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Respone to Kelly Video and Keen's Solutions

It was a shock to learn the world wide web is only 5,000 days old, still a teenager. I thought Kelly's statement that we have to get good at believing the impossible is just, as I am more and more surprised and impressed with the overall efficacy of the internet. In order to really appreciate the power we possess we must take a step back. Kelly's statement about Googling things instead of simply remembering them echoes my sentiment in this regard; we have the answers to millions of questions at our fingertips. Even as im writing this entry I witnesses something interesting, in the previous sentence the word "Googling" did not come up as an incorrectly spelled word, this is just another example of the far reaching effects the internet employs. I found most of Kelly's presentation pleasant and informative if only a little redundant until he began to compare the human brain to the internet. The possible rise of artificial intelligence is often romanticized by hollywood, and yet Kelly made this subject tangible by adding statistics to the equation. The thought that the internet will exceed human processing power in its entirety is somewhat ominous to say the least. Continuing to add to my growing sense of foreboding was Kelly's message of the Mcluhan Reversal. The cliched image of human enslavement at the hands of machines is what is conjured up in my head stemming from Kelly's phrasing, "humans will be extended senses of machines..." I understand the point being made, yet the question that has been haunting me since watching the presentation is, "who is using who?" At which point does artificial intelligence begin to use us for information and not vice versa? Yes, this is obviously my paranoia being made clear, but it is something that I think is in the back of everyone's minds.

Web 3.0

The first generation of the world-wide-web consisted of systems designed to supply the user with information. The second generation or Web 2.0 as it is known, focuses on user generated content, as opposed to publication generated content and information. In Web 2.0 the web is more of a service for users to create, share, and store information. The next step in this process is Web 3.0, the next generation of the internet will not simply bring and show information, the computer and internet will begin to understand the information, decipher trends, and assist the user in finding and generating content. Some Web 3.0-esque applications are already in use, Amazon.com's user recommended products feature is an example of this. The web and computer will soon be completely personalized to the user's wants and needs. As well as this user tailored aspect, Web 3.0 will be all encompassing. All appliances will be online and communicating. Cars, televisions, dishwashers, washing machines, coffee makers will all be online while the user will be able to control everything, everywhere, always. The internet will become completely ingrained in the global consumer as well as business culture; it will be the fundamental economic instrument. Another startling aspect Web 3.0's omnipresence will be its transparency. Yes, the internet will be everywhere, yet we will not be able to see it, other than the small device in our hands.

As much as I wish I was skeptical about the prospect of what the internet can become, I am not. There will be issues along the way concerning information security, but aren't there security issues now? Time management is a direct corollary to internet involvement. Soon we will be able to have every single day planned to the second, accounting for the most minimal obstacles. Perhaps, the most intriguing component of the new internet will be its transparency, the simple fact of information being shared everywhere will make our lives inherently easier. My fantasy of being able to get in my car, punch in an address, go to sleep, and wake up and my destination unharmed does not seem so far off anymore. Yes, the new internet will being new security threats, I say its worth it.

Midterm Illustrator Project

The Future is Here in the Field of Advertising

It is no secret that marketing and advertising firms have been looking for the preverbal key to unlock successful campaigns via mobile technology and social media platforms. As marketers continually search for this, the future of advertising does not lie in the virtual world, but the physical world.

The future is upon us. The field of light emitting devices has exploded and now a device is in the final stages of development where a thin film of plastic will be able to conduct electricity while creating solar energy. The potential in advertising and marketing created by this product is fantastic. However, this electronic display pales in comparison to a device that seems to have its roots in science fiction. This latest invention is software and a reception that is attached to the human brain. The electrodes placed inside the brain follows electrical signals generated by nerve cells when a patient focused on specific letters and images. Although any advantages gained in the fields of marketing and advertising are a long way off, market researchers may soon have the keys to our brains!

The international consortium of researchers at Modecom headed by the University of Bath, United Kingdom, have spearheaded this project which in total will wind up costing somewhere near $2 million. The main drive behind the project is state by Dr. Alison Walker, who represents the Department of Physics at the University of Bath, "Success in achieving the goals of cheap, efficient and long lasting devices is essential as we must do everything to reduce our energy costs." It seems somewhat paradoxical that an electronic display can somehow save energy but the power of conservation lies in solar energy. Despite the project having its roots in clean energy, the advertising possibilities are endless. Now, instead of stationary logos we could eventually have logos, signs, stickers etc that light up to create a more visually enticing product. People can become walking television screens with beer and car advertisements illuminating their shirts, pants, shoes, and any other article of clothing the plastic strip can be fashioned to. It is truly marvelous to think that our packaging and design could mimic that of the products described in JK Rowling's Harry Potter books where product logos an pictures of people are in constant movement. This electronic light display has the power to forever rid the world of print ads and make everything similar to the ads we see on TV.

A team of researchers and scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL are at the forefront of developing a communication tool that will link the human brain with the computer. The device is intended to help the millions of people plagued with neurological conditions as well as paralysis. Although the product is still in the early developmental stages, preliminary tests have been successful. As of now the software is able to register letters the person is thinking. This couldn't help but intrigue this marketing student as marketers and advertisers are constantly researching consumer needs and trends. Today we are bombarded by advertising that does not apply to us. Today i was watching TV and a diapers commercial came on the air. As a single 21 year old is there any reason for me to want/need diapers? No. Have the advertising companies wasted their resources? Yes. This device could potentially end the consistent bombardment of useless advertising by simply deciphering our brains messages into what we desire, what we want to buy what interests us. I am talking about 100% individual advertising portfolios, specifically tailored to one person. Think of the possibilities! Complete and full targeting, its enough to make my head spin. I am however, wary of outside parties being able to read my inner most thoughts. Oh well, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

It is easy to get caught up in the social media and mobile advertising hype. Yet I cannot understand why there are not more products in development to make marketing and advertising tangible. Bring advertising into the physical realm instead of viewing it on TV or computer screens. As for the mind-machine interface, we could quite possibly be standing on the cusp of the greatest advertising tool ever invented. We will have to wait and see whether either of these inventions pan out into my aforementioned ideas, one can only hope right?

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References
"Latest Invention: Software that Allows Writing on Screen Using Power of Mind - Technology - InfoNIAC - Latest Inventions." InfoNIAC - Latest Inventions. N.p., 8 Dec. 2009. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.

"New Electronic Display to Be Used on Clothes and Beer Cans - Science - InfoNIAC - Latest Inventions." InfoNIAC - Latest Inventions. N.p., 18 Apr. 2007. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.

user generated content: different types of content produced by the end user published online public viewing. some examples: youtube, twitter, etc.

long tail: the strategy for Apple's iTunes where a successful operation is selling low amounts of numerous unique products.

network as a platform: the possible future of computing through cloud computing where operating systems and applications will be web based and not physical software.

folksonomy: the process of organizing content through tags in order to better organize material.

syndication: the process of sharing content through multiple websites, used to show users when content was added.

mass collaboration: defined through its name, mass collaboration is simply many people working towards one final solution.

computer supported collaboration: technology that enable groups to effectively work together without meeting in person. some examples are email text messaging, newer technology is google groups and google documents that allow for groups to post documents and presentations online for all members to see without having to wait for email.

social software: software that enables users to share data. social media sites are the best examples of this type of software.

mashups: a digital file containing many different types of media combined into one format to where the file is converted to create a new document.

In my collage i chose to focus on Apple's latest product the iPad. I chose to focus on this as it could be the first product in the new wave of electronics mixing the technology of Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPhone. This collage would not be complete without the driving force behind Apple-- Steve Jobs, without him Apple has proven it cannot succeed. The image in the bottom right corner is Apple's own processing chip, the first it has produced and the engine driving the iPad. Perhaps the most intriguing image is the 'vs.' image where the iPad is compared to the macbook, which poses the question everyone is asking-- is the Ipad necessary? Is it differentiated enough from products available now to entice consumers into a high involvement purchase? We will have to wait and see.