2021 A.D.

Communication and Technology in the Future

By: Melissa Herberger

The Umbrella Perspective of Communication

The Umbrella Perspective requires you to investigate each area of a technology to fully understand that technology. It breaks technology down

into parts of an umbrella to explain it.

• The bottom of the umbrella consists of the hardware and software of the technology.

• The middle section of the umbrella is the organizational infrastructure: the group of organizations involved in the production and distribution of the technology.

• The top of the umbrella is the system level, including the political, economic, and media systems, as well as other groups of individuals or organizations serving a common set of functions in society.

• The handle of the umbrella is the individual user. This represents the relationship between the user and the technology. The relationship must be evaluated for the user to get a handle on the technology.

Communication Technology Update by August E. Grant and Jennifer H. Meadows

One of the most important relationships in

communication technology is the relationship between the technology hardware

and the physical equipment related to the technology. New technology develops out of advancements in

hardware.

The Umbrella Perspective

Communication Technology Update by August E. Grant and Jennifer H. Meadows

There is already evidence that textbooks will be replaced with electronic textbooks. Eastern High

School in Louisville, Kentucky recently received a grant to purchase the Kindle for their students. After a trial run with a few students this year, the project will be school wide for the next school year. Next year each of their 2200students will receive the Kindle Ereader,

in place of their textbooks.

It is an easy assumption that within ten years, students will no longer carry a heavy back pack loaded

down with hard back books, they will only carry the Kindle.

Electronic Textbooks

Gregory Herberger, Eastern High School Assistant Principal

Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations

explains how, why, and at

what rate new technology

ideas spread throughout cultures and

societies.

Roger’s D

iffusio

n o

f In

novatio

ns

Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations TheoryWith successive groups of consumers adopting the new technology (shown in blue), its market share (yellow) will eventually reach the saturation level. In mathematics the S curve is known as the logistic function.

The rate of adoption is explained as the amount of time it takes for a culture of society to adopt a new technology

“Geoffrey Moore (Crossing the Chasm, 1991) proposed a variation on Rogers’ model. He suggested that for discontinuous or disruptive innovations, there is a gap or chasm to cross between the first two adopter groups (innovators + early adopters) and the early majority.”

Moore’s Innovation Adoption Rate

Vincos Blog

“When a limited number of people know something in a new way, it remains the conscious property of only those people. 

However, there is a point at which if only one more person tunes in to a new awareness, that new awareness  is picked up by everyone.” (savepune.tripod.com/id7.html, 2011)

Critical M

ass

Theory

Perez Hilton posted this on his website on January 24, 2011.“A new European technology has been developed that will actually allow you to eat, read, and SLEEP while driving.

Yes, you read that right.

SARTRE, or Safe Road Trains for the Environment, is a new program that has partnered with Volvo that will install an advanced steering and sensory technology inside of cars to create a way to let cars drive themselves.

The "road train" will be a line of cars that communicates with a leader car via Wi-Fi that will allow drivers in the other cars to spend little time paying attention to the road.

Um, terrifying!!!

Sources say that this technology will be fully developed by 2021 and will increase fuel efficiency by as much as 20%.”

Computers in Cars

Ford already has a car that will totally park itself. The 2012 Ford Escape parallel parks itself, as seen in this television ad with Mike Rowe. (Double Click box below to play video)

An approach to fully understand how mass media and mass communication relate to one another is the Uses and Gratifications Theory.

The theory looks at how users search for media that will not only meet their needs, but also increase their knowledge, social interactions and diversion. It assumes that audience members are active in incorporating media into their lives. The Uses and Gratification Theory suggests that people are responsible for which media outlet fulfills their needs and wants. Media outlets must then compete to gain the attention of consumers.

Use

s and G

rati

fica

tions

Theory

The Media System Dependency Theory explains how different people are affected by the various media outlets. There are so many different media outlets available. The theory goes into detail about how influential media is on people.

Media System Dependency

Theory

Not only will cell phones eventually replace land lines all together, according to Will Luton of Mobile Pie, they will also replace game consoles by the year 2021. Advancements in cell phones has eliminated the need to carry a planner or a photo album. Even though the cell phone is becoming lighter in weight and smaller in size, the capabilities are growing.

Ten years ago, almost everyone had a land line and fewer people had cell phones. Now that trend has changed. Few people have retained their land lines, instead opting for their cell phone to take over as their only phone. And almost everyone, from kids to grandparents, have cell phones.

Cell phones in the Future

http://www.develop-online.net/blog/225/Mobilising-Console

The Social Cognitive Theory pertains to health technologies communication.

Technological advancements in health care have enabled patients to receive better care faster and in almost any location. Doctors can share information and healthcare plans with doctors in other countries.

The advancements in prosthetics is especially prominent. Patients that receive prosthetics will eventually be able to incorporate their thoughts into how and when the prosthetics operate.

“ In ten years, the prosthetics will reduce in size, function and in cost.” (Rebecca Ruiz, 2007)

Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory

www.utwente.nl › Home › ... › Health Communication

The T

heory

of

the L

ong T

ail

The theory of the Long Tail is that as our society and economy are shifting away from a focus on fewer "hits" (mainstream products and markets) at the head of the demand curve and more toward more frequent niches in the tail.

As production costs go down, there is no longer a need by manufacturers to lump consumers together. We are moving away from “one size fits all.”

Thelongtail.com by Chris Anderson

The Principle of Relative Constancy analyzes financial cost spent by advertisers versus consumer spending.

Is the amount of advertising by manufacturers influencing how much consumers are spending on technology gadgets?

Economicsofadvertising.com by Andrew Gaerig

The Principle of Relative

Constancy

Sources

• Communication Technology Update by August E. Grant and Jennifer H. Meadows• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations• Vincos Blog• savepune.tripod.com/id7.html• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications_theory• www.scripps.ohiou.edu/wjmcr/vol11/• www.utwente.nl › Home › ... › Health Communication• Thelongtail.com by Chris Anderson • Economicsofadvertising.com by Andrew Gaerig• Perezhilton.com• Gregory Herberger, Eastern High School Assitant Prinicpal• Youtube Clip of Mike Rowe and 2012 Ford Escape• Rebecca Ruiz msnbc.com contributor updated 11/27/2007