Affordances of communication in technology: Instagram.

Affordances of communication in technology: Instagram

Instagram is a huge public social networking site that is only accessible through an app on a smartphone or tablet, which significantly affects the persuasion to buy certain products that aid this type of communication and social networking via the internet, which is a great marketing technique for companies that sell this kind of technology, for example Apple. It is great for the younger generation because a high proportion of young people possess a smartphone and/or a tablet, therefore this age group are more likely to use it, but nevertheless, it also encourages the older generation to buy new technology to be able to connect using this developed social networking app.

Instagram encorporates mixed mode, which include qualilites of speech and writing, as you can post pictures, videos and writing. This includes comments on posts and also private messages through 'Instagram direct'. This allows more personal types of messages with private pictures, but also messages that the person alows to be public. Commenting on photos can have constraints, because you may not always understand the exact tone of what the person is trying to say as you cannot make a judgement on their paralinguistical features, such as body language. However, emoticons allow you to comment using different faces that can allow the recipient to get a better understanding of what you are saying and what you mean when you comment or send a message. This makes it easier for the reader to acknowledge sarcasm, irony or even just a change in tone.

The picture on the left shows private communication through Instagram. As you can see, the user who has sent the message hasn't chosen to send a picture with the message, however this function allows you to send an unliminited amount of pictures and messages privately. The user has also send emoticons to express the emotion witgh the messagek, and you cab also see how long ago that the message was sent on the right hand side.

The picture on the right shows public communication through Instagram, and shows how writing, emoticons and links to other pages are used on one post. This is used by the process of 'tagging', which notifies another user to look at the particular post they are being directed to. The emoticons are used to express feelings and emotions that the commenter wants the recipient to understand, which is very effective.

Changes in Communication over Time - Research Task

Changes in Communication over Time 

Thanks to Martin Cooper, his first phone call will go down in history. The first ever phone call made. He made the call on a Motorola DynacTAC from New York, that marks the occasion of the 40th anniversary. 

It is extraordinary, that this phone was '9 inches tall, comprised 30 circuit boards, had a talk time of 35 minutes, and took 10 hours to recharge.' Well look how it has come on now, 40 years on, with the use of 3G and internet on our now called 'smartphones', the mobile phone industry truly has taken off. 

But still innovators are looking further at how our modern day smartphones can be advanced further. I don't quite understand how they can make them any smaller, or thinner, I mean it's mind boggling to think how small they are and what they are capable of. 

I seriously cannot comprehend what will happen within the next 40 years, and Dr Short says: "It's very difficult to predict 40 years' time because the pace of innovation is speeding up. I would say that we'll all be mobile, globally, everyone will be mobile." "I'd also say that we'll be connecting many more machines via wireless mobile technology as well."
I know I can't wait to see what the technology the future will bring us, many more fascinating and mind-blowing things, I would imagine.

Analysis of a transcript from a communication exercise. 03-11-14.

Transcript Extract

....

Sophie: so literally in the  middle of the page (.) are you ready?

Isabel:   [laughs] 

Sophie: oh my god, are you laughing at my spot? (0.5)

Isabel:   no! [laughs] that's on record! 

Sophie: okay, so in the middle of the page (.) there's a backwards 'C', and it's about (3) four centimetres long (1)

Isabel:  yeah (.)

Sophie: and where it ends (.) there's like (.) a 'C' the right way round, the same size, right (.) are you listening? 

Isabel: yeah [laughs]

Sophie: right (.) now in the middle of that... (2)

Isabel:  in the middle of what?

Sophie: in the middle of the 'C' you just drew (1) the backwards one (.)

Analysis

In the text the power of the two speakers is equal, because we are both similar ages and have equal status and respect for one another. However, because of the task, Sophie will speak more as she is describing what needs to be drawn and is instructing me, and therefore it requires longer amounts of time to speak. I am usually just back-channelling to show understanding or using an interrogative about the task, in which I am usually encouraging the speaker almost channelling 'underneath' Sophie as she speaks. This could be interpreted that she has more power, but because of our knowledge of the context, this is not the case.

There are a few timed pauses within the extract, usually when I am thinking about the instruction I have been given, or when Sophie is working out the spacing on the page or thinking about how she can explain the shapes to me to draw them effectively. Another timed pause in the transcript is when Sophie says: 'now in the middle of that', and this shows that I did not have the pragmatic understanding to follow on from the instruction and draw what she was about to explain, and therefore had to ask 'in the middle of what?'. This shows that we can be co-operative with one another and together can communicate strongly and effectively.

In the conversation, I do laugh regularly, particularly in this extract. This suggests that we are comfortable around one another and perhaps the context in relatively informal. In contrast, it could also suggest that I am more powerful, because I'm allowed to laugh when I like or when I feel it's appropriate however Sophie only laughs when it is acceptable for her to do so after I have laughed myself. It can be interpreted in different ways, however again, because of my knowledge of the context, I know that I am not more powerful.

Sirens. A mini saga of 50 words.

Sirens

Phone rings.

"Mum?!" 

"I'd like to order some chicken noodles to be delivered."

"Mum, you do realise this is me? Is everything okay?" 

"I understand that. My address is 182 Britannia Road."

"Oh, Mum. Not again, you can't let him hear, is that it?" 

... 

"I'm sending the police round now." 

Gods Among Us #2: EFRON. Empire Magazine Article.

Empire Magazine

 

Gods Among Us #2: EFRON

Wish you were 17 again? I certainly do. I perfectly demonstrate without any inability, a typical middle-aged-human-being who cannot seem to emphasise the immense aroma of it. He’s just got it. I do not see how anyone can think that this guy is not the most impressive guy ever to bless us with his presence on this Earth.

Forget DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper, in all seriousness, this guy is the refreshed, regenerated and reborn. Already a read-made star thanks to Disney’s High School Musical, Efron has starred in some popular box-office favourites; including Hairspray, 17 again, Me and Orson Welles, Charlie St. Cloud, New Year’s Eve, The Lucky One, That Awkward Moment, Bad Neighbors, The Lorax, The Paperboy, At Any Price, Easy Money and Parkland. This 26-year-old isn’t just a pretty face. He has also accumulated an exceedingly impressive 20 awards and 20 nominations including those from MTV, Critic’s Choice and People’s Choice.

And the best part is, no longer is he a ‘Disney Channel Star’, so he can really showcase his acting and performing talents. Zac began acting at 11 years old, and subsequently appeared in many acting performances at his high-school. Furthermore, he worked in the theater The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville and began taking singing lessons. My undivided attention and acknowledgement goes towards Efron and his incomparable talents.

Facebook and social networking: The ultimate challenge we have to face. A witty article about anything.

The Guardian                                                                                              

Facebook and social networking: The ultimate challenge we have to face

I have decided to eliminate Facebook from my life, completely erased. And this is why you should too...

                Isabel Hendy

               The guardian, Wednesday 1st October 2012

Facebook – the huge booming, successful and thriving social networking site. A marvellous world of connecting regularly with distant relatives and long-lost friends across the globe, an exciting way to share achievements and keep updated online, and of course a knowledgeable place to learn new facts and information, Facebook has its benefits. Its ever-increasing popularity has now documented at an incredible 1+ billion users and has become a huge part of our everyday lives. But is it respectable and worthy of this title? There is a potentially worrying shadow lurking ominously above its bright blue façade.

I think most people will agree with me when I say – I think not. Firstly, people can become extremely addicted to the site itself and even I know that it actually can become incredibly stressful, consider why you are up at early hours in the morning arguing with someone you don't really know, ‘unfriending’ someone you’ve had a recent argument with or getting frequently pestered with infuriating status updates. I mean come on, who really wants to know how tasty your Sunday Lunch was or how extraordinarily big your new flat screen is? People just post information about anything and everything and eventually, it starts to get tedious, dreary and actually rather irritating.

Aside from this; Facebook encourages ridiculously embarrassing and atrociously bad behaviour. Have you ever stalked your best-friend’s-teacher’s-girlfriend, or been so hung up on why you don't have abs and a peachy bum like your closest frenemy? This is a sign of obsession and when you actually think about it, it’s really rather creepy! The site aids stalker tendencies and whether you’re being ‘Facebook-stalked’ or doing the stalking yourself, there’s nothing more embarrassing getting caught stalking someone’s wall and admittedly knowing things about them that they hadn't told you yet!

And another thing… it can really affect your mood, I mean one second you could be flying high because you just discovered you got an A in your Psychology Mini-Test, and seconds later you’re sobbing on the floor, on the phone to your best-friend, because your ex just changed his relationship status/un-friended you. The site encourages people to ‘tell Facebook how they’re feeling’ – this makes complaining way easy and it ends up being used as some sort of personal journal, creating a negative and undesirable news feed for all of us to look at.

Facebook friends. The dreaded two words. But, come on, we all do it, a new guy from your gym adds you as a friend on Facebook (even though you don't really know him) do you accept? Of course you do; but in all seriousness how many times do we accent acquaintances into our circle of ‘friends’, without even really knowing them? Have you ever had one of your Facebook friends walk past you in the street without even a nod of acknowledgement? Yet they are the first people to like your new photo or status update. It’s just wrong – what happened to face to face communication?

Now, Facebook’s privacy policy is somewhat controversial, there is a bit of a grey area when it comes to privacy shall I say, as your information is used for Facebook’s benefit. Even when you do make sure your profile is private as it can get, you still get randomers liking your photos! There is surely a lack in confidentiality here.

When  you see a news feed of all the countless, wonderful and amazing things that your Facebook friends are accomplishing and achieving, you often end up comparing yourself to others and consequently, continually feeling bad about yourself. This is unhealthy competition; you can become morbidly obsessed with competing for “likes” with your friends. Ever been waiting all day for someone to like your new status update or recent photo? You don't need someone to ‘like’ your posts, if people like you, they will tell you themselves!

Now this is a good enough reason to give up Facebook alone. Getting tagged – now we've all been there, log on to find out one of your friends has tagged you in a shameful party pic (the friend themselves looking exceedingly glamorous). I don't know how many times I have experienced this and I am certain the photos just get worse every time.

Seriously, I think we just need to abolish Facebook altogether, we would be so much more laid-back, stress-free people without it – at liberty from humiliation heartbreak and ultimately, embarrassment. 

More from the Guardian...                                           More from around the web...

The seven rules of being posh 22 Sep 2012                                   No one is talking (Stuff.tv)

Not even worth a Penny. - A dramatic monologue based on a troubled 15-year-old.

Not even worth a Penny

An extract from the short play by Isabel Hendy.

It is a Monday afternoon. Penny is a 15-year-old schoolgirl. She sits on the floor in her room, against her desk. She stares downwards at the floor and plucks an elastic band from her wrist.

Penny: I would have Maths now. Mr Elliott would be clicking his fingers in front of my face, and raising his voice, doing his utmost for me to actually finish the first remarkably complex question that floats on the whiteboard. I am glad I am not there, in that lifeless, insipid classroom. But then again, here is no better. And yes, I do often miss lessons. Sometimes whole days of school.  Not worth my time. I just walk home. I like walking. Surprisingly, it's one of the things I do like, it gives me time to cleanse the deep, dark and vicious thoughts in my soul. 

[Penny fumbles for a glass bottle under her desk. She grabs hold of it, unscrews the lid and takes two, long gulps. She hides the bottle back under her desk. Her voice now sounds empty and emotionless.]

Oh, Father. Where art thou on this fine afternoon? Evidently not here. At the pub perhaps? Again. Well, at least you've got something right. Mum told me you don't work anymore, well that was predictable. You can't even communicate with your daughter; let alone hold down a job.

What's my name Daddy? Do you remember? Well, it's Penelopé, and my body and mind is deteriorating just as fast as yours. I lose my mind every day. Just like you do when you finally come home. Just when you place that cold, forbidding glass to your broken lips that no longer speak words of love and affection, letting the alcoholic liquid flood through you like poison. I get it though, Father, it numbs you. Numbs you from feeling and reality. That's how I feel too.

I refuse to converse or make contact with people from now on. They all lack humanity. Just like Mother and Father, they all possess a deficiency in tolerance, understanding and compassion. I have constructed two-and-a-half locks on my bedroom door, so I hope these lesser beings can grasp the idea that; a) no my bedroom is not a communal coffee club, where you can just walk in and expect me to talk or even look at you, and b) if you have got anything to offer me, no I actually don't need your help. So thanks for offering. Oh wait... you didn't. I was just imagining that people actually valued my presence on this planet.

[Continues to pluck elastic band from wrist. This time, she plucks harder so it leaves marks on her wrist. Her voice is starting to sound softer and more relaxed than previously.] 

So there's this girl. She's kind of, intriguing. I know I said I refuse to communicate with human beings, but this girl isn't human. And besides, I don't think I've ever actually spoke to her. Okay, maybe once, when I asked to borrow a pen. But there seems to be an ominously recurring event here... she doesn't notice me, no one does! Oh how I long to talk to her, not anyone else by the way, no I don't want to talk to my Mother or especially not my Father. I don't want anyone in my life. Apart from her. That girl.
And I know what you're thinking. No, I don't fancy her, or think she's attractive. I'm not attracted to girls. But her...

[Retrieves the bottle and takes a few more gulps and returns it. Her voice starts to sound angry.] 

If she doesn't talk to me what does she expect me to do?  I don't know why she wants to hurt me. Just like everyone else. Well maybe I want to hurt someone, so they feel how I feel. It's just so unfair. I don't want to cry anymore, and taste the bitterness of my tears, I don't want to drink anymore, and feel the toxin soak up my anxiety. I don't want to eat anymore, and feel as if my body is making poor use of the nourishment that I've been given. I am a poor use to this world. But soon... someone will feel like me too.

An exceedingly critical current-society take on a review of a person that so happens to actually be myself.

A REVIEW


Attention: Please do judge this person from what is written in this review... it's what you were going to do anyway. Right?

Define: Isabel Hendy - Fairly ordinary, sparsely good-natured, a little uninspiring, yet very susceptible to emotional harm, featuring immense fabrication from itself and just slightly judged by society.

The Review: The evaluation of her has been exceedingly strenuous to construct. I believe each young person in society currently, is quite remarkably perplexing. I know it's cliché, but she definitely wears her heart on her sleeve, everything she feels, she shares, revealing her innermost feelings that touch her heart and soul. I think it is more than ridiculous, as now-a-days you cannot trust or rely on anyone, especially people like me. People will always have something to say about you and everything you say and feel.

'Adventurous' and fairly 'ambitious', she is; with wanting to leave the UK and live and work abroad, develop her love for 'languages' and 'cultural awareness'. A passion for 'wide diversity', 'self-assurance' and 'optimism', she says, while this definitely is not always apparent in her own personality. I think she believes she can speak fluent German, which however is not the case, and we all think she gets ahead of herself when speaking with her so-say immensely accurate German accent. Actually extremely irritating. Aside of this, I don't think she really belongs here, not with all this oozing passion and ability to move on from just Bristol, explore and learn new places, people and things.

She is 'accepting' and 'appreciative', but only of anyone of similar ideas and feelings, which I believe is most absurd, and actually seemingly hypocritical, while she believes in 'wide-diversity', and wanting everyone to embrace their inner differentiation from another and to express themselves in any way they feel inclined, albeit music, fashion, poetry or anything else. I think all this is utter nonsense, to make herself sound a more in-depth and thought-provoking character, which by the way, I actually think she is not.

'Sociable' and 'communicative', two traits that I do think actually describe her, as I do see her willing and able to socialise with a range of different people, and she clearly enjoys it, because she just, Doesn't. Stop. Talking.
Sincerely enjoys the sound of her own voice, I think.
Moreover, she apparently 'adores' fashion, as I think it is another way for her to express herself, aside from talking - an awful lot. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying she is creative, but she can wear some nice things, but it's only because her Dad is rich. Exceptionally spoilt, is she, and it doesn't do her any good or make her a better person in any way shape or form. It rather makes her quite swollen-headed and egotistical, which is how people see her, I therefore do sincerely agree with this, not someone anyone wants to be in the company of.

After long deliberation and and careful consideration, I have decided that I genuinely do not value this individual, someone quite so ambiguously infuriating and temperamental cannot and will not succeed in anything in life, and for that reason...
 I am evaluating her at one star. Nothing worth talking about, at all in fact, so don't waste your precious time with her. I am telling  you.

Written by: An anonymous journalist.

Idiolect - Something so distinctive and personal to you. How would you describe your idiolect?

I D I O L E C T 

I do not think that I speak with a particularly strong Bristolian accent, despite being born and brought up here in Bristol. I don't really find it particularly attractive - or professional in some situations - so I do tend to avoid speaking that way. However, this can actually be quite difficult, as the people I interact with on a daily basis including a wide variety of friends, family and acquaintances, do hugely influence the way I speak and therefore occasionally, my accent may be stronger and more apparent.

I do know that I use a lot of fillers in my speech, and there is one that I use the absolute most - 'like'. I estimate that this word will pop itself into almost every one of my sentences - evidently, it is at the very top of my mental vocabulary list. I do think that I mainly use this word out of habit, however other fillers I use for example 'um', 'basically' and 'so' among others, I may use more frequently when I'm speaking spontaneously.

One word that really makes me squirm is 'moist', the way the 'oi' sounds blends with the 's' and the 't' really agonizes me. What I also find extremely unconventional, is that the word can be associated with your favourite food but also with other things that are definitely not food related... ugh. Foetus is another one. Please tell me who created that word and what they were thinking when they did?! It sounds so alien-like and similarly, I do avoid using that one too.

When answering the phone, my voice actually reaches a higher pitch that I thought I could ever reach. Okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but the pitch does actually increase, without me particularly pre-meditating it. Obviously, taking the usual approach of answering 'hello?' when I pick up, is very original but however putting a more-than-needed emphasis on the second syllable. I think I do this because it makes me sound more friendly and approachable... although I don't actually think about that when I actually say it, actually.

I do have quite a few conversational habits, probably exceedingly annoying to some. If someone is sharing their feelings with me or explaining a situation, I do ask questions or agree with that person. In addition, I always make 'mmm' sound when someone is speaking to me. It most likely is quite irritating, however I do it because I feel it reassures the speaker and also so that they know I am listening. As of recent; there is one phrase that cannot seem to stop cropping up in my mind. When I am explaining something to someone, I will ask, 'do you know what I mean?', I say it extremely fast and I know it actually can be quite annoying. However, I do think I ask this to make sure that the person is connecting and engaging with me in the conversation.

I believe my voice is actually quite low pitched for a typical female of my age group. In some situations it can be softer and more relaxed and sometimes calm, although in others, maybe when I am feeling slightly stressed or uptight, it can be high-pitched, or my speech may be faster.

An idiolect is so personal,  billions of different varieties...

I S A B E L