The Internet, Digital Media, and Media
Convergence
Chapter 2
Smartphones and Media Convergence
Along with computers, digital music players, and a new generation of touchscreen devices like the iPad,
smartphones are part of the general shift to media convergence in media
devices over the past decade.
Figure 2.1: Distributed Networks
People Embrace Digital Communication
Digital communication Image, text, or sound is converted into
electronic symbols, which are transported and reassembled as a precise reproduction.
Includes e-mail and instant messaging
What Are Social Media?
Venues for social interaction Virtual communities that are
multiplatform, participatory, and digital… truly democratic
Platforms that enable the interactive Web by engaging users to participate in, comment on, and create content as a means of communicating
Media Convergence on Our PCs
Media converges on computers Users can access:
Movies (Netflix and Hulu) Music (iTunes and Spotify) Books (Amazon and Google) Games Newspapers and magazines
Services such as Skype and iChat can replace telephones
Media Convergence on Our TVs
Examples Internet-ready TVs Video game consoles such as Xbox, Wii,
and PS3 Set-top boxes such as Apple TV, Google
TV, Roku, and Boxee Consumers use multiple avenues to
access media content.
Mobile Devices Propel Convergence
Smartphones and tablet computers can be used for: Texting Listening to music Watching movies Reading books and magazines Connecting to the Internet Playing games
The Impact of Media Convergence and Mobile Media
Media consumption is mobile and flexible.
Merging of media onto one device blurs distinctions between what used to be separate media Formats are morphing We can experience media in multiple
manners simultaneously
The Changing Economics of Media and the Internet
Apple established the new media economics. Provided a market for music on iTunes in
exchange for a 30-percent cut of the revenue
Amazon Followed suit, creating the Kindle and
selling e-books for a cut of the revenue
Ownership and Control of the Internet
Connected to three issues Security of personal and private
information Appropriateness of online materials Accessibility and openness of the
Internet
Information Wants to be Free
Wikileaks The Guardian
What Google OwnsWeb▪ Web Search▪ Google Chrome• iGoogle
Specialized Search• Google Blog Search▪ Google Patent Search▪ Google Finance▪ Google Alerts▪ Google Custom Search▪ Google Product Search▪ Google Scholar▪ Google Trends
Media▪ YouTube▪ Google Images▪ Google Videos▪ Google Play▪ Google News▪ Picasa
Social • Google +▪ Knol• Reader• Groups• Orkut• Blogger• Google Talk
Geo▪ Google Latitude▪ Google Earth▪ Google Maps▪ Panoramio• Google Offers• SketchUp
Mobile• Google Mobile• Android• Motorola Mobility
Home & Office▪ Gmail▪ Google Sites▪ Google Translate ▪ Google Docs▪ Google Calendar▪ Google Voice▪ Google Wallet
Advertising• Adwords and AdWords Express• Adsense• Google Mobile Ads• Google Analytics• Google Display Network• Google Video Ads• Google TV ads• FeedBurner
Access: The Fight to Prevent a Digital Divide
Digital divide Refers to the growing contrast between
“information haves” and “information have-nots.”
Smartphones are helping to narrow the gap.
Still a big gap between the United States and the rest of the world
Net Neutrality: Maintaining an Open Internet
Net neutrality “Every Web site and every user has the
right to the same Internet network access and speed
Major telecomm companies want to offer faster connections and priority for those willing to pay higher rates.