Monday, November 9, 2015
TWIF Flattener #10 - The Steroids
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-spring-2016.blogspot.com/2015/11/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that the steroids were "flatteners." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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Title: Taking Phones Out of The Hands Of Drivers
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/25/nyregion/taking-phones-out-of-the-hands-of-drivers.html
Summary: There are hundreds of articles written about accidents where drivers are on their phones and do not realize that they are about to run into another moving vehicle. This article describes a story of a girl who was hit by a motorist and now depends on a cane to move. The motorist was talking on a cell phone and did not notice the girl walking across the intersection. The article goes on to describe how the girl took action to try and prevent drivers from using a phone while in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. This article explains exactly what Thomas Friedman says, in The World is Flat, about society “caught in a maze of technology offerings”. It is obvious that technology is distracting the world and this article proves exactly that. Now, Friedman does not have animosity towards technology advancement, but he understands that people will get distracted by the innovations that are to come, and the girl who now needs a cane to maneuver is one of many examples of that.
Title: 'Less than 1%' of PCs can run virtual reality
ReplyDeleteLink http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35220974
Summary:
This article discusses how virtual reality is starting to truly become relevant and not just a lucid dream. Even though only a small portion of computers can run virtual reality with the latest innovative technology the Oculus Rift, which allows people to utilize their computers to see a virtual reality. It is possible to run virtual reality on smartphones and consoles, but true virtual reality requires a very powerful computer that would be able to use the most powerful and innovative virtual reality equipment available, being the Oculus Rift. Virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus create “immersive 3D environments wearers can interact with and explore.” This relates to Friedman’s final flattener of steroids in the way that virtual reality was a bloom of technology that grew from the creation of wireless internet, smartphones, and other such innovations. Virtual reality will soon be flattening the world more than it currently does because the definite future increase of computers and technology that will be able to truly channel the power of virtual reality and create an interactive 3D environment. This will also most likely lead to console and online gaming, which is a host of millions of games who can interact with one another, and share information. Thus showing how both current and future innovations in technology will allow for the further flattening of the world.
Title: Mumbai Travelers Log On as Google Starts Train Station Wifi
ReplyDeleteLink: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/mumbai-travelers-log-on-as-google-starts-train-station-wifi/2016/01/22/32c3f87e-c0ef-11e5-98c8-7fab78677d51_story.html
Summary:
Google began to offer free wifi in Indian train stations with the hope of boosting their role in the Indian market. The first station they gave free wifi to was Mumbai Central Train Station but planned on doing this to 400 stations in total. Most people in India have to pay for internet but this allowed people to have free high-speed internet in a public place where there is poor service. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, said that most of India is not online partly because many people cannot pay for it but now with free wifi, they won’t have to. This relates to the tenth flattener in “The World is Flat” because at the beginning, it talks about Japan having free wifi almost anywhere you go. This could also relate to the ninth flattener because Google is the supplier of the free wifi and in that section of chapter two, it talks a lot about Google and how they give undiscriminated access to people all around the world and how it is searchable in 100 different languages.
Title: Can A $9 Computer Spark A New Wave Of Tinkering And Innovation?
ReplyDeleteLink:http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/01/21/463592334/can-a-9-computer-spark-a-new-wave-of-tinkering-and-innovation
Summary/Explanation: A new computer created by CHIP, that costs $9, could lead to a whole new realm of innovations toward cheap computers. The creator, Dave Rauchwerk, states the tiny computer that can fit into the palm of his hand can store four gigabites of data. It can also connect to devices via bluetooth, and has a USB port that a keyboard, mouse, or thumb drive can go into. The first computer ever made by Macintosh in 1984 was $2,500, and did not have even close to the same technology as this tiny $9 dollar computer has. Many teachers are saying that it allows schools to be able to provide internet to their students at a much cheaper cost, which according to Friedman, levels out the playing field. This article directly relates to the first steroid in the tenth flattener of the world, Improvement of Computers. With the improvements of computers, more people can do various tasks on a computer than they could have ever done before, which is why the playing field is being leveled. To conclude, this article was adding on to what Friedman said about computer improvement.
Title: Can technology help tackle the world's waste crisis?
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35279854
Technology is becoming more innovative, and may be able to help the world even as it flattens it. Waste managements is becoming a problem, so scientists and innovators have been thinking of ways to fix it. One of these ways in to measure how much recyclable trash is thrown away by each individual person and charging the person for that. This technique has shown an increase in the recycling in the communities it is used in. One innovator came up with an idea to use a recycle can that light up a light bulb each time someone recycled to form a smiley face. Another idea was to use circuit boards that dissolve in water in cell phones and such so they can break down once the cell phones are discarded. The ideas that help technology to help manage waste relate to The World is Flat. This is because the techniques bring people together to help prevent excess waste using technology.
Title: T-Mobile Video Plan Could Test F.C.C.’s New Net Neutrality Rules
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/12/technology/t-mobile-video-plan-could-test-fccs-new-net-neutrality-rules.html?ref=topics&_r=0
Summary:
This article discusses a new data plan for the telephone company, T-Mobile. This new data plan allows for T-Mobile customers to stream unlimited videos, regardless of their data plans, for certain video services. Because of the fact that now, customers of this telephone company will be able to stream as much video content as they desire, that Thomas Friedman would agree that this is an example of "the steroids."
I believe that the new T-Mobile plan where users can now stream unlimited video is a classic example of "the steroids." T-Mobile did not create the wireless technology aspect of video streaming, but rather, they are further enhancing and digitizing video streaming. For this reason, this article perfectly relates to Friedman's assertion that "the steroids" are a flattener. For users of T-Mobile that now have unlimited data video streaming capabilities, it makes it even easier and more convenient for these people to perform each of the other flatteners. Specifically, I believe that the information in this article is a representation of the sixth steroid that Friedman describes, which has to do with the enhancing of wireless technology.
Title: Looking for Signs That Apple’s Runaway Growth Is Waning
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/technology/looking-for-signs-that-apples-runaway-growth-is-waning.html?ref=international&_r=0
Summary:
Many stock investors are beginning to doubt Apples success on the market. Recent reports are in about Apples revenue income and in the years since 2009, its has been a steady decrease for Apple. ‘“People were in love with Apple because hits like the iPod and iPhone created phenomenal growth,”’ said Ernesto Ramos, a fund manager at BMO Global Asset Management, which manages $18 billion and counts Apple as its largest holding”. Apple has relied on its iPhones and iPods and other devices for its primary income. Stock investors are now finding that these products aren’t getting less popular, however they are finding that Apple is solely relying on these products to set them at the top of the market for technology. This ties in with Friedman’s tenth Flattener by the way that these “steroid” items (personal devices) are being used around the world by millions. It also is shaping the path to the new technological era using VoIP, instant messaging and more.
Author: John Markoff
ReplyDeleteTitle:
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY; Improving a Computer Network's Efficiency
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/29/business/business-technology-improving-a-computer-network-s-efficiency.html
Summary: In this article they are trying to come up with ideas of how to fix the computer network problem. They came up with many ideas to make the network more efficient by bidding money to see who gets the higher power network. They want to do this so that people are not complaining on how slow the network is and that they cannot get anything done. They came up with another idea to try and get as many computers on a network as possible while remaining efficient. They decided to give the network upgrade because in the modern world everyone is using the internet and they need to make sure it is still quick and accessible. This article relates to Friedman's arguments because in the last flattener of his book he discusses how improvement in technology today makes the other flatteners more easy to accomplish. So by improving the computer network more collaboration amongst people can occur, which allows the world to flatten.
Title: iPad Pro, new Apple TV and iPhone 6S handsets revealed
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34200234
Summary: This article reviewed the latest Apple products that were released last year. A new feature was added to the new iPhone which is known as 3D touch. This new technology is said to make common actions, such as opening and closing applications, much easier for the users. The new 3D touch feature allows you to preview new messages or photographs without opening the app, simply by tapping the screen harder. In addition, the new iPhones have better processing, as well as better cameras, both front and back. This article relates to Friedman's tenth flattener because the iPhone is a very impactful steroid. Therefore, as Apple continues to improve the iPhone, the iPhone will continue to supplement all of the other flatteners.
Title: Shrinking to Zero: The Raspberry Pi gets smaller
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34922561
Summary: This article discusses how the Raspberry Pi (A very small computer that runs a Linux OS) is being released in a smaller and more affordable package. The Raspberry Pi Zero will cost $5 and will also be given away for free with their magazine. It has a very small footprint and can fit easily on top of a playing card. The product is created mainly for school children and teachers however middle-aged hobbyists have also become a bigger audience for the product. The creation and production of the Raspberry Pi Zero relates to the first steroid in the tenth flattener of the world, this being the improvements of computing and being able to complete tasks faster. This product allows many more people to get their hands on a computer because of the cheap price and complete tasks faster then they could before which “levels the playing field.”
Title: New iphone in March: Why Bigger isn't Always Better
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2016/0123/New-iPhone-in-March-Why-bigger-isn-t-always-better
Summary: A new variant of the Apple iPhone has been announced recently, which is set to be released sometime in March 2016. Apple released that this new iPhone will actually be smaller than the previous iPhone 6s, which had quite a large display. In the past, critics wanted the iPhone to have a much larger screen so that they can compete with the size of Samsung and Windows phone screens. However, one Apple implemented these larger screen sizes, criticism rose once again. So thus, Apple is now finishing development on an iPhone that "has the capabilities of an iPhone 6s, but is buried within an iPhone 5 case". Perhaps the recent release of the Apple Watch, and the demand for wearable technology caused Apple to reconsider the sizes of its newest iPhone.
Explanation: Friedman firmly believes that gadgets such as these are a flatnner that aids every single of the other flatnners to work out smoothly. Since Apple is reducing the size of its screen in the newest iPhone, it is evident that Apple listens to their critics along with their customers to make sure they are building what is innovative and something people want. Demand is also vital. If people are demanding smaller devices, now even wearable, Apple ought to listen to those people since they are potentially or already customers. This is an excellent example of a flattner mostly because they little "steroids" allow connectivity between people to be as efficient as possible.
Title: "Google 'paid Apple $1bn in 2014 to keep search on iPhone'
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35380696
Summary: This article overviews the steps that Google had to go through to keep their search browser on the iPhone. In a court case it was revealed that Google is paying Apple up to 34% of its profits to keep themselves on the iPhone. According to the article, Google on the iPhone brings in a lot of money for the company and is an important position for the company to be in. It was also revealed how Google removes unwanted ads that contain viruses and interfere with the customers experience. Over 780 million ads were removed in 2014. This relates to Friedman's claim that mobile phones are becoming like personal computers. A phone now can do everything that a computer does. Some people even type faster on a phone than on a computer as Friedman describes. They even can get ads that can impose harm on the device as described in this article. Google can be considered a flattener because they control how people get they're information that they use everyday which connects us together through the computer and through the smart phone.
Title: The Story of America's Very First Drone Strike
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/05/america-first-drone-strike-afghanistan/394463/
Summary: The article was very interesting and highlighted many of Friedman’s claims of the flattened world. It described how America's first armed drone strikes, though botched, sent shockwaves throughout the United States military’s chain of command. During a massive operation involving numerous special forces, regular, and support personnel, a single CIA drone was able to hit a target from a control base in Langley Virginia. The article continues to describe the unprecedented development of an armed, stealthy, and unmanned drone. What was an intelligence tool, soon became a mechanism for assassination. What is globalization and a flattened world without sudden, calculated death from anywhere in the world? It takes a single, junior CIA pilot in Virginia to target a senior Taliban operative in Afghanistan. Friedman too, investigated this, and rightfully so. The story of America's first drone strike would pave the way for unprecedented death and destruction.
Title: This 93-year-old World War II veteran reconnects with wartime love after 71 years apart
ReplyDeleteLink: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/11/11/this-93-year-old-world-war-ii-veteran-reconnects-with-wartime-love-after-71-years-apart/
Summary: This article talks about a man named Norwood Thomas and a woman named Joyce Morris. During World War II, on his weekends off, Norwood Thomas would take a train into London, where he would meet with Joyce. He would visit her every weekend, but when the war was over, Norwood returned to America. He would write to Joyce, and even asked her to marry him, but they never met up again and each went their own way. At 93 years old, Norwood finally was able to lay eyes on Joyce again. Through Skype, the two were able to video chat. Morris had searched for Thomas on the internet, and had somehow managed to find him since he had went skydiving at 88 years old. The article then continues to talk about how the two have hopeful plans of meeting up again in person. This article relates to Friedman's Flattener #10, because it talks about the fourth steroid. Being able to video chat over the internet and see each other's expressions. Now people can see each other no matter where they are in the world due to technology.
Title: Photoshopped or Not? A Tool to Tell
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/technology/software-to-rate-how-drastically-photos-are-retouched.html
Summary/ Explanation:
I chose this article because it relates to the fifth steroid in Friedman's 10th world flattener. This article supports his statements and gives the effects and people proposing the new software tools. For example, in the fifth steroid he says “computing generally by offering so much sharper images and so many more ways to illustrate and manipulate those images on a screen.” This article explains how digitally altered photos are being published because of the new technological advances in software. New tools are being invented, for example, algorithms which are meant to mimic human perception. These new technologies are available for everyone to use, however, that also means that many are aware that the pictures they are looking at have most likely been digitally altered.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTitle:The Modern Meeting: Call In, Turn Off, Tune Out
ReplyDeleteLink:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/business/the-modern-meeting-call-in-turn-off-tune-out.html
Summary:Friedman calls the new technologies that increase the effectiveness of all other flatteners “steroids.” That is why the article about video conferencing relates to the flattener #10. In the article it states that knowledge workers require around 104 minutes each months for conference calls. People enjoy that in conference calls they can talk and do their daily housework activities. One woman even stated she does yoga while in the call. Most people agree that conference calls are one of the most efficient ways of informing one another about any information. Some people do prefer video calls, so they can't be distracted by the freedom they have of just talking over the phone. Any form of calls in the modern world support the flatteners stated by Friedman.