Well, the item I tend to use daily is my iPod Touch, primarily for music even though it has features such as apps, the internet, timer, an alarm, photos and video carrier, and etc. I have certain parts of my day where I use it, when heading off to classes I can listening to my various music that I have or play some podcasts that I have been meaning to listen to. In this media driven world, an iPod Touch has everything to offer, except for phone usage and texting but that is something it’s counterpart, the iPhone, does. It’s something I would guess most iPod Touch owners would love since it can tap into the major media outlets. The factor it proves to show is it can keep you very much entertained with all it offers. Where we are with this world and how most people function in their everyday life, the iPod Touch touches on many of those basis. People listens to music and go on the internet all the time and that alone is a staple of our everyday lives.
What this touched on from our readings is McLuhan’s Understanding Media and how technology is used as an extension of man. How these items that we have become something we’ve identified ourselves with and turns into a daily function that become a part of us. Another thing is looking at Apple brands in general and how it devise this plan that we have to have it. Klien’s New Branded World, shows us how companies aren’t trying to sell products but they are trying to sell brands. So maybe the fact, that I have this iPod Touch is because I belong in this ready-made group of people who are looking for this new and innovated technology that comes with being a Apple owner. That all of the uses for the iPod Touch come secondary only to the fact that I am a iPod Touch owner, so that makes me better. So what I see here, is two things that our running my everyday life based on this, the media and the brand.
Extra Credit:
Even though ipods were made to be music players, I feel that now they've evolved so much and can do so much more that their music playing abilities are the least attractive feature now. They've worked their way into our lives as necessities to keep us from boredom, and music is just one of the many ways it can do so. They're yet another way we can stay in touch with others and always have some form of media and communication at our fingertips.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that has been said. Why do we even have IPods?? Or why do we create advances to the original IPod? It was made to play music. Technological advances have taken over some of the simple aspects of technology. I think many of the advancements in technology today are not needed.
ReplyDeleteI can relate. I used to just listen to music on my old Nano and I never really understood the hype of having apps and internet added on. But since getting my iPod touch, I've become so used to surfing the internet and being connected to social media all the time. It's hard to imagine going back, which relates to how you said that technology, as an extension of man, "turns into a daily function that become a part of us."
ReplyDeleteI think that you touched on the whole idea of the brand really well. At the end you could have also gone into the idea of commodity fetishism. How we as people have substituted man for a relationship with an commodity. It's not that you have this piece of technology but that you are now someone because you own an Ipod and if you don't own one it really makes you feel left out from the rest of the movement. Hence going into the idea that you need this commodity in order to be a part of a social group.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting to see how much people use the other functions. i have an ipod touch as well and i never use it for anything but music. I am still very fond of it and use it regularly. I definitely agree apple has created one of the strongest brand identities and they are making tons of money off of it.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to your post. I have an iPod touch and it keeps me entertained whenever I am in a boring situation. I have music, games, and internet all wrapped up into one device. The iPod touch really shows how our world is becoming more technology based. It also reminded me of how kids today are growing up with so much technology that they don't really have the same imagination based games that previous generations had. Devices such as ipods provide all the entertainment they need. I also like how you related this to McLuhan.. very valid point about how the ipod is an extension of our thoughts, etc.
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