post 4

After everything we have read this year, and all the assignments that have been completed, all the information clearly shows that the coming together of computing, telecommunications, and media in a digital environment will continue to happen and the connection between these outlets will continue to strengthen. With our knowledge of the past and our ability to grow up during this generation, we have seen how drastically technology has changed and we can expect it to continue to change and to continue to evolve. 

Technology has changed storytelling for the better, drastically increasing our UX (user experience), but also allowing the story writer the ability to have insight on to what works and what doesn’t based on statistics (social shares, comments, reviews, etc.). When our parents were growing

up they would read a story in the newspaper, take in the information and that would be that. But today when we are reading stories, our capacity is so much greater to do a deep dive into the information we are taking in. For example, “Someone reading a news story may click on a hyperlink for an unfamiliar name, taking him to another website that described the person, which in turn may lead to other interesting links” (Converging Media, pg. 161). Technology has changed storytelling forever and for the positive.

We as a generation need to approach the future with an open mind and with a willingness to learn and adapt. We are going to see things in our lifetime that we never imagined possible and these things will be foreign and unfamiliar to us, just like iPhones and tablets are to our parents and grandparents. If we are going to continue to be able to grow and thrive we must have the ability to catch up with the times, something our generation has not yet had to do.

It is safe to say we can expect new, exciting, and extremely developed technologies on the horizon. Just look at the development of the Internet over a 20-year time period. In 1991, “Tim Berners-Lee creates the World Wide Web, a global publishing platform on the internet” (Converging media, 165). The connection was slow, there were very few webpages, and barely any one had access. By 2001, “Seventy-nine percent of U.S. households have Internet access” and “There are 70,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots in the U.S.” (Converging media, 165). is clearly evident that technology has evolved and will continue to evolve.

Another example I would like to draw attention to, like the textbook addressed as well, is   The Gameboy had 2 buttons, a directional pad, small gaming screen, and video games that could be played in black and white. Today there is the PSP, PlayStation’s portable gaming device. This device comes with numerous buttons, a large hi-definition color screen, and you can play DVDs and GO ON THE INTERNET. Again just in 20 years, the technology of a product has grown exponentially.

video games. I want to focus specifically on the handheld video game. In 1989, Nintendo released the Gameboy.

With all the advancements we’ve seen and all the advancements we can expect, what should we be thinking about?  I believe we as individuals, with all the access to data in our hands, have an obligation to dive deeper into the information given to us, to develop the information given to us, and to check the credibility of the information given to us. Raise questions, check sources, develop ideas, use your available outlets, and continue to evolve as the technology around you does the same.



Pavlik, John V., and Shawn McIntosh. "Interactive Media." Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.