When choosing videos to rent, I have always enjoyed browsing the shelves of the rental stores. My children and I are huge movie fans, and enjoy finding a rare gem once in a while. Recently, we have become fans of Netflix, and this has changed our lives!

Netflix affords us the same luxury of browsing the shelves, only digitally. Each one of us is able to create a list of movies which we would like to see in the future. We also enjoy rating movies within the section allowed so that we can receive specific interest related suggestions from Netflix. This has increased our rare gem viewing, since some of the suggestions were unknown to us or simply not available in our local rental store. Using a specific genre and age range guide also provides us with more valuable returns on our search. Not to mention the ability to sit on our couch and choose an instant view of a movie!

So, when this assignment mentioned renting a video, I immediately went to Netflix to find the titles recommended. I believe four of the titles were available, and after reading the reviews and seeing the ratings which most closely match my interests, I chose to view Total Recall.

This project closely relates to my final project of choosing an antiquated technology. Video streaming for educational purposes as well as for entertainment has taken over the DVD industry. So apparent is this, that when I do enter a video rental store, it is usually to purchase a video at a dramatically reduced price. Much like iTunes overtook the CD music industry, so is video streaming taking over the DVD rental and purchase industry. But is this an example of a Red Queen? I believe it is. Because of the awareness of the competition, rental stores are no longer maintaining as large a supply of movies. The dumping of their inventory at significantly reduced rates illustrates the move towards the digital download or viewing of the videos. Though Netflix has been an option for many years, I myself have just recently become a member, and upon viewing the leading rental store in our area, Blockbuster’s site, I found that they too have moved to a mailing distribution subscription policy which offers in store return. Following the form of Netflix, Blockbuster offers the uploading option for immediate viewing through TiVo. This limits the users to the TiVo audience. While Netflix offers similar programming through Xbox Live, the option for viewing through any network connection is available. Limiting the users to specific hardware may end up limiting their audience. So, when looking at these competitions to move forward, the Red Queen comes to mind. As Blockbuster, and other video rental or sales institutions look to the future, they know they must keep up the pace with those streaming live and on demand. Even the cable providers are aware of the “on demand” aspect of consumers when choosing viewing options.

As McLuhan’s tetrad is concerned, I believe that this is still reminiscent of the past, viewing movies through a tool which allows the consumer the power to not only choose the media, but the time of viewing.

Cheng, J. (2009, January 27). Streaming video cannibalizing DVD rentals, says Netflix. ARS Technica. Retrieved November 16, 2009, from http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/01/streaming-video-cannibalizing-dvd-rentals-says-netflix.ars

Dubner, S. J. (2009, November 16). What Are the Lessons of the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Battle? A Freakonomics Quorum. New York Times. Retrieved November 16, 2009, from http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/what-are-the-lessons-of-the-blu-rayhd-dvd-battle-a-freakonomics-quorum/

Living 2 Lives

The appeal to be able to live a life outside of the one you already live in can be appealing, intoxicating, and limitless. The life we lead from day to day in the "real world" can seem ordinary and full of limits, including financial, geographical, physical. So, with a "Second Life" you are able to live more freely with only those boundaries you place upon yourself. In this virtual world, we are able to create ourselves as to who we feel like on the inside, and not who we appear to be on the outside. Not only are these physical characteristics, they are also inclusive of activities which we participate, locations we choose to live, and create, and worlds in which we wish we could live within. As Second Life becomes more real to those who participate, I am reminded of the movie Total Recall (1990). The premise of the movie is that there is the capability to implant memories into the brain. That you can have an experience of the mind, which is so real that you feel you have actually experienced this in reality. So, how is this like Second Life? Once emerced into this world, the experiences are real as far as the interaction with the media, however, it's not really you. The memories of the avatar's interactions, the learning, the feelings and the experiences are really happening to you through the avatar. This creates an attached feeling to the world, and to others within this world. The interactions with other avatars are simply pawns as interactions with you. However, in creating who you want to be, how "real" can it be? It's your alter you, just like many other avatars.

As a disruptive technology, the Second Life 3D world has created a major shift and focus within the technological world. The ability to interact through avatar and living space creation has changed the face of social networking. Never before have we been able to interact as human beings with our surroundings, other people and activities. A three dimensional world which we can create for our avatars to live in has the potential to shift the way in which we learn. Do I need to hire a tutor, or simply trade services with one through Second Life. Do I need to take a class in order to learn how to tile my bathroom, or can I find an avatar willing to teach me and show me, and allow me to experience these actions through my avatar, and with no fee for materials? This disruption, the type of experiential digital experience, has not replaced any other kind of technology. This is not an evolved process, this technology is now evolving into the type of technology which has the potential to change the way in which we live our lives...in the real world.