Social networking (for me at least) started out with ICQ (uh-oh!), moved over to MSN, which developed into those profiles you could add picture to, which grew into Myspace, and eventually, was overtaken by the vast entity that is Facebook. (ComScore says Facebook attracted 132.1 different visitors in June 08, vs Myspace's 117.6 million.)
Something that I find pretty interesting about all new media is its unanticipated duality - that is, it preforms both as the creator intended it to, as well as how to user adapts it. This has been so since the beginning of technologies. For example, the post system was designed for government use, and soon exploded as a means of personal communication. Likewise, the computer was originally intended by Babbage to be used as a mathematical device, and now look at it (it's used for Facebook!)!!
Well, obviously Facebook has many many uses. Though it was intended as a social networking site, there comes many other uses, all of which I won't discuss here.
Something that I would like to touch upon here though is the way advertisers are using Facebook to sell OTHER products - mainly phones. Because you can access the Internet via data device phones like Blackberrys and Iphones,the phone companies (who are obviously trying to target a younger audience for their products) are using Facebook as a selling point. For all the Facebook addicts out there, you can get you fix 24-7, everywhere and anywhere, as long as you have your trusty blackberry handy (or is it Crackberry?? in that case, maybe its Crackbook!!)
One student a couple of classes ago raised her personal opinion about Blackberrys, wondering why a young, non-professional might need a data device. I'm sure many others have the same query, and the clever advertisers out there have found the answer - FACEBOOK!!!!! (eg: guy #1: "are you sure this is the place??" guy #2: "yea, this is the place, [looks at phone] Amy's Facebook page says this is the place!")
So, like I said, all new technologies end up having a certain duality to them, and it's always a mystery what they'll come up with next.
Well, until the next time,
<3, Me
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3 comments:
I have to agree with you about the idea of facebook and cell phones. I used to have a blackberry which I used for work. When facebook came out I added it on my blackberry at first. Then I thought about the idea of it how I felt that I was checking to see everyone's status updates and reading the messages and wall postings from other people. Why? I don't really know the answer to why I felt the need to be a part of the facebook world every mintue of the day besides that it was an ADDICTION. It was like I needed my facebook fix everyday it was the first thing I did when I first woke up and the last thing I did when I went to bed. I later deregistered my blackberry from Facebook so I had to be at a computer to check it and now I don't even find myself checking it everyday. Only when I have spare time I will go on it. I also got rid of my blackberry because I hated the idea of anyone feeling like they can contact me whenever they had. For example sending me an email while I am in class and expecting me to respond to it right away with my blackberry. Now people just have to wait until I am out of class. Ha ha ha
Good call! It was funny, I was at a party last night and I swear, every single person there had a blackberry, and they all had it sitting in front of them like it was their best friend! I don't have one, and I think I'm beginning to feel left out...but then again, like some people (Ted!) refuse to join Facebook, I feel I may just be refusing to join the blackberry cult!!! Anyways thats more about berrys than Facebook but I thought I would mention it.
Renee,
Being a blackberry user myself, I find it quite difficult to navigate Facebook through my blackberry, the same way that I do using my computer. My blackberry doesn't provide the same quality of photos that the computer does, and the fromat of Facebook on my Blackberry doesn't satisfy me the same way the computer does. However, with the recently released iPhone, you can access facebook and it appears the same way the it would on an actual computer screen. With Facebook being as popular as it is, do you think that consumers are going to start to replace their "Crackberry" obsessions with the iPhone? and do you think people's addiction to Facebook is only going to increase because the iPhone provied it in the exact same way that any computer would?
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