Photoshop.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Photoshop Project Part 2

The medium is the message.
    This is my McLuhan Photoshop Assignment. This shows how the PlayStation 3 affects society. I first started with a picture of the world with lines connecting to each different continent. I wanted to show the viewers how the PlayStation 3 connects its users worldwide. In the center of the globe I have the PlayStation Network logo. The PlayStation Network allows users to voice/text chat with friends, download games right off of the PlayStation Store, and most importantly, play games online with other people. Inside the continents on the globe I have the different content available with the PlayStation 3 such as blu-ray movies and games. I also put in images that represent the PlayStation 3. My project shows how the PS3 has changed gaming with all of its great features and the ability to share these features with other people online. It shows viewers the "message" of the PlayStation 3.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Choice for Mchluan Photoshop Project

I chose to do my project on the Playstation 3.

Medium-
PS3

Content-
Blu-ray Player
Internet
Playstation Network
Video chat/Voice chat
Text Messaging
Playstation Store

Message-
Games on the PS3 have pristine picture quality now that they are in Blu-ray format. Blu-ray games are harder to pirate than games made in DVD format. People can now buy a PS3 to watch Blu-ray movies instead of paying for an expensive Blu-ray player. With the web browser people can go on their favorite websites such as facebook or youtube. With Playstation Network, games can be played online with people from all over the world. Playstation Network users can chat with each other both in-game and in a video or text chat room. Playstation Network users also have access to the Playstation Store which allows people to buy games, movies and other content online.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

3 Mediums

The Macbook Pro
A laptop made by Apple. It can access the internet. It is portable so users can take it anywhere and use it anytime.
The Playstation 3
This technology plays games, bluray movies and can access the internet.
The Droid
This technology can be used to call others, send text messages and photos, use apps, and access the internet.