Formal teaching for this course concluded in Session 10 and for the next two weeks, we will be learning from our fellow classmates instead. Each group have been tasked to come up with a web report on any topic of their choice and present it to the class.
My group presented this week on the past, present and future of photography. Check out our website to find out more! Comments are more than welcomed :)
Lesson Rating: 9/10
Not having a limit on the choice of topic meant that there was a diversity of issues discussed during class. Web presentations particularly excite me because I get to learn some web designing skills and techniques from my peers.
Friday 4 November 2011
Saturday 29 October 2011
Session 10: Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today
For our very last teaching session of this course, we looked at the evaluation of new technologies and discussed the different methods to do so.
Technology Assessment and Forecasting
After having gone through numerous sessions discussing the various types of technology that exists in our world today, this week we got the chance to understand how new technologies are being assessed. Companies like Siemens have been known to be very forward looking in terms of the technologies that they use. In a video that was showed to the class, Siemens identified that the demand for quality healthcare and security is increasing, and that natural resources are becoming scarcer and scarcer. Accordingly, the technological methods that they come up generally are geared towards these direction. As a result, they are able to capture the consumer market successfully because they meet the demands of their consumers.
It is only expected of us to look ahead of current technologies, in order to move ahead and make progress in the world. There is no use for us to dwell in the past and present because new knowledge is not generated in this way. For emerging technologies to succeed, proper technology assessment and forecasting has to be done. This process involves gaining an understanding of the kind of changes a new technology will bring about and assessing its pros and cons. Proper prioritizing also has to be done because researchers often work with limited resources. More often than not, companies and researchers are taking a risks when introducing new technologies because reception from the public is unknown.
Lesson Rating: 7/10
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Session 9: If you can imagine it, you can make it happen!
After having covered technology based on specific topics, we let our thoughts go wild with this week's topic of future and emerging technologies.
EMERGING AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
For successful companies that fall under the category of 'rising star', the mindset that prevails is that of 'why not?'. They do not limit their imagination, but instead let's it run wild, and they sometimes surprise themselves with the kind of things they are able to come up with. Some ideas may seem impossible at first, but these far-fetching ideas could very well build a foundation for emerging future technologies. With continuous advancements in technology, no new idea should be ruled out because no one knows what the future holds for us.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."
- Albert Einstein
From the quote by Einstein above, we can see that it is the imagination that we have that will help to propel the world forward, and if we merely work on what we know, there will be little progress. We were showed a video in class, about the possibility of silicon being replaced by plastic. This new and emerging plastic technology could hold a great future as it is lighter, cheaper and more flexible. In fact, an idea that challenges existing boundaries is having plastic micro chips in contact lenses that is able to beam the Internet right in front of you. Cool, huh?
There are several drivers for the development of these new and emerging technologies. Firstly, it could be a response to market demand, where consumers are longing for the development of certain technologies. However, the more common situation with new and emerging technologies is when supply creates the demand. For example, technological creations such as the walkman and iPhone were things people never realised they need until they had it. Previously, life went on fine. Yet, when these technologies emerged, they became so integrated into society that it is almost unheard of to not own or be related to these things.
With the emerging iPhone technologies, augmented reality is likely to come into existent. This technology will transcend whatever we currently have, and bring technology to a whole new level. However some concerns of this include invasion of privacy and misuse of this technology. As fascinating as it may sound, I believe certain law and guidelines should be put in place, in order to ensure proper use of this technology.
Lesson Rating: 9/10
The idea of new and emerging technologies have always intrigued me because it is always interesting to have a glimpse into what the future holds. I thoroughly enjoyed the different kinds of new technologies discussed throughout the session.
Sunday 16 October 2011
Session 8: Energy and World Change
This week, we talked about energy and world change. As the Earth's natural resources are depleting very quickly, it is essential that mankind start looking into and seriously adopting the practice of using renewable energy, as compared to non-renewable ones. As a country develops, it is inevitable to use a significant amount of energy for industrialisation purposes. In today's time, there are several countries like China and India looking to develop their countries. At the same time, the world holds a fear of the depletion of oil reserves. Countries that are looking to develop today can no longer just rely on oil reserves as their source of energy.
Energy is a must-have in life because the world cannot operate without energy. However, the current world situation of energy consumption and construction is inequitable and it is a pressing issue that needs to be solve. To overcome this problem and postpone the fear of an oil reserves depletion, many countries and companies have looked into alternative sources of energy. They include solar energy, wind energy, hydropower and biomass and many other alternatives. Not only will switching to renewable sources of energy make it more sustainable for everyone, it provides us with options should a time of emergency come. As the saying goes, don't put all your eggs into one basket. Likewise, we should not be overly dependent on oil reserves, especially since this is a non-renewable source of energy. We should not compromise future generations just because it is easy to tap into oil reserves now.
The video 300 Year History of Renewable Energy shows us how much potential there is to capture energy from the Sun. The concept seems easy enough, but there are currently insufficient efforts from researchers to discover methods of obtaining this abundant energy that is available to us. Taking a look at Germany, solar power is highly adopted as an alternative source of energy mainly due to cash incentives from the government. The fact that the price of electricity is fixed for 20 years actually gives solar farmers the confidence to invest in this technology. As a result, solar farmers can recoup their investments within a short period of time. Many a times, people know that it is beneficial to adopt the alternative, but is unwilling to do so because they are skeptical and is afraid to take the risk. For example, India's electric car is not as successful because the citizens are not open-minded enough to embrace this new idea.
In essence, it is crucial that mankind start seriously looking into alternative energy sources and start adopting them in our everyday activities. The ideal is to phase out non-renewable sources of energy because then only will we be sustainable.
Lesson Rating: 9/10
In depth discussion about the issue at hand. Some new and interesting renewable sources of energy introduced that was really insightful.
"If everyone consumed as much energy as the average Singaporean and U.S. resident, the world's oil reserves would be depleted in 9 years."Therefore, these countries that will be using large amounts of energy to develop will have to look for alternative energy sources. They do not have the option of going down the same path as Singapore or the U.S. otherwise the Earth will have no more oil reserves within the next decade and we will then be facing with a critical situation.
Energy is a must-have in life because the world cannot operate without energy. However, the current world situation of energy consumption and construction is inequitable and it is a pressing issue that needs to be solve. To overcome this problem and postpone the fear of an oil reserves depletion, many countries and companies have looked into alternative sources of energy. They include solar energy, wind energy, hydropower and biomass and many other alternatives. Not only will switching to renewable sources of energy make it more sustainable for everyone, it provides us with options should a time of emergency come. As the saying goes, don't put all your eggs into one basket. Likewise, we should not be overly dependent on oil reserves, especially since this is a non-renewable source of energy. We should not compromise future generations just because it is easy to tap into oil reserves now.
The video 300 Year History of Renewable Energy shows us how much potential there is to capture energy from the Sun. The concept seems easy enough, but there are currently insufficient efforts from researchers to discover methods of obtaining this abundant energy that is available to us. Taking a look at Germany, solar power is highly adopted as an alternative source of energy mainly due to cash incentives from the government. The fact that the price of electricity is fixed for 20 years actually gives solar farmers the confidence to invest in this technology. As a result, solar farmers can recoup their investments within a short period of time. Many a times, people know that it is beneficial to adopt the alternative, but is unwilling to do so because they are skeptical and is afraid to take the risk. For example, India's electric car is not as successful because the citizens are not open-minded enough to embrace this new idea.
In essence, it is crucial that mankind start seriously looking into alternative energy sources and start adopting them in our everyday activities. The ideal is to phase out non-renewable sources of energy because then only will we be sustainable.
Lesson Rating: 9/10
In depth discussion about the issue at hand. Some new and interesting renewable sources of energy introduced that was really insightful.
Tuesday 11 October 2011
Individual Report Draft - The iPod Revolution
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As we acknowledge the fact that music has become an integral part of lives, this paper will examine the invention of the iPod, looking at the past, the present and the future of this amazing invention. The iPod has definitely reshaped the human culture and it is believed that the iPod, together with the iTunes store, has marked the beginning of the new digital music age. All this is thanks to Apple and the man behind the Apple Company, Steve Jobs, for possessing the vision to recognize the potential in a product like the iPod.
This paper will be split into three main sections – the past, the present and the future.
1. The Past – Life before the iPod will look at what kinds of products were used as a similar form of entertainment before the iPod was invented, and will also talk about the man and the team of people who so successfully put their heads together to come up with this innovative device. More importantly, this section will explain how the iPod has created a revolutionary shift in the music industry, and how it has changed the lives of so many people in the world.
2. The Present – This section will talk about the evolving uses of the iPod, as well as evaluating the social and economical impacts the iPod has on our society. Some limitations of the iPod will also be brought up.
3. The Future – Lastly, the way the iPod has been integrated into new devices to create even greater products will be discussed. The endless possibilities of future uses of the iPod will also be explored.
INTRODUCTION
Exactly a decade ago, the late Steve Jobs introduced the iPod to the world. Steve Jobs was then the CEO of Apple. In the year 2000, he put together a team of the best designers and engineers to make a revolutionary MP3 player. The team members were Jonathan Ive, Jon Rubinstein, Michael Dhuey, and Tony Fadell, with Steve Jobs as the CEO who handled and managed the whole project.
Although Apple held the reputation of manufacturing its products on its own, this was not the case for the iPod. PortalPlayer was contracted to come up with the design of the iPod, while the music player’s interface was taken from a company known as Pixo. In fact, the name “iPod” was a suggestion by a non-Apple employee, Vinnie Chieco, who was a freelance copyrighter.
The question about who the real inventor of the iPod is is highly debatable. What is obvious is that the creation of the iPod was the result of a few key persons. Most believed that it was the man, Steve Jobs, himself, who invented the iPod. True enough, he was a visionary man who, ten years ago, saw an opportunity in the digital age of the music industry.
In addition, some named Tony Fadell, a member of the team, the father of the iPod. A former employee of General Magic and Phillips, he simply wanted to invent a better MP3 player. Fadell found support for his project with Apple, after facing rejections from RealNetworks and Phillips. He was responsible for the Apple’s partnership with PortalPlayer, who designed the software for Apple’s new MP3 player. He was able to recognize the potential in some of PortalPlayer’s unfinished reference designs and he and his team eventually completed a prototype iPod within eight months.
However in 2008, Apple admitted that it did not invent the iPod. In fact, Kane Kramer, a British man, patented his prototype back in 1979. He created a media player that looked similar to the iPod, and named it IXI. Unfortunately, he ran out of funds in 1988 and was thus unable to renew the patent.
The iPod is a line of portable music players from Apple, designed to work with iTunes, an application available on both Macintosh and Windows computers. iPods have a reputation for being user-friendly and is known for its iconic “touch wheel” and white ear buds. The range of models of iPods produced thus far includes the iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch.
The following sections will examine how the past, present and future of the iPod and how it has evolved since its revolutionary entrance. Also discussed are how the iPod is a game changer in the music industry and what the future holds for this invention.
LIFE LEADING UP TO THE IPOD
Music is embedded in our DNA. The human race almost cannot live without music. Undoubtedly, music has become an integral part of our lives. Walk along the streets, and it is not uncommon to find countless number of people plugged into their iPods, jamming to their music “now playing”. It is almost as if these people are living in their own small world, almost oblivious of the things happening around them. What is fascinating is the fact that sometimes, a person’s playlist may even reflect their personality. So, what was life really like before the iPod?
Remembering Discman, Walkman and MP3 Players
Prior to the introduction of the iPod by Apple, people listen to their favourite tunes through various platforms. One of the oldest forms of music players that allowed personal song choice selection is the jukebox. Usually coin-operated, a jukebox enables a patron to play their selected music from a list of songs contained in the player. Fast forward to the digital age, several types of music players have emerged. They include the CD players and MP3 player. Recalling from personal experience, CD players and MP3 players used to be the ‘in’ thing back in the 1990s.
Portable CD players allowed one to insert a CD into the player to listen to music through earpieces. At that time, CDs were common as songs were yet to be available for downloads from the Internet. However, these devices were bulky and some even heavy. This meant that it was rather inconvenient to carry them around and it was not user-friendly enough.
The MP3 player was introduced in 1998 and it is an improved form of music entertainment as compared to CD players. Instead of having to carry around several CDs, songs can now be compiled and stored in a smaller thus more portable device. Sometimes, CDs may have been purchased just for a mere one or two songs out of the entire album that we like. With CD players, there is a hassle of having to switch between different CDs to listen to our favourite songs from each CD. By compiling these songs together into the more compact MP3 player, people are saved from the hassle.
While CD players and MP3 players have set the momentum for portable handheld music devices, they had their limitations. CD players were considered “big and chunky” and MP3 players were deemed to be “small and useless”. Users often had to carry a stack of CDs around to play on their Discman while MP3 players had very limited memory space. They were also unappealing. With these dissatisfactions about existing music players, Apple was determined to change this by developing their very own music player.
Introducing iTunes and the iPod
In response to the new wave of MP3 players, a company called Napster was formed. It is an online music store that was originally founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file sharing Internet service that enabled sharing of MP3 audio files. It was successful because it was the first program that allows users to share free MP3 files online. Unfortunately, the original company ran into legal difficulties over copyright infringement from the recording industry and eventually ceased operations. Amidst the legal tussle that Napster faced, Steve Jobs at Apple had a game plan.
Jobs capitalized on the concept that Napster has put up, recognizing that Napster has sparked the digital music revolution. He decided that he wanted to produce something that could help people manage and organize their music. As such, SoundJam was taken and was transformed into something even better, and compatible with the Mac. Steve Jobs produced iTunes. iTunes pushed the limits of the music industry as this new software enabled users to download individual songs that they liked, instead of having to download the album in entirety. Also, they could customize their playlists and organize them however they wanted it.
In response to market pleas for more portable music players with larger storage space and sleeker designs, Apple announced its first iPod on 23rd October 2001, selling at a price of $399. The product focused on promoting its small size and ease of use of the device. The first iPod had a 5GB storage capacity – capable of storing over 1,000 songs – and worked only on Macs, using iTunes as a music organizer. This was in comparison to older MP3 players that could only store a few hundred songs. By 2010, 225 million iPods have been sold.
How the iPod changed the world
It is no doubt, that the iPod is playing an integral role in our daily lives. Apple had successfully created a brand name for themselves with the iTunes and iPod, and is a game changer in the music industry. Its iconic “touch wheel” gave the iPod the edge over competitors. This was because for non-Apple music players, users had to literally click the “next” button as many times as they needed, to get to the song that they wanted to listen to. This proved too troublesome especially when the music player contained more than a hundred songs. Fortunately, the iPod’s “touch wheel” solved this issue perfectly. With the “touch wheel”, users were now able to scroll through their playlists so much quicker, even though the iPod contained at least a thousand songs.
Apple also managed to market the iPod as a fashion statement, as celebrities and sports stars started to embrace this new product. People seen with white earpieces snaking out of their ears got everyone else curious. While the reason for Apple to produce white earpieces was simple – to match the colour of their first iPod – the company did not expect society to use it as a fashion statement. Yet, the white earpieces became a symbol of Apple and were subsequently a very useful marketing tool. In fact, this iPod accessory has since doubled up as a fashion accessory as well.
Also, never before were people able to customize and organize their own playlists, to suit each individual’s needs. The social dynamics in terms of the music industry had transformed drastically and new behavioral patterns have started to emerge, ever since the world used iTunes. Moreover, this new phenomena in the music industry has also brought about an economical shift in the music related companies. The number of operating retail music chain stores has decreased drastically since iTunes, and it is estimated that 1 in every 4 songs sold in the United States are sold through iTunes.
THE IPOD TODAY
Evolving uses of the iPod
The main purpose of the invention of the iPod was to provide consumers with a portable music player that is easy to use so that they could listen to music wherever they go. Today, you can find people plugged into their iPods almost anywhere. Walk into a gym, and you will find people running on the treadmill while listening to their iPods. Walk into a library, and you will find students studying while listening to their iPods. Walk to the bus stop, and you will find people waiting for buses while listening to their iPods. The iPod is being used everywhere. It is almost impossible for anyone to not recognize that this invention has truly changed our lives.
Apart from its main use of listening to music, the iPod comes with different features and functions as well. For example, the first few iPod models came with basic features like calendar and games. However as the iPod evolved and newer models emerged, uses of the iPod increased as well. Subsequent significant additional features of the iPod include the video feature and the shuffle feature. Both of these additions were responsible for re-shaping the human culture and changing the dynamics of the digital music age even more.
Having the video feature in the iPod meant that people could now take what they once were only able to watch on television or on their computer screens together with them, and watch them on the go. The shuffle feature was an exciting addition as it resulted in a pattern change in listening habits. Previously, songs were played based on the song order of the iPod’s playlist. This became routine and boring. With the shuffle button, listeners could shuffle their songs in random order to create a shuffled playlist. They will be able to listen to a variety of songs that the iPod randomly chooses to play, instead of having to listen to the same genre of music for songs played in chronological order. This added colour and essence to one’s listening habits.
Taking a look at the latest model in the iPod series, the iPod Touch also known as the iTouch, Apple has constantly been pushing boundaries. Not only does the device allow one to listen to music and watch videos on the go, the iTouch also supports millions of downloadable applications from the App Store. These downloadable apps range from entertainment to productivity, from education to health and fitness. Consumers are likely to find any app that they want from the store. Being able to store these apps in the iPod and carry them around wherever you go has made life so much more convenient and less boring.
Impacts of the iPod
The social impacts of the iPod are immense. We are now able to bring our entertainment along with us wherever we go. There will no longer be lonely moments when you are waiting for a friend who is running late. The iPod and its interesting features will be there to keep you company. Individual music experience has been greatly enhanced. People are enjoying the control they have over their own music experience. Dr. Michael Bull, a lecturer in media and culture at the University of Sussex, noted that people with the iPod, music allows people to use their eyes while listening to their music. He called it nonreciprocal looking. Listening to music allows you to look at someone but not look at them when they look back. The earplugs tell them that you are otherwise engaged. This is a great urban strategy for people to control their level of interaction with their surroundings. It is also a good way to control mood and equilibrium. Listening to music helps to shut out unwanted thoughts, allowing one to control their emotions.
In fact, the iPod is a seriously useful tool, and potentially indispensable object in the sporting arena. The iPod provides athletes, and anybody else, the power to craft their own playlist. They have control over the kind of songs that they want to put in their iPods. This is especially useful when it comes to competition grounds. Athletes often use music as a tool to gear them and prepare their minds for competition. They know what kinds of music they need to listen to in order for them to compete at their best. As such, music has become a psychological tool when it comes to high performance sports. In these cases, the playlist of athletes becomes extremely important. It is no longer merely a list of their favourite songs. These songs now serve a much higher purpose.
Health and fitness wise, there are hundreds of apps available for download in the App Store to cater to this need. Music provides the entertainment that will spice up an otherwise monotonous routine of working out. With this added motivation, more and more people will be motivated to get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle. The personal stereo provides a much more active form of entertainment, as compared to the television, which could witness a rise in the number of couch potatoes in the world.
The economical impacts of the iPod are widespread too. Businesses are now turning to the video feature in the iPod to conduct staff training. This will enable the company to cut down on expensive travel and meetings and training programs. As of October 2006, Apple’s iPod held a market share of about 75% of the MP3 player market, an astounding figure for a consumer electronics category. Its iTunes store had an even more impressive 88% share of legal song downloads. At the rate that Apple was innovating, it was clear that no company could compete with them. Several record labels, and even Hollywood have come to grips with this new reality. Music albums now no longer need to be purchased in its entirety. Instead, consumers can handpick that one or two songs that they most like from an album otherwise stuffed with sub-par music. Similarly with television programs, Apple started selling commercial-free episodes of television shows on the iTunes store in 2005 in the form of podcasts. Consumers quickly embraced this new culture.
Disadvantages of the iPod
While society is so caught up in this whole iPod craze, we will now examine some of the limitations of the iPod.
When Apple rolled out its very first iPod, iTunes was only available on Macintosh and was incompatible with Windows. However, this changed subsequently and iTunes was made available on computers that run on Windows as well. When this happened, Apple saw a huge increase in the revenue they collected from the sale of their iPods because more people now had access to iTunes, which was the program used to synchronize iPod contents. While some people loved iTunes for its ease of organizing their iPod contents and syncing them between the two devices, Apple has received criticism for it being the only medium to interact with the iPod. Whereas for other music players, contents are easily accessible from the “My Computer” folder in computers. Another disadvantage of the of Apple’s iPod is the fact that the FairPlay DRM protection program only allows songs purchased through iTunes to be played on the device. Also, all iTunes-purchased songs will be unplayable on another brand of music player. This is probably Apple’s way of keeping customers loyal to their products.
Moreover, the iPod functions on a non-replaceable battery. This is a limitation because internal rechargeable batteries will eventually stop holding their charge. Lucky for those whose batteries die out while their iPods are still under warranty, because they will be able to get a replacement iPod. However, for those whose iPods are no longer under warranty, there is no point for them to purchase a replacement battery and they will have to purchase another iPod.
Surprisingly or not, the iPod came with a few health concerns as well. A study recently showed that iPods could potentially interfere with pacemakers resulting in malfunctions when placed near the heart-monitoring device. In all fairness, this study was not conducted on other MP3 players and it is unknown if they will produce similar results.
Another concern after the rise of the iPod was increasing robbery rates in the United States. Robbery rates actually decreased nationwide in the country each year from 1993-2004. However, this changed from 2004 onwards, which is when society was starting to buy into the iPod craze. Some associated the rise in robbery rates with the increase of sales of iPods. Could this however be a mere coincidence?
Also related to crime, illegal downloads have indeed skyrocketed in 2006 to 5 billion, a 47% increase from earlier years. This can be explained by the convenience and vastness of the Internet. Although songs on iTunes are selling for a mere $0.99, they are some consumers who are still unwilling to pay for the things they want. As a result, websites that provide free online sharing of music files start to emerge, quickly increasing the amount of illegal downloads around the Internet.
In addition, there is increasing concern that continuous use of the iPod will result in hearing problems. The largest consumer group of the iPod is teenagers, even though it can boast consumers from all demographics. The listening habit of teenagers contributes to this concern. Have you ever sat on the bus beside someone who is plugged into his or her iPod, and you realize that you are actually able to hear what the person is listening to? It has become common for teenagers to blast music into their poor ears because it further enhances their solitary music experience, and by completely shutting out any kind of sounds from the outside world, they are able to fully immerse into their own world. However, this bad habit of teenagers will eventually lead to hearing problems and in severe cases, even deafness. The iPod was briefly taken off the market in France in September 2002 when French authorities notified Apple that the iPod violated a law limiting the sound output of portable devices to 100 decibels. Following this legal controversy, Apple subsequently implemented a volume cap on all iPods shipped to Europe.
Furthermore, the iPod’s ability to provide a solitary music experience may not be well received by everyone. Some people fear reduced human interaction in this new digital music age. This may seem contradictory at first because the idea was to allow consumers to create their own customized solitary music experience. However, the act of plugging into a personal stereo may discourage human interaction as they are deemed to be busy listening to their own music and caught up in their own world. A more serious consequence is putting one’s life in danger by listening to the iPod. When plugged in, surrounding sounds tend to be muffled or shut out. This becomes especially dangerous to someone who is crossing the road. Sometimes they get too consumed by the tune they are listening to that they are unaware of oncoming traffic. This has led to a rise in the number of iPod-related road accidents over the years and is a serious cause for concern.
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
The iPhone
One of the most successful devices that Apple has produced yet is undoubtedly the iPhone series. The features of these devices have never been seen before prior to the introduction of the iPhone. This creation pushed boundaries even further. The functions of the iPod have been integrated into this new device, except now there are even more features than ever before. Although most people do not classify the iPhone as part of the iPod series, there is no doubt that the iPod plays a significant role in the iPhone. In fact, the iPhone can be seen as merely the iTouch with call features. New versions of the iPhone will continue to be released, the latest being the iPhone 4S, and this is definitely one of the latest use of the iPod. But what else is possible with the invention of the iPod?
The future of the iPod
It is difficult to satisfy the needs and wants of mankind and it is therefore of no surprise that people are continuing to seek even more compact devices with even more storage space, and even at cheaper prices. In fact, the possibilities in terms of how the iPod will be used in future are limitless. We are only limited by our own imaginations.
Some of the possible ideas generated from consumers wants – they want more compact personal music stereos – involves integrating the iPod into different kinds of existing products. For example, a possibility could be an iPod watch. It is easily worn around the wrist, it is small and compact, and can be used as a fashion statement as well. Although most of these products may not produce the best quality sound for music, more often than not, it is the brand name that Apple is selling. Apple has done brilliantly in keeping consumer’s loyalty, and Apple fans are passionate enough about the products, and will continue indulging in them.
With the recent hype over 3D products such as 3D films, 3D televisions, and even 3D printers in the near future, I will not rule out the possibility of a 3D iPod. Imagine having your favourite song artist performing right in front of your eyes in 3D, coming straight off your personal iPod from a video you have streamed on YouTube. This will bring a whole new dimension to the personal music experience and life will be even more exciting than before.
The uses of the iPod can also be expanded further. There is great potential in the education sector. Teachers and professors can make use of the fact that nowadays, almost every single teen out there owns an iPod, and can therefore utilize the iPod as a teaching tool. Not only will it introduce a fresh new method of teaching and learning, students might have more motivation as well because they feel that the education system is staying relevant with the changes in their lifestyle habits.
CONCLUSION
After the above discussion, I am sure we all will agree that the iPod is indeed a revolutionary introduction to our lives, especially since it was one of the first few products that sparked the digital music revolution. Not forgetting that the iPod would not be operational without the iTunes, the iTunes was also another revolutionary masterpiece. Put the iPod and the iTunes store together and a game changing combination have been created in the music industry.
People were able to enjoy and relish in their own personal music experience like never before and this is expected to continue evolving in years to come. Having looked at what life was like before the invention of the iPod, we can certainly thank Apple and Steve Jobs for improving our quality of lives in terms of leisure and entertainment. Understanding how far this invention have come ever since, will set the platform for us to look at the future possibilities of the iPod. There is no doubt that the iPod still holds great potential to develop into something even greater and could even result in another cultural drift in society.
REFERENCES
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2. Annie Fox (2008). Kramer is the real iPod inventor. TheVine. Retrieved from http://www.thevine.com.au/tech/news/kramer-is-the-real-ipod-inventor20080910.aspx
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8. Dennis Lloyd (2004). Instant Expert: A Brief History of iPod. iLounge. Retrieved from http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/instant-expert-a-brief-history-of-ipod/
9. Jeffrey Brown (2006). Apple’s IPod a Technological, Cultural Phenomenon. PBS NewsHour. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/jan-june06/ipod_05-15.html
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11. Mary Bellis. History of the iPod. About.com Guide. Retrieved from http://inventors.about.com/od/istartinventions/a/iPod.htm
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Wednesday 5 October 2011
Session 7: Did you know vertical farming exists in Singapore?
Aaaaaaaand we have now come to hell week. A week filled with mid-term exams and quizzes and projects and presentations and just basically so much work to do, we need 48 hours a day. So it was quite a relief TWC didn't have mid-term papers :)
BioBusiness Revolution: Agribiology, Environmental Life Sciences and Industrial Biotechnology
For this week's lesson, we dealt with three big topics under the BioBusiness revolution, namely agribiology, environmental life sciences and industrial biotechnology.
Some time during the lesson, Prof Shahi asked the class a hypothetical question, "If you had all the resources in the world, where would you put them?". For me, the answer that immediately popped up in my head was to distribute the resources equally amongst every single human being in the world so that there will be peace and harmony. Pretty immature, isn't it? I thought about my answer for awhile, and decided that it wasn't the best answer. Mainly because if everyone in the world was allowed equal resources, there will be little progress in the world because there is little incentive to fight for anything. There will not be any competition since everyone is entitled to the same amount of resources. Prof went on to shared with us the answer his friend gave, which was to spend all the resources on educating all the women in the world. I was shocked by the answer at first but was later really enlightened after the explanation. So basically it has been proven that in most households, the children learn more from their mothers than from their fathers. In simple terms, 'Educate a man and you've educated a man. Educate a woman and you've educated the entire household.' Thinking about this quote, I find that it does hold true. Many a times, fathers are the sole bread winners of the household. They slog their butts out from dusk to dawn to bring back the bacon for the family and therefore are seldom at home. But when I thought about it, maybe society is undergoing a shift. Nowadays, we are witnessing more and more househusbands emerging, and mothers are the ones bringing home the bacon. Of course, this is only the minority, but we cannot ignore the fact that this is in existence. Nonetheless, I still agree with that quote.
A major component that was discussed during class was the topic of Genetically-Modified food (GM food). The world's population is growing significantly faster than the amount of food our farmers can produce, and that has raised concerns for the possibility of a global food shortage in the near future. As such, people are exploring the feasibility of having GM food and are testing the responsiveness of the public to this new technology. Today, it is not difficult to find GM food in our local supermarkets, especially since most of these GM food have been labelled. However, there are countries, like the USA, who have not allowed producers to label their GM products. This has sparked ethical debates. Of course, the idea of GM food sounds all too ideal. If successful, it can solve the world's hunger problems. Simply because with GM technology, food can be produced much faster and in greater quantity, some even with increased nutritional values. GM food will help to solve some problems such as famine and malnutrition, mostly in less developed countries. As a result, these countries will have the potential and opportunity to develop themselves.
In terms of the revolution of industrial biotechnology, one of the more interesting industrial innovation brought up during class was the spiderweb silk. It is basically a super strong revolutionary material that could possibly change the structure of how our daily products are manufactured. To give an idea about its strength, a pencil thick strand of spiderweb silk is able to stop a Boeing 747 in flight. In fact, spiders can easily recycle the silk by eating it and reproducing them again. Pretty environmental-friendly, huh?
Another interesting concept brought up in class was vertical farming. To capitalise on the limited land space we have, vertical farming is adopted to increase production yield. It is both ecologically and environmentally friendly. I believe this concept is feasible in developed countries and especially in Singapore, since we have very very limited land space. Although agriculture does not constitute a large part of our GDP, it is still useful to be able to locally grow our fruits and vegetables and rely less on our neighbouring countries. Besides, vertical farming is meant to be implicated in overcrowded cities with a significant number of skyscrapers framing the city landscape. In this way, not only are we able to locally grow our own agricultural products, we are able to achieve a cleaner and greener city landscape in the process. We are able to kill two birds with one stone!
Lesson Rating: 7/10
Thorough discussions about agricultural innovations but industrial biotechnology had limited airtime. Would have been better if industrial innovations such as the spiderweb silk was talked about in greater depth.
BioBusiness Revolution: Agribiology, Environmental Life Sciences and Industrial Biotechnology
For this week's lesson, we dealt with three big topics under the BioBusiness revolution, namely agribiology, environmental life sciences and industrial biotechnology.
Some time during the lesson, Prof Shahi asked the class a hypothetical question, "If you had all the resources in the world, where would you put them?". For me, the answer that immediately popped up in my head was to distribute the resources equally amongst every single human being in the world so that there will be peace and harmony. Pretty immature, isn't it? I thought about my answer for awhile, and decided that it wasn't the best answer. Mainly because if everyone in the world was allowed equal resources, there will be little progress in the world because there is little incentive to fight for anything. There will not be any competition since everyone is entitled to the same amount of resources. Prof went on to shared with us the answer his friend gave, which was to spend all the resources on educating all the women in the world. I was shocked by the answer at first but was later really enlightened after the explanation. So basically it has been proven that in most households, the children learn more from their mothers than from their fathers. In simple terms, 'Educate a man and you've educated a man. Educate a woman and you've educated the entire household.' Thinking about this quote, I find that it does hold true. Many a times, fathers are the sole bread winners of the household. They slog their butts out from dusk to dawn to bring back the bacon for the family and therefore are seldom at home. But when I thought about it, maybe society is undergoing a shift. Nowadays, we are witnessing more and more househusbands emerging, and mothers are the ones bringing home the bacon. Of course, this is only the minority, but we cannot ignore the fact that this is in existence. Nonetheless, I still agree with that quote.
A major component that was discussed during class was the topic of Genetically-Modified food (GM food). The world's population is growing significantly faster than the amount of food our farmers can produce, and that has raised concerns for the possibility of a global food shortage in the near future. As such, people are exploring the feasibility of having GM food and are testing the responsiveness of the public to this new technology. Today, it is not difficult to find GM food in our local supermarkets, especially since most of these GM food have been labelled. However, there are countries, like the USA, who have not allowed producers to label their GM products. This has sparked ethical debates. Of course, the idea of GM food sounds all too ideal. If successful, it can solve the world's hunger problems. Simply because with GM technology, food can be produced much faster and in greater quantity, some even with increased nutritional values. GM food will help to solve some problems such as famine and malnutrition, mostly in less developed countries. As a result, these countries will have the potential and opportunity to develop themselves.
In terms of the revolution of industrial biotechnology, one of the more interesting industrial innovation brought up during class was the spiderweb silk. It is basically a super strong revolutionary material that could possibly change the structure of how our daily products are manufactured. To give an idea about its strength, a pencil thick strand of spiderweb silk is able to stop a Boeing 747 in flight. In fact, spiders can easily recycle the silk by eating it and reproducing them again. Pretty environmental-friendly, huh?
Another interesting concept brought up in class was vertical farming. To capitalise on the limited land space we have, vertical farming is adopted to increase production yield. It is both ecologically and environmentally friendly. I believe this concept is feasible in developed countries and especially in Singapore, since we have very very limited land space. Although agriculture does not constitute a large part of our GDP, it is still useful to be able to locally grow our fruits and vegetables and rely less on our neighbouring countries. Besides, vertical farming is meant to be implicated in overcrowded cities with a significant number of skyscrapers framing the city landscape. In this way, not only are we able to locally grow our own agricultural products, we are able to achieve a cleaner and greener city landscape in the process. We are able to kill two birds with one stone!
Lesson Rating: 7/10
Thorough discussions about agricultural innovations but industrial biotechnology had limited airtime. Would have been better if industrial innovations such as the spiderweb silk was talked about in greater depth.
Thursday 22 September 2011
Session 6: Have you taken your medications today?
We are into week 6 of our very first semester in SMU and hell week is coming up next week! Kudos to everyone of us who have survived thus far..
BioBusiness Revolution: Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences
For this week's lesson, we dealt with the revolution of biobusiness in terms of healthcare and biomedical sciences.
Lesson was kicked start with a really interesting video, giving us an insight of Microsoft's prediction of the future of healthcare and the kinds of technology involved. From the video, we can see that many of the equipment used by patients, nurses and doctors alike are all pretty much using touch-screen technology. What was exciting was how information from one device could be so easily transmitted to another device. For example, it was interesting how a medicine bottle could serve as a reminder to patients to take their medications through an interactive table top, and it was cool to see how directional arrows could be projected onto the floorboard to guide you to your destination. Whatever that Microsoft has envisioned is a really useful concept because there is definitely potential for healthcare to improve and advance in such a way, which will really benefit not only patients, but also doctors. Subsequently, Prof Shahi asked the class if we think that whatever we saw in the video was achievable by the year 2020? Personally, I felt that with the current technology that we have at the moment, and the speed and direction in which our technologies are continuing to evolve, the types of technology we have witnessed in the video is definitely possible. However, what I question is humanity's response, should such a change take place. As we have established from earlier lessons, it is common for us humans to resist change, and instead fall back on what we are familiar with. This is true even if current circumstances are unfavourable because we are all super cautious of the risks involved. Therefore, I feel that 9 years is insufficient to totally change the healthcare system to mimic that in the video. However I do believe that such systems can be applied in small proportions at places where people tend to be more open-minded and receptive. If that works, there will be a domino effect as others see the advantages and it will then spur the movement on.
That said, there was a quote that was shared in class.
BioBusiness Revolution: Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences
For this week's lesson, we dealt with the revolution of biobusiness in terms of healthcare and biomedical sciences.
Lesson was kicked start with a really interesting video, giving us an insight of Microsoft's prediction of the future of healthcare and the kinds of technology involved. From the video, we can see that many of the equipment used by patients, nurses and doctors alike are all pretty much using touch-screen technology. What was exciting was how information from one device could be so easily transmitted to another device. For example, it was interesting how a medicine bottle could serve as a reminder to patients to take their medications through an interactive table top, and it was cool to see how directional arrows could be projected onto the floorboard to guide you to your destination. Whatever that Microsoft has envisioned is a really useful concept because there is definitely potential for healthcare to improve and advance in such a way, which will really benefit not only patients, but also doctors. Subsequently, Prof Shahi asked the class if we think that whatever we saw in the video was achievable by the year 2020? Personally, I felt that with the current technology that we have at the moment, and the speed and direction in which our technologies are continuing to evolve, the types of technology we have witnessed in the video is definitely possible. However, what I question is humanity's response, should such a change take place. As we have established from earlier lessons, it is common for us humans to resist change, and instead fall back on what we are familiar with. This is true even if current circumstances are unfavourable because we are all super cautious of the risks involved. Therefore, I feel that 9 years is insufficient to totally change the healthcare system to mimic that in the video. However I do believe that such systems can be applied in small proportions at places where people tend to be more open-minded and receptive. If that works, there will be a domino effect as others see the advantages and it will then spur the movement on.
That said, there was a quote that was shared in class.
There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.
- Albert Einstein
I really like this quote because it shows us the bipolar attitudes of people in this world. It is true that our successes very much boils down to our attitude towards life. More often than not, those who succeed are the ones who are more open-minded and is receptive to opportunities and possibilities. For those who live as though nothing is a miracle, they tend to view life pessimistically and will not have the confidence to try and accept something new.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose
shade they know they shall never sit in.
- Greek Proverb
In addition to have an optimistic view of life, successful people also must not be selfish. Most of the time, we are unwilling to play our part because we think that we will not stand to gain from it. Yet, by harbouring such a thought, we are unknowingly being ungrateful to our predecessors, because without them, we will definitely not be where we are today. We can owe many of the world's development to self-sacrificing people who were willing to put in their efforts to create a better world for future generations. Similarly, this can be applied as the world strives to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Take for example the goal on healthcare, to improve sanitation in less developed countries. Most of the time, people in developed countries do not even think of the proper sanitation that we receive as a privilege. We take these things for granted. I really wonder how many of us are actually aware of fortunate we are, to be 'geographically' born into a more well-to-do environment. Therefore, it is necessary that we are selfless in extending our resources to people who are struggling to live life. Having proper sanitation is a really important factor because it can prevent people from contracting non-chronic diseases, which is still a major cause of death for people in less developed countries today. It is sad to learn of their plight because this one factor, of having proper sanitation, or even just clean drinking water, can transform so many lives.
On the other hand, it was fascinating to see how far biobusinesses have come, and the impacts it has had on mankind. An example raised by Prof that caught my attention was the use of growth hormones. He told us about how Lionel Messi had previously undergone growth hormone procedures to help him grow. It is compelling because we all know that Messi is a world class footballer and it left me wondering if he would be where he is now, had it not been for the advancements in biobusiness and the discovery of such growth hormone procedures. In this case, the revolution of biobusiness has definitely helped to change someone's life.
With reference to the two videos from 'reading' 7, two students talk about the emergence and innovations in disease management. While the videos are somewhat similar to the one shown at the start of the lesson, I found the technologies used in this video to be much more practical and feasible. It is important that we focus on disease management nowadays, because seriously, won't be rather be safe than sorry? It is common for people to think that it is unnecessary money spent at the doctor's when there is no major problems with their bodies. With that, we need to make people realise that prevention is better than cure, and it never pleasant to have to end up at A&E at the nearby hospital because of a health issue that could have been prevented. Therefore, there has been an increasing emphasis being placed of disease management. This clip stresses how that in America, there is a crisis because there is far too little doctors to meet the demands of the patients as there in insufficient manpower and this results in displeasure among patients. With the world experiencing an aging population, it is vital that something is done. In this case, management technology is implemented to solve the problem. I like what I see from the clip, because I find the system very promising. Doctors are able to interact with patients on a regular basis, through electronic devices, and there are special equipments which help patients to monitor their own health condition, and at the same time, keep their doctors updated about their well-beings. In this way, patients receive adequate support from their nurses and doctors. I find this really important because most of the time, patients suffering from diseases are left to feel as though they are suffering by themselves. With the new system in place, they will feel less lonely and less neglected as there is regular interaction.
Lesson Rating: 8/10
I like how we are now placing more focus on specific topics and how we can thus hold more in depth discussions about the issues involved.
Saturday 17 September 2011
Session 5: We are limited only by our imagination
ICT & World Change
Information and communications technology (ICT), I believe, has been the major driving force in the world's transformation into an IT-savvy community. Areas discussed during the session covered mass media, the Internet, wireless and interactive telecommunications.
Being not very good with IT technical terms myself, I learnt during this class, the meaning of Web 1.0, 2.0 etc. 'Normal' people, like myself, would actually understand the numbers to represent the version of the web itself. I guess it isn't entirely wrong, but what I realised is that the numbers actually represent the degree of interaction in the web. Which means that the web has transformed from a vertical to a horizontal dissemination of information. Here is a narrative piece that explains the evolution of the web: Web 3.0, the present and the future of web . In the past, the Internet served as a platform for us to get information. We get what we see. Chances are, that the website will remain exactly the same irregardless of when you access the site. Unless, of course, the editor makes changes to the site. However as the world changed, and there is an increasing need to social interaction, web 1.0 evolved into web 2.0. Information is no longer disseminated from a source 'at the top'. Instead, Internet users like you and me are able to contribute to that wealth of information to generate EVEN MORE information, and that is how knowledge is shared. This is also how knowledge in the world is increasing exponentially as we can all gain easy access to the limitless knowledge there is for us out in the web. All these gave rise to social networking like blogging, social networking sites, and even YouTube, where people can post and upload almost anything they want.
Something else I found interesting that Prof mentioned was how gaming technologies had so much practical use. I had no idea! Some of the technology have been incorporated into medical equipments, military use, and even training purposes. For example in training, mock scenarios can be created using simulation gaming technology to train a person up for a particular situation. I found this really interesting because all these technologies are so common around us that we usually will not see the link between them.
Some of the dangers and risks of ICTs were raised, including espionage and invasion of privacy etc. While these are valid concerns, I feel that these concerns shouldn't prevent ICTs from further advancements. Instead, what can be done is to come up with precautionary measures to guard and protect against these dangers. While not everyone will agree to my view, I feel that the benefits of advancements in ICTs will far outweigh the concerns that will arise from it.
I personally liked reading 2 because it talks about how ICTs could really change the world. As people in more developed countries have the privilege to lay their hands on such advancements, we should keep in mind that they are other people in poorer countries who are not as fortunate. Therefore, the goal is to improve the conditions of every individual. I especially liked this quote by Kofi Annan, because it holds true.
Information and communications technology (ICT), I believe, has been the major driving force in the world's transformation into an IT-savvy community. Areas discussed during the session covered mass media, the Internet, wireless and interactive telecommunications.
Being not very good with IT technical terms myself, I learnt during this class, the meaning of Web 1.0, 2.0 etc. 'Normal' people, like myself, would actually understand the numbers to represent the version of the web itself. I guess it isn't entirely wrong, but what I realised is that the numbers actually represent the degree of interaction in the web. Which means that the web has transformed from a vertical to a horizontal dissemination of information. Here is a narrative piece that explains the evolution of the web: Web 3.0, the present and the future of web . In the past, the Internet served as a platform for us to get information. We get what we see. Chances are, that the website will remain exactly the same irregardless of when you access the site. Unless, of course, the editor makes changes to the site. However as the world changed, and there is an increasing need to social interaction, web 1.0 evolved into web 2.0. Information is no longer disseminated from a source 'at the top'. Instead, Internet users like you and me are able to contribute to that wealth of information to generate EVEN MORE information, and that is how knowledge is shared. This is also how knowledge in the world is increasing exponentially as we can all gain easy access to the limitless knowledge there is for us out in the web. All these gave rise to social networking like blogging, social networking sites, and even YouTube, where people can post and upload almost anything they want.
Something else I found interesting that Prof mentioned was how gaming technologies had so much practical use. I had no idea! Some of the technology have been incorporated into medical equipments, military use, and even training purposes. For example in training, mock scenarios can be created using simulation gaming technology to train a person up for a particular situation. I found this really interesting because all these technologies are so common around us that we usually will not see the link between them.
Some of the dangers and risks of ICTs were raised, including espionage and invasion of privacy etc. While these are valid concerns, I feel that these concerns shouldn't prevent ICTs from further advancements. Instead, what can be done is to come up with precautionary measures to guard and protect against these dangers. While not everyone will agree to my view, I feel that the benefits of advancements in ICTs will far outweigh the concerns that will arise from it.
I personally liked reading 2 because it talks about how ICTs could really change the world. As people in more developed countries have the privilege to lay their hands on such advancements, we should keep in mind that they are other people in poorer countries who are not as fortunate. Therefore, the goal is to improve the conditions of every individual. I especially liked this quote by Kofi Annan, because it holds true.
"We must begin with the young Afghan girl, recognising that saving one life is to save humanity itself."
Indeed, we all ought to realise that no amount of effort is considered small. We should know that an accumulation of small efforts will amount to great and big things. Prof introduced us to a website (www.kiva.com) which is a platform for people to make donations and help the needy. How does it work? It basically encourages you to donate $25 to a donee of your choice. How the money will be used to help a person is clearly stated in the website. The good thing is that this money actually gets to the people who needs it and the amount you donated will be returned to you once your donee has 'saved' themselves. Thereafter, you are able to continue using that sum of money to help another donee of your choice. Pretty neat, huh?
At the beginning of the lesson, Prof showed us a video of Project Natal, bringing us into Milo's world. This video and concept involved shows us exactly what is possible in today's world, and we may not even realise it's possible. While this is some cool stuff, it definitely was thought provoking. Will such a technology redefine social interactions, diminish the value and importance of real relationships, and is this is any way similar to cloning? There was a question regarding the video, about whether Milo has any authentic human traits in him, or is he purely machine? And if we are in fact able to customise our characters to adopt our looks and personality etc, won't that be somewhat like cloning already? But in today's world and with such rapid advancements in technology, the possibilities of the world is limited only by our imagination.
Lesson Rating: 9/10
Really engaging lesson about a really relevant topic which almost everybody can relate well to. Some useful discussions going on as well. Can't wait for more!
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