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I thought it would be a good idea to list out exactly what kind of technology i own and use on a regular basis, so i could fully realize how dependent i am on it.
What i own and/or use at home:
Ipod
MacBook
PC
High Def LCD TV
Playstation 3
Mobile phone with inbuilt camera
Digital Camera
DVD player
Stereo System
Ford Laser (with cd player installed)
Microwave
Toaster
Wacom Tablet
Electric shaver
Oven
Heater
Fridge
Guitar and Amp
I found it interesting that more than half the items on that list are purely used for leisure, rather than practical necessity. If i think back 10 years, a lot of these items did not exist, and if they did exist, they were certainly not in common household use like they are today.
I have just recently moved out to a flat in Prahran. I spent my first week in my new place with no electricity or hot water, thanks to a stuff up by the real estate agent. That week was a real learning experience. It opened my eyes to how dependent people really are on technology. I have become so used to having access to TVs, computers, music and games, that when they are taken away from me, i feel lost and bored.
Its a little depressing to find that i’ve almost lost the ability to entertain myself when my technology is taken away from me!
Semester 2 has begun, and with it comes a new topic to delve into.
New Technologies
What are new technologies? What are technologies? Generally, i think the first thing that comes to mind when you mention technology to people are things like computers and other electronic devices. While these are indeed ‘technologies’, they are only a small part of it.
I see a technology as a thing that performs a certain function. A new technology is something that performs a certain function in a way that is better than the previous version. In group discussion the other day, a question was asked whether fire could be considered a technology. We all thought about it for a while, and came to the conclusion that no, it was not a technology, but the method of making that fire was a technology.
Before getting my head around the topic, i was one of those people who would just say ‘computer’ when technology was mentioned, but the more i think about it, the more interesting the idea gets.
This was my initial rant, please check back for more of the same as the semester goes on.
I have grouped with Sarah and Nadia this semester for our major methods and analysis project, so i will be discussing our findings on this blog.
