Food? Water? A man? No need, I have an iPhone...

It was a day in the life of a typical girl, circa 2010. I wake up and have my coffee while watching the morning news on my digital HDTV. Across the room my home telephone rang, and the identity of the caller flashes on my television screen. The caller is my friend Emma, confirming our plans to go shopping that afternoon. We agree on a time, and end our call. But then I remember I wanted to stop at the bank first, so grab my mobile phone and send her a text message.

When Emma arrives at my house to pick me up, I tell her I’m not sure if I have enough money in my account to shop, so we had better stop at the bank so I can double check. No need, Emma whips out her iphone and lets me check my account status online. With my finances accounted for, we hit the road.

We’re shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding, and after scrounging several stores in the mall, I finally find something I like that is in my price range… just not my size range. Eek! The eternal female nightmare rears its ugly head, and I begin to get angry.

Emma, on the other hand, breaks out her iphone yet again. She scans the tag on the dress with the phone, and with the help of her “ShopSavvy” app, she searches for the dress, in my size, at every store location in a 25 mile radius. She finds the dress, in the right size, for a better price at a mall not far from us.

A shot of the iPhone's ShopSavvy app (by majortk, details below)

We go to the mall, the iphone’s navigation system guiding us all the way, and I try the dress on. I take a picture in the fitting room mirror with my phone, and send it to my boyfriend to approve. He does, and I buy the dress.

Whew, even recalling the day is exhausting! But I think it’s a perfect illustration of how technology is impacting everyday life. As improvements to different aspects of our everyday devices continue to develop, there’s one trend that we all can notice—the gaps between them all are closing; a process called digital convergence. Television, radio, print, music, telephone and internet all used to be individual tools that used to create for us a kind of Venn diagram of our daily activities. There was some overlap before, but now the diagram is morphing into one circle, or rather one device, from which all our tools can be accessed.

Each new device promises to get consumers closer than ever before to that nirvana of technological simplicity.

Apple’s new iPad has looked to be, even in its development stages, the be-all end-all gadget for media consumption. Owners can surf the web, watch video, listen to music and, most importantly, access whatever reading material they so choose. Texts that were once only available in print, from novels to newspapers, are all now supposed to be available on a single “tablet” for total convenience.

And while Apple may be the first to properly execute this idea, the idea itself has certainly been around for some time. Amazon’s digital reader “Kindle” has been relatively popular with consumers, according to a Guardian News blog. They say that Kindle boasted 2009 sales around 1.5 million devices, which more than hints to a consumer interest in digital readers. But if Apple is known for anything, it’s that they’re known for everything—that is, combining every perfected media technology into one device with each new item they market.

Not to be outdone of course is Microsoft with their version of a digital reader or, as they say, a “digital journal” called the Courier. Microsoft’s option is more like a true “book” (with two sides that fold together) rather than Apple’s tablet.

Briefly, Verizon Wireless tried to jump on the “all in one” device band wagon when they began advertising their Hub back in early 2009. The system was designed to be a home phone first and foremost, but would run on Verizon’s wireless network. Dubbed the “landline slayer” by engadget.com, the unit had a 7-inch touch screen display and operated much like the iPhone does now, doing everything from sending texts to streaming live video and accessing any internet site available. You’ll notice that all of those details are written in past-tense… as the system was discontinued last fall.

For most of us, this sounds ideal. We use the internet, phone, television, radio and MP3 music on a regular basis, so condensing all of these necessities into a single tool is not only enticing, it’s inevitable. But as we reformat these technologies to become better integrated with each other, we also reinvent the original technology in question and, in turn, the industry attached to it.

That sounds a little complicated, so let’s take a closer look. With most people getting their music in an MP3 format these days, how many jobs were lost for those who make compact discs? Or what is happening now in the industry of antenna TV makers as the majority of consumers switch to digital television? At media evolves, like anything else, adaptations must occur and sacrifices must be made. Most would argue that these changes are for the better in the long run.

Businesses and non-profits would certainly agree with that. In the last blog, we examined how social networking can aid businesses in reaching larger and/or specific markets. This effect is only magnified when you expand the ways consumers access those networking sites. Or digital music. Or online shopping. There’s a TV channel, website, or smart phone application to suit any interest or, more notably, for any purchasing interest. Converging media so that the internet is easier and quicker to use simply means that the public will… use it! That’s change that businesses can take straight to the bank (lots of pun intended.)

But what if these changes occur in areas that affect us in larger ways than just media consumption? Journalism has long been a vital part of our democratic nation. As an industry really by the people reporting to the people of our communities, journalism is a true checks and balances system of our government. As digital formats for journalism continue to reshape the practice of reporting, the future of the industry seems to be in flux. At the moment, it looks as though print journalism may be finished, along with the jobs of traditional investigative reporters. The checks and balances we’ve come to depend on from newspapers might be in jeopardy.

According to Guardian news, the iPad may be print journalism’s fighting chance for survival. Newspapers would operate fairly normally as far as reporting is concerned, but the distribution would be presented digitally. Of course, this is happening now online, but the iPad format would crisper, more easily accessed and most importantly, would require a subscription. The question of “how do we charge for this” has finally been answered for print news, and hope has been given to loads of reporters who’ve been holding their breath over the past few years. Well, at least Steve Jobs thinks so.

And, like Nick Bilton says in his New York Times article, it wouldn’t hurt to save a few trees either. As long as technology is going to evolve and converge, it may as well move in an eco-friendly direction.

So we can put that on our checklist for digital tool innovations of the future. Eco-friendly: check. Smaller and sleeker: check. Able to perform a variety of tasks and cater to many technological mediums: check. That’s where were headed now. Who knows what tomorrow may hold. According to Wikipedia’s description of digital convergence, a device may not even be necessary as digital convergence moves forward; holograms might be used instead. It’s hard to say what our technological needs will be 10 years from now, but I’d bet on one thing… once we see what the future of media holds, we’ll wonder how we were ever able to live without it.

Citations

The Center for Convergence and Emerging Network Technologies

http://dcc.syr.edu/index.php

Engadget.com

Verizon Hub “Landline Slayer” Officially Unveiled, By Laura June

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/verizon-hub-landline-slayer-officially-unveiled/

Guardian News

Can the Apple iPad Save Newspapers?, Blog

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/jan/28/can-apple-ipad-save-newspapers

Engadget.com

Microsoft’s Courier “Digital Journal”, By Nilay Patel

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

Macworld.com

Intel’s Otellini to Unveil “Digital Convergence” Device, By Sumner Lemon

http://www.macworld.com/article/145480/2010/01/otellini_ces.html

The New York Times

Former Book Designer Says Good Riddance to Print, By Nick Bilton

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/a-former-book-designer-says-good-riddance-to-print/?scp=4&sq=digital%20convergence&st=cse

iPad photo
By myuibe, licensed by Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Shopsavvy photo
By majortk, licensed by Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

iPhone Press photo
By magerleagues, licensed by Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic

Social Media, or Business Necessity?

It was Memorial weekend last summer when, while vacationing in mid-Michigan, I came upon a quaint little bakery called “Cops and Doughnuts.” The shop was once the Claire City bakery and, when the more than 100 year old establishment announced that it could no longer afford to stay in business, nine Claire police officers teamed up to save the historic shop.
Once they took ownership, the cops decided to have a little fun with the situation—“Cops and Doughnuts” was born. They redecorated the inside of the shop to look like a prison cell, the outside was adorned with a bright red siren light, and they renamed some of the more popular pastries with cop-themes, like the “Tazer” Lemon Cruller. They even added some apparel products to their shop, like t-shirts sporting fun tag lines like “You Have the Right to Remain Glazed.”
The shop is surely charming, but the fact remains that it sits rural Claire, MI; a location which doesn’t yield an impressive amount of business traffic. Yet, employees at “Cops and Doughnuts” were glad to tell me how great they were doing. Sales were booming, they were getting calls from around the world for their snarky apparel, and they had even been featured on ESPN. The small town bakery was quickly becoming an international phenomenon… but how? The clerk behind the counter had a one word explanation to give me—Facebook.

Thanks to the social networking site, “Cops and Doughnuts” was able to expand their marketing beyond their small town borders. They had a good idea, sure, but spreading the word was the key to their success. By creating a fansite on Facebook, they were able to quickly and, more importantly, cheaply expand their advertising base. To those who came across “Cops and Doughnuts” on Facebook, it was no doubt just a novelty to have a good laugh at. But, then, the orders started rolling in… and now the nine police officers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Google Buzz are going above and beyond their call of duty to network strangers and keep friends linked with status updates and photos. In an attempt to better serve their users (or, perhaps, just trying to stay relevant) these sites are constantly adding features, both for entertainment and practical use. Fan sites, like the one that “Cops and Doughnuts” utilized are just the beginning of how individual users and businesses alike can expand their industry connections.
Once a business is up and running, social media doesn’t fall by the wayside. Applications like TwitJobSearch and Facebook Marketplace could turn into what the New York Times is calling “the unemployed’s best friend.” These job search engines make employment openings available to not only a wider range of prospective applicants, but also people who is looking for employment but are better versed in electronic media and wouldn’t check print classifieds.
Just like the Long Tail theory we’ve been discussing so far in the course, social networking has brought less obtainable markets to consumers, and even job hunters. Businesses are certainly seeing gains from making use of these sites. It was only a matter of time before those in the business of doing good jumped on the bandwagon. Non-profits are able to create pages on social media sites similar to the way a business might. The benefit? According to the Wall Street Journal, non-profits can avoid potential “copy-cats” who try to scam their efforts. Reputable organizations of all sizes can gain exposure for their causes just like a business might. Take, for instance, the small awareness group started by a UMD student, called “TweetfCams.” Jennifer Cleary, a senior of communications, started the group to honor her brother Cameron who’s afflicted with Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (INAD). Cleary has started a blog, a Twitter account, and a Facebook fan page; all of which have become increasingly popular. As of yet, Cleary’s organization has yet to make substantial money towards her cause, but the network connections she’s gaining are truly invaluable, including ties with the Make-a-Wish of southeastern Michigan.
But, of course, this wouldn’t be a JASS class if we didn’t examine how social media is affecting journalism and they way consumers get their news. BBC news says that the journalism industry should “embrace social media” because it givers reporters a wider range of sources, opinions and voices to add to their research, as well as, a wider audience to target with their stories. I think we can all agree this is true, there’s no end of inexpensive if not free news outlets where people can find news that caters to their technological, political and personal interests.
Journalism professors at UMD, though, might point out to you that this open availability to news is more of a problem than it is a solution. Several instructors have expressed concern toward news media which tilts its reporting to the liking of an audience. The Huffington Post, The Daily Show, Fox News and other news outlets attract multitudes of young people, but some say the news they present is skewed to far toward one party to be fair. According to these professors, when the public is able to choose the perspective of their news, they’re not always fully informed.
But, for now, “Cops and Doughnuts” doesn’t care about the effects of social media on journalism and how it could potentially harm the valuable checks and balances system that reporters present to authority. Like most of us, when they log into their Facebook account, they’re just looking at the positive. They add new pictures, update their status with the latest pastry they’ve just created, and they look for what new connections they can make today.


"The New York Times"- Twitter Could Become the Unemployed's Best Friend
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/twitter-could-become-a-recruiters-best-friend/?scp=6&sq=twitter&st=cse

"The Wall Street Journal"- Facebook to Non-Profits: More Pages, Fewer Apps
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/08/28/facebook-to-nonprofits-more-pages-fewer-apps/tab/article/

"The New York Times"- How to Market Your Business With Facebook
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html?_r=2

"Guardian News"- Q&A: BBC World Service News Director Peter Horrocks on Social Media and News
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/feb/10/peter-horrocks-social-media

"The Poynter Institute"- Why News Organizations Need a Facebook Strategy
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=168485

"Tweet4Cams"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tweet4Cams/134537140993?ref=ts

"Cops and Doughnuts"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Clare-MI/COPS-DOUGHNUTS-CLARE-CITY-BAKERY/97882918529?ref=ts

1st photo: Facebook photo by Brian Solis, licensed by Creative Commons

2nd photo: Kantoor by vlauria, licenced by Creative Commons

"The Huffington Post" Logo, originally uploaded by Pyrogamer (officially part of the public domain, according to Creative Commons)