Information Overload ?

Harris, John ( 2010 ) Is the Internet rewiring our brains ? Guardian G2 Supplement, 02/08/10

Carr, Nicholas (2010 ) The Shallows, Atlantic Books

The Guardian article quotes extensively from Carr whose book is published in the UK next month. It has already caused quite a stir in the US.

Because of the finite amount of time at our disposal we are gathering small chunks of information rather than undertanding the larger picture. ( Wikipedis entries vs biographies )

Moreover online multi-tasking is destroying our capacity for reflection, contemplation and patience.

Too much information a "cacophony of stimuli", encourages "cursory reading", hurried and distracted reading and superficial learning"

And even more worryingly ... it's all addictive. This is easy to measure by counting the number of times we open our e-mail inbox to find ( surprise, surprise ) that nothing new has appeared there...

There are bound to be more reports of this naure when Carr's book is published I anticipate...

A little test

This little video was created using Jing and is only a test and gives an idea of what is to come!!?? Perhaps it's little large....

What does that expression mean ?

The New York Times ( Sunday 18th July ) reports on machines that can conduct teaching by recognising the facial expression of the computer user.

Research at the University of California recognises facial expressions to determine whether a child is enjoying, or understands an activity.

Eyes widen.

Carey, B & Markoff, J (2010) Reading, writing and robots. New York Times ( articles selected in association with the Observer, 18th July )

Dopamine Rush

I'm beginning to really like the New York Times extract in each week's Observer newspaper. This week's insert includes an article which claims that information overload is affecting our ability to concentrate...

In 2008 people consumed three times as much information as in 1960, through e-mail and TV.

Some users check their e-mail 37 times per hour, and of course may do this while watching TV.

All this has, unsurprisingly made it difficult to concentrate on making a cup of tea !

CD Sales and Sound Quality

Those people studying the future of the CD might consider a recent article in the New York Times*. Some youngsters have turned against the tinny and thinner sound of the iPod, and become nostalgic about hard-copy cds...

Fidelity of sound compromised by portability and convenience...

Maybe CD sales are not quite dead yet !

Plambeck, J (2010) In the age of music, sound quality falls off, New York Times, Sunday May 23rd [ insert in the Observer 23/05/10 ]

Glimpse of the future : FT on an iPad

Here is what the Financial Times can look like when you own your iPad. This little video gives you a very good idea of what the experience would be like. Indeed this may apply to all newspapers....
There are some intersting comments about usability of the iPad which suggests that the way forward for the iPad will not be all trouble free.

Social Media Revolution 2

Will you have a business in 5 years time? Not if you don't understand the power of social media! This is a must view!!!