Tumblr is Winrar?

The juggernaut of online journals known as a blog has been around for over a decade and now it seems everyone is an author of a blog or two or twenty. Whether it is used as a virtual diary, a medium for spilling your guts to the world, a platform to announce events, an aggregation site for information, or an academic resource, a blog is quite cumbersome. There aren't too many blogs that keep updates to a minimum either in frequency, length, or both. Although the freedom exists to turn a blog into whatever the creator wants, over the years, certain expectations have been formed. A few paragraphs and maybe a photo along with a couple links seems to be the norm.

In 2006, Twitter gave members a focus for blogging by minimizing requirements. Limiting a single post to only 140 characters is quite the restriction and early users saw both potential and a fresh challenge for sharing stuff to others quickly. To many, Twitter was just too big of a leap where they were more confused than excited to experience microblogging.


About a year after the idea of Twitter came about, Tumblr launched. It boasts the power to allow users to "effortlessly share anything." Is it a blog? A microblog? I like to consider it a "diet blog" or "blog lite." Anyone is able to post text, pictures, video, music, and more like a blog only way simplified like how Twitter is so basic and uncluttered. If a blog is an iPod Classic and Twitter is an iPod Shuffle, then I guess that makes Tumblr an iPod Nano... Maybe it's better imagined if Twitter was a cheetah and a blog was a squirrel, then Tumblr would be a deer... Wait, if Twitter was hot porridge and a blog was cold porridge, then Tumblr would be... I don't know. I'm sure you, the reader, can come up with a better analogy. Anyway, Tumblr is an easy way to post what you want and how much you want. Tumblr could be the best transition from blogging to tweeting on the web.

Twitter Earns +1 Internets

(via Compete)

As an "early" Twitter user -- before mainstream media was over-saturated with Twitter reports -- I've seen firsthand the evolution of the incredible microblogging website. I started off not knowing what to do with my Twitter account and only had two friends following me. Just over a year ago, Twitter was nothing but Facebook boiled down to just the status update. That analogy seemed to be the best way to explain Twitter to those unfamiliar with the site... until now.

(via @cnnbrk)

In just a year's time, there has been a considerable growth in innovative ways to use Twitter. Beyond keeping up with what friends are doing, anyone can check the latest news with @cnnbrk (CNN Breaking News) to @nytimes (New York Times) to @huffingtonpost (Huffington Post), see the latest celebrity gossip through @eonline (E! Online) or @PerezHilton (Perez Hilton) and laugh with @michaelianblack (Michael Ian Black) or @fxxxmylife (FML).

(via @naughtyamerica)

None of these basic benefits would prepare me for my most recent revelation. I have seen an increase in spam accounts following me, but it was the latest new follower email notification that really proved Twitter's influence: pornography. That's right, someone followed me offering a link to see Britney Spears's sex tape. I was quite taken aback by their thumbnail picture. Instead of blocking them, I decided to do some sleuthing to see just how much porn existed. Sure enough, Twitter is overrun with porn. Not only have major companies like Ford (@ScottMonty), The Home Depot (@TheHomeDepot), and Burger King (@theBKlounge) jumped on the Twitter bandwagon, but so has the porn industry. Playboy (@Playboy), Naughty America (@naughtyamerica), and Club Jenna (@clubjenna) have all infiltrated Twitter and are gaining followers.

But why is porn on Twitter so significant? In keeping up with Twitter developement on the web, there has been a plethora of new applications and services all utilizing the huge influx of Twitter users and information. Twitter yellow pages (twellow), directory (wefollow), realtime trend search (twitterfall), picture search (PicFog), photo sharing (twitpic), viewing videos (bubbletweet, 12seconds, and ffwd), music (Twisten and musebin), games (@playtwivia), add events to your calendar (Twitter Cal and Calendar Tweet), dating service (Radaroo), and so much more are all available due to Twitter. If you have a Twitter account, it's almost like you don't need anything else.

#10 - New Media: The Moar You Know

Whether or not using new media has changed my writing style is difficult to determine. I have been on a computer, albeit an old Apple that used those huge floppy disks, since elementary school. I've never really given writing with a pen and paper a chance in the sense that I could develop my writing skills without the influence of computers and new media. There was no way I could ever compare the two since new media has always been a huge factor in my literary maturity. I suppose if I had to make a guess, considering I have physically written a few papers, using computers and new media has provided me with unnatural editing powers with copy and paste features and instant results for information inquiries using search engines. If I needed an article to backup my claims or a book to quote I wouldn't immediately think to go to my local library, but instead go online. The speed and availability of the internet has probably quickened the development of my writing style as I was hardly ever discouraged or prevented from accessing any information which would have slowed me down. Perhaps without computers, the delay in finding research material would have given me time to think more critically and analytically about the topic of my paper, but, as I said before, there's no way of knowing now because I've become reliant, if not addicted, to the immediate gratification of searching new media sources.

In the days before the internet when the personal computer was an emerging idea, newspapers, radio, and television were all very flat in how they relayed information. If a TV show referenced a news article then the viewer would have to go find it outside of watching TV. If radio referenced a book the viewer would have to visit a library or a bookstore to check it out. If a newspaper reported on a movie one would have to go see it. There was no direct connection if the audience wanted more information. As technology advanced and the internet was a growing media vehicle, everything one would do physically could be done much quicker virtually. All it takes is a link to an online book store, a clip from a movie or TV program, or a news article. Instead of everything being so isolated in the real world, the internet was a web of information that helped shape and define new media. Suddenly, TV, news, radio, and so much more was all on the internet but they weren't separate like in their old media forms, they were combined so that a news article had a complementing set of photos, an audio interview, and a video version of the story. Everything was converged into one effectively blurring the line between text and image. On the other hand, maybe this was destined to be the progression of media where it all comes together as one. It could be that this ambiguity between media is the best way to be informed where everything is packaged in one place for convenience in a world as complex and busy as today.

The future of new media as the Museum of Media History displayed in "Epic" is beyond ridiculous. Google will not take over the world. There will always be competition on the internet since it's so easy to create a functioning website, as opposed to forming a physical business outside of the online world, and internet user interest is always shifting. During the long period of Yahoo! search domination, no one ever expected that the same Yahoo! today would be looking for someone to buy their company. When MySpace was the top social network, no one could have predicted Facebook usurping it. Even now, Facebook is struggling to hang on to disgruntled users with the rise of Twitter. Google too may see a day when they simply cannot survive on the internet. Although, Google is one of the only online companies to stay fresh and popular with constant expansion, experimentation, and updating. There really is no way to know what the next big thing will be on the internet.

Over the past semester, I wouldn't say I've encountered an eye-opening experience concerning my understanding or use of new media, but I have grown. All of this new media has exposed me to a wide assortment of ideals that has helped further form my individual writing style. I've learned a few tricks and tips along the way, which, although only small tweaks, they have a significant impact on the audience. I had more fun teaching others then anything else.

#9 - Rules of the Interactivity

Interactive is just another broad term that doesn't mean much without further detail. It can be condensed to mean changing one factor and seeing the effects that has on other factors. Saying something is "interactive" is like saying someone is "special."

Len Manovich puts it best in his "The Myth of Interactivity" when he breaks down interactivity into different kinds of "structures and operations." To me, there are many levels of interaction in varying forms, but I'll focus on new media on the internet. Interaction can be as simple as clicking a link to another page or as complex as building your very own page. But not all interactivity is created equal.

Anyone can hyperlink in order to have people "interact" but is it what users want? Just because there's a link somewhere doesn't mean that it's an effective use of interactivity. If there's a story that has a long and detailed history then an interactive timeline would allow readers to customize there own viewing experience. Google offers anyone to personalize their own homepage with iGoogle where users can drag, drop, and organize anyway they wish at any time. But it doesn't have to be complicated; even just having links to photos or videos for reference would suffice as interactivity if used coorrectly.

Interaction is really about the individual user experience. If there isn't any consideration as to what method of interaction is best then there's a disconnect between the audience and what is being portrayed. The whole point is to get the user actively engaged and actually want to interact. Interaction without will isn't worth interacting with.

#8 - Audio Not Related

When it comes to podcasts, audio is everything. Even if you have the most amazing visuals, if the right audio isn't working well with them then all is lost. The backbone of a podcast has, is, and always will be the audio.

Should there be music playing in the background when I'm speaking? What about when this person is talking? What song would be appropriate here? What do I want the listener to feel? Choosing the best sound selection and when in a podcast depends on many factors. Sound isn't just limited to music either, there are natural pops, "room noises," and voices.

Natural pops have a huge roll in creating a specific scene or location in the listener's mind. If you have birds chirping and the wind blowing then the audience gets a feeling of being outside. Add in some dogs barking and maybe a few soft conversations and the listener feels like they're in a park. Room noise is like the silence you experience when in a... well a room. It's not perfect silence, it's comforting silence. Voices are pretty self explanatory, but it's the sounds you combine with them that are important.

It's no easy task to pick what goes together but when you get it right, audio makes all the difference in the world. Choose wisely.

#7 - So I Herd U Liek Vizualz

4th generation iPod from 2004

When podcasts became popular in late 2004, there was one mp3 player that dominated the market: the iPod 4th generation. The whole reason why an audio clip made for downloading over the internet was called a podcast was because the first broadcasts were made for the iPod. The iPod, at that time, was limited to audio only until the introduction of the iPod Photo. Looking at pictures in color was now a possibility, but was never intended to play videos. In essence, the iPod was an audio only device so it would make sense that podcasts made for it would only contain sound.

Podcasts on 2004 iPod menu

As the iPod lineup grew and its capabilities expanded to include video playback and WiFi connectivity, podcasts could now be coupled with a combination of audio and visuals. Yet many podcasters stuck to the traditional audio only format. Once iPods focused more and more on the video aspect with a larger screen and downloadable games like on the iPod Touch, podcasts weren't keeping up. Now iPod users can play YouTube clips, surf the internet, and use a slew of applications. So why would anyone want to download any podcast, let alone one without any visuals?

5th generation iPod playing a podcast

Podcasts were a great idea at the time since one could download news broadcasts, comedy routines, stories, interviews, and other original content which acted as a nice break from the music. It made sense that they were so popular when all people had were devices that only played audio files. When the color screen came along, it was a case of video killed the podcast star. Why would anyone rely on podcasts to get alternative entertainment when he/she could upload their favorite TV shows, movies, and online clips? Podcasts had a niche following already, but were losing new subscribers fast when the process of having to download the podcasts and then uploading them became too much a hassle for many. Customers of mp3 players were no longer looking for just a music playing device, they wanted multimedia and different applications at their fingertips. Podcasters were following suit by releasing video clips, but, besides devoted fans, no one wanted to explore audio podcasts anymore when most of them could be found elsewhere like radio, television, and the internet.

Podcasts on the iPhone and iPod Touch

In order to attract new subscribers, podcasters need to make their content more appealing. Instead of simply putting parts of or full radio segments online for distribution through podcasts, they should include original visuals. When a host mentions a celebrity, book, quote, or other reference, there should be a visual that corresponds. That way the podcasts are unique and, therefore, desireable as well as enticing to those wanting more than just another audio file. There might also be a solution in interactivity within a podcast too. Perhaps a "choose your own adventure" podcast. Although there will always be those who desire simple audio podcasts, that audience won't be around forever and with changing times comes a shift in expectations and interests. Podcasts should look towards the future instead of dwell in the past and go by the way of the print newspaper today.

#6 - I Accidentally A Podcast

pod·cast (päd′kast′). noun. An audio recording that may be coupled with visuals usually in a series of episodes or regular segments available online which can be downloaded onto a computer or portable device.

Why did I have to define a podcast? Do you have to describe what an iPod is? Why hasn't the podcast become as popular as the device it was named after (iPod + broadcast)?

A few years ago, I used to be subscribed to a decent amount of podcasts on iTunes. A couple times per week I would catch up on the past few days of tech news, photoshop tips, Chinese lessons, video game clips, and National Geographic exerpts. Now I just follow the Chinese lessons. What happened between then and now? Like many others, I found the amount of effort needed to be put into obtaining podcasts wasn't worth their entertainment value. I was downloading episodes that I liked that were already featured on TV or on their respective websites only to watch them once and delete afterwards. They were taking up too much hard drive space and too much of my time. I had realized that most podcasts were nothing more than repackaging content from TV, radio, and other websites to be distributed in a centralized virtual location. Getting a podcast felt like I was in an endless hall of shelves stacked full of cassette tapes where I picked a few that sounded interesting but then had to treck all the way back to the beginning to put them in a tape player and listen. The whole experience just isn't new media enough for me. Podcasts are stuck in limbo between new and old media which doesn't have such a great fan-base.

Maybe my cynicism towards Apple and iTunes is clouding my judgement, but I've tried alternative programs like Juice with no increased enthusiasm for podcasts. I subscribed to the ChinesePod RSS feed and still only just glance at their episodes. I suppose podcasts just aren't my style and maybe I'll never embrace having to download audio or video programs to listen to later.

#5 - Better or Worse?

There are sites where it is obvious that the creators have put enough time and effort into its design so that their intended audience feels at ease and confident in finding what it's looking for. Then there are sites like HavenWorks.

WARNING: This site may cause eye strain, headache, cross-eyedness, confusion, loss of interest, blurred vision, or seizure. Side effects can run from mild to severe so ask your doctor before viewing HavenWorks.

Essentially, just about everything is wrong with this site. The only two things that's not lacking is color and content. At first glance, my eyes didn't know where to begin and yet I had to scroll not only down but across just to view everything this site has to offer. Navigation is just about as impossible as it can get. Everything seems to be a link to somewhere so finding a starting place is like only choosing one piece of candy at the Sweet Factory. Even if I were to come across the information I wanted the text is hardly formatted and the pages require so much scrolling which makes my interest in actually reading anything nonexistent. There's simply too much of everything! I feel totally lost and unable to focus.

On the other side of the spectrum, Fatburgr is a fantastic little website. It's clear from the get-go what this site contains within the first few seconds of looking at the minimal yet effective images and quick, to-the-point description that can't be overlooked. It's colorful but not outrageous and gives off a kind of light-hearted feel. The limited amount of content on the main page makes it simple to get started searching the website without being constraining to exploration. It's easy to figure out how the site operates because it's uncluttered and organized in way that makes sense to the audience. Even though the content is limited, they provide additional resources if more information is required. It may be a bit simplistic but it's intended for quick access even when on-the-go as the iPhone option signifies.

When it comes to website design, simple and clean is the way to go.

I'm Original, I Use a Template

Image source: photobucket

Here's an easy guide to customizing your blog.

1. Go to Mashable's list of blogger template sites
2. Find a template you like and save it to your computer
3. Open up your blog in blogger, go to the Layout tab, and click on Edit HTML
4. Under Backup / Restore Template, click Download Full Template link to save your current template to your computer just in case you need it later.
5. Click the Browse button and open your new template that you want to apply
6. Click the Upload button when you've found it
7. If you come across any warnings, just save or preview if you want to see how it looks first
8. Navigate your way back to Layout > Page Elements and feel free to move your page elements around.
9. To add page elements, click an Add a Gadget link where you want your new element to show up
10. To add music to the sidebar, sign up with playlist, add the songs that you want to your playlist, add the HTML gadget to your blog, and follow the steps on the playlist website.
    

#4 - (Insert Image Here)

Abortion is just another word for choice
and symbolizes women's rights, nothing more.

Why should those with so little to do with abortions
hold so much power over their legality?

Should women be forced to have unwanted children?...

...or should they have the right to choose?

So many decide to be pro-choice.

There are more lives at stake than what you might think.

Women shouldn't be forced; it's a choice.

If there's no choice, then...

Is this making sense?

Pro-choice is not pro-abortion.
Pro-life is anti-choice.

The topic of abortion is not an easy one to address, but I feel that I must express my unbiased observations. In order to convey my thoughts on the subject through images, I had to create some kind of logical argument with as few words as possible. I started off with my visual thesis statement, which took a pro-choice stance, and then I explained why. My first issue was why men seem to have so much say in the matter. This may be shooting myself in the foot since I am male, but I still felt it was worth noting to get readers to think critically of how abortion is represented. I then moved on to my next point: women shouldn't be forced into a single decision. No one should have the right to make anyone, including mothers, choose one side or another when the issue is a sound, personal, and moral decision. Women shouldn't be forced to give birth or get an abortion. I then went on to visually state how many share my ideas and the consequences of not heeding our warnings. Finally, I make a dramatic conclusion where I say that it's fine if you, as an individual, don't want to have an abortion, but please don't push your choice onto others. It was different explaining everything in images but I feel that my only obstacle was finding the right images for each part.

Update: I fixed a spelling and syntax error so that it reads "Women shouldn't be forced; it's a choice" instead of "Woman aren't forced, it's a choice."
I also want to add that I am not against those who choose to be pro-life. In fact, I'm fine if you want to be pro-life. I just don't appreciate when some pro-lifers suddenly wish to make everyone pro-life. If you support giving birth, never to have an abortion, then I respect your personal decision. The reason why I said "Pro-life is anti-choice" is to simply state that a pro-lifer is more or less giving up their right to choice and instead always go with giving birth to a child. It's not much of a choice when there's only one option. Again, it's fine if you don't want an abortion and become pro-life, but what's not fine is when you force others to be pro-life as well.

#3 - Techno-naughty Blogs

I have a bad feeling this post is going to be long and boring. Let me see what I can do to make it better for the both of us.

Geekdad - Science/Technology
This "blog" is just a part of Wired which is a magazine dedicated, more or less, to catering current events to the technologically literate crowd. As this site is under Wired's control it has the same look and layout of the rest of Wired: minimalist without being too dull. The blog is pretty self explanatory; the author's a geek and a dad so his posts are mostly about combining the two. The content of the posts are fairly long similar to other news articles online, the pictures are normally amusing, and there is an audience, just no commenters. If I had more time and patience, I'm sure I would enjoy his blog since it has a feel of informal news from a simple geeky enthusiast.

Hot Air - News/Politics
This site is dedicated to vloging and right-wing reporting. The layout consists of headlines at the top (always a good place to put the new and important stuff) and the rest are videos with a few words of description in the titles. You won't find any lengthy news stories here despite it being under the News category. The videos, for all intents and purposes, have replaced actual written journalism which sets is apart from other news sites. This site is especially useful because it's an aggregation of filmed news from credible sources, you watch rather than read allowing the opportunity to multitask if you so wish, and it's easy to navigate since everything you need is right on the front page.

I don't know, what do YOU want to eat? - Lifestyle
No pictures, just recipes. That's about it. Not that uber simplicity is a bad thing but it does tend to limit readership. The posts seem to be submitted regularly, they have a little tid-bit about the dish before describing how to make it, and it's well organized by the type of dish. Even though the authors sometimes include their opinions about the dish, they aren't food critics so credibility for this blog is immaterial. Basically, it's an online recipe book with a few side comments.

Perez Hilton - Arts/Entertainment
Ah yes, "Arts/Entertainment:" the potpourri category. What can I say about Perez Hilton? It's a "gay" blog in more ways than one. Big photos with MSPaint notes drawn on them, short descriptions for the get-to-the-point readers, and a hub for celebrity gossip. The layout reminds me of those teen magazines like Seventeen or CosmoGirl only more provocative and in blog form. The side bars are a little cluttered but if you know where to look then you'll discover that this blog is organized well with a "starseeker" option to search for posts on selected celebrities. I can't say that I don't like the blog, in fact it's quite amusing. The credibility is questionable as it is a gossip blog but the stories aren't all that far from the truth either. I like this blog for it's ferocious bite-sized updates on famous people.

I hope I didn't turn you away with this post. I did my best to condense.

King of the New Media Hill

It always surprises me about how many odd coincidences occur in my life. When I'm eating my Hello Panda cookies I suddenly hear about pandas. I miss an important meeting and find out that it was canceled due to weather conditions. I'm taking this new media class and now I'm bombarded with new media articles on the web.

I stumbled upon GamePolitics which detailed who is the king of new media. The "media experiences" were music, video games, cable TV, DVDs, on-demand, and theater. Each of these were compared based on their initial costs, replayability, and cost per play. This wasn't really an official study, but the findings were stunning.


According to the chart, music is pretty inexpensive, has decent replayability since everyone listens to a purchased song more than once, and each play is extremely cheap. On-demand and theater are understandably expensive since it's a one time thing. DVDs and TV seem to be okay as customers normally watch DVD movies numerous times considering that they bought them and TV gets quite a few views for the average $75 charge bringing the cost per play to a relatively small number. But what's this? Video games have a pretty big intial purchase price at around $50 and yet get about 250 plays which means it only costs 20 cents each time!

Looks like video games are pretty lucrative for new media. I suppose it's a combination of getting information across to the public as all new media forms do and their high replay value since the users are heavily involved the outcome is determined by their actions changing the experience every time they play.

I'm wondering why the internet wasn't part of that list. I feel that that would beat out everything since it only costs about $50 per month and yet customers use it for hours everyday. Nonetheless, there's no denying that video games are way up on the new media chain of importance and influence.

#2 - That's Real Mature

Skimming the "Academic" Blogs, I found most of them to be rather dull. Practically all of them had posts that went on and on. As a reader, if I don't find something immediately interesting within the first few seconds of just looking at a blog then I move on. As far as the internet goes, I'm extremely impatient and A.D.D.. I simply do not have the diligence to read an entire post -- especially those longer than three paragraphs -- if I can tell early on that I'm either not going to gain anything worthwhile or be amused by reading it. Even as I write this academic-like post, I cannot resist checking email or wanting to surf the net. Such is the life of an Academic Blog in my eyes.

Crooked Timber doesn't fit within my spectrum of interest. It's plain with a black and white background and the occasional burgundy text. The content is also insipid. There's just nothing I really care for on that blog.

On the other hand, Bug Girl's Blog, is quite fetching although that might be contrary to others' opinions. I feel like I can relate to her oddball rants and, sometimes, completely random posts. I can tell that she's making a conscious effort to make her blog interesting and appealing. The blog has a simple white background and some green text, but, unlike the Crooked Timber, having simple text with charming content and images emphasizes the content which makes for a well balanced blog. Admittedly, her posts are on the silly side rather than a series of in-depth articles on insects, but that's what surprises me and keeps me coming back to see what other crazy antics she's capable of.

Finally, A Walk in the Words for me is like the baby bear in Goldie Locks: just the right amount of humor and intellectual journalism to hold my attention. The design is clean and not cluttered, posts are submitted regularly, and the content is original yet not overwhelming. This balance is key if bloggers want to be both professional and maintain readers such as myself. I just hope that can find that balance with this blog.

#1 - A Blogger Is You

Image source: http://www.dailyblogtips.com/wp-content/uploads/blogs.jpg

I'm no stranger to the internet. I've lived off of it for 10 years now. I've watched it grow to what it is today. I like to think that I helped shape the internet but I certainly know that it has defined me.

My blogs are more than my thoughts written down, or rather typed, each and every post is my contribution to the mass of knowledge and information the web offers to any individual with internet capable device. Just as The Economist noted about LiveJournal, blogs are open conversations. They're faster than email but more inviting and thought-provoking than instant messaging clients. If you knew me well enough, you'd know of my awful social skills. If I had the choice, I would never open my mouth to have a conversation because I prefer typing so much more.

In order to better define what a blog means to me, I could quote Why I Blog from The Atlantic the whole time. That one article explains my exact thoughts on blogs. "Instant and global self-publishing," "spontaneous expression of instant thought," "We blog now—as news reaches us, as facts emerge," etc. These statements are precisely what I think of when I write on my blogs. A blog is like one giant notepad that everyone has access to where one person incites a conversation and the community, whoever large the blogger wants it to be, adds to it no matter when or where any individual is.

I can keep my blog up forever or delete it whenever I want. A blog is my way of connecting with others and how everyone else connects to me. I never have to worry about whether I'm being politically correct or if I have all the facts straight like in print journalism. I have the complete and total freedom to post what I want when I want as long as I'm not severely hurting anyone in the process. I suppose I will go as far as to say that blogs are conversations 2.0.