Recently,
I’ve become enamored with the new #XboxOne due
out by Christmas. The idea that I will be able to walk into a room, declare
that I want to watch the newest Glee
episode, and it pops up on my television seems so futuristic and unreal. This
new technology has been in the works and buzzing around the digital water
cooler for quite some time now. I find myself googling, reading technology
blogs, and chatting on Facebook with friends about what to expect from this
new, shiny box of wires. Simultaneously,
I find myself delving into Convergence
Culture by Jenkins which focuses on how discussion online has created an
age where people ‘chat’ in a digital format, thus creating a new culture.
Jenkins wouldn’t really care about
the new Xbox, but he would be interested in next week’s E3 conference which
will be streamed live over the net and will create more buzz and speculation
that will be discussed and dissected for weeks to come. He might also be
wondering why the introduction of the Xbox is slated for this Christmas, rather
than sooner. The answer can be found in various forums spread across the web,
in which the hype for the new PlayStation has forced Microsoft to act now after
its 8-year hiatus from the console wars.
This integration of the different
media formats has spilled over into classrooms everywhere. At Emma K. Doub ES,
students of all ages are configuring technology in a way that focuses on
integration and active participation. The focus is shifting from a personal
online environment to an educational one. For my generation, some know how to
manipulate the internet and seek out information that is useful to our own
amusement while others are still working to figure it out. In the generations
to come, this convergence upon social media will be automatic and natural, with
a collection of fans who influence the culture based solely on instantaneous
opinion. This driving factor makes me think ahead as I anticipate what even the
Xbox after this one will be like.
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