Question

How has convergence changed the way we work?

Answer 1

Media convergence has drastically changed our lives in many ways. Media convergence is the merging of technological content in different mass media (Campbell, Martin & Fabos, 2012). It is the evolution of technology, where technological products are combined with one another to perform similar tasks. In the 1990s there were cell phones, radios, television sets, and computers. Each product was designed to perform its own specific tasks. The cell phone was for making and receiving calls, the radio was to listen to music, the television was to watch TV and movies, and the computer was to search the Internet. Now days, we have multiple “all-in-one” technological gadgets that perform all of these tasks in one single device. The smartphone is the new cell phone of the 21st century enabling us to not only make calls, but search the web, listen to music, watch TV shows, and much more. The iPad, a smaller version of a laptop, enables users to search the web, watch TV and movies, and other such computer-like actions. Even laptops and desktop computers now have the ability to make phone calls, as well as, allow users to video chat from their computer screen. Even the video game console has evolved from the original Nintendo, restricting users to solely playing video games, to the Xbox, Wii and PS3. Now days, video game consoles allow users to search the internet, listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, as well as being able to play a wide variety of high-definition video games. The internet has also converged with television, as I have mentioned above, allowing internet users to watch TV shows and movies streaming online through such websites as Hulu, Netflix, HboGo and Fancast. This constant convergence of technology has made our lives easier as users by allowing us to search the web more quickly, efficiently and conveniently. We have the Worldwide Web at the touch of a fingertip. People are able to do business quickly, constantly and much more effectively. Social network applications on phones allow users to stay constantly connected to their friends and colleagues at the touch of a button. Even people living thousands of miles apart can stay connected through social media on their phone and computers at all times. Video gamers can chat online with one another as they play the same game together in different countries. It is absolutely amazing what technology convergence has created for people and how we can all stay in tune and constantly connected at any moment. There is also a negative side to this convergence which has made a huge impact on our current society in America. This constant ability to be at arms reach of information, media, and the web has created an addictive behavior in today's American people. People are addicted to checking their email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. They have picked up this addictive behavior which has become a way of life, in which users now days might not be able to function on a daily basis without some sort of technology (smartphone, iPad, etc.). This has become an epidemic and is quite sad as we see less face-to-face time with people and more time with technology. People choose to use the internet, phone, text, video-chat, and email to communicate with others rather than face-to-face communication, which definitely takes a lot of the intimacy out of true communication.  Just one example of media convergence can be seen when a book is made into a movie. Then comes the book on CD, and the soundtrack of the movie, and eventually it is made into a video game for people to play the characters of the movie or book where the story originated. ~This example is portrayed in this short media convergence YouTube video giving the example of Lord of the Rings, as it transforms from book form to movie, CD, video game, etc.