Student: (Lakshika Serasinhe 09004322)
Chosen blog: (empireonline www.empireonline.com)
The blog I have enjoyed following for this assignment is the empire magazine blog. Empire is based on the movie magazine of the same name. The blog deals with up 2 date information, gossip and past film stories from the film industry
Topics used in the Blog are very random when it comes to film related topic. For example one post is strictly deals with a preview of a forthcoming movie named 2012 and another would be something as “100 sexiest 2009: what have we learned” which was a voting form that was available on the website earlier on in the year.
The frequencies of posts are not in any order or system. A new post is uploaded if there is a good point to be discussed. I assume this when I checked upon all the posts been made in the last 3 months of posts, there was no pattern at all. I did notice there is an average of 2 posts per week on random days.
There are some variations over time as there was a post dedicated to the late Patrick Swayze due to his recent death by cancer, to hounor him they discussed his greatest moments on the Big Screen.
The target audience would be film lovers as myself as most of these post would be very uninteresting to many people about film tech etc are not for everyone as I noticed not many people leave comments on average only about ten comments per new post. So a very minor target audience
The language used is very formal as the blog is based on a renowned worldwide magazine they keep up to standards of the magazine
The graphics used are very simple black writing and there is always one big picture before the post itself, all the links to the websites are always posted if they are talking about something on the internet the names of the people mentioned are normally highlighted in a darker shade of colour.
There are some interactions as people leave their own views on the subject matter and ask questions to others not in an aggressive as on a YouTube thread.
My favourite blog post is “2012 our reaction”. This is my favourite post as imp very interested in the film industry and the new technology. And 2012 is a prime example of Hollywood’s big budget disaster movies with colourful scenery being blown up, this blog is a preview of the first section of the movie and the magazines reaction on the ludicrous plot.
My comments on blogs:
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Friday, 30 October 2009
Student: John O'Donoghue 09006899
Chosen blog:
Chosen post: beatles-rock-band/
The blog has been in operation since September 2007.The blog is targeting people who have an interest in music technology and the newest advances in music technology and there affect on the music industry and how people perceive music. It target professionals in the industry as well as people who have only an interest in the topic. The blog is updated normally about once a week and is written by a number of authors. The author of the blogs is Daniel Foley. He is a musician, producer and writer and runs number of websites as well as pod complex. The website has a very simple layout and is very easy to navigate through and find post you are interested in. The blog doesn’t allow you to leave comments which is what I found to be one of the major faults on the blog.
The blog discusses many areas of music technology and it is broken down in to five sections DAW(Digital Audio Workshop), Digital Music, Live Performance, Music Technology and Sales and Promotion. The blog is very varied and most people with an interest in music would not have trouble finding a post that they would find interesting. The post I found most interesting was ‘Will The Beatle Rockband be good for music?’. The post deals with the release of the rock band series and its affect on music in general. It questions weather the game will pull people away from playing real instruments and change the perception of how we listen and view music. The blog goes on the say that it also adds a new aspect to music to people who would never have played an instrument. It goes on to describe how they went about developing the Beatle rock band game and how they acquired the master tapes for the game which I found very interesting.
The language used in the posts tend to be very easy to read which make it very easy to follow if you are trying to learn about the subjects involved in the blog. The posts seem to very objective which is refreshing when reading blogs since some blog writers now take money off companies to write favourable reviews about there product. In all I find this a very informative blog that’s has interest opinions on all topics in the music industry.
The other blogs I followed were
http://www.modernbeats.com/hit-talk/feed
http://themusicproducerblog.blogspot.com/
Chosen blog:
Chosen post: beatles-rock-band/
The blog has been in operation since September 2007.The blog is targeting people who have an interest in music technology and the newest advances in music technology and there affect on the music industry and how people perceive music. It target professionals in the industry as well as people who have only an interest in the topic. The blog is updated normally about once a week and is written by a number of authors. The author of the blogs is Daniel Foley. He is a musician, producer and writer and runs number of websites as well as pod complex. The website has a very simple layout and is very easy to navigate through and find post you are interested in. The blog doesn’t allow you to leave comments which is what I found to be one of the major faults on the blog.
The blog discusses many areas of music technology and it is broken down in to five sections DAW(Digital Audio Workshop), Digital Music, Live Performance, Music Technology and Sales and Promotion. The blog is very varied and most people with an interest in music would not have trouble finding a post that they would find interesting. The post I found most interesting was ‘Will The Beatle Rockband be good for music?’. The post deals with the release of the rock band series and its affect on music in general. It questions weather the game will pull people away from playing real instruments and change the perception of how we listen and view music. The blog goes on the say that it also adds a new aspect to music to people who would never have played an instrument. It goes on to describe how they went about developing the Beatle rock band game and how they acquired the master tapes for the game which I found very interesting.
The language used in the posts tend to be very easy to read which make it very easy to follow if you are trying to learn about the subjects involved in the blog. The posts seem to very objective which is refreshing when reading blogs since some blog writers now take money off companies to write favourable reviews about there product. In all I find this a very informative blog that’s has interest opinions on all topics in the music industry.
The other blogs I followed were
http://www.modernbeats.com/hit-talk/feed
http://themusicproducerblog.blogspot.com/
Student: Adam McDermott 09005951
Chosen blog: www.Gigaom.com
Chosen post: Can Speech Recognition Find Its Voice in Computing?
My comments on blogs:
Gigaom is a weblog dedicated to giving the reader an up-to-date insight into what is going on right now in the world of digital media, with detailed reports that are both intriguing and entertaining.
It has twelve dedicated bloggers so the reader is constantly being given new information and news that is just been made available. The staff is headed by the Editor-in-Chief Sebastian Rupley.
The topics that are posted about are incredibly varied which prevents the weblog from growing stale. You'll get a post on the world of mobile phones with posts like "Nokia Kills N-Gage. Again", other posts like "Get Congress Out of the Net Neutrality Debate, Please" which challenge the reader to thing about the future of digital media, and other posts like "Verizon: Our Network Can Handle the Droid".
These post occur very regularly, on average the reader will get twelve to eighteen posts a day thanks to the tireless staff.
The target audiance is broad catering to anyone who has a sleight interest in the digital world and is curious about what is happening right now as well as people who are very knowledgeable about the digital world and are just looking for an update.
The language used is vey formal unless the blogger is arguing a point of theirs then they present their argument in a factual tone basing their arguemnt on facts instead of assumptions.
Favourite post: Can Speech Recognition Find Its Voice in Computing?
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/29/can-speech-recognition-find-its-voice-in- computing/#comment-981442
This is my favourite post because after reading that Microsoft had said on their site that “talking to a computer may soon be as natural as using a mouse” in the first few lines.The blogger then lets us know how "The mouse has nearly become an extra appendage for many of us, touchpads and touchscreens are simple and intuitive; and larger screens minimize the need to drill down through menus". Which made me realise how inevitable the next step was and how I didn’t even see the change in computer interface occurring right in my hand, on my iPod. I find the idea of voice-regognition software fascinating and the idea of it becoming part of our every-day lives captivates me. The blogger does have his doubts about just about seeing theis software at the level it needs to be at in the near future "When it comes to usage on desktops and laptops, though, any real uptake is a long way off — if it happens at all". However he does point to how far it has come in the last few years as phones become more sophisticated so does the voice-regognition software.
My Comments:
1 , 2, 3, 4
Chosen blog: www.Gigaom.com
Chosen post: Can Speech Recognition Find Its Voice in Computing?
My comments on blogs:
Gigaom is a weblog dedicated to giving the reader an up-to-date insight into what is going on right now in the world of digital media, with detailed reports that are both intriguing and entertaining.
It has twelve dedicated bloggers so the reader is constantly being given new information and news that is just been made available. The staff is headed by the Editor-in-Chief Sebastian Rupley.
The topics that are posted about are incredibly varied which prevents the weblog from growing stale. You'll get a post on the world of mobile phones with posts like "Nokia Kills N-Gage. Again", other posts like "Get Congress Out of the Net Neutrality Debate, Please" which challenge the reader to thing about the future of digital media, and other posts like "Verizon: Our Network Can Handle the Droid".
These post occur very regularly, on average the reader will get twelve to eighteen posts a day thanks to the tireless staff.
The target audiance is broad catering to anyone who has a sleight interest in the digital world and is curious about what is happening right now as well as people who are very knowledgeable about the digital world and are just looking for an update.
The language used is vey formal unless the blogger is arguing a point of theirs then they present their argument in a factual tone basing their arguemnt on facts instead of assumptions.
Favourite post: Can Speech Recognition Find Its Voice in Computing?
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/29/can-speech-recognition-find-its-voice-in- computing/#comment-981442
This is my favourite post because after reading that Microsoft had said on their site that “talking to a computer may soon be as natural as using a mouse” in the first few lines.The blogger then lets us know how "The mouse has nearly become an extra appendage for many of us, touchpads and touchscreens are simple and intuitive; and larger screens minimize the need to drill down through menus". Which made me realise how inevitable the next step was and how I didn’t even see the change in computer interface occurring right in my hand, on my iPod. I find the idea of voice-regognition software fascinating and the idea of it becoming part of our every-day lives captivates me. The blogger does have his doubts about just about seeing theis software at the level it needs to be at in the near future "When it comes to usage on desktops and laptops, though, any real uptake is a long way off — if it happens at all". However he does point to how far it has come in the last few years as phones become more sophisticated so does the voice-regognition software.
My Comments:
1 , 2, 3, 4
Student: Niall Duddy (09005896)
Chosen Blog: CrunchGear
Chosen Post: Chart: How the Nook stacks up in the e-reader race
The blog that I found myself following a lot was “CrunchGear” and “TechCrunch”. They are two related blogs one focusing on hardware and the other more on technology. Both cover varied subjects and overlap a bit. Subjects would include software and it release dates, the development of it, what companies and parties are related to it. They will compare against rival and previous software too. They also do the same with the related hardware and so.
The post, or few posts that I followed were that of eReader competition and development. An example of one of the posts:
here
The majority of eReader related posts were written by a Mr. John Biggs. He began (from when I started following his posts) with Amazons Kindle and its development and what services Amazon provided for it and such. Then he introduced specifications and price differences.
Then after a few days he caught wind of Barnes And Nobles Nook eReader, something to rival the Kindle. He compared the Nook and Kindle in every way, covering the pros and cons of the devices.
I found that his blogs were very informative and satisfying, as I have a keen interest in the development of technology in relation to its software and how tactile it physically is. He presented images of the devices were words were not needed, allowing for a faster and clearer intake of what the devices actually looked like. He also provides video when he wants to give a clearer understanding of how the eReaders are actually used.
I find that his target audience are those with a bit of knowledge in technology, whom want or need updates on what type of new technology is being presented to the world and where it stands in light of what is actually already out there.
His postings were regular but he doesn’t send a lot of feedback. People who make comments on his discuss with each other or make a statement.
My four comments are found via these four links separately:
here1
here2
here3
Chosen Blog: CrunchGear
Chosen Post: Chart: How the Nook stacks up in the e-reader race
The blog that I found myself following a lot was “CrunchGear” and “TechCrunch”. They are two related blogs one focusing on hardware and the other more on technology. Both cover varied subjects and overlap a bit. Subjects would include software and it release dates, the development of it, what companies and parties are related to it. They will compare against rival and previous software too. They also do the same with the related hardware and so.
The post, or few posts that I followed were that of eReader competition and development. An example of one of the posts:
here
The majority of eReader related posts were written by a Mr. John Biggs. He began (from when I started following his posts) with Amazons Kindle and its development and what services Amazon provided for it and such. Then he introduced specifications and price differences.
Then after a few days he caught wind of Barnes And Nobles Nook eReader, something to rival the Kindle. He compared the Nook and Kindle in every way, covering the pros and cons of the devices.
I found that his blogs were very informative and satisfying, as I have a keen interest in the development of technology in relation to its software and how tactile it physically is. He presented images of the devices were words were not needed, allowing for a faster and clearer intake of what the devices actually looked like. He also provides video when he wants to give a clearer understanding of how the eReaders are actually used.
I find that his target audience are those with a bit of knowledge in technology, whom want or need updates on what type of new technology is being presented to the world and where it stands in light of what is actually already out there.
His postings were regular but he doesn’t send a lot of feedback. People who make comments on his discuss with each other or make a statement.
My four comments are found via these four links separately:
here1
here2
here3
Student: Kathryn Conway – 09006094
Chosen blog: www.createdigitalmusic.com
Chosen post: ToneSynthDS: Promising New Nintendo DS Synth + Sequencer Homebrew
The author of the blogs is Peter Kirn. Peter Kirn is a musician, media artist and technology writer based in New York. He publishes and edits sites Create Digital Music and Create Digital Motion. He also writes for MAKE, Macworld, Keyboard, Computer Music (UK) and others. He is the author of Real World Digital Audio, a book on making music with computers and is currently a PhD candidate at the City University of New York Graduate Center.
His main topics cover music and technology. Many posts discuss newest pieces of technology for creating music through and the new methods used by others when creating music with technology such as Nintendo Wii. The frequency of posts usually is two posts every one or two days without fail. The target audience is anybody who has an interest in music and creating digital music and anybody who likes to be creative with technology.
The author uses a very upbeat and conversational tone and the language is quite easy to understand. In some of his posts he speaks through the first person making it very easy and enjoyable to read. He makes his posts accessible to anybody, even those who would not have a huge interest in the subject.
The layout is similar to usual articles with a heading at the top giving an indication as to what the posts is about. There is often a variety of pictures of what is being talked about and even YouTube videos which demonstrate the topic throughout the post.
Readers of the post often comment with a tone of excitement and interest in the new information. Readers can also “like” the post and share it through social networking sites. One can also subscribe to the mailing list on the page of the post and to trackbacks if they wish. Peter Kirn himself gets in on the discussion to by commenting answering questions and updating the news on the topic.
My chosen blog (listed above) deals with the idea of creating a synthesizer using a gaming device, the Nintendo DS. I liked this blog because it provided a lot of in depth information and YouTube videos to show us what this new music creation is like how it works. I also liked the fact that the author has such a light conversational tone and also warns the reader that if they already have a Nintendo DS that they have to make some adjustments for it. This gives us the full picture of the item which is a plus side to any reader.
Comment 1
Comment 2
Chosen blog: www.createdigitalmusic.com
Chosen post: ToneSynthDS: Promising New Nintendo DS Synth + Sequencer Homebrew
The author of the blogs is Peter Kirn. Peter Kirn is a musician, media artist and technology writer based in New York. He publishes and edits sites Create Digital Music and Create Digital Motion. He also writes for MAKE, Macworld, Keyboard, Computer Music (UK) and others. He is the author of Real World Digital Audio, a book on making music with computers and is currently a PhD candidate at the City University of New York Graduate Center.
His main topics cover music and technology. Many posts discuss newest pieces of technology for creating music through and the new methods used by others when creating music with technology such as Nintendo Wii. The frequency of posts usually is two posts every one or two days without fail. The target audience is anybody who has an interest in music and creating digital music and anybody who likes to be creative with technology.
The author uses a very upbeat and conversational tone and the language is quite easy to understand. In some of his posts he speaks through the first person making it very easy and enjoyable to read. He makes his posts accessible to anybody, even those who would not have a huge interest in the subject.
The layout is similar to usual articles with a heading at the top giving an indication as to what the posts is about. There is often a variety of pictures of what is being talked about and even YouTube videos which demonstrate the topic throughout the post.
Readers of the post often comment with a tone of excitement and interest in the new information. Readers can also “like” the post and share it through social networking sites. One can also subscribe to the mailing list on the page of the post and to trackbacks if they wish. Peter Kirn himself gets in on the discussion to by commenting answering questions and updating the news on the topic.
My chosen blog (listed above) deals with the idea of creating a synthesizer using a gaming device, the Nintendo DS. I liked this blog because it provided a lot of in depth information and YouTube videos to show us what this new music creation is like how it works. I also liked the fact that the author has such a light conversational tone and also warns the reader that if they already have a Nintendo DS that they have to make some adjustments for it. This gives us the full picture of the item which is a plus side to any reader.
Comment 1
Comment 2
Blogging on digital media
Student: Evan Murphy 09004764
Chosen blog: Technabob
Chosen post: FaceiD : Open locked doors with your face.
The blog that I found most appealing would have to be the "technabob" blog.
The main topics discussed by Technabob are Media, Computing, Technology, and Science.
Because the blog covers many different topics, updates are very frequent. On average, the blog is updated 40 times a week.
The technabob blog is way too large to specify a particular target audience. The target audience is whoever has an interest from the topics that are covered.
The language used is very informal. It appeals to the average Joe, it dosn't go into much detail and just sticks with the interesting aspects if the topic.
The blog is highly visually orientated. Each post contains pictures and most contain videos.
The interaction is very user friendly.
You can follow the blog in several ways :
- Subscribe via a Reader
- Subscribe via E-mail
- Follow it on Twiiter
- And there is even a Facebook fanpage
Comments can be made very easily and no subscription is neccesary to either view or make comments on posts.
Picking my favourite post was difficult as I find the majority of the posts interesting. But the one that was particularly appealing to me was a post discussing the future of facial recognition.
link : 3http://technabob.com/blog/2009/10/30/faceid-facial-recognition-security-system/
It discusses that recently, a facial identification system has been developed which will, hopefully in the near future, replace the need for keys, keycards, IDs etc.
The layout of the post, like all the others, is straight-forward and easy to understand. The pictures and video add to your knowledge of the topic.
And of course like the other posts, when it comes to the text there is very little detail, however, the little detail summarises the topic well, skipping any technical jargin.
My comments on blogs:
Technabob
1, 2, 3, 4
Addicted to Digital Media
1, 2, 3
40fakes
1 , 2, 3, 4
Chosen blog: Technabob
Chosen post: FaceiD : Open locked doors with your face.
The blog that I found most appealing would have to be the "technabob" blog.
The main topics discussed by Technabob are Media, Computing, Technology, and Science.
Because the blog covers many different topics, updates are very frequent. On average, the blog is updated 40 times a week.
The technabob blog is way too large to specify a particular target audience. The target audience is whoever has an interest from the topics that are covered.
The language used is very informal. It appeals to the average Joe, it dosn't go into much detail and just sticks with the interesting aspects if the topic.
The blog is highly visually orientated. Each post contains pictures and most contain videos.
The interaction is very user friendly.
You can follow the blog in several ways :
- Subscribe via a Reader
- Subscribe via E-mail
- Follow it on Twiiter
- And there is even a Facebook fanpage
Comments can be made very easily and no subscription is neccesary to either view or make comments on posts.
Picking my favourite post was difficult as I find the majority of the posts interesting. But the one that was particularly appealing to me was a post discussing the future of facial recognition.
link : 3http://technabob.com/blog/2009/10/30/faceid-facial-recognition-security-system/
It discusses that recently, a facial identification system has been developed which will, hopefully in the near future, replace the need for keys, keycards, IDs etc.
The layout of the post, like all the others, is straight-forward and easy to understand. The pictures and video add to your knowledge of the topic.
And of course like the other posts, when it comes to the text there is very little detail, however, the little detail summarises the topic well, skipping any technical jargin.
My comments on blogs:
Technabob
1, 2, 3, 4
Addicted to Digital Media
1, 2, 3
40fakes
1 , 2, 3, 4
Student: Adrian Whyte (0814504)
Chosen blog: http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/hands-on-music/#more-472
Chosen post: Getting Your Hands On The Music
Build Your Own Touch Screen Interface
Touch Screen Technology With Knobs On
The Author:
This Music Technology blog posts was published on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 12:57 pm ,Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 at 12:01 pm, Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 4:34pm in the DAW category.
Main topics:
This is a music blog which are short and specific information about new technologies in the music industry.
Getting your hands on the music is the heading of the blog describing touch screen technology, it had a link to Build your own touch screen interface showed that more people are using touch screen device e.g. phone so this blog talks about a drum touch screen “ DEAF Drummer Touch, using it for the live performance sequencing and synthesis, computers now serve as a replacement for vast racks of hardware that used to fill recording studios, and interacting with such complex production equipment is not best done with a mouse.”
Each of the blogs give demo from youtube demonstrating it’s use.
Touch Screen Technology With Knobs was the next linked page and was a continuation of the previous page it talk about “Touch screens are gaining widespread traction, and it seems that the boundaries between display and interface are converging. Devices such as JazzMutant’s Dexter brought a new level of interaction to DAW controllers, but now Girton Labs have devised a way of sticking physical knobs onto a computer screen…” Due to the technology being some far away of performer getting use to touch screen technology they felt that creating a magnet knob interface to give a more physical feel e.g SenseSurface
- The frequency of posts and its variation over time,
The blogs are very space out May 26th, 2009, October 28th, 2008 and August 6th, 2008.
- The target audience,
Musicians, Sound engineers and people in the technology development.
- The language used,
Simple, straight to the point, technology based.
- The page layout(graphics)
Heading on top, Links with the heading, ads on the side of the screen with
links to music and music technologies.
- Embedded artefacts (pictures, videos, audio files),
Icons, youtube, pictures on the topic.
- The interaction taking place (comments, trackbacks, subscribing
to mailing lists)
The only down side was you couldn’t leave a comment on the page.
Pick up your favourite post on that blog, link to it and explain why you liked it:
I couldn’t pick a favourite out of the three, i thought the website has a whole linked very well as a whole but I really like the sensesurface with the interaction interface of using knobs on the screen, I could see it’s usefulness in a live music setting!
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/touch-screen-technology/
Comment 1
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/30/dont-be-a-featured-loser-facebook-helps-out-the-unpopular/trackback/
Comment 2
http://disqus.com/forums/ubergizmo/regen_reverb_solar_powered_ipod_dock/
Comment 3
http://patphelan.net/igap-an-excellent-oppourtunity-for-irish-start-ups/#comment-514005
Comment 4
http://digg.com/business_finance/The_best_podcast_radio_show_of_all_time i added a digg it.
Chosen blog: http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/hands-on-music/#more-472
Chosen post: Getting Your Hands On The Music
Build Your Own Touch Screen Interface
Touch Screen Technology With Knobs On
The Author:
This Music Technology blog posts was published on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 12:57 pm ,Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 at 12:01 pm, Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 4:34pm in the DAW category.
Main topics:
This is a music blog which are short and specific information about new technologies in the music industry.
Getting your hands on the music is the heading of the blog describing touch screen technology, it had a link to Build your own touch screen interface showed that more people are using touch screen device e.g. phone so this blog talks about a drum touch screen “ DEAF Drummer Touch, using it for the live performance sequencing and synthesis, computers now serve as a replacement for vast racks of hardware that used to fill recording studios, and interacting with such complex production equipment is not best done with a mouse.”
Each of the blogs give demo from youtube demonstrating it’s use.
Touch Screen Technology With Knobs was the next linked page and was a continuation of the previous page it talk about “Touch screens are gaining widespread traction, and it seems that the boundaries between display and interface are converging. Devices such as JazzMutant’s Dexter brought a new level of interaction to DAW controllers, but now Girton Labs have devised a way of sticking physical knobs onto a computer screen…” Due to the technology being some far away of performer getting use to touch screen technology they felt that creating a magnet knob interface to give a more physical feel e.g SenseSurface
- The frequency of posts and its variation over time,
The blogs are very space out May 26th, 2009, October 28th, 2008 and August 6th, 2008.
- The target audience,
Musicians, Sound engineers and people in the technology development.
- The language used,
Simple, straight to the point, technology based.
- The page layout(graphics)
Heading on top, Links with the heading, ads on the side of the screen with
links to music and music technologies.
- Embedded artefacts (pictures, videos, audio files),
Icons, youtube, pictures on the topic.
- The interaction taking place (comments, trackbacks, subscribing
to mailing lists)
The only down side was you couldn’t leave a comment on the page.
Pick up your favourite post on that blog, link to it and explain why you liked it:
I couldn’t pick a favourite out of the three, i thought the website has a whole linked very well as a whole but I really like the sensesurface with the interaction interface of using knobs on the screen, I could see it’s usefulness in a live music setting!
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/touch-screen-technology/
Comment 1
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/30/dont-be-a-featured-loser-facebook-helps-out-the-unpopular/trackback/
Comment 2
http://disqus.com/forums/ubergizmo/regen_reverb_solar_powered_ipod_dock/
Comment 3
http://patphelan.net/igap-an-excellent-oppourtunity-for-irish-start-ups/#comment-514005
Comment 4
http://digg.com/business_finance/The_best_podcast_radio_show_of_all_time i added a digg it.
Student: Sinead Curley 09007053
Chosen blog: CNET- http://www.cnet.com
Chosen post: Music search is Google’s newest tune- http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10385755-93.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-DigitalMedia
My comments on blogs:
The blog I have chosen is CNET.com which, in their own words, “shows you the exciting possibilities of how technology can enhance and enrich your life”. The site is great when looking for reviews and information on today’s latest technology. Whether looking to but a new phone or simply a programme for your computer, CNET is sure to have the latest news and information you are looking for.
CNET.com is a collaborative effort where by different authors can post their opinions, news and technical information so people all over the world can keep up to date with the ever changing technology of today. The main topics on CNET.com is information and unbiased reviews on new products, programmes etc. Users can also find instruction videos on the site, giving the viewer a 3D glimpse, demystifying today’s technology. The target audience is the person who wants the latest gadget and the latest system. From i-pods to search engines CNET.com has the information you need. The language used is very informative and reflects the interest of the everyday consumer, it is not complex and only the basic technical terms are used. Each blog entry comes with one or more graphic images. These images are there to show the product or programme at their best. The blog posts on this site are very frequent and sometimes up to 20 new posts a day. The user gets the chance to comment on each post and express their opinions of that post.
The post I have chosen which has stood out most to me is “Music search is Google’s newest tune” by Caroline McCarthy. The post tells the story of how Google have teamed up with MySpace to allow Google users listen to music straight from the search engine itself. This post was appealing to me as an avid music fan because it almost cuts out the middle man when looking up music. When I wanted to listen to music I would first type YouTube into Google and from there proceed to listen to my music on the YouTube website. Now at the click of the ‘play’ button on my Google search I will be able to listen to my favourite music.
Chosen blog: CNET- http://www.cnet.com
Chosen post: Music search is Google’s newest tune- http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10385755-93.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-DigitalMedia
My comments on blogs:
The blog I have chosen is CNET.com which, in their own words, “shows you the exciting possibilities of how technology can enhance and enrich your life”. The site is great when looking for reviews and information on today’s latest technology. Whether looking to but a new phone or simply a programme for your computer, CNET is sure to have the latest news and information you are looking for.
CNET.com is a collaborative effort where by different authors can post their opinions, news and technical information so people all over the world can keep up to date with the ever changing technology of today. The main topics on CNET.com is information and unbiased reviews on new products, programmes etc. Users can also find instruction videos on the site, giving the viewer a 3D glimpse, demystifying today’s technology. The target audience is the person who wants the latest gadget and the latest system. From i-pods to search engines CNET.com has the information you need. The language used is very informative and reflects the interest of the everyday consumer, it is not complex and only the basic technical terms are used. Each blog entry comes with one or more graphic images. These images are there to show the product or programme at their best. The blog posts on this site are very frequent and sometimes up to 20 new posts a day. The user gets the chance to comment on each post and express their opinions of that post.
The post I have chosen which has stood out most to me is “Music search is Google’s newest tune” by Caroline McCarthy. The post tells the story of how Google have teamed up with MySpace to allow Google users listen to music straight from the search engine itself. This post was appealing to me as an avid music fan because it almost cuts out the middle man when looking up music. When I wanted to listen to music I would first type YouTube into Google and from there proceed to listen to my music on the YouTube website. Now at the click of the ‘play’ button on my Google search I will be able to listen to my favourite music.
Student: (Mark Butler - 09006121)
Chosen blog: (Subcycle Labs - http://www.bannister-design.nu/blog/)
Chosen post: (Multi-touch the sound storm)
The blog that I have chosen is that of Christian Bannister who juggles an amalgamated career of a musician and a developer and designer. Christians’ main topics are of his interactive digital instrument/ synthesizer which is still in its developmental stages. The device uses a touch screen as the main input device and the user uses their hands to manipulate the onscreen medium. The date that he began his project is unclear as his first post seems to be made several steps into the completion of the project but what is clear is that it could have great potential.
Currently there are only four posts made on his blog that give updates to the digital instrument which span three months from August to September. Each of these posts contains info about the digital instruments including video examples and pictures of it in motion. Of course the target audience is the digital music fans, of any age, who want a follow-up to the progression of the digital instrument and are interested in the interactive video – music hybrid. The posts themselves would mean little to the unfamiliar fan of the technology but there is plenty for anyone who has a basic understanding of music. At regular intervals, Christian does explain some of his “techno babble” for the average reader.
The majority of the comments are positive and supportive of the author. The 30+ comments consist of the views of the audience and the author/admin. The interaction of Christian to the comments are few and far between but he does vow to have a news feed available in the coming weeks.
The overall design of the blog is a simple two column layout with the usual links to one side approach. The posts appear in their entirety, minus the comments. Each post has examples of the digital instrument in use or the graphics. The videos that are used show the device in its early stages of development but show a great deal of user interaction from Christian and new upgrades from previous video posts. In the end, the blog gives an insight into a possible new technology in the digital media area and leaves most readers waiting for the latest instalment from Christian, but judging by the frequency of the posts… they might be waiting a bit longer.
My favourite comment is by Sasze on the “Touch Loop Navigator” blog because his comment, along with many others, shows that people are indeed interested in this technology. It gives an insight as to what people think of this merger of music and electronics. The comment also shows that there very well could be a market for the interactive device.
My posted comments: (Waiting to be authorised)
Subcycle Labs
http://www.bannister-design.nu/blog/?p=107
Pat Phelan
http://patphelan.net/how-to-twitter-no-charge/#comment-513229
Bobby Badfingerz
http://dj808.blogspot.com/2009/08/interactive-led-wall.html
Chosen blog: (Subcycle Labs - http://www.bannister-design.nu/blog/)
Chosen post: (Multi-touch the sound storm)
The blog that I have chosen is that of Christian Bannister who juggles an amalgamated career of a musician and a developer and designer. Christians’ main topics are of his interactive digital instrument/ synthesizer which is still in its developmental stages. The device uses a touch screen as the main input device and the user uses their hands to manipulate the onscreen medium. The date that he began his project is unclear as his first post seems to be made several steps into the completion of the project but what is clear is that it could have great potential.
Currently there are only four posts made on his blog that give updates to the digital instrument which span three months from August to September. Each of these posts contains info about the digital instruments including video examples and pictures of it in motion. Of course the target audience is the digital music fans, of any age, who want a follow-up to the progression of the digital instrument and are interested in the interactive video – music hybrid. The posts themselves would mean little to the unfamiliar fan of the technology but there is plenty for anyone who has a basic understanding of music. At regular intervals, Christian does explain some of his “techno babble” for the average reader.
The majority of the comments are positive and supportive of the author. The 30+ comments consist of the views of the audience and the author/admin. The interaction of Christian to the comments are few and far between but he does vow to have a news feed available in the coming weeks.
The overall design of the blog is a simple two column layout with the usual links to one side approach. The posts appear in their entirety, minus the comments. Each post has examples of the digital instrument in use or the graphics. The videos that are used show the device in its early stages of development but show a great deal of user interaction from Christian and new upgrades from previous video posts. In the end, the blog gives an insight into a possible new technology in the digital media area and leaves most readers waiting for the latest instalment from Christian, but judging by the frequency of the posts… they might be waiting a bit longer.
My favourite comment is by Sasze on the “Touch Loop Navigator” blog because his comment, along with many others, shows that people are indeed interested in this technology. It gives an insight as to what people think of this merger of music and electronics. The comment also shows that there very well could be a market for the interactive device.
My posted comments: (Waiting to be authorised)
Subcycle Labs
http://www.bannister-design.nu/blog/?p=107
Pat Phelan
http://patphelan.net/how-to-twitter-no-charge/#comment-513229
Bobby Badfingerz
http://dj808.blogspot.com/2009/08/interactive-led-wall.html
Student: (name and number) David Nelligan (09006679)
Chosen blog: (title and URL)www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog
Chosen post: (title and URL)Scene and heard: The new wave of new age
The blog I chose to follow was on www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog.
Here musicians and music enthusiasts can share their opinions on
issues currently affecting the music industry.My Favorite post on the
site was "Scene and heard: The new wave of new age", whose main
argument was,"Forget music so diluted it could double up as a homeopathic
remedy, the current wave of new age artists are exploring strange new
sonic landscapes." Owing to my keen interest in music this entry
immediately caught my eye. The Author of the piece (Louis Pattison),
gave an insight into the music of the past and of today, and described
them both as "medidtative and spiritual".
In this blog the Author is definitely appealing to those with an interest
in the genre, and in my opinion the authors language adds greatly to the
piece. There is a simple lay out to the blog, and it contains an image
of a band called Emerald", who are mentioned in the text. Most comments
in regard to this post were in agreement with the premise, and their
was little argument against the Author as is usually expected. Instead
those who commented recomminding more artists.
Other Blogs Followed: 1: http://createdigitalmusic.com
2: http://musicproductionblog.com
Chosen blog: (title and URL)www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog
Chosen post: (title and URL)Scene and heard: The new wave of new age
The blog I chose to follow was on www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog.
Here musicians and music enthusiasts can share their opinions on
issues currently affecting the music industry.My Favorite post on the
site was "Scene and heard: The new wave of new age", whose main
argument was,"Forget music so diluted it could double up as a homeopathic
remedy, the current wave of new age artists are exploring strange new
sonic landscapes." Owing to my keen interest in music this entry
immediately caught my eye. The Author of the piece (Louis Pattison),
gave an insight into the music of the past and of today, and described
them both as "medidtative and spiritual".
In this blog the Author is definitely appealing to those with an interest
in the genre, and in my opinion the authors language adds greatly to the
piece. There is a simple lay out to the blog, and it contains an image
of a band called Emerald", who are mentioned in the text. Most comments
in regard to this post were in agreement with the premise, and their
was little argument against the Author as is usually expected. Instead
those who commented recomminding more artists.
Other Blogs Followed: 1: http://createdigitalmusic.com
2: http://musicproductionblog.com
Student: John Duignan (0874418)
Chosen blog: I Watch Stuff (http://www.iwatchstuff.com/)
Chosen post: Avatar Theatrical Trailer (http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php)
The blog that I have chosen for this assignment is 'I Watch Stuff'. I Watch Stuff is an entertainment blog covering the latest in movie news, clips, and trailers. I Watch Stuff was launched in October of 2005 and is part of the Anticlown Media network. According to its website it has a single writer Mark who has written for I Watch Stuff since January 2006. This blog also has guest authors and writers who contribute if Mark allows them to!
This blog has regular updates, news and blogs for readers to enjoy. It is well laid out and uses buzzwords, jargon and colloquial language in its posts. Its three main pages are called celebrity, entertainment and technology but it also has sections on advertising, the sites FAQ, and contact details. All the links are well laid out and the site has a nice background and colour scheme.
The posts may have thumbnail pictures and videos embedded in them which can really immerse the reader and capture their attention. Its target audience are those interested in entertainment, cinema, tv, celebrities and visual technology. It does it job and manages to have high bandwith of traffic so is highly popular.
My favorite post:
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php
It shows the release of James Camerons film Avatar's new trailer. This is one of the most anticipated films of all time. James Cameron has released all hugely successful popular films such as Aliens, The Terminator, Titanic massive Oscar winning and hugely grossing films.
Other Blogs followed and their comments:
My comments on blogs:
http://kotaku.com/5392421/nintendo-announces-big-screen-dsi
http://thetvaddict.com/2009/10/28/good-news-bad-news-lost-family-guy-modern-family/
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php
Chosen blog: I Watch Stuff (http://www.iwatchstuff.com/)
Chosen post: Avatar Theatrical Trailer (http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php)
The blog that I have chosen for this assignment is 'I Watch Stuff'. I Watch Stuff is an entertainment blog covering the latest in movie news, clips, and trailers. I Watch Stuff was launched in October of 2005 and is part of the Anticlown Media network. According to its website it has a single writer Mark who has written for I Watch Stuff since January 2006. This blog also has guest authors and writers who contribute if Mark allows them to!
This blog has regular updates, news and blogs for readers to enjoy. It is well laid out and uses buzzwords, jargon and colloquial language in its posts. Its three main pages are called celebrity, entertainment and technology but it also has sections on advertising, the sites FAQ, and contact details. All the links are well laid out and the site has a nice background and colour scheme.
The posts may have thumbnail pictures and videos embedded in them which can really immerse the reader and capture their attention. Its target audience are those interested in entertainment, cinema, tv, celebrities and visual technology. It does it job and manages to have high bandwith of traffic so is highly popular.
My favorite post:
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php
It shows the release of James Camerons film Avatar's new trailer. This is one of the most anticipated films of all time. James Cameron has released all hugely successful popular films such as Aliens, The Terminator, Titanic massive Oscar winning and hugely grossing films.
Other Blogs followed and their comments:
My comments on blogs:
http://kotaku.com/5392421/nintendo-announces-big-screen-dsi
http://thetvaddict.com/2009/10/28/good-news-bad-news-lost-family-guy-modern-family/
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/10/avatar_theatrical_trailer_offi.php
Student: Gahan Raj (09005169)
Chosen blog: Hardware Insider: http://www.gamespot.com/hardware/blogs/hardware-insider/909185655/index.html?tag=siteblogs;blog_title;6
Chosen post: History of Shrinking Consoles: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233679.html
This blog is mainly about gaming and consists of new leaps in gaming hardware and software. The poster ‘Sarju S’ posts consistently twice every month. He/ she mainly posts topics related to current gaming news and new hardware for example the latest post was about the introduction of Facebook and Twitter on Xbox Live. This topic also discussed Live TV and radio streaming straight to the Xbox. I thought that this was a new leap forward for the gaming industry.
I think the target audience for this blog is gamers such as myself and for people who are interested in technology in general. Over time this blog has evolved with the gaming industry, if you look at the first post you will see that it was about a new controller fo the PC and from there the author moved on to Cordless keyboards, Intercooling fans, updates for current consoles, Graphics cards, motion-sensing controllers .etc. The author uses many images and sometimes videos to help the reader understand the topic. These images are very helpful and the videos are also interactive.
My favourite topic by ‘Sarju S’ is The History of Shrinking Games Consoles. I found this topic interesting as it discussed how a console is modified from it’s original version. Since parts for computers are constantly shrinking it is possible to makes consoles smaller and smaller. I thought it was fascinating how everything could be madder much smaller and cheaper in only a few months, another reminder that technology is moving at a very fast pace.
My comments on blogs:
1. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233564.html
2. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233679.html
3. http://gizmodo.com/5393584/windows-xp-phone-a-first-look-at-its-touchscreen-interface
4. http://www.whattheyplay.com/blog/2008/09/30/new-wii-due-by-2011/
Chosen blog: Hardware Insider: http://www.gamespot.com/hardware/blogs/hardware-insider/909185655/index.html?tag=siteblogs;blog_title;6
Chosen post: History of Shrinking Consoles: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233679.html
This blog is mainly about gaming and consists of new leaps in gaming hardware and software. The poster ‘Sarju S’ posts consistently twice every month. He/ she mainly posts topics related to current gaming news and new hardware for example the latest post was about the introduction of Facebook and Twitter on Xbox Live. This topic also discussed Live TV and radio streaming straight to the Xbox. I thought that this was a new leap forward for the gaming industry.
I think the target audience for this blog is gamers such as myself and for people who are interested in technology in general. Over time this blog has evolved with the gaming industry, if you look at the first post you will see that it was about a new controller fo the PC and from there the author moved on to Cordless keyboards, Intercooling fans, updates for current consoles, Graphics cards, motion-sensing controllers .etc. The author uses many images and sometimes videos to help the reader understand the topic. These images are very helpful and the videos are also interactive.
My favourite topic by ‘Sarju S’ is The History of Shrinking Games Consoles. I found this topic interesting as it discussed how a console is modified from it’s original version. Since parts for computers are constantly shrinking it is possible to makes consoles smaller and smaller. I thought it was fascinating how everything could be madder much smaller and cheaper in only a few months, another reminder that technology is moving at a very fast pace.
My comments on blogs:
1. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233564.html
2. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6233679.html
3. http://gizmodo.com/5393584/windows-xp-phone-a-first-look-at-its-touchscreen-interface
4. http://www.whattheyplay.com/blog/2008/09/30/new-wii-due-by-2011/
Student: David Walley (09004726)
Student: David Walley (09004726)
Chosen blog: Web Design Blog http://free-web-design.co.cc/
Chosen post: Movie-Like Sunset in Photoshop Tutorial (http://free-web-design.co.cc/movie-like-sunset-in-photoshop-tutorial.html_
My comments on blogs:
http://free-web-design.co.cc/how-to-make-a-vintage-retro-picture-tutorial.html#comment-765
http://free-web-design.co.cc/movie-like-sunset-in-photoshop-tutorial.html#comment-762http://free-web-design.co.cc/ultimate-list-of-photoshop-tutorials-to-design-a-website.html#comment-763
http://free-web-design.co.cc/breathtaking-dreamy-vintage-photoshop-tutorial.html#comment-766
This blog is run by a Romanian graphic and web designer named Roman Alexandru. He gives little personal information about himself, describing himself as a “design dude, freelance superhero, and blog magician.”
Each topic is in some way related to Photoshop and graphic design. A list of most popular tags can be found the right hand side of the page. These tags include “photo editing”, “istock”, “illustration”, and “freebies.”
This website is updated sporadically. It has been updated three times since September 30. The majority of site updates are links to resources to help enhance graphics or they contain images to give the user ideas for their next graphic. Recently the blog owner has been posting many tutorials to show users how to achieve certain effects.
This blog’s target audience are graphic designers and those who want to learn how to go about creating eye-catching and impressive images on Photoshop.
The language used on this blog is relatively straight forward as it aims to be understood by advanced Photoshop users as well as beginners. As each blog post contains a large amount of graphics, the graphics featured in the layout are kept to a minimum. The layout of the page is very clean and easy to navigate. A thumbnail representing the latest updates are shown in the left hand column, while a blog roll and links are found in the center and right hand column.
There is a large amount of communication on the blog between readers and the author. The author responds to questions about where to find certain resources and often thanks people for pointing certain mistakes in the tutorials.
I chose this post because I was greatly impressed by the finished result and wanted to learn how to go about achieving this for myself.
This tutorial is very straight forward and easy to understand. The author goes through the process in step by step detail, using a Print Screen of each step to make things even simpler for the user.
Chosen blog: Web Design Blog http://free-web-design.co.cc/
Chosen post: Movie-Like Sunset in Photoshop Tutorial (http://free-web-design.co.cc/movie-like-sunset-in-photoshop-tutorial.html_
My comments on blogs:
http://free-web-design.co.cc/how-to-make-a-vintage-retro-picture-tutorial.html#comment-765
http://free-web-design.co.cc/movie-like-sunset-in-photoshop-tutorial.html#comment-762http://free-web-design.co.cc/ultimate-list-of-photoshop-tutorials-to-design-a-website.html#comment-763
http://free-web-design.co.cc/breathtaking-dreamy-vintage-photoshop-tutorial.html#comment-766
This blog is run by a Romanian graphic and web designer named Roman Alexandru. He gives little personal information about himself, describing himself as a “design dude, freelance superhero, and blog magician.”
Each topic is in some way related to Photoshop and graphic design. A list of most popular tags can be found the right hand side of the page. These tags include “photo editing”, “istock”, “illustration”, and “freebies.”
This website is updated sporadically. It has been updated three times since September 30. The majority of site updates are links to resources to help enhance graphics or they contain images to give the user ideas for their next graphic. Recently the blog owner has been posting many tutorials to show users how to achieve certain effects.
This blog’s target audience are graphic designers and those who want to learn how to go about creating eye-catching and impressive images on Photoshop.
The language used on this blog is relatively straight forward as it aims to be understood by advanced Photoshop users as well as beginners. As each blog post contains a large amount of graphics, the graphics featured in the layout are kept to a minimum. The layout of the page is very clean and easy to navigate. A thumbnail representing the latest updates are shown in the left hand column, while a blog roll and links are found in the center and right hand column.
There is a large amount of communication on the blog between readers and the author. The author responds to questions about where to find certain resources and often thanks people for pointing certain mistakes in the tutorials.
I chose this post because I was greatly impressed by the finished result and wanted to learn how to go about achieving this for myself.
This tutorial is very straight forward and easy to understand. The author goes through the process in step by step detail, using a Print Screen of each step to make things even simpler for the user.
Ciaran Smith (0742392)
Student: Ciaran Smith (0742392)
Chosen blog: Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/)
Engadget is a blog reporting news and reviews on various gadget including cameras, gaming consoles and multimedia phones. Authors on this blog include Laura June, Nilay Patel, Joseph L. Flatley, Darren Murph, Donald Melanson and others. The blog is updated very often with new posts being added usually as often as every 30 mins.
The target audience of this blog is those interested in gadgets and modern technology. The blog keeps the reader up to date on the latest technology innovations and the gadgets of the future to reviews of the latest digital cameras and smartphones.
The language used in posts on this blog is relatively informal, while still being very informative. The bloggers come across as sharing interest in the gadgets with the reader and informing them in a casual way.
The layout of the site is quite simple with a white background and plain design. Each post has a large heading, a picture and the first paragraph of the post on the main page, with a link to the entire post at the bottom. There is a baner ad on top and more ads on the right hand side of the site. Also on the right hand side is links to news stories, featured posts, sections of the site and other similiar blogs also on the AOL network. There are more external links at the bottom of the site.
There is usually 1 to 2 pictures to accompany each post and sometimes an embedded video.
Each post has a comment section. You have to sign up to the site to be allowed to share your comments. This is a relatively easy process which invloves just entering your email address. Posts can also be shared on sites such as digg, facebook, twitter, reddit and stumbleupon.
Chosen post: Burger King selling a Windows 7 Whopper in Japan (http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-a-windows-7-whopper-in-japan/)
The post I have chosen is a post about Burger King in Japan selling a limited edition Whopper burger in conjunction with Microsoft to promote their new operating system, Windows 7. The Windows 7 whopper has seven burgers between two buns. It was being sold for ¥777 for seven days only. I liked this post because Japan is one of my favourite countries, despite never having been there, and this post shows why. The country is insane! Seevn burgers in one sandwich is just ridiculous and you would only find something like this in Japan. The post also shows the crazy marketing campaigns that large companies like Microsoft are employing.
My comments on blogs:
Networkworld
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/46563#comment-221474
Engadget
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-a-windows-7-whopper-in-japan/3#c22514056
Gizmodo
http://gizmodo.com/5388737/happy-birthday-ipod-youre-doomed#c16247846
Kotaku
http://kotaku.com/5389035/insomniac-took-fan-reaction-to-resistance-2-pretty-hard#c16247948
Chosen blog: Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/)
Engadget is a blog reporting news and reviews on various gadget including cameras, gaming consoles and multimedia phones. Authors on this blog include Laura June, Nilay Patel, Joseph L. Flatley, Darren Murph, Donald Melanson and others. The blog is updated very often with new posts being added usually as often as every 30 mins.
The target audience of this blog is those interested in gadgets and modern technology. The blog keeps the reader up to date on the latest technology innovations and the gadgets of the future to reviews of the latest digital cameras and smartphones.
The language used in posts on this blog is relatively informal, while still being very informative. The bloggers come across as sharing interest in the gadgets with the reader and informing them in a casual way.
The layout of the site is quite simple with a white background and plain design. Each post has a large heading, a picture and the first paragraph of the post on the main page, with a link to the entire post at the bottom. There is a baner ad on top and more ads on the right hand side of the site. Also on the right hand side is links to news stories, featured posts, sections of the site and other similiar blogs also on the AOL network. There are more external links at the bottom of the site.
There is usually 1 to 2 pictures to accompany each post and sometimes an embedded video.
Each post has a comment section. You have to sign up to the site to be allowed to share your comments. This is a relatively easy process which invloves just entering your email address. Posts can also be shared on sites such as digg, facebook, twitter, reddit and stumbleupon.
Chosen post: Burger King selling a Windows 7 Whopper in Japan (http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-a-windows-7-whopper-in-japan/)
The post I have chosen is a post about Burger King in Japan selling a limited edition Whopper burger in conjunction with Microsoft to promote their new operating system, Windows 7. The Windows 7 whopper has seven burgers between two buns. It was being sold for ¥777 for seven days only. I liked this post because Japan is one of my favourite countries, despite never having been there, and this post shows why. The country is insane! Seevn burgers in one sandwich is just ridiculous and you would only find something like this in Japan. The post also shows the crazy marketing campaigns that large companies like Microsoft are employing.
My comments on blogs:
Networkworld
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/46563#comment-221474
Engadget
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-a-windows-7-whopper-in-japan/3#c22514056
Gizmodo
http://gizmodo.com/5388737/happy-birthday-ipod-youre-doomed#c16247846
Kotaku
http://kotaku.com/5389035/insomniac-took-fan-reaction-to-resistance-2-pretty-hard#c16247948
Kevin Hosey (09003993)
Student: Kevin Hosey 09003993
Chosen blog: Electronic Musician
Chosen post: Propellerhead Software Record 1 (Mac/Win) Review
The blog that I have chosen for this assignment is Electronic Musician. This blog is the official blog for the magazine Electronic Musician. Electronic Musician focuses on music-production technology and techniques for musicians and recording engineers. This blog includes reviews and news of recording and live performance equipment, electronic musical instruments, and music production hardware and software. There are no defined authors for this blog so I would presume it is maintained by the people who write the magazine. However this blog has many guest authors who post reviews on products and give their opinions.
This blog has new posts every couple of days so there is no shortage of articles to read. Some days may have a one or two posts and others have many posts so the posts seem to be very constant.
The target audience for this blog is musicians who record and produce in a home or personal studio and obviously sound engineers. Therefore the language used in many of the post and reviews is fairly complex and alot of technological terms and even musical terms are used. So if you have any sort of interest in recording or producing you will be inticed by this blog just like i was.
The layout of this blog is very accessible as the menu bar along the top helps you navigate to where you want to go. The posts contain pictures and vidoes of the topics and there are also links to tutorial vidoes on many of the software posts. On the left hand side of the blog there are polls which you can participate in and there are also likns to follow this blog on Twitter and Facebook.
From what i saw there wasn’t alot of interaction between the audience and the authors. Many of the posts didn’t have any comments and it was easy to see which ones were most popular as they had alot of commets. I recall seeing one post with 13 comments, each one longer than the next.
My favourite post from this blog was “Propellerhead Software Record 1 (Mac/Win) Review”. This post was a review of the new recording software from a company called Propellerhead. Many of Propellerhead’s previous products have proven to be very popular in home studios and this new addition seems to be getting more attention than any previous product. The reason why I enjoyed this post was because I currently use software called Reason, which is Propellerheads most popular software. I think that this review was very detailed and it gave me a very clear idea of what to expect from this new package.
Other blogs followed:
http://mustech.net/
http://www.ubergizmo.com/
My comments on blogs:
1.http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/apples_new_imac_is_here.html?dsq=20792575#comment-20792575
2.http://www.ubergizmo.com/zoom.php?dir=2009/10/bose-quiet-comfort-15/&page=0
3.http://emusician.com/daw/propellerhead-software-record-macwin-1109/?dsq=21273274#comment-21273274
4.http://mustech.net/2009/10/23/microsoft-7-the-upgrade-play-by-play?dsq=21274208#comment-21274208
Chosen blog: Electronic Musician
Chosen post: Propellerhead Software Record 1 (Mac/Win) Review
The blog that I have chosen for this assignment is Electronic Musician. This blog is the official blog for the magazine Electronic Musician. Electronic Musician focuses on music-production technology and techniques for musicians and recording engineers. This blog includes reviews and news of recording and live performance equipment, electronic musical instruments, and music production hardware and software. There are no defined authors for this blog so I would presume it is maintained by the people who write the magazine. However this blog has many guest authors who post reviews on products and give their opinions.
This blog has new posts every couple of days so there is no shortage of articles to read. Some days may have a one or two posts and others have many posts so the posts seem to be very constant.
The target audience for this blog is musicians who record and produce in a home or personal studio and obviously sound engineers. Therefore the language used in many of the post and reviews is fairly complex and alot of technological terms and even musical terms are used. So if you have any sort of interest in recording or producing you will be inticed by this blog just like i was.
The layout of this blog is very accessible as the menu bar along the top helps you navigate to where you want to go. The posts contain pictures and vidoes of the topics and there are also links to tutorial vidoes on many of the software posts. On the left hand side of the blog there are polls which you can participate in and there are also likns to follow this blog on Twitter and Facebook.
From what i saw there wasn’t alot of interaction between the audience and the authors. Many of the posts didn’t have any comments and it was easy to see which ones were most popular as they had alot of commets. I recall seeing one post with 13 comments, each one longer than the next.
My favourite post from this blog was “Propellerhead Software Record 1 (Mac/Win) Review”. This post was a review of the new recording software from a company called Propellerhead. Many of Propellerhead’s previous products have proven to be very popular in home studios and this new addition seems to be getting more attention than any previous product. The reason why I enjoyed this post was because I currently use software called Reason, which is Propellerheads most popular software. I think that this review was very detailed and it gave me a very clear idea of what to expect from this new package.
Other blogs followed:
http://mustech.net/
http://www.ubergizmo.com/
My comments on blogs:
1.http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/apples_new_imac_is_here.html?dsq=20792575#comment-20792575
2.http://www.ubergizmo.com/zoom.php?dir=2009/10/bose-quiet-comfort-15/&page=0
3.http://emusician.com/daw/propellerhead-software-record-macwin-1109/?dsq=21273274#comment-21273274
4.http://mustech.net/2009/10/23/microsoft-7-the-upgrade-play-by-play?dsq=21274208#comment-21274208
Kathryn Connelly (09005968)
Student: Kathryn Connelly (09005968)
Chosen blog: Ubergizmo
The blog I chose to work from is Ubergizmo.
Ubergizmo is basically a blog that posts the latest gadgets and softwares etc.Ubergizmo decribes itself as an “edgy consumer electronics site.”
The founder of Ubergizmo is Hubert Nguyen. He is , as expected, obsessed with new gadgets and games. He is a retired NUIDIA engineer who programmed special-effects demos such as “Nalu”. Although Hubert is the founder there is a whole team at Ubergizmo.Eliane Fiolet is the co-founder and editor of Ubergizmo.com where she writes about web applications, design and usability. She owns a Corporate ID design business that helps companies create great brands. Prior to opening her own agency, Eliane worked for a top design firm, Minale Tattersfield Design Strategy, where she created identities for Fortune 500 companies. She also worked in the video game industry as a designer for an award-winning adventure game. Eliane holds a master degree in visual communication from the "Art Decoratifs" college. Edwin key is the associate producer He loves dabbling with new technology and gaming. After this there are two contributing editors Karsten Lemm and Ravit Lichteaberg. Ubergizmo also has an international team, as it is a successful blog across the globe. You can read Ubergizmo in six languages and is read in two hundred and twenty two countries.
Ubergizmo was voted one of the top one hundred blogs by PC Magazine.
The main topics that Ubergizmo focuses on are gadgets, new software and conferences. Within these topics they list the user interface practicality, design, pricing and competition. Also Ubergizmo post coverage from conferences like CES, CTIA, DEMO and GDC. The team describe themselves as gadget “geeks” therefore there are a lot of interesting and fun products posted up daily.
There was around 50-70 posts a day. Some short some long. It was quite difficult to read them all so I might have scrolled past a few to save time but most of the posts were quite interesting an short anyway so they were enjoyable to read.
The target audience is definitely men and women in the tech world, people who crave the latest gadgets, games and software’s and also business owners could benefit from reading this blog. The age profile would vary immensely. The page is laid out as a list page and the reader can simply scroll through the embedded artifacts like the pictures, links, videos and articles.
Unfortunately there were not that many comments on these pages. I reckon its because the readers have no question as Ubergizmo is very informative.
My favourite post is “Acousticom Sound Egg chair for CES 2010” .This post is about an Egg chair that has built in surround sound that was designed to isolate sound inside and out like wearing headphones. I thought it was very interesting and just plain fun.
These are my comments, all of witch posted on Ubergizmo:
read comment 1
read comment 2
read comment 3
read comment 4
Chosen blog: Ubergizmo
The blog I chose to work from is Ubergizmo.
Ubergizmo is basically a blog that posts the latest gadgets and softwares etc.Ubergizmo decribes itself as an “edgy consumer electronics site.”
The founder of Ubergizmo is Hubert Nguyen. He is , as expected, obsessed with new gadgets and games. He is a retired NUIDIA engineer who programmed special-effects demos such as “Nalu”. Although Hubert is the founder there is a whole team at Ubergizmo.Eliane Fiolet is the co-founder and editor of Ubergizmo.com where she writes about web applications, design and usability. She owns a Corporate ID design business that helps companies create great brands. Prior to opening her own agency, Eliane worked for a top design firm, Minale Tattersfield Design Strategy, where she created identities for Fortune 500 companies. She also worked in the video game industry as a designer for an award-winning adventure game. Eliane holds a master degree in visual communication from the "Art Decoratifs" college. Edwin key is the associate producer He loves dabbling with new technology and gaming. After this there are two contributing editors Karsten Lemm and Ravit Lichteaberg. Ubergizmo also has an international team, as it is a successful blog across the globe. You can read Ubergizmo in six languages and is read in two hundred and twenty two countries.
Ubergizmo was voted one of the top one hundred blogs by PC Magazine.
The main topics that Ubergizmo focuses on are gadgets, new software and conferences. Within these topics they list the user interface practicality, design, pricing and competition. Also Ubergizmo post coverage from conferences like CES, CTIA, DEMO and GDC. The team describe themselves as gadget “geeks” therefore there are a lot of interesting and fun products posted up daily.
There was around 50-70 posts a day. Some short some long. It was quite difficult to read them all so I might have scrolled past a few to save time but most of the posts were quite interesting an short anyway so they were enjoyable to read.
The target audience is definitely men and women in the tech world, people who crave the latest gadgets, games and software’s and also business owners could benefit from reading this blog. The age profile would vary immensely. The page is laid out as a list page and the reader can simply scroll through the embedded artifacts like the pictures, links, videos and articles.
Unfortunately there were not that many comments on these pages. I reckon its because the readers have no question as Ubergizmo is very informative.
My favourite post is “Acousticom Sound Egg chair for CES 2010” .This post is about an Egg chair that has built in surround sound that was designed to isolate sound inside and out like wearing headphones. I thought it was very interesting and just plain fun.
These are my comments, all of witch posted on Ubergizmo:
read comment 1
read comment 2
read comment 3
read comment 4
Séadna Mcgillycuddy (09002065)
Student:
Séadna Mcgillycuddy
ID Number:
09002065
Blog Followed:
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/
Target Audience:
Musicians who use technology.
Author:
This blog is run by a Musician, Producer, Writer, Designer and Webmaster from County Offaly named Dan Foley. Dan also runs Nantiloop Recording Studios in Dublin, and produces music under the name “Canabrism”. He is joined by regular contributors.
The Podcomplex blog is a showcase for independent, high-quality, original music, video and multimedia and also provides guides to making music. The blog is regularly updated with music technology news, observations on the music industry, promotion strategies for independent artists and audio tips for beginners and veterans alike, focusing particularly on modern advancements in the digital music world. All posts are archived into easily accessible sections such as:
• DAW – Technical tips for Digital Audio Workstation users
• Live performance – Observations on live music implementations and related tips.
• Music Technology – New technologies that underpin modern music.
• Sales & Promotion – Tips for getting your music heard.
• Digital Music – How the advancements in media and technology effect the production and consumption of music.
The blog is laid out very well with links leading to the different categories down the left of the page. Below these are links to the archive, glossary and external sites. The main body of the blog is located in the centre of the page. Each post has a thumbnail picture to identify which category it belongs to which makes it easy for people to instantly find what is relevant to them rather than trawling through thousands of posts looking for something that takes their interest. Also a nice feature is a Twitter widget which allows you to see the author’s most recent “tweets” and a link allowing you to follow him on Twitter. Unlike many blogs, podcomplex is free from advertisements leading to a very appealing, simple and clutter free environment.
In the posts themselves, the language used is intelligent but not overly technical. As I said, because of it’s content, I feel that the blog is aimed at people who already have an understanding of some aspect of music technology but the author simplifies a lot of things, probably to make the ideas more accessible to people with little knowledge of the subject.
Favourite Post:
Synaesthesia Comes To Life
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/synaesthesia-comes-to-life/
This post caught my eye because it’s a subject that I have been interested in for a long time. How can you not be interested seeing a headline like:
“For some people, the boundaries between senses can overlap – they see sounds as colours, or tastes and words intermingle. This condition is known
as synaesthesia…”
Synaesthesia is a condition whereby two or more senses are confused. People with this rare condition often perceive letters as having a particular colour, or can experience music not only as sound but also as texture and colour. However, according to the post, researchers are now using what they have learned about synaesthesia to devise ways of letting blind people see. This new method involves using a video camera to translate the immediate environment into sound waves which can be interpreted by the blind person, similar to the way that bats transverse their environment. I really like this post because the concepts involved tie in exactly with the areas I am interested in: audio technology, media technology and human/computer interaction. Science fiction becoming reality.
Other Blogs Followed:
http://createdigitalmusic.com
http://gizmodo.com
Comments Posted:
1. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/10/26/make-noise-with-circuits-handmade-music-austin-video-freebie-kit-more/#comments
2. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/10/19/the-sonic-manipulator-bizarre-wearable-musical-inventions-stolen-from-space-aliens/comment-page-1/#comment-987164
3. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/07/21/take-it-to-the-stage-reflections-on-live-laptop-music-from-artists/comment-page-1/#comment-987167
4. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/09/20/the-finger-reaktorkore-sampling-madness-from-tim-exile-but-more-than-that/comment-page-1/#comment-987169
Séadna Mcgillycuddy
ID Number:
09002065
Blog Followed:
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/
Target Audience:
Musicians who use technology.
Author:
This blog is run by a Musician, Producer, Writer, Designer and Webmaster from County Offaly named Dan Foley. Dan also runs Nantiloop Recording Studios in Dublin, and produces music under the name “Canabrism”. He is joined by regular contributors.
The Podcomplex blog is a showcase for independent, high-quality, original music, video and multimedia and also provides guides to making music. The blog is regularly updated with music technology news, observations on the music industry, promotion strategies for independent artists and audio tips for beginners and veterans alike, focusing particularly on modern advancements in the digital music world. All posts are archived into easily accessible sections such as:
• DAW – Technical tips for Digital Audio Workstation users
• Live performance – Observations on live music implementations and related tips.
• Music Technology – New technologies that underpin modern music.
• Sales & Promotion – Tips for getting your music heard.
• Digital Music – How the advancements in media and technology effect the production and consumption of music.
The blog is laid out very well with links leading to the different categories down the left of the page. Below these are links to the archive, glossary and external sites. The main body of the blog is located in the centre of the page. Each post has a thumbnail picture to identify which category it belongs to which makes it easy for people to instantly find what is relevant to them rather than trawling through thousands of posts looking for something that takes their interest. Also a nice feature is a Twitter widget which allows you to see the author’s most recent “tweets” and a link allowing you to follow him on Twitter. Unlike many blogs, podcomplex is free from advertisements leading to a very appealing, simple and clutter free environment.
In the posts themselves, the language used is intelligent but not overly technical. As I said, because of it’s content, I feel that the blog is aimed at people who already have an understanding of some aspect of music technology but the author simplifies a lot of things, probably to make the ideas more accessible to people with little knowledge of the subject.
Favourite Post:
Synaesthesia Comes To Life
http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/synaesthesia-comes-to-life/
This post caught my eye because it’s a subject that I have been interested in for a long time. How can you not be interested seeing a headline like:
“For some people, the boundaries between senses can overlap – they see sounds as colours, or tastes and words intermingle. This condition is known
as synaesthesia…”
Synaesthesia is a condition whereby two or more senses are confused. People with this rare condition often perceive letters as having a particular colour, or can experience music not only as sound but also as texture and colour. However, according to the post, researchers are now using what they have learned about synaesthesia to devise ways of letting blind people see. This new method involves using a video camera to translate the immediate environment into sound waves which can be interpreted by the blind person, similar to the way that bats transverse their environment. I really like this post because the concepts involved tie in exactly with the areas I am interested in: audio technology, media technology and human/computer interaction. Science fiction becoming reality.
Other Blogs Followed:
http://createdigitalmusic.com
http://gizmodo.com
Comments Posted:
1. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/10/26/make-noise-with-circuits-handmade-music-austin-video-freebie-kit-more/#comments
2. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/10/19/the-sonic-manipulator-bizarre-wearable-musical-inventions-stolen-from-space-aliens/comment-page-1/#comment-987164
3. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/07/21/take-it-to-the-stage-reflections-on-live-laptop-music-from-artists/comment-page-1/#comment-987167
4. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/09/20/the-finger-reaktorkore-sampling-madness-from-tim-exile-but-more-than-that/comment-page-1/#comment-987169
Sitric Ó Cinnéide (09004873)
Student: Sitric Ó Cinnéide (09004873)
Chosen blog: http://www.hometracked.com/
Chosen post: Auto-Tune Abuse in Pop Music - 10 Examples
Hometracked is a weblog with a clear purpose. That purpose is to serve the worlds independent musicians, who record and produce their own work, with factual, uncluttered and useful information about home recording and producing.
The blog is maintained by Des McKinne, an experienced recording engineer and producer in Toronto, Canada. All posts I have read were written by McKinne. It's safe to say then that this blog must take up an awful lot of his time, especially since he posts new fact-filled entries about 3 times every week. He is certainly the right man for the job as he is extremely dedicated and every single post is like a miniature article concerning an aspect of recording or producing.
The target audience is definitely "anyone" who wants to record or produce a piece of music, and the site layout makes it very easy for anyone to understand. The site is certainly not limited to the young folk messing around with their gadgets. It is sensible advice from trained and experienced producers open to all people.
The blog entries tend to focus on the "Tips and Techniques" that are most useful to the everyday home-recorder. Things such as normalizing, using delays for a better sound and tips on EQing vocals.
My favorite entry is: Auto-Tune Abuse in Pop Music - 10 Examples. I chose it because when i saw the title, i already agreed with the post before i read it. I think we have all experienced this overuse of auto-tune while listening to to the radio at some stage. It turns a useful production tool into a cheesy pop gimmick. The great thing about this and other posts is that in addition to the text, the author also puts up audio examples of the things he is explaining. It lets the reader understand the authors point much more clearly.
My Comments:
1. http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop-music-10-examples/#comment-81739
2. http://stereogum.com/archives/animal_collective_love_animals_096601.html#comment-5643891
3. http://jamesfrankel.musiced.net/2009/10/28/my-new-role-with-atmi/#comment-53121
4. http://www.hometracked.com/2008/04/20/10-myths-about-normalization/#comment-81812
Chosen blog: http://www.hometracked.com/
Chosen post: Auto-Tune Abuse in Pop Music - 10 Examples
Hometracked is a weblog with a clear purpose. That purpose is to serve the worlds independent musicians, who record and produce their own work, with factual, uncluttered and useful information about home recording and producing.
The blog is maintained by Des McKinne, an experienced recording engineer and producer in Toronto, Canada. All posts I have read were written by McKinne. It's safe to say then that this blog must take up an awful lot of his time, especially since he posts new fact-filled entries about 3 times every week. He is certainly the right man for the job as he is extremely dedicated and every single post is like a miniature article concerning an aspect of recording or producing.
The target audience is definitely "anyone" who wants to record or produce a piece of music, and the site layout makes it very easy for anyone to understand. The site is certainly not limited to the young folk messing around with their gadgets. It is sensible advice from trained and experienced producers open to all people.
The blog entries tend to focus on the "Tips and Techniques" that are most useful to the everyday home-recorder. Things such as normalizing, using delays for a better sound and tips on EQing vocals.
My favorite entry is: Auto-Tune Abuse in Pop Music - 10 Examples. I chose it because when i saw the title, i already agreed with the post before i read it. I think we have all experienced this overuse of auto-tune while listening to to the radio at some stage. It turns a useful production tool into a cheesy pop gimmick. The great thing about this and other posts is that in addition to the text, the author also puts up audio examples of the things he is explaining. It lets the reader understand the authors point much more clearly.
My Comments:
1. http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop-music-10-examples/#comment-81739
2. http://stereogum.com/archives/animal_collective_love_animals_096601.html#comment-5643891
3. http://jamesfrankel.musiced.net/2009/10/28/my-new-role-with-atmi/#comment-53121
4. http://www.hometracked.com/2008/04/20/10-myths-about-normalization/#comment-81812
Student: Donnchadh Ó Foghlú(09004352)
Chosen blog: The Official Google Blog(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/)
Chosen post: Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/went-walkabout-brought-back-google-wave.html)
The blog i have chosen for this assignment is googleblog.blogspot.(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/)
The main purpose of this site is to give insight to google users into products,tecnology and google culture.
The blog authors are generally google engineers and designers but there is no specific aouthor. All of the topics are related to google apps,tecnology ect. The most recent posts are based on the the latest applications such as google wave and google music search. The blog is regularly updated with new posts. There seems to be posts added every 2-3 days.
The blog is very well layed out and is easy to use with every post sorted by a label. There are also links on the sidebar to the most recent and popular posts. Each post contains several links but there is no option for commenting on any of the blogs.
The target audience for the blog would be all google users who would be interested in new and upcoming ideas,applications and technologies.
My favourite post : Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/went-walkabout-brought-back-google-wave.html)
It was posted by Lars Rasmussen, a Software Engineering Manager and one of the creators of the idea.
Google Wave is "a personal communication and collaboration tool" announced by Google at the Google I/O conference on May 27, 2009. It is a web-based service, computing platform, and communications protocol designed to merge e-mail, instant messaging, wikis, and social networking. It has a strong collaborative and real-time focus supported by extensions that can provide, for example, spelling/grammar checking, automated translation among 40 languages, and numerous other extensions.
I chose this post because i have a keen interest in this new product. It is highly talke about and although it has not yet been released it is said that it is goig to be the next big thing and a new direction for technology and the internet. I personally think it will have a huge affect on how internet communication evolves in the future.
Chosen blog: The Official Google Blog(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/)
Chosen post: Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/went-walkabout-brought-back-google-wave.html)
The blog i have chosen for this assignment is googleblog.blogspot.(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/)
The main purpose of this site is to give insight to google users into products,tecnology and google culture.
The blog authors are generally google engineers and designers but there is no specific aouthor. All of the topics are related to google apps,tecnology ect. The most recent posts are based on the the latest applications such as google wave and google music search. The blog is regularly updated with new posts. There seems to be posts added every 2-3 days.
The blog is very well layed out and is easy to use with every post sorted by a label. There are also links on the sidebar to the most recent and popular posts. Each post contains several links but there is no option for commenting on any of the blogs.
The target audience for the blog would be all google users who would be interested in new and upcoming ideas,applications and technologies.
My favourite post : Went Walkabout. Brought back Google Wave(http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/went-walkabout-brought-back-google-wave.html)
It was posted by Lars Rasmussen, a Software Engineering Manager and one of the creators of the idea.
Google Wave is "a personal communication and collaboration tool" announced by Google at the Google I/O conference on May 27, 2009. It is a web-based service, computing platform, and communications protocol designed to merge e-mail, instant messaging, wikis, and social networking. It has a strong collaborative and real-time focus supported by extensions that can provide, for example, spelling/grammar checking, automated translation among 40 languages, and numerous other extensions.
I chose this post because i have a keen interest in this new product. It is highly talke about and although it has not yet been released it is said that it is goig to be the next big thing and a new direction for technology and the internet. I personally think it will have a huge affect on how internet communication evolves in the future.
Student: (name and number) Alison Griffiths 09005088
Chosen blog: (title and URL)PodComplex Music Technology-http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/podcomplex-music-technology
Chosen post: (title and URL)http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/vinyl-pressing/
The blog I chose to write about for this assignment was a music technology blog by PodComplex. I found it very interesting as it covered many aspects of music that i wouldn’t have nescessarily considered before. They’re topics ranged from Plagiarism, Electric Picnic, The new methods of releasing music, Ipods to The highest and lowest frequencies of the human voice. Their posts were very frequent even for the most commited blogger it can be hard to find time to blog more than weekly, but PodComplex certainly maintained that if not more. Subjects varied considerably as music technology news changed. They often had posts about the latest software available, recording news and recent gigs. Having said that there was always the dedicated theme of Music apparent in every post.
In my opinion the target audience of this blog would be people similar to myself. Music technology students, music fanatics or people in the industry. Their blog really does cover an immense amount of information relavent to all those with an interest in the Irish music scene and technology alike. Whether you were looking for a review on a recent gig or looking to upgrade your Ipod PodComplex seems to cover it all!
The language is clear and technical as would be aspected from a blog of this genre. It states the facts needed to be known yet isn’t laced with the descriptive language that some blogs of other subjects may be. They balance the lack of description by including images of the hardware and software respectively . Therefore the language and the graphics combined give the reader a clear view of whatever subject is covered. For example in their blog of “Electric Picnic” there wasn’t a huge amount of text that would be expected in a review of this kind but the atmosphere and experience of the festival was clearly conveyed graphically in the quantity of photographs.
In relation to the embedded artefacts there was no lack of video applications displaying how the newest of technology works. I found this very effective, once again they didn’t go overboard on the text explanations but through “You Tube” etc they made it very clear how, for example the new “appleton controller” works or how to make music on a touchscreen interface based program.
Interaction with this blog is a major disadvantage, it is possible to comment on the blog in general but when I went to do so it was very unclear how to retrieve what you had said. I couldn’t understand how to access other peoples opinions of the differnet posts and even when there was a chance to comment about the blog as a whole it wasn’t possible to locate what others had said.
My favourite post by PodComplex was they’re thoughts about how vinyl is making a comeback to the music industry. The first video showed footage from the early days of vinyl explaining what a miracle it was to the generation. It explained exactly how the technical process took place and gave samples of the earliest recordings. They talked about one of the last vinyl pressing factories in the world, it’s based in Nashville where they produce thousands of records every 8 hours! They then included another video which explained how the factory in Nashville now produce vinyl for DJs , the more modern use for it. This really interested me because in my personal opinion vinyl is making a comeback. Consumers are tired of buying music online and not recieving hardcopies of their purchase. There are no leaflets of song lyrics to look through, no photographs of the band and most of all that old record smell that can only be found on vinyl is well and truely lost to the consumers of 2009! This has caused an increase in vinyl sales and many bands are beginning to release they’re albums on record aswell as online.
In summary I find PodComplex’s blog to be very informative and useful to a music technology student such as myself. As well as an interesting read for the general public.
My comments on blogs:
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/podcomplex-music-technology.html#comment_706123
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=58854586&blogId=50599286
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=70699583&blogId=510872665
http://www.futuremusic.co.uk/page/futuremusic?entry=fm220_in_the_studio
Chosen blog: (title and URL)PodComplex Music Technology-http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/podcomplex-music-technology
Chosen post: (title and URL)http://www.podcomplex.com/blog/vinyl-pressing/
The blog I chose to write about for this assignment was a music technology blog by PodComplex. I found it very interesting as it covered many aspects of music that i wouldn’t have nescessarily considered before. They’re topics ranged from Plagiarism, Electric Picnic, The new methods of releasing music, Ipods to The highest and lowest frequencies of the human voice. Their posts were very frequent even for the most commited blogger it can be hard to find time to blog more than weekly, but PodComplex certainly maintained that if not more. Subjects varied considerably as music technology news changed. They often had posts about the latest software available, recording news and recent gigs. Having said that there was always the dedicated theme of Music apparent in every post.
In my opinion the target audience of this blog would be people similar to myself. Music technology students, music fanatics or people in the industry. Their blog really does cover an immense amount of information relavent to all those with an interest in the Irish music scene and technology alike. Whether you were looking for a review on a recent gig or looking to upgrade your Ipod PodComplex seems to cover it all!
The language is clear and technical as would be aspected from a blog of this genre. It states the facts needed to be known yet isn’t laced with the descriptive language that some blogs of other subjects may be. They balance the lack of description by including images of the hardware and software respectively . Therefore the language and the graphics combined give the reader a clear view of whatever subject is covered. For example in their blog of “Electric Picnic” there wasn’t a huge amount of text that would be expected in a review of this kind but the atmosphere and experience of the festival was clearly conveyed graphically in the quantity of photographs.
In relation to the embedded artefacts there was no lack of video applications displaying how the newest of technology works. I found this very effective, once again they didn’t go overboard on the text explanations but through “You Tube” etc they made it very clear how, for example the new “appleton controller” works or how to make music on a touchscreen interface based program.
Interaction with this blog is a major disadvantage, it is possible to comment on the blog in general but when I went to do so it was very unclear how to retrieve what you had said. I couldn’t understand how to access other peoples opinions of the differnet posts and even when there was a chance to comment about the blog as a whole it wasn’t possible to locate what others had said.
My favourite post by PodComplex was they’re thoughts about how vinyl is making a comeback to the music industry. The first video showed footage from the early days of vinyl explaining what a miracle it was to the generation. It explained exactly how the technical process took place and gave samples of the earliest recordings. They talked about one of the last vinyl pressing factories in the world, it’s based in Nashville where they produce thousands of records every 8 hours! They then included another video which explained how the factory in Nashville now produce vinyl for DJs , the more modern use for it. This really interested me because in my personal opinion vinyl is making a comeback. Consumers are tired of buying music online and not recieving hardcopies of their purchase. There are no leaflets of song lyrics to look through, no photographs of the band and most of all that old record smell that can only be found on vinyl is well and truely lost to the consumers of 2009! This has caused an increase in vinyl sales and many bands are beginning to release they’re albums on record aswell as online.
In summary I find PodComplex’s blog to be very informative and useful to a music technology student such as myself. As well as an interesting read for the general public.
My comments on blogs:
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/podcomplex-music-technology.html#comment_706123
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=58854586&blogId=50599286
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=70699583&blogId=510872665
http://www.futuremusic.co.uk/page/futuremusic?entry=fm220_in_the_studio
Student: Chris O' Grady (09006061)
Chosen blog: (CrunchGear http://www.crunchgear.com/)
Chosen post: (http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/27/rock-music-is-dead-and-all-the-rock-band-in-the-world-wont-save-it/#comment-1124241)
- The blog I have chosen was founded by Michael Arrington. The blog covers many things such as the latest gadgets and computer hardware. I was impressed by the regularity of posts, with many new blogs being posted everyday. Of course, not all the blogs generate a huge response, but for the most part a lot of activity takes place here. With many different people contributing, there's always something new to read up on.
- In my opinion, the target audience is anyone with an interest in the latest news in technology (computer games, phones, gadgets etc.) Perhaps a slightly more mature audience though, as the majority of comments are from people with a lot of knowledge in the field.
- The language used isn't complicated, and I love that. Everything is said in simple terms, which makes it very easy to get involved. It's impossible to find something interesting if it's all nonsense and jargon to you, which is why I really enjoyed the blogs that are posted here. The atmosphere is generally good, and people can voice their opinions without having to worry about sounding stupid.
- The layout was also very accessible. The titles of all the latest posts are listed, usually accompanied with a picture and an interesting caption. It's also very easy to find the previous blogs you visited again. I have no complaints about it.
- My favourite post was "Rock music is dead, and all the Rock Band in the world won't save it". Although I strongly disagree with that statement, I still found this blog to be my favourite read. I understand what point the author Nicholas Deleon was trying to make, but I don't think he argued his case that well. I'm a gamer myself, and Rock Band is something I quite enjoy, so I found it nice to see how many others felt he was wrong too. This blog also generated quite a response in comparison to many of the other ones. This blog combined my interest in music, games and gadgets which is why I enjoyed reading it and taking part in the discussion.
My comments on blogs:
Comment 1
Comment 2
Comment 3
Comment 4
Chosen blog: (CrunchGear http://www.crunchgear.com/)
Chosen post: (http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/27/rock-music-is-dead-and-all-the-rock-band-in-the-world-wont-save-it/#comment-1124241)
- The blog I have chosen was founded by Michael Arrington. The blog covers many things such as the latest gadgets and computer hardware. I was impressed by the regularity of posts, with many new blogs being posted everyday. Of course, not all the blogs generate a huge response, but for the most part a lot of activity takes place here. With many different people contributing, there's always something new to read up on.
- In my opinion, the target audience is anyone with an interest in the latest news in technology (computer games, phones, gadgets etc.) Perhaps a slightly more mature audience though, as the majority of comments are from people with a lot of knowledge in the field.
- The language used isn't complicated, and I love that. Everything is said in simple terms, which makes it very easy to get involved. It's impossible to find something interesting if it's all nonsense and jargon to you, which is why I really enjoyed the blogs that are posted here. The atmosphere is generally good, and people can voice their opinions without having to worry about sounding stupid.
- The layout was also very accessible. The titles of all the latest posts are listed, usually accompanied with a picture and an interesting caption. It's also very easy to find the previous blogs you visited again. I have no complaints about it.
- My favourite post was "Rock music is dead, and all the Rock Band in the world won't save it". Although I strongly disagree with that statement, I still found this blog to be my favourite read. I understand what point the author Nicholas Deleon was trying to make, but I don't think he argued his case that well. I'm a gamer myself, and Rock Band is something I quite enjoy, so I found it nice to see how many others felt he was wrong too. This blog also generated quite a response in comparison to many of the other ones. This blog combined my interest in music, games and gadgets which is why I enjoyed reading it and taking part in the discussion.
My comments on blogs:
Comment 1
Comment 2
Comment 3
Comment 4
David O Brien 09005620
David O Brien 09005620
The blog I chose for the assignment is this one:
Link Here
This blog, 'thestereobus' is a blog written and moderated by producer Dan Conner. Dan keeps busy, updating the blog once daily. The blog offers tips and techniques to the world of Digital Audio Recording/Mixing/Mastering. The blog does not become repetitive as the topics approached are broad. One topic could be on compressing acoustic guitars and a following post could be about placing speakers in your mixing room. Dan's posts are consistently good, without too much material to stir skepticism, and for argument to take place, he has facilitated us with a comments section at the end of each topic. The comments section is a good source of a few more audio enthusiast's take on the topic posted and makes for good reading.
The blog is written half and half technical jargon and easily understood simple text. Much like an episode of BBC's 'Top Gear' both the motoring enthusiast and the casual joe soap can enjoy watching the programme.
My chosen topic is from this blog, where the focus is on Spectum and Phase Analysis using Plugins in your DAW.
I like the author's approach here, he begins by introducing these tools with a word of caution, not use them unless you can hear a problem already, as you might not see what you expect. I like the line:
"The people who buy your track are going to do an awful lot more listening to it than looking at it!"
The topic appealed to me because I often use these tools myself and having read that post I feel next time I crack out the spectrum analyzer I'll have a more comfortable time using it to bring out the best in a mix.
The topic can be found:
Here
Links to my 4 posts. (3 of which are waiting moderation...as I wait impatiently!)
Link1
Link2
Link3
Link4
The blog I chose for the assignment is this one:
Link Here
This blog, 'thestereobus' is a blog written and moderated by producer Dan Conner. Dan keeps busy, updating the blog once daily. The blog offers tips and techniques to the world of Digital Audio Recording/Mixing/Mastering. The blog does not become repetitive as the topics approached are broad. One topic could be on compressing acoustic guitars and a following post could be about placing speakers in your mixing room. Dan's posts are consistently good, without too much material to stir skepticism, and for argument to take place, he has facilitated us with a comments section at the end of each topic. The comments section is a good source of a few more audio enthusiast's take on the topic posted and makes for good reading.
The blog is written half and half technical jargon and easily understood simple text. Much like an episode of BBC's 'Top Gear' both the motoring enthusiast and the casual joe soap can enjoy watching the programme.
My chosen topic is from this blog, where the focus is on Spectum and Phase Analysis using Plugins in your DAW.
I like the author's approach here, he begins by introducing these tools with a word of caution, not use them unless you can hear a problem already, as you might not see what you expect. I like the line:
"The people who buy your track are going to do an awful lot more listening to it than looking at it!"
The topic appealed to me because I often use these tools myself and having read that post I feel next time I crack out the spectrum analyzer I'll have a more comfortable time using it to bring out the best in a mix.
The topic can be found:
Here
Links to my 4 posts. (3 of which are waiting moderation...as I wait impatiently!)
Link1
Link2
Link3
Link4
(0883018 James O Keeffe)
Student: (James O Keeffe)
Chosen blog: (Irish current politics and affairs http://www.irishelection.com/)
Chosen post: (Murder Rate and http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/murder-rate/#comment-123658)
I choose the blog called IRISH ELECTION I like this blog because
i see article's that i am really passionate about reading which up to a few years ago i didn't care about i never voted or anything like that until the day the Irish people
Were made vote again on the Nice treaty in 2002 it felt like i was living in Cuba
after hearing the government say that the No the Irish people had just voted was not
Good enough we had to vote again,it drove me mad but also opened my eyes and from
time to time i liked the odd rant at our commie government...this looked like a good place to read and chat about up to date politics in the country...
their were various authors on the blog and had about 22 post a week and about 32 subscribers..........
The post i choose is titled Murder Rate and to be honest i didn't find what i was reading that shocking as the media constantly talk about it to scare people if we didn't have to live in fear their be a lot less crime and when i say Fear i don't mean Fear for your life i mean Fear for your Job
Fear for your health etc..This post also outlines the harsh reality of life in Ireland is
"One hardly ever wakes up these days without RTE reporting from some part of the country about somebody being murdered, killed or the subject of manslaughter " comment from TD Joan Bruton in the Dail.
This is life in Ireland and even with such a high Murder Rate we live here and not in A Poverty Stricken country or even a country ravaged by war , imagine the Murder Rate in Iraq on both sides of the war we should count ourselves lucky!
My comments on blogs:
Wouldn't it make Bertie sick
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/wouldnt-it-make-bertie-sick-if/#comment-123655
Are you afraid yet
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/07/are-you-afraid-yet/#comment-123656
Rural Urban Divide
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/rural-urban-divide/#comment-123657
Murder Rate
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/murder-rate/#comment-123658
Chosen blog: (Irish current politics and affairs http://www.irishelection.com/)
Chosen post: (Murder Rate and http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/murder-rate/#comment-123658)
I choose the blog called IRISH ELECTION I like this blog because
i see article's that i am really passionate about reading which up to a few years ago i didn't care about i never voted or anything like that until the day the Irish people
Were made vote again on the Nice treaty in 2002 it felt like i was living in Cuba
after hearing the government say that the No the Irish people had just voted was not
Good enough we had to vote again,it drove me mad but also opened my eyes and from
time to time i liked the odd rant at our commie government...this looked like a good place to read and chat about up to date politics in the country...
their were various authors on the blog and had about 22 post a week and about 32 subscribers..........
The post i choose is titled Murder Rate and to be honest i didn't find what i was reading that shocking as the media constantly talk about it to scare people if we didn't have to live in fear their be a lot less crime and when i say Fear i don't mean Fear for your life i mean Fear for your Job
Fear for your health etc..This post also outlines the harsh reality of life in Ireland is
"One hardly ever wakes up these days without RTE reporting from some part of the country about somebody being murdered, killed or the subject of manslaughter " comment from TD Joan Bruton in the Dail.
This is life in Ireland and even with such a high Murder Rate we live here and not in A Poverty Stricken country or even a country ravaged by war , imagine the Murder Rate in Iraq on both sides of the war we should count ourselves lucky!
My comments on blogs:
Wouldn't it make Bertie sick
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/wouldnt-it-make-bertie-sick-if/#comment-123655
Are you afraid yet
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/07/are-you-afraid-yet/#comment-123656
Rural Urban Divide
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/rural-urban-divide/#comment-123657
Murder Rate
http://www.irishelection.com/2009/10/murder-rate/#comment-123658
Student: (daniel bride)
Chosen blog: ( Ubergizmo http://www.ubergizmo.com)
Chosen post: (WXHMD http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/wxhmd_is_linux-powered.html)
My comments on blogs:
The blog I have chosen to follow is called UberGizmo. It appears to collect articles from various authors depending on the posts such as John Maushammer.
The main topics are news posts relating to audio, computers, gaming, new digital concepts and new gadgets that are available or coming soon to the consumer markets.
The posts are quite frequent with about 20-30 posts a day.I think that this is due to the fact that it gets its posts from many different users.
I believe the target audience to be anyone who is interested in finding out about new gagets and concepts relating to the digital media sector.
The language used in these posts is somewhat journalistic but also informal enough to some personality. It reminds me of the gaget review pages in mens magazines such as FHM etc.
The page layout is quite easy to view, with a main headline at the head of the page. This is usually followed by an embedded Image/picture relating to the posts subject matter. Then there is the post which is usually less than 200 words, it then usually has a permalink to the original blog.
The main drawback is the amount of space given to advertisments. The ads can sometime take up as much space as the post itself and can become disruptive as they are usually place between the main body and the comments button.
My favourite post on this blog is
http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/wxhmd_is_linux-powered.html
It describes a new computer that is so small that it is worn on the face like sun glasses. It runs on Linux and it seems that it is also 3d capable.
COMMENT 1: http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/apple_wireless_headset_patent.htm
COMMENT 2:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/vstone810_robot.html?dsq=21345075#comment-21345075
COMMENT 3:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/nokia_storyplay_targets_kids.html?
COMMENT 4:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/guitar_hero_played_without_guitars.html?dsq=21347101#comment-21347101
Chosen blog: ( Ubergizmo http://www.ubergizmo.com)
Chosen post: (WXHMD http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/wxhmd_is_linux-powered.html)
My comments on blogs:
The blog I have chosen to follow is called UberGizmo. It appears to collect articles from various authors depending on the posts such as John Maushammer.
The main topics are news posts relating to audio, computers, gaming, new digital concepts and new gadgets that are available or coming soon to the consumer markets.
The posts are quite frequent with about 20-30 posts a day.I think that this is due to the fact that it gets its posts from many different users.
I believe the target audience to be anyone who is interested in finding out about new gagets and concepts relating to the digital media sector.
The language used in these posts is somewhat journalistic but also informal enough to some personality. It reminds me of the gaget review pages in mens magazines such as FHM etc.
The page layout is quite easy to view, with a main headline at the head of the page. This is usually followed by an embedded Image/picture relating to the posts subject matter. Then there is the post which is usually less than 200 words, it then usually has a permalink to the original blog.
The main drawback is the amount of space given to advertisments. The ads can sometime take up as much space as the post itself and can become disruptive as they are usually place between the main body and the comments button.
My favourite post on this blog is
http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/wxhmd_is_linux-powered.html
It describes a new computer that is so small that it is worn on the face like sun glasses. It runs on Linux and it seems that it is also 3d capable.
COMMENT 1: http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/apple_wireless_headset_patent.htm
COMMENT 2:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/vstone810_robot.html?dsq=21345075#comment-21345075
COMMENT 3:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/nokia_storyplay_targets_kids.html?
COMMENT 4:http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/10/guitar_hero_played_without_guitars.html?dsq=21347101#comment-21347101
Myles O'Callaghan (09004044)
Student: Myles O’Callaghan (09004044)
Chosen blog: Music Production Tips & Techniques
Chosen post: Stereo Spread - Timbaland Style
This blog can be found at:
www.modernbeats.com
- The blog I have chosen was started by Peter Kirn. It aims to keep people up to date with advances in technology with respect, in particular, to music technology and music production. It is a reasonably busy blog, with on average, a blog a day as there are currently many other contributors to it.
- It seems to me that the target audience for this blog is home producers and people producing semi-professionally.
- The blog itself doesn‘t seem to have any strict form or layout but there are regularly hardware and software reviews, production tips, interviews with well known producers and discussions between amateur home producers. The “News” and “Features” sections are most active.
- The thing I liked most about this blog is that it is very easy to read. The vast majority of the posts are written in layman’s terms meaning that even those who are not that familiar with some of the more high-spec production programs can understand the idea or concept behind the post. Many of the posts are also accompanied by a link, youtube video or picture which gives a greater insight into the topic being discussed.
- My favourite post in this blog was probably the post on Timbaland’s stereo spread. The post was made by a member of the Hit Talk staff and breaks down the process behind the panning in many of Timbaland’s produced tracks such as “Bounce”. It explains how he uses the Ensoniq ASR-10 which allows him to work with two copies of one sample. They are panned left and right respectively and then a stereo image is created by delaying one in respect to the other. I have never been a fan of the genre on music typically produced by Timbaland, however it was very interesting to get an insight into how he works in studio and to test the techniques he uses when, in this case, he creates a stereo spread for his tracks.
My comments on blogs:
Comment 1: Mastering Sound (Awaiting Moderation)
Comment 2: Essential Hip Hop Rhythms
Comment 3: Propellerhead Software Record
Chosen blog: Music Production Tips & Techniques
Chosen post: Stereo Spread - Timbaland Style
This blog can be found at:
www.modernbeats.com
- The blog I have chosen was started by Peter Kirn. It aims to keep people up to date with advances in technology with respect, in particular, to music technology and music production. It is a reasonably busy blog, with on average, a blog a day as there are currently many other contributors to it.
- It seems to me that the target audience for this blog is home producers and people producing semi-professionally.
- The blog itself doesn‘t seem to have any strict form or layout but there are regularly hardware and software reviews, production tips, interviews with well known producers and discussions between amateur home producers. The “News” and “Features” sections are most active.
- The thing I liked most about this blog is that it is very easy to read. The vast majority of the posts are written in layman’s terms meaning that even those who are not that familiar with some of the more high-spec production programs can understand the idea or concept behind the post. Many of the posts are also accompanied by a link, youtube video or picture which gives a greater insight into the topic being discussed.
- My favourite post in this blog was probably the post on Timbaland’s stereo spread. The post was made by a member of the Hit Talk staff and breaks down the process behind the panning in many of Timbaland’s produced tracks such as “Bounce”. It explains how he uses the Ensoniq ASR-10 which allows him to work with two copies of one sample. They are panned left and right respectively and then a stereo image is created by delaying one in respect to the other. I have never been a fan of the genre on music typically produced by Timbaland, however it was very interesting to get an insight into how he works in studio and to test the techniques he uses when, in this case, he creates a stereo spread for his tracks.
My comments on blogs:
Comment 1: Mastering Sound (Awaiting Moderation)
Comment 2: Essential Hip Hop Rhythms
Comment 3: Propellerhead Software Record
Student: (Sean McKennedy 09005189)
Chosen blog: (Gaming Blog:Game On http://www.gamingblog.org/)
This blog was written by, as far as i can see, an anonymous blogger.
I do not see why he would want to keep his identity secret because there is no harmfull content in this blog.
the topics on this blog do not vary that much, the main ones being release notes on video games, but one or two posts are about general technology.My favourite one being about the new "Robo-cop visors for the modern police man".
Unfortunately the blog has stopped being updated since june of this year, but before that it was very regularly updated, having maybe 3 or 4 posts per day.
the target audience of this blog was obviously a more advanced gamer.The language used in the posts we're very technical and the terms would only be understood by a young adult or adult. Therefore this is not a childrens game blog!
Almost every post had a video trailer for the game it was reviewing embedded.
a few of the posts we're about footage "Leaks" so these videos would not play.
but otherwise it was kept very well informed with back up information by videos.
there were very few comments on the posts, mostly one or two if any at all.
the comments were generally saying thank you for the information.
My comments on blogs:
Chosen blog: (Gaming Blog:Game On http://www.gamingblog.org/)
This blog was written by, as far as i can see, an anonymous blogger.
I do not see why he would want to keep his identity secret because there is no harmfull content in this blog.
the topics on this blog do not vary that much, the main ones being release notes on video games, but one or two posts are about general technology.My favourite one being about the new "Robo-cop visors for the modern police man".
Unfortunately the blog has stopped being updated since june of this year, but before that it was very regularly updated, having maybe 3 or 4 posts per day.
the target audience of this blog was obviously a more advanced gamer.The language used in the posts we're very technical and the terms would only be understood by a young adult or adult. Therefore this is not a childrens game blog!
Almost every post had a video trailer for the game it was reviewing embedded.
a few of the posts we're about footage "Leaks" so these videos would not play.
but otherwise it was kept very well informed with back up information by videos.
there were very few comments on the posts, mostly one or two if any at all.
the comments were generally saying thank you for the information.
My comments on blogs:
Harold Miller (09001662)
Student: Harold Miller (09001662)
Chosen blog: Digital Media Minute
Chosen post: Good GUI Design
The blog that I chose is called Digital Media Minute. The author of the blog remains mostly anonymous for unknown reasons, possibly to avoid too much backlash from any controversial statements made. The only hint of who the authors are come from the comments where only their first names appear such as “Tom.” I assume that there are also multiple authors working on this because the writing style does seem to differ often and also because the blog is updated often; usually once a day.
The topics are varied, but mostly cover web and software development. They provide tips and programming guides on such things as HTML, JavaScript, Ruby, and MySQL. They also cover how these technologies influence the individual user and society as a whole.
The audience that the blog is trying to attract is obviously the software and web developers and to an extent the general user. The reason why I would say that it is targeted more towards professionals is that some of the language used can be technical at times, and I doubt most of the general populace would want a link to a PHP programming guide. However there are many posts that cater towards the average person. There are many reviews on certain products such as iPhone apps.
The comments sections of the blogs are pretty barren. For most of the posts there are no comments, but on a few there are one or two. A couple of them seem to come from other bloggers and on occasion one of the authors will comment back.
The page layout is pretty standard. Up top they have the links to the other parts of the site such as Home and the Archive. Also there are a couple graphics but nothing too fancy. Then below that is where the posts are and after each post there is the comments section.
My favorite post is the Good GUI Design post. I liked this post the most because it deals in a subject that I am very interested in. It talks about the group 10GUI and their approach to the next generation of desktop interaction. It deals with how they are working to move past the traditional mouse design and move into a multi-touch design. It also moves on to how the software is affected by this. They talk about con10uum which is how they see the way application windows on a desktop should be arranged. There is also a video embedded that details their work. It is a very interesting video and I can’t wait until I get my chance to test out this new technology.
My comments on blogs:
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4833/tim-oreilly-on-the-future-of-books/comment-page-1#comment-647837
http://insidedigitalmedia.com/what-if-all-video-were-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-5360
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4901/mozilla-raindrop/comment-page-1#comment-647838
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4875/free-programming-related-ebooks/comment-page-1#comment-647839
Chosen blog: Digital Media Minute
Chosen post: Good GUI Design
The blog that I chose is called Digital Media Minute. The author of the blog remains mostly anonymous for unknown reasons, possibly to avoid too much backlash from any controversial statements made. The only hint of who the authors are come from the comments where only their first names appear such as “Tom.” I assume that there are also multiple authors working on this because the writing style does seem to differ often and also because the blog is updated often; usually once a day.
The topics are varied, but mostly cover web and software development. They provide tips and programming guides on such things as HTML, JavaScript, Ruby, and MySQL. They also cover how these technologies influence the individual user and society as a whole.
The audience that the blog is trying to attract is obviously the software and web developers and to an extent the general user. The reason why I would say that it is targeted more towards professionals is that some of the language used can be technical at times, and I doubt most of the general populace would want a link to a PHP programming guide. However there are many posts that cater towards the average person. There are many reviews on certain products such as iPhone apps.
The comments sections of the blogs are pretty barren. For most of the posts there are no comments, but on a few there are one or two. A couple of them seem to come from other bloggers and on occasion one of the authors will comment back.
The page layout is pretty standard. Up top they have the links to the other parts of the site such as Home and the Archive. Also there are a couple graphics but nothing too fancy. Then below that is where the posts are and after each post there is the comments section.
My favorite post is the Good GUI Design post. I liked this post the most because it deals in a subject that I am very interested in. It talks about the group 10GUI and their approach to the next generation of desktop interaction. It deals with how they are working to move past the traditional mouse design and move into a multi-touch design. It also moves on to how the software is affected by this. They talk about con10uum which is how they see the way application windows on a desktop should be arranged. There is also a video embedded that details their work. It is a very interesting video and I can’t wait until I get my chance to test out this new technology.
My comments on blogs:
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4833/tim-oreilly-on-the-future-of-books/comment-page-1#comment-647837
http://insidedigitalmedia.com/what-if-all-video-were-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-5360
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4901/mozilla-raindrop/comment-page-1#comment-647838
http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/article/4875/free-programming-related-ebooks/comment-page-1#comment-647839
Student: Niamh Corkery(09004131)
Chosen blog: (Create Digital Music)
Chosen post: (Going Mobile:Nintendo DS-10 Comes to North America)
Essay:
Over the course of the last 3 weeks we were give the task to follow 3 Blogs that were of interest to me and in the final week i had to pick the one Blog i liked the most.
The three blogs I followed were;
1. www.createdigitalmusic.com
2. www.musictech.net
3. www.techcrunch.com
All of these Blogs were interesting to follow however I never really understood the word Blogs and the purpose for them therefore I had to pay particular attention to them and the comments of the public. At first this was hard to do and I began to lose interest however over the course of the three weeks there was one that stood out the most and that was the one that I chose to write about.
1.www.createdigitalmusic.com
Peter Kirn who is a composer/musician, media artist, and educator and technology journalist and is the creator of this Blog. Set up in 2005, the aim of this blog was to inform musicians of all the latest in Music and Games Technology.
While being displayed as a Blog, this is also seen as an online magazine, which was published the same year as when the Blog, 2005.
This magazine is only for sale in America
(“Creating Digital Music”)
The magazine helps people make the most of Digital Music on Apple Mac and Window’s.
This Blogs talks about the technical devices of the 21st Century e.g.; “Apple I-Phone”, “Software Synthesizers”, “Drum Machines”, “Camera’s” and the list goes on. This is of benefit to the modern musicians because it keeps them informed of new devices on the market and the opinions of professionals are also available!
This Blog is updated on a daily basis with almost 3 topics a day to talk about.
Most of the topics vary from day to day from talking about the “Visionsonic Festival Streaming Live” to “ Drum Machines have no soul”.
The target audience is clearly towards Musicians and those who have an interest in Music Technology, Digital Music and modern equipment.
This blog is also very likeable because the language contained within it is very much so simple apart from the few technical words that not all music people would understand e.g.; “hacks”, “mods”,”nano”.
Another likeable feature of this blog is the layout.
Each topic is firstly dated in red; they each contain a heading in bold writing and my favourite feature is that each topic will either contain pictures of the subject being discussed or else a youtube video is linked to the topic to watch. One video that I liked was “Kassen” this is a 2-minute clip on a Dj displaying some of his work through turntables and his idea to reverse one of the turntables to create a new sound, it is very interesting.
One of the main features with blogs is the interaction between the creator of the blog and his/her audience. This is created through comments to which the viewer follows the topics being displayed by the creator in this case Peter Kirn and they leave their views to Peter would does respond to his audience. Here is a sample of a typical conversation.
Comment by a viewer.
I agree that Instrumentalism, or even instrumentism, seems to get towards a distinction that’s useful; it has to do with identifying a particular mode of approaching a device. It doesn’t say anything about how that device works, directly. Maybe the value of ‘controllerism’, although I’m not very keen on the term, is to draw attention to those things that make a controller quite a different proposition than an ‘instrument’ in the traditional sense; with a controller you’re dealing with layers of abstraction that are absent with an Instrument (capital I). It’s arguable that this difference is significant enough to justify having a dedicated term for describing the kind of interaction that happens when you use devices like joysticks for music.
Peter’s response
Yes, it’s one of those cases in which I’m not fond of the term but also don’t have a good alternative. (Doh.) “Electronic music” isn’t a terribly descriptive term, either. “Live PA” always makes me imagine a big speaker, sitting alone onstage in a spotlight and people waiting for it to do something. I guess the question I have about controllerism is whether it’s possible to have live digital music without using some sort of controller to moderate what’s happening. Okay, we know it’s “possible” because we’ve seen people do the “push play” style of performance — but then, maybe there’s something more that we can say beyond people using controllers? And for that matter, I have some people use the laptop – yes, even the qwerty keyboard and trackpad – deftly and creatively. It’s a failure of terminology, but rather an interesting one, at least.
Niamh Corkery 1st Year MMPT (09004131)
Chosen blog: (Create Digital Music)
Chosen post: (Going Mobile:Nintendo DS-10 Comes to North America)
Essay:
Over the course of the last 3 weeks we were give the task to follow 3 Blogs that were of interest to me and in the final week i had to pick the one Blog i liked the most.
The three blogs I followed were;
1. www.createdigitalmusic.com
2. www.musictech.net
3. www.techcrunch.com
All of these Blogs were interesting to follow however I never really understood the word Blogs and the purpose for them therefore I had to pay particular attention to them and the comments of the public. At first this was hard to do and I began to lose interest however over the course of the three weeks there was one that stood out the most and that was the one that I chose to write about.
1.www.createdigitalmusic.com
Peter Kirn who is a composer/musician, media artist, and educator and technology journalist and is the creator of this Blog. Set up in 2005, the aim of this blog was to inform musicians of all the latest in Music and Games Technology.
While being displayed as a Blog, this is also seen as an online magazine, which was published the same year as when the Blog, 2005.
This magazine is only for sale in America
(“Creating Digital Music”)
The magazine helps people make the most of Digital Music on Apple Mac and Window’s.
This Blogs talks about the technical devices of the 21st Century e.g.; “Apple I-Phone”, “Software Synthesizers”, “Drum Machines”, “Camera’s” and the list goes on. This is of benefit to the modern musicians because it keeps them informed of new devices on the market and the opinions of professionals are also available!
This Blog is updated on a daily basis with almost 3 topics a day to talk about.
Most of the topics vary from day to day from talking about the “Visionsonic Festival Streaming Live” to “ Drum Machines have no soul”.
The target audience is clearly towards Musicians and those who have an interest in Music Technology, Digital Music and modern equipment.
This blog is also very likeable because the language contained within it is very much so simple apart from the few technical words that not all music people would understand e.g.; “hacks”, “mods”,”nano”.
Another likeable feature of this blog is the layout.
Each topic is firstly dated in red; they each contain a heading in bold writing and my favourite feature is that each topic will either contain pictures of the subject being discussed or else a youtube video is linked to the topic to watch. One video that I liked was “Kassen” this is a 2-minute clip on a Dj displaying some of his work through turntables and his idea to reverse one of the turntables to create a new sound, it is very interesting.
One of the main features with blogs is the interaction between the creator of the blog and his/her audience. This is created through comments to which the viewer follows the topics being displayed by the creator in this case Peter Kirn and they leave their views to Peter would does respond to his audience. Here is a sample of a typical conversation.
Comment by a viewer.
I agree that Instrumentalism, or even instrumentism, seems to get towards a distinction that’s useful; it has to do with identifying a particular mode of approaching a device. It doesn’t say anything about how that device works, directly. Maybe the value of ‘controllerism’, although I’m not very keen on the term, is to draw attention to those things that make a controller quite a different proposition than an ‘instrument’ in the traditional sense; with a controller you’re dealing with layers of abstraction that are absent with an Instrument (capital I). It’s arguable that this difference is significant enough to justify having a dedicated term for describing the kind of interaction that happens when you use devices like joysticks for music.
Peter’s response
Yes, it’s one of those cases in which I’m not fond of the term but also don’t have a good alternative. (Doh.) “Electronic music” isn’t a terribly descriptive term, either. “Live PA” always makes me imagine a big speaker, sitting alone onstage in a spotlight and people waiting for it to do something. I guess the question I have about controllerism is whether it’s possible to have live digital music without using some sort of controller to moderate what’s happening. Okay, we know it’s “possible” because we’ve seen people do the “push play” style of performance — but then, maybe there’s something more that we can say beyond people using controllers? And for that matter, I have some people use the laptop – yes, even the qwerty keyboard and trackpad – deftly and creatively. It’s a failure of terminology, but rather an interesting one, at least.
Niamh Corkery 1st Year MMPT (09004131)
Student: Sean Mc Keown (09005138)
Chosen Blog: Synthtopia
Chosen Post: "New Novation Launchpad - The $199 Ableton Live Controller"
Synthtopia is a music technology blog published by, web analyst, James Lewin. This is a blog devoted to electronic music, which unlike other blogs which focus on one particular sub-genre, Synthopia covers a wide range of music, all of which falls under "Electronic Music". This Blog covers: articles, artists, free music, news and reviews (of both music and equipment). This blog is also available to follow through RSS news feeds.
The blog is posted to quite regularly with an average of 13 daily, or about 93 posts weekly. These posts generally feature some form of media such as images, audio and/or video which is vital for this type of blog, focusing on music. Posting to the blog varies over time as it is published by only one blogger.
As we can see, in the post graph (left), posting is marked in blue and reading is marked in orange. Posting peaks at approx. 4 AM (GMT) as Lewis is situated in America. This suggests he generally posts in the evenings, after work.Synthtopia has quite a large target audience as it focuses on all aspects of electronic music, and is not specific to any particular sub-genre. This tends to be an audience of quite advanced musicians due to the language used and technical qualities of the posts. This is clearly seen as Google Reader, a subscription based news reader shows 1,897 subscribed, whereas the internationally renowned music magazine DJMag blog has a mere 105 subscribers.
The language used in these posts is generally quite sophisticated and technical, frequently using abbreviations such as "VST", meaning Virtual Studio Technology,
DAW, meaning Digital Audio Workststion, MIDI, meaning Musical Instrument Digital Interface and using terms associated with music production such as "Synthesis" and "Oscillation". While this is not the most complicated language we might see, it is certanly not aimed at the novice musican but a more advanced audience as stated earlier.
The page layout of posts is quite simple. At the top of the page, we see the website logo, blog title and date, followed by the main body of the post, any relevant links, related posts and comments. There is also a short section for subscribing, sending a post to a friend etc. The main body of the post consists of any relevant audio, video and images followed by a description and any hyperlinks relevant to the post. Next is the related posts section and a space containing post tags, for easier searching and archiving. This is followed by a share section, allowing users to tweet the blog entry, post to facebook etc. Along the sides of the page we see a topics, popular tags, search and recent activity section, All in all this is a simple blog layout but contains all the information, links etc. a viewer could want in a very user friendly manner.
The system used for posting comments and recieving feedback on this site is simply the easiest and most informative system on the web. Registered users can login using their IntenseDebate, Twitter or OpenID account, allowing them to personalise their account and keep track of comments, replies and blogs. Unregistered users can also comment as a guest, and by enetring their e-mail address also recieve feedback on comments and replies. When commenting readers can also embed videos and links.
Chosen Post: Novation Launchpad
Instantly my attention was grabbed by this post due to the title "New Novation LaunchPad – The $199 Ableton Live Controller". Ableton Live is a innovative industry standard software DAW, to record music, mix tracks, DJ and use VST instruments to create MIDI music tracks. Yet doing so much on a computer with just a mouse and keyboard is extremely tedious if not impossible. The Novation LaunchPad enables the user to physically trigger clips and adjust parameters in real-time, creating a physical link between software and end-user, and providing feedback through the lit up clip matrix. The LaunchPad can also be used to input notes and create clips. This post features several videos and a detailed description of the LaunchPad effortlessly providing an in-depth, concise, informative review of something so advanced.
Blog Comments:
Please note all comments are submitted under the username "smck99"
1. Synthtopia.com - New Novation LaunchPad – The $199 Ableton Live Controller
2. Synthtopia.com - Free Mellotron Software Synthesizer For PCs
3. CreateDigitalMusic.com - ToneSynth DS
4. Synthtopia.com - The Autonomous Bassline Generator
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