Is it just me or is internet, media, and such a hot topic for our comp 112 class?

Through my research I found a source that I found really interesting concerning twitter and Facebook. A couple from Europe was on their honeymoon when they got separated from their luggage delaying the trip and leaving them waiting in Frankfurt, Germany for their belongings to be returned. After a few status updates and some tweeting their travel company became notified and responded within 24 hours. The couple was refunded for their $2,000 trip, reimbursement for last-minute visas and other expenses in Frankfurt, plus a $3,000 credit for future travel all thanks to the power of Twitter and Facebook. This story is a true victory for social networking and shows how the media advancements of our world are really changing our every day lives.

While looking for a source I came across a site that gave some interesting numbers about today's thriving technologies. Ten years ago more than 60 percent of our nation had at least one PC in their household which makes a person wonder how those numbers have changed since then. This site goes on to ask "is technology bad on our society as a whole". Throughout this site is brings up key points about the drive that our country gets from computers and such. This source will defiantly help me see how vital technology is to the survival of our world.

Today, more people have cell phones than fixed telephone lines, both in the United States and internationally. There are more than one billion cell phone users worldwide. Compare that to 1985 when there were approximately 340,000 wireless subscribers in the United States, according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Associate (CTIA) By 1995, that number had increased to more than 33 million, and by 2003, more than 158 million people in the country had gone wireless. Americans spend, on average, about seven hours a month talking on their cell phones. In 1983, Motorola introduced DynaTAC, now considered the first truly mobile telephone, and from there who knew where it would lead.

I think its safe to say that the younger generation is addicted to their phones. The thought of a week or even a couple of days without a Mobile phone would blow a teenagers mind in today's time. So why is it that we are so attached to our electronic Swiss army knives? Is it the security they provide, their handiness, or the social convenience, etc?

thenewatlantis.com

There are approximately 400 million people on Facebook and about 175 million of them log in daily.

We all know the stereotypes. Apple’s popular commercials have painted the picture in stark terms: There are two types of people, Mac people and PC people. And if the marketing is to be believed, the former is a hip, sport-coat-and-sneakers-­wearing type of guy who uses his computer for video chatting, music mash-ups and other cool, creative pursuits that starchy, business-suited PC users could never really appreciate unless they tried them on the slick Apple interface. Then again, Windows PC enthusiasts probably think that Mac guy is a smug slacker with an overpriced toy that can’t do any serious computing anyway. Funny thing is, both stereotypes are wrong.

With a 7.5 percent market share, Macs are no longer just the computer choice of artists and unemployed writers. (Apple is, in fact, the fourth largest computer manufacturer in the world.) And now, more than ever, the guts of both platforms are remarkably similar. Both types of machines use Intel proc­essors (although some PCs can be configured with processors from AMD). Both buy memory, hard drives and graphics cards from the same small pool of suppliers. The underlying operating systems have distinctly different flavors, but in terms of functionality, Microsoft Windows Vista and Mac OS X Leopard have surprisingly similar built-in multimedia, Internet and productivity applications.

Yet what makes the platforms feel so dissimilar is their approaches to these applications. Internet Explorer versus ­Safari, Windows Media Center versus Front Row, Photo Gallery versus iPhoto, Backup and Restore Center versus Time Machine—these system components from Microsoft and Apple are designed to accomplish essentially the same goals. To users, however, the position and movement of the virtual knobs and levers make all the difference.

What's your preference....

popularmechanics.com

In order to prove that I'm not close minded and actually do appreciate technology here is a look at the new Apple iPad for those who haven't seen. Apple has once again built a product that looks good and feels great in the hand, and the familiar user interface, borrowed from the iPhone and iPod touch, is perfectly suited to the bigger screen. The iPad whizzes along, opening applications, re-sizing web pages, and zooming in and out of maps almost instantaneously.
It's a great, fun gaming platform, and it's lovely to view full-size web pages while browsing the internet. Developers, no doubt, are already rubbing their hands with glee about the apps and services they could tailor specifically for this device.

apple.com
telegraph.co.uk