Overview digital media...

1. Overview digital media...

2. Discussion -- revisit theory • What does ‘the media’ refer to? • Press, cinema, broadcasting, etc.) • The ‘new media’ as a term? • Less settled, known, identified • Intensity of change • Ideological connotations of new • Non-technical inclusiveness (gui)

3. New Media… • New textual experiences (hypertext, cgi) • New ways of representing the world • New relationships between subjects • Shifts in the personal and social experience of time, space and place • Unclear distinctions between human / artificial, nature / technology • New patterns of organization and production

4. “Key terms in discourses about new media” • Digitality – (vs. analogue) – assigning numerical values to phenomena • Interactivity – an opportunity to manipulate and intervene in media • Hypertextuality – when a work is made up of discrete units of material in which each one carries a number of pathways to other units • Dispersal – distribution of information – for new media, through multiple input / output channels • Virtuality – immersive experience, or identification of being in a space (MMORPGs, Second Life)

5. Key Terms... • Postmodernism – a sense of blurring of boundaries between previously distinct or opposite phenomena: high culture / popular culture, local/ global, public/private • Technoculture – Concept of a modern culture where technology has so deeply saturated into cultural practices that the two distinctively different spheres are seen to be inseparable • CMC – Computer Mediated Communication • Convergence – the coming together of previously discrete media forms and processes through digital technologies

6. But how did we get here?

7. Before personal computers... • Mechanical computers • Vacuum tubes • Mainframe computers • Transistor (Bell labs / Shockley, Bardeen, Brattain) • Integrated circuit

8. Personal Computers • World’s first personal computer? (kit) • MITS -- Altair 8800 • First mass market personal computer • Apple II • IBM impact / open architecture • Compaq clone • First GUI (PARC - Zerox) / Apple / Windows • Mouse / Ethernet / wired / wireless • ChromeBook? Tablets? Cloud Computing?

9. Vannevar Bush(1890-1974) • Many consider Bush to be the Godfather of our digital age, often making reference to his 1945 essay, "As We May Think." • Bush described a theoretical machine he called a "memex," which was to enhance human memory by allowing the user to store and retrieve documents linked by associations. • This associative linking was very similar to what is known today as hypertext.

10. Others… • Gottfried Leibniz (math, logic, philosophy) • Charles Babbage (invented first mechanical computer) • Alan Turing (father of computer science and artificial intelligence) • Ted Nelson (‘discovered’ hypertext) • Roland Barthes (structuralism, semiotics) • Bill Gates? Steve Jobs? Jaron Lanier? • Tim Berners-Lee? • Who else?

11. Internet Review • Advanced Research Projects Agency • Pentagon / University relationship • LANs and WANs • Single location / wide geographic area • ARPANET combined with LANs and WANs became the Internet in 1983 • Made possible by... • TCP/IP protocol (Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf) • Packet switching and IP addresses

12. Domain Name System (DNS) • IP address 158.135.172.2 • Text-based DNS translates human language into the computer’s ‘phone number’ • TLD -- .com , .net, .edu. (also gTLD -- generic) • ccTLD -- country code -- .ca , .uk (list) • Determined by IANA -- Internet Assigned Numbers Authority • Organizational identifier -- tamu-commerce , google • Domain names administered by ICANN -- Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

13. Programs on the Internet… • WWW -- Tim Berners-Lee devised HTML language which led to Mosaic • A browser interprets the HTML • What else has come along? • XML--extensible markup language • SOAP--simple objects access protocol (based on XML • XHTML--another form of XML • VRML

14. HTML extensions… • Continued HTML development... • HTML 5 • CSS • Cascading styles sheets -- a way to style HTML. Whereas the HTML is the content, the style sheet is the presentation of that document. • PHP • An HTML-embedded scripting language. Much of its syntax is borrowed from C, Java and Perl with a couple of unique PHP-specific features thrown in. The goal of the language is to allow web developers to write dynamically generated pages quickly."

15. Programs on the Internet… • E-mail • Newsgroups / Usenet (link) • Chat / IM (AIM, Google Talk, Meebo) • Telnet -- remote access to server • FTP -- like Fetch (file transfer protocol) • Internet Phone (Skype, MagicJack) • Web 2.0 (blogs, Second Life, podcasts…) Video streams (Bittorent, Veoh, Hulu, clicker)

16. Web 2.0

17. Top 10 Broadcast Media

18. Top Video Sites • http://websearch.about.com/od/imagesearch/tp/popularvideosites.htm

19. What’s going on today… • Blogs / moblogs / vlogs • Journalism / bloggers • RSS feeds • Podcasts, etc. / newsreader software • New economic models -- Google • Legal issues -- RIAA, MPAA • Other issues • Malware, Digital Divide, charging fees to Internet sites, net neutrality (Comcast)

20. Mobile Computing Devices • PDAs -- Functions / changes through the years • GPS • Vehicle fixed / portable • Satellite connection vs. most others • Cell Phones -- iPhone example • Portable Video Games • GameBoy, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP / music, movies • Ultra Mobile PCs • CES -- Focus on touch technologies • iPad • Readers • Wearable Computers?

21. Cell phone Generations • ‘two-way radio’ style, then cells • ‘cellular’ process developed by (‘old’) AT&T • IG -- analog -- 1983 -- AMPS -- ‘advanced mobile phone service • 2G -- digital introduction -- early 1990s • CDMA, TDMA initially in the U.S. (CDMA: Sprint, Verizon) • GSM type adopted first in Europe (AT&T / T-Mobile) • 3G -- higher data transmission speeds -- switch to packet switching (AT&T article) -- 1-3 mbps • 4G -- up to about 10 mbps -- download speed

22. Broadcasting vs. streaming • DVB-H (digital video broadcasting - handheld) standard for broadcasting to handsets • DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) for multimedia broadcasting -- not available in North America • Streaming allows VOD -- AT&T Mobile , Verizon

23. Development of Technologies • 3G cell phones -- packet and circuit switching • EV-DO example • 4G LTE -- ‘not true 4G’ • Wi-Fi • 802.11 and 802.11x refers to a family of specifications developed by the IEEE for wireless LAN technology. • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pronounced I-triple-E • WiMax • Also known as IEEE 802.16--intended for wireless "metropolitan area networks". Provides broadband wireless access (BWA) up to 30 miles (50 km) for fixed stations, and 3 - 10 miles (5 - 15 km) for mobile stations. • WiFi/802.11 wireless local area network standard is limited in most cases to only 100 - 300 feet (30 - 100m).

24. Why 802? • The 802 group is the section of the IEEE involved in network operations and technologies, including mid-sized networks and local networks. Group 15 deals specifically with wireless networking technologies, and includes the now ubiquitous 802.15.1 working group, which is also known as Bluetooth.

25. Other Wireless Technologies • Bluetooth • Name comes from Harald Bluetooth, king of Denmark in the late 900s • There are lots of different ways that electronic devices can connect to one another--Component cables, Electrical wires, Ethernet cables, WiFi, Infrared signals… • Bluetooth is essentially a networking standard that works at two levels: • It provides agreement at the physical level -- Bluetooth is a radio-frequency standard; • AND, it provides agreement at the protocol level, where products have to agree on when bits are sent, how many will be sent at a time, and how the parties in a conversation can be sure that the message received is the same as the message sent. (cell phone, GPS, PDA--Starfield example)

26. Other Wireless Technologies • ZigBee • The set of specs built around the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless protocol. • Name "ZigBee" derived from the erratic zigging patterns many bees make between flowers when collecting pollen. The standard is regulated by a group known as the ZigBee Alliance, with over 150 members worldwide. • Bluetooth focuses on connectivity between large packet user devices--laptops, phones, major peripherals…. • ZigBee is designed to provide highly efficient connectivity between small packet devices -- thermostats, home appliances to the home network

27. Developing Technologies • WPAN • Wireless personal area network • Bluetooth and Zigbee • RFID • “IBM Uses RFID to Track Conference Attendees” • “New chip promises to track kids from miles away” • Tracks things and people • DTV? / HD Radio • Multicasting channels -- data transmission? • Two way interactivity • FCC approval

28. Technical changes • Copper wires to fiber optic cable • Circuit Switching to packet switching • Landline to wireless • Convergence of technologies and companies

29. Technical examples • Fiber Optics, satellite, microwave • Making ‘free’ phone calls • (VoIP) • Skype • Magic Jack • Netzero Voice / Messenger / iChat • Jajah.com

30. Cell phone as a hybrid medium • Delivery of video to cellular phones is becoming more widespread… voice / data … and • Verizon’s V-Cast service; Sprint’s MobiTV service. • Both use the cellular network to deliver the content. • New service and technology, MediaFlo, developed by Qualcomm, uses part of the television broadcasting spectrum (channel 55) to send multi-media content to mobile phones. --see FloTV • Allows wireless carriers to offer video content without taking up much needed bandwidth in their cellular network.

31. Broadband delivery -- wired • DSL • DSLAM / extenders (digital subscriber line access multiplexer) • IPTV (AT&T: U-verse, Verizon: FiOS) • Dedicated line (no slowdown) • Cable modem (DOCSIS -- 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0) • Shared down trunk line (slowdown) • Information service / no open access • Fiber to the home/premises (FTTH/P) • Or ... FTTN -- fiber to the node (last mile is coaxial cable for cable & twisted-pair copper for DSL • Broadband over power line (BPL) • Interference • State approval

32. Broadband delivery -- wireless • Fixed wireless broadband (FWB) (from MMDS) • 3G mobile wireless (4G / pre-4G / 4G LTE) • Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) (‘WLAN’) • Wi-Max (802.16) -- www.clear.com • Satellite • HughesNet & WildBlue • Latency problem (VoIP, games) “a time delay between the moment something is initiated, and the moment one of its effects begins or becomes detectable” • Some downlink only (dial-up modem uplink)

33. Broadband today (3) • Sites like Metacafe.com, blip.tv, Veoh.com Hulu.com and others are driving a whole new category of video that could eventually be a more popular format than 30 or 60 minute programs. • These days consumers themselves are driving this "broadband or TV" debate into irrelevance. They're busy accessing programming on demand - whether "broadband" or "TV" • This is through a host of devices and services whose popularity is only going to skyrocket in the future. These include TiVo, Xbox, Netflix, Wii, etc.

34. Broadband Today (4) • With the proliferation of available broadband video comes a massive user navigation challenge. Modern Feed launched (4/8/08) to address this. Now Clicker. • Part search engine, part aggregator, with a specific focus on indexing professionally-produced programming, not user-generated video. It's also focused on actual programs, not promotional clips.

35. Broadband Today (5) • J.D. Heilprin, Modern Feed's founder/CEO: • But -- check it out and see if it has managed that • the company is targeting mainstream users providing the easiest way to find available, high-quality video. • It employs a team of "Feeders" charged with curating the best videos to include on the site. The result is approximately 550 "networks" and 25,000 pieces of content now indexed • ”Networks" is a loose term ranging from traditional broadcasters to indies new entrants like Boston Symphony or Architectural Digest. • What else is important? -->

36. Smart TVs / connected devices • Apple TV -- hard drive / non hard drive • New Apple TV? • Boxee • Google TV • Roku • WDTV • Slingbox (?) • Tivo Premiere • MeeGo • DEVICE vs. PROVIDER (new ‘networks’?)

37. Home Networks • Residential gateway (aka - cable/DSL router) • ‘the key device in most home networks’ • Wired (server / hub / router) LAN • Wireless (wi-fi / WLAN / 802.11) • Interconnects all computers and other IP devices • Connects the home network to the broadband connection

38. ‘Specs’ Technical specifications or standards • Or, the marketplace decides? • HPNA -- Home Phoneline Networking Alliance -- technology, built on Ethernet, allows all the components of a home network to interact over the home's existing telephone wiring without disturbing the existing voice or fax services • IEEE -- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

39. Proprietary or agreed-upon? • VHS vs. Beta (home) • DVD-R / DVD-RW vs. DVD+R / RW vs. RAM • HD-DVD vs. BluRay • WMA vs. RealPlayer vs. Quicktime etc. codecs • HDTV (8-VSB / COFDM)

40. Home ‘hot spot’ Applications? • Multiple networked computers • Computers share one printer • Integration of phone / cable or satellite systems / DVR, Slingbox, etc. with IP • Security system connections • Control any IP device -- Microsoft has been working with Whirlpool to allow users to monitor their laundry with their home network, computer, TV, and cell phone. • Continuing growth in American homes operating a wireless network, making the US the leader in adoption of wireless home networks.

41. Wireless security • Wireless ‘cloud’ -- public places • Encryption types • WEP -- Wired Equivalency Privacy • easily hacked -- do a ‘Cracking wi-fi’ or cracking WEP search on YouTubeWireless Hacking / WEP hacking / Free wi-fi anywhere • WPA -- Wi-Fi Protected Access • 128 bit encryption • WPA Personal -- password protected • WPA-Enterprise -- server verified • Evil Twins • Phony hotspots to steal information

42. What else? • RFID (ubiquitous?) • Smart Home (video) / robotics • Speech recognition • Types: Discrete, continuous & complete • Speech recognition gone awry • Better success demo (click screen when page loads) • Ultra HD video (cinema--to replace film projection) • Electronic paper (Kindle, iPad) (e-paper demo) • Wikis • GIGO conundrum? • LA Times experiment • Google docs as collaborative authoring?

43. Virtual / Augmented Reality (RWWW) • Second Life (promo/commercial) • Google Earth and other competitors • Education, Entertainment, etc. in a ‘virtual world’?