Item type: Article

Citation: Williams, D. Caplan, S. Xiong, L. 2007, ‘Can you hear me now? The impact of voice in online gaming community’, Human Communication Research, vol. 33, pp. 427-429, viewed 10^th September 2009.

Annotation:

This article outlines the changed nature of relationships within an online nonverbal context and using text-based computer mediated communications. This type of online communication has hindered personal interaction and relationships. This study looked at adding voice to text based media and exploring cultural significance of voice in online communities. The results show that a greater amount of trust is placed within relationships which are formed online then when voice is used. Williams, Caplan and Xiong (2007, p. 439) suggest that the social theory suggests that people adapt to the media at hand to reach affective and social goals. Furthermore, another key finding that was that user will use those media to maintain relationships similarly to how they would in Face to Face interactions.

Item type: Commercial

Citation:

Youtube 2009, ANZ credit cards TV commercial, Youtube, viewed 5^th September 2009, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqr7-9dT17E>

Annotation:

This commercial illustrates the extent to which our technology has failed our imagination. This commercial takes viewers through the myriad credit card security system in place (finger print recognition, voice, face, eye recognition) only to have it all fail because the key character couldn’t use the key. This is a highly satirical commercial about the future of design and technology on security. This is important as it highlights the extent to which our society is heading in terms of security and the fact that it may not be all good.

Item type: Commercial

Citation:

Youtube 2009, Platybank, Youtube, viewed 5th September 2009, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5q3_poGONU>

Annotation:

A 30 second commercial for Commonwealth Bank which outlines a digital money saving device for patrons of the Bank to save money with, however, the ‘Playbank’ has significant flaws due to design. This commercial illustrates the importance of design in technology and how it affects user’s use of the item. It further illustrates that technology is neither flawless nor reliable; humans still need to think for technology rather than technology doing all the thinking for us.

Item type: Article

Citation: Gillard H. et. al. 2008, ‘ “Missing Women”: Gender ICT’s and the shaping of global economy’, Information Technology for Development, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 262-279, viewed 10^th September 2009.

Annotation:

This article discusses the impact of women’s role in shaping of ICT’s and how we understand information systems and the feminization of employment. The article looks at the disparity of gender and identity and tensions between family and work, also looks at the economy of gendered spaces in the engagement with ICT’s. This is significant as within cultural norms the roles of women are usually distinctly outlined however, with communication technologies there roles are blurred by a sometimes unequal view of technologies for women.

Item type: Magazine

Author: Dean Prenc – Editor in chief

Year: 2009

Title: Anime update magazine ‘fan zone art’

City: Sydney, Australia

Anime Update

Annotation:

The magazine contains updates of new anime series, games and information about anything anime related such as events. The pictures in the ‘collector madness’ section depict the intensity of collector’s interest in anime and manga as a way of imagining the world through futuristic depictions and creative robotics. The ‘otaku’ nature extends to figurines and other fan based collector’s items which show the intensity of this type of figurine collecting. Much of anime is built around human and technology interaction and thus plays a significant role in how technology is viewed by Japan’s society and society as a whole.

Item type: Sculpture

Author: Unknown

Year: Unknown

Title: Gathering

City: Tripoli, Lebanon

Gathering Men and Women

Annotation:

A cultural artifact depicting the traditional lives of Lebanese people. The structure contain 2 women and 2 men dressed in traditional garb and using traditional objects such as pestle and mortar, a flute, stick, and traditional coffee jug. Estimated to be a depiction of the early nineteenth century. This is significant as it portrays the traditional way of life for Lebanese people and depicts early use of specific tools such as the pestle and mortar and coffee jug which have been created into the it’s cultural heritage. This further illustrates the importance of objects or ‘technologies’ within the society at the time as these objects played a significant role in the creation of a prominent culture and it also specified gender roles through the types of artifacts that being utilized at the time.

Item type: Commercial

Citation:

Youtube 2009, Carlton Natural Blonde Beer Ad no. 2, Youtube, viewed 5^th September 2009, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=886H3CXYR5o>

Annotation:

The future of beer ad campaign for Natural Blonde allows the viewer to discover the futuristic nature of beer using robots, eye devices, for us to imagine the future of beer. The satire lies within the depiction of the future as being technologies that already exist or have existed in the past and the catch phrase “taste the future in your mouth”. This is interesting because we cannot truly visualize future technologies without having technologies which are present for us to imagine them with.

Item type: Journal Article

Citation: Buchanan, B. 2005, ‘A (very) brief history of Artificial intelligence’, AI Magazine, Vol. 26 Issue 4, pp. 53-60, viewed 10^th September 2009.

Annotation: This article outlines the historical development of Artificial intelligence and its impact on history and culture. It illustrates various technological advancements from an intelligence chess player to GPS and also other computer technologies. Although brief it gives readers the chance to do further research onto the topic on AI and limits the scope. This is important as it gives an overview on development of Artificial intelligence and one is able to relate strongly the developments with human interaction and the flows of imagination and information on these systems.

Item type: Podcast

Citation: BBC 2009, ‘Japan special: part 1’, BBC Digital Planet, viewed 1^st September 2009. <

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/science/2009/07/090706_digitalplanet_070709.shtml

Annotation:

A 29 minute podcast that’s describes the increasing demand in the robotics and automation industry in Japan. Examples of robotics and mechanical technology are given and Robotics is linked to Japans popular culture setting where the imagination of anime and manga ‘otaku’ fans has led to development of robotics through this genre. The fans of this genre are so taken by the robotic animation characters that some of them dedicate their life to actually finding out ways in which these characters can be brought to life. This is significant as if illustrates the growing trend of imagination shaping technology, Japan has a whole industry dedicated to automation and robotics. This shows the nature of robots on people’s life and the interactions that take place between technology and human.

Item type: Maps

Citation: V&A, Mapping the imagination, Victoria and Albert Museum, viewed 5^th September 2009, <http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/prints_books/past_displays/mapping_imagination/index.html>

Annotation:

This website is an in depth view into the construction of maps and the significance of maps within people’s day to day interactions with the world. Maps are described as agents that have politics, meaning, and imagination and create stories for the viewer. The artifacts provided give us a greater sphere to allow us to see complex yet simplistic view of maps. Maps have politics as people attach meaning and authority to them. Maps are a social construct of the world and provided are many examples of false maps representing bias. This is particularly important because of the way people impart knowledge onto technology such as map systems which are then instilled into authoritative reference such as world maps.