Creating Convergence -- Summer 2007

my final project

2007-08-15T14:24:00.000-04:00

http://enginsfirstblog.blogspot.com/

Experiential Education Metrics Blog/Podcast / Tony's Project

2007-08-13T21:24:00.001-04:00

This site and the attendant blog under "Shared Feedback" and the "Key Indicator" video podcast under "Bulletin", is helping to facilitate a design/development discussion within the co-op program to build an online"Dashboard" featuring critical statistics and reports about Co-op program-performance I will be presenting the prototype with the blog/podcast features to decision makersin Sept and hope to have a beta version of the site in use by the end of the year.

Link to Experiential Educaiton Metrics Prototype Web Site.
http://neutrino.neu.edu/cm/dev/eem/index.php

raaaambler.com

2007-08-13T19:00:00.001-04:00

My final project, the Raaaambler.com site...

Here is a link to screenshots of it: http://www.sethmerriam.com/raaaambler/screenshots.pdf

Here is a link to a presentation of it : http://www.sethmerriam.com/raaaambler/final_proj_prep.pdf

Final Project - Placebook

2007-08-13T18:51:00.000-04:00

2007-08-13T17:29:00.001-04:00

Convergence Final

2007-08-13T12:13:00.000-04:00

Here is my final project. In class I will explain.. fun fun fun!!!
Lisa

free video coding for your websites

2007-08-07T12:16:00.000-04:00

This site gives the html coding needed to embed videos for free.

http://www.freevideocoding.com/

mashup awards

2007-08-06T20:11:00.000-04:00

Using technology for social awareness

2007-08-06T19:49:00.000-04:00

HollabackNYC

Here is an example of mobile technology as a weapon against street harassment, started in NYC. Victims of street gender/sexual/racial harassment can take a photo of the harasser, email it to their city's hollaback blog, and thus make a public statement against this problem. There is one for Boston as well.

HollabackBoston

Podcasting Legal Guide

2007-08-06T19:29:00.001-04:00

As we discussed in class, some info and resources about using music in podcasts in this Podcasting Legal Guide.

Open Source

2007-08-06T19:23:00.000-04:00

What is Open Source? Let's look at the wikipedia definition! Is this accurate? Can we trust that it's accurate?

Here are some tools for authoring wikis:
Wikipedia
wetpaint
wikispaces
pbwiki

Some info on mash-up tools in this cnet piece.

And again, Creative Commons.

08/06 examples

2007-08-06T19:17:00.000-04:00

Blinkenlights

Project NML: Big Games

Invisible Ideas

Total Recall

2007-08-06T15:52:00.001-04:00

Italia Unita

2007-08-06T15:28:00.000-04:00

I took some footage of the Italia Unita festival in East Boston a couple of weeks ago.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5618046361092413761&hl=en

movie a la noir

2007-08-06T15:21:00.000-04:00

Posted Via Personal Web Host
00:51

Tony's link to 8/6/07 homework

2007-08-05T22:28:00.001-04:00

http://nueemetricbulletins.blogspot.com/2007/08/las-vegas-sample-video.html

Convergence Example... I think...

2007-08-05T22:04:00.001-04:00

So GMail is doing this video thing... where everyone can make part of a video and "join" in...

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/gmail_video.html#utm_source=en-et-newfea&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=en

Very interesting "participatory" use of technology to, I guess, advertise their service and perhaps grow brand loyalty? Not sure, but either way I thought I'd share...

Assignment for 08/06/07

2007-08-04T07:35:00.000-04:00

1. Finish your video piece -- output, compressed for web and upload to one of the hosting sites we looked at in class. Post to your blog and the class blog.

2. Play around with Garageband (if you want to post something, great!)

3. Work on Final Projects.

Here she is

2007-08-02T08:19:00.001-04:00

This is maybe the worst movie i have EVER seen.. but.. here it is.

More Templates

2007-07-31T22:10:00.001-04:00

Those are great templates... here is a list of more that I give out in my classes...

web design templates

2007-07-31T11:53:00.000-04:00

If anyone's looking for web site design templates, here's a useful site:
http://www.oswd.org/

Smoky Podcast

2007-07-30T20:19:00.000-04:00

Episode one -- listen!

Twidiot

2007-07-30T19:10:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

It's satire... on twitter... but you gotta wait until the very last line...

[btw the audio is not so great...;) ]

Thanks to Maureen, Lisa, and Lou!

Episode One: Body

2007-07-30T19:05:00.001-04:00

Here's our great teaser to our video!

(2 seconds, 428 Kb)

Pasting in blip code

2007-07-30T19:03:00.001-04:00

Here's a comment about this video.
Click To Play

Body Clip

2007-07-30T19:02:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

A tease at the longer form body video -- shot in class!

Assignment for 07/30/07

2007-07-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

1. If you didn't shoot video, shoot video!

2. Work in iMovie or Final Cut to make an edit.

3. Watch all the chapters in this New Media Literacies Profile on Videoblogging.

We will look at compressing your projects and outputting... and posting to your blogs.

We'll also take a look at creating audio podcasts with GarageBand -- I'll post some audio for you all to work with.

USB 2.0 vs Firewire..

2007-07-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

So, generally, when I do video editing it's on dedicated machine (read: internal harddrives)...
I did do little bits here and there with external drives, but for sure only minimal amounts with my external USB drives...

As such, I decided to do a bit of investigating after our discussion in class...

Turns out, there are more differences between the underlying architectures of usb and firewire.... so for video firewire is better...

At least according to this article:
http://www.thedvshow.com/faq-pro/index.php?action=article&cat_id=004&id=210

I think for little things (like our little videos) it's still going to be ok... but nonetheless wanted to share this tidbit since I thought they were more interchangeable than they actually are.

Lacie Drives

2007-07-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

I bought a reconditioned Lacie drive from their website (250Gb for $80)
http://www.lacie.com/products/clearance/products/?id=10007
which has been great. I recommend you get one with firewire and usb if you ever want to "clone" or "ghost" your hard drive.
http://www.macmall.com
( a reliable vendor) also is having a sale on Lacie right now.

Lacie Rugged Drive

2007-07-23T19:10:00.000-04:00

Here's that drive that you can literally kick around. It *is* USB 2.0 -- so could be used for PCs, as well.

It's a nifty little drive.

Final Project Proposals

2007-07-22T23:09:00.001-04:00

A reminder that everyone should have a formal final project proposal.

So far I've received hard copy proposals from Lisa, Seth and Maureen.

I received an email description from Bruce (which I've responded to) and Tony and Alina posted their project descriptions.

So that leaves Engin and Tim -- did you post something (or send me?)

I'll meet with each of you individually tomorrow to go over these project proposals.

Tony's proj spec

2007-07-19T20:18:00.000-04:00

Video Podcast Animated News Report

Here is an image of a Metrics "Dashboard" website that I'm in the process of building. The site will be used by NU leadership and co-op program advisors to monitor and manage program-performance. In the right column is a scrollable list of "Key Indicators". These are summary-performance statistics (ex. how many students are placed in co-op jobs, how many jobs are available, what types of experiential assignments are being completed, etc.). My project will be to 1) integrate video podcast subscription functionality into the site and to 2) produce a 60-second prototype video podcast of the key indicators. My hope is to produce the "Key Indicator" report using computer animation in the style of a Financial News Network Stock Market Update. Since such a report will have to be updated about once a month, my ultimate goal is to identify best practices for producing the video podcast routinely as an animation, and distributing it as a podcast via the dashboard site.

Please comment on the scope and suitability of this project idea.

Cameras & DV tapes

2007-07-19T18:08:00.000-04:00

I still have one of the cameras from Ken. I bought a six-pack of DV tapes today, so if anyone wants one let me know. Ken was ok with the idea of my helping the class get access to the cameras (after hours, etc), because he usually leaves by 3:30pm.

Assignment for 07/23/07

2007-07-19T14:38:00.000-04:00

Yikes! There's a reason I usually do this right after class.

Sorry for the delay in posting.

The assignment for Monday:

1. Purchase (at least) one mini-DV tape to use in class.

2. Please try to shoot something to bring into class to work with.

(am I forgetting something?!)

We'll pick up on Monday with iMovie and get into working with Final Cut Express... and perhaps Garageband.

I also would like to meet with each of you about your final project proposals.

Help with video

2007-07-19T13:13:00.000-04:00

A project that demonstrates media convergence -- don’t worry if you don’t know how to implement certain technologies. Use each other as resources. As a requirement, everyone should offer some sort of help to at least one other person in class (could be a bit of code or designing a logo or helping with video).

Hello everyone: apologies for missing 2 classes... two monday's in a row where data was needed by the university leadership for tuesday... causing work into the evening. (excuses, excuses..)

I am happy to provide expertise in video production to anyone who would like to use me as a resource. My first graduate work (at BU) was in video production, and following that I enjoyed rather long career working in various producing capacities for video studios here in the Boston area.

Also, if you haven't seen it already, here is a rather effective "rich media" how-to about creating video that you might find an easy way to learn more about it...

http://www.current.tv/make/training

Del.icio.us

2007-07-19T12:45:00.000-04:00

This tool is absolutely terrific.. It's really shines when managing lots of source-dependent research. I am trying to figure out how to get the del.icio.us and tag icons to install on a second desktop browser. I successfully loaded it into the toolbar of my browser at work as part of setting up my account. But when I went to my home computer and accessed it, i could not get back to the wizzard-sequence for loading the icons into my browser on my home machine.
Any ideas?

Facebook...

2007-07-18T21:43:00.000-04:00

I wish Facebook had a better way for each user to apply some kind of rating on each friend to indicate the strength of the relationship-- something descriptive like:

1) "referred to me by___ "'
2) "I was referred by___ ";
3) "I'm a fan"; 4) "Fan of me";
5) "Appears we're mutual fans";
6) "Sharing first thoughts/ideas";
7) "Completed first engagement";

The user could have control over how much others see of this; would be helpful in prioritizing friends and networks for more refined outreach... you guys see anything like this on the site. I don't see anything...

Tony's Blog

2007-07-18T15:38:00.000-04:00

My blog will live as a link within a new website I'm building. I want prospective users to enter the live prototype of the site, click on the blog link, and offer commentary and feedback on the design and usefulness of the site design.

I used Word Press. I guess you have to have a Word press account to post onto the blog. If you don't have an account, you can only comment on exisiting posts by the blog owner. (duh, can anyone confirm that this is, in fact, the case?)

I have posted two items, one asking for feedback on the overall design and navigability of the site, and a second asking for feedback on the reports that are available to users for download.

I'm still trying to figure out how to set up my link to the blog so that when you click on it from the site, the blog will open within the site, and not as a separate window. Any one got HTML skills? that could comment on how to approach this?

www.nueemetrics.wordpress.com

Video Camera Instructions pdf

2007-07-16T18:16:00.001-04:00

http://www.dent.umich.edu/informatics/quicklinks/Canon_GL1.pdf

Monday class detail

2007-07-15T20:59:00.000-04:00

Hi folks -- I'm going to have to wrap up class a little earlier on Monday -- closer to 8 (Bruce can take a leisurely walk to his train instead of running!)

Data Visualization

2007-07-15T08:44:00.000-04:00

I found this site and it seems pretty interesting. It takes a data set and it visualizes it. There are groups to discuss and theorize. It is interesting: Many Eyes

Copyright?

2007-07-09T19:41:00.000-04:00

http://www.convergence.blogspot.com/

Assignment for 07/16/07

2007-07-09T19:31:00.000-04:00

1. Read the MediaShift post on social media -- I encourage you to leave a comment on that site!

2. Read the handout on shooting video.

3. Based on this specification of a final project:

A project that demonstrates media convergence -- don’t worry if you don’t know how to implement certain technologies. Use each other as resources. As a requirement, everyone should offer some sort of help to at least one other person in class (could be a bit of code or designing a logo or helping with video).

write your project spec for next week.

4. Try out del.icio.us

"Friend Power"

2007-07-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

Check out this post on the Mediashift blog regarding social media and social networkings.

Kismet!

Share your thoughts -- based on what we looked at in class and discussed -- in the comments to that post.

Bruceblog

2007-07-09T15:17:00.000-04:00

http://whatsthisheresauce.wordpress.com

God help us all!

My blog

2007-07-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

My blog's at http://amak2007.blogspot.com

On the article:
It's true that blogs make information more interactive. Notice people feel more free to comment on things, whereas before, if you really wanted to say something, you'd have to send a letter in or call in to the radio/tv stations.

On one hand, it makes it more interesting to see so many views. On the other hand, there can certainly be some really dragged out commentary out there. But as Seth said in class last week, who's to say what commentary is valid and what's not.

Thoughts on Article

2007-07-08T19:46:00.000-04:00

I have never spent much time thinking about how you can see if your content is "popular" with a blog and other convergent media. I'm thinking about whether that matters to everyone who creates "new" media... I assume it's a point... I mean if no one read my blog I would probably stop posting to it for sure, but then again it's not about the number of people who read my blog, it's about the fact that a number of my friends and family members read it and stay connected with me in ways other than just blabbing on the phone... so "popular" is the wrong word... but "valued" and assessed by some other sort of qualitative data point is for sure important.

my first blog, take a picture.

2007-07-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'm bummed that there's another Chinese Maureen out there in the world which I found out by checking maureent.blogspot.com. I wondered for a second if I had an alternate personality that knew how to read/write Chinese. Nevermind that her last initial is also T, but I thought I was the only Chinese Maureen in the world- this really ruins my outlook on life.

Assignment for 07/09/07

2007-07-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

1. Take a look at blogger and wordpress and choose one to build your own blog.

2. Read this post by Robert Scoble on Social Media and blog about it.

3. Start thinking of a final project, but we'll discuss the requirements/parameters in more depth next week.

Lisa Tessering

2007-07-02T20:24:00.002-04:00

Well, this is super exciting. Here is my first blogging site. I do need to find a focus to it. Rather than just babbling about nothing.

http://tesserwell.blogspot.com/

Seth's Blog - not lisa's blog, mine. Seth. Me.

2007-07-02T20:24:00.001-04:00

Well, this is my blog: http://www.sethmerriam.net/blog/

But this is my class blog: http://dm3452sjm.blogspot.com/

Readings

2007-07-02T17:11:00.000-04:00

I thought the articles had some interesting points. As someone who had never really heard of convergence before, the readings really makes me think of what's next and where will it come from...?

2007-07-02T14:16:00.000-04:00

I'm skeptical about the value of the "social mapping" that Johnson talks about in his article. I agree that it is considerably more difficult to follow along with the plots of shows like "24" without understanding the interpersonal dynamics of the characters, and that because of the complexities of those interactions, one must exercise one's brain more fully than watching most other TV shows. But Johnson also says in his article that when we "play along" in front of these shows "The content of the game you're playing, admittedly, suffers from a shallow premise and a highly artificial environment".
Does watching a "Reality Show" that is essentially a complete fabrication teach us anything about our own interactions? Does interacting digitally with strangers help us learn about face-to-face interaction?

(Rant alert)
I guess part of my skepticism relates to my inability to find any interest whatsoever in the lives, loves, and foibles of Paula Abdul, Paris Hilton, or Jerry Springer. Are these really the role-models that we want to learn social interaction from?
-In Hansell's article he states "The lesson here is that on MySpace there is no distinction between personal and mass media".

I fully appreciate the ability these days of gathering information from a myriad of sources and points of view, and not having to rely only on TV or newspapers for "news or facts", however it makes it increasingly more difficult to parse the "truth" from
opinion, hyperbole, or even subliminal marketing ploys. Quite often it seems to me that people are offering "too much information"

Readings

2007-07-02T14:04:00.000-04:00

The content and media are more sophisticated because users/audience-members are more sophisticated...

... of course with lower barriers to entry (media making tools / internet are easily accessed), the content-creation and distribution field is leveled ... thus more competitive than it ever has been.

..and with old lines between content and form breaking down.... producers are now creators of a variety of modes of experience... not one-trick ponies..

So it sort of goes without saying that in such an unsettled and increasingly complex and competitive environment, the creative innovators will be the long term survivors..

Readings

2007-07-02T10:13:00.000-04:00

In describing the media companies' fears, it seems those are all actually benefits for the content creators (like us:)
1. Converging media puts the "opportunity" for revenue back into the open hands of the masses.
2. The creative anxiety seems beneficial for the greater good, since the quality expectations and competition for revenue can only catapult the standards of content design and fertile thought.
3. This paradigm shift of control over community and capitalism creates an interesting and "liberating" uncertainty.

In the book excerpt, it was a little hard for me to follow the theoretical commentary on the two narrative shows, since I had never seen either.

I think the Steve Jobs' description was great - [the difference between tv and the web as the difference between lean-back and sit-forward media.]

Also, it's interesting how in both chapters, he refers to the theme of cognitive evolution that is occuring in this digital age with social mapping likened to physical mapping...and later how in the realm of the internet - "probing is a powerful form of intellectual activity."

Example of Convergence

2007-07-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

Current TV - user created programs and ads, broadcast on this tv station (and here).
http://www.current.tv/make
http://www.current.tv/watch

Thoughts on Reading

2007-07-02T00:55:00.000-04:00

I thought there were many good points in the articles, but one thing that stood out for me, that I think sums up convergence, or at least my thoughts on it, is the following quote from the Saul Hansell article:

"Since the invention of the printing press, mass media have been created for the masses, not by them."

I feel like that sums it up for me because that's really the "power" (if you want to call it that) of all these "new" media formats. It allows all lots of different people to publish lots of different content to reach lots of different audiences. But it still leaves, for me, one question because it's one of those "where do you focus" scenarios (as in the cart or the horse, the chicken or the egg); Is something, like a blog, or content that is on the web and your phone convergent because it's "viewable" in many locations, and on many devices or is it convergent because it's many ideas and or individuals coming together regardless of the medium? Or, I guess, is it convergent because of both?

Example(s) of Convergence

2007-07-02T00:43:00.000-04:00

The first example is a company which allows a organization (such as a university) to push out information to its members in many ways, but I did some research a while back specifically on their cell phone capabilities:

http://www.ravewireless.com/

I thought I'd include a second example though, because it's a little more "mainstream" and lets users access it without being part of a community (or at least in theory it does, because I guess you'd have to be part of the "whdh community" to find, and trust, the service:

http://www1.whdh.com/mobile/7onyourcell

Convergence Reading

2007-06-30T17:53:00.000-04:00

The Saul Hansell article seems to be conveying the idea of convergence's affect on advertising. Advertising at present in and in the past is ostensibly what keeps the film rolling and "entertainment" on cable and television. With the ride of TiVo and the pay per view options, there is less opportunity for advertising to drag us in kicking and screaming while Madge is asking if our hands are soft. It makes sense that the next step is to charge for the specific items the consumer wants. With this, the idea of HAVING to watch the commercials is gone, and their being in the background still paying and maintaining is there. The jukebox television or iPod or cell phone or any number of other electronic device will be consumer driven rather than industrially driven.

In the Steven Johnson piece, I am finding it disturbing to actually see an problem articulately described as a form of social networking. Not only are we "learning" to advance our thinking via reality shows and TV dramas. Though the thought is, our social and mental capabilities are "advancing" through the social connections of these shows, I feel it is taking away from the days where our brains were given the opportunity to socially grow with ACTUAL social interaction, and reading and discussion. The Internet allows for the "wu@" and "gr8". Kids are not learning spelling and grammar or being corrected. What happens in the "social networks when these kids are adults? Will it then be acceptable to have interactive television shows in these socially acceptable languages? My real question is, are we REALLY expanding our brain capabilities, or are we simply finding ways to "intelligently" dumb down outside influences in the name of laziness.

Convergence Ideas

2007-06-30T17:42:00.000-04:00

I found a couple more sites of some cool stuff.
Lonelygirl15

Pre Halo2 stuff. This was a way to introduce Halo2 but also have the user running around and using their GPS and learning from the information they gather on the site.
I Love Bees

V66

2007-06-30T17:34:00.000-04:00

Something I just thought of from high school days. There was this channel that was on all day. It was pre-cable in EVERY house, around the V66 days. The channel scrolled a phone number at the bottom of the page, and if you wanted a particular song, you would call in the number as you saw it scroll by. Then it would confirm the selection, and you would wait to hear it. It was something I remember being on the phone with friends and saying.. "I'm going to order A-ha.. you order the Lizzie Borden and the Axes video." We got the sense that we were in control of the channel if we all ordered enough songs.
These days I am sure there is something on cable, that can be connected to via online, or through your cell phone to select videos or music. I have VideoDJ in my phone, and I can watch a channel that is similar to, if not actually MTV. Perfectly simplifying and making it more personal.

Foggy Ideas

2007-06-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

I found this online, and there seems to be a mix of ghostly like images and tangibility.
http://www.fogscreen.com/en/index.html
Well, I think it is cool. :)

Also, ther is a lot of REALLY cool stuff out there. I also found this: http://adverlab.blogspot.com/
advertising is just out of control with sneakiness.

Broadband Mobile Convergence Solutions

2007-06-29T13:42:00.000-04:00

Here's another one:
http://www.sys-con.com/read/396893.htm

Convergence Technologies

2007-06-29T13:38:00.000-04:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19055328/

Gardner article

2007-06-27T14:54:00.000-04:00

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Gardner/?p=2416

"The revolution will be handheld"

2007-06-27T10:45:00.001-04:00

This columnist states that the iPhone marks the beginning of a "new era" of media.

Is this hype? Maybe we'll have to wait and see (is Seth in line already?)

TV Convergence

2007-06-26T18:45:00.000-04:00

Hey all. Here's an interesting article that was in this Sunday's Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/arts/television/24itzk.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

More convergence

2007-06-26T09:46:00.001-04:00

http://video.on.nytimes.com/

Convergence web site

2007-06-26T09:23:00.000-04:00

http://www.convergenceculture.org/

Projecting!

2007-06-25T22:39:00.000-04:00

We'll try a revised seating next Monday -- with everyone sitting closer to me so that everyone can hear me AND see the screen!