Module 5

“We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us”~ Marshall Mcluhan

In Module 5, I learned how forces in technology can cause a major chaos.  These forces are Increasing returns and Red Queens.  These forces are more like the “The Avengers”.  The Avengers was #1 box office winner last weekend that reach to $1 billion dollars which marked nationwide.  Marvel Comics did not allow DC Comics to enter the race.  In fact, Marvel Comics and DC developers’ settled their differences and completed 196 pages comic book to the mighty heroes against the forces of darkness (Wikipedia, 2012).  In emerging technology, the battles are stiff and sometimes suboptimal technologies win the war but battles are won by mighty forces because we purchases the tools that please our human natural. 

  Increasing returns are defined as two emerging technologies arrive on the market at same time.  However, the force of one of technology is lockout to the point of non-distinction (Thornburg, 2008).  Allowing Increasing returns forces to identify the “S” curve which moves more rapidly by leaving the other product in the dust.  Dr. Thornburg creates several examples such as the Betamax/VHS.  He states that “Betamax was better but VHS became dominant through the powers of Panasonic the movie making giant”.  These types force are cleverer than the Black Widow herself.

Red Queens is like in your face.  Dr. Thornburg tells the story about a race about two competitors who are start off at the same time but the stronger one survive (Thornburg, 2008).    Red Queens are defined as competition between two technologies but all other competitors will get left behind (Thornburg, 2008).

•When you decided to obtain a DVD for your science fiction assignment in Module 4, I sign up for a Netflix account. Video On Demand was more confident for me and economical.   

•Is the current competition between DVDs and video-on-demand an example of increasing returns or Red Queens? Justify your response with sound reasoning and specific examples.   Red Queens are more favorable because it is a huge competition between two technologies.   The DVDs will some be obsolete because of VOD is a stronger force. It is meeting the demands of our busy society by selecting movies in comfort of our home.  Netflix and Blockbuster have joined this stiff competition of VOD but I believe DVDs will be around for some time because of the Redbox at your corner store and its competitor Blockbuster local box.    

•Where do you think DVDs and video-on-demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?

Enhances: Flexible	Obsoletes: VHS
Retrieval: Motion Pictures	Reverse: Lease

References

Thornburg, D. (2008). Red Queens, butterflies, strange attractions: Imperfect lenses in emergent technologies. Creative Commons: Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. , 3-7.

Wikipedia. (2012, May 11). DC VS Marvel. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_vs._Marvel

Module 4: Disruptive Technology

Have you ever been traveling on the highway and your GPS is taking you for a true journey call lost?  In the virtual world, lost does not exist.  Second Life is define a virtual world and users build and shape the world by developing their own activities, games, and adventures (Rosedale, 2008).   In business education, Second Life can allow business students to reflect their cultural diversity in American Society as a whole to create a work environment for student to utilize work from real world.

In Second Life, you can become a virtual Donald Trump, buying up land, developing it, and then turning around and selling it on the market (Ocampo, 2004).  The virtual world is cheap because you can purchase beachfront land at $550 an acre.  However, there are others investor in this market because risk can be thought of possibility of incurring a loss in the virtual world.    The business student can compare and contrast the various types of risk in the stock market which you can encounter millionaire like  Anshe Chung who  has apparently become the first millionaire in the virtual land (Hof, 2006).  The virtual world has Linden dollars which can be converted into real cash in the Second life businesses.  The Linden dollars can be converted in to shopping malls and stock markets.

Dr. David Thornburg stated that second life is called disruptive technology “when it is replaced by an established functional technology” such as a computer chips replacing a vacuum tubes (Education, 2010).  Second life was a disruptive technology by allowing real world exchanging in the virtual world.  Hof, the virtual world millionaire from business week, describes his avatar (Anche Chung) as the woman who could take a risk and purchase malls and purchase stocks by socially demanding her power to take a risk an win in the virtual world (Hof, 2006)

  The emerging life of the virtual world became disruptive in 2007.  When everybody wanted a Wii, purchasing a Wii in my family created this world of playing tennis or dancing with the stars.  In this world, you have a weight lost scale and a mileage tracker. However, replacing brick and mortar of the “Y” have no competition because actual events feel better than virtual.

References

Education, L. (Director). (2010). Disruptive Technology [Motion Picture].

Hof, R. (2006, November 26). Second Life First Millionaire. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from Bloomberg Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2006/11/second_lifes_fi.html

Ocampo, J. (2004, June 15). Game Stop. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from Second Life Verison 1.4 Impression: http://www.gamespot.com/second-life/previews/second-life-version-14-impressions-6100685/

Rosedale, P. (2008, May). TED On Ideas Worth Spreading. Retrieved 4 29, 2012, from Philip Rosedale: http://www.gamespot.com/second-life/previews/second-life-version-14-impressions-6100685/