Musical Town

This was recommended in today's audio lecture and this is a terrible song I made:

http://isleoftune.com/?id=235028

So much fun.
-Ryan

Microsoft vs. Google

I'm sure we both know of the corporate giants Microsoft and Google.

Microsoft being the biggest seller of software in the world and Google being the largest search engine and Advertising business.
What happens when Google tries to expand into the software and Appstore business?

Well I'll tell you what, Microsoft makes a video slamming Google:




Although the Advert is hilarious I think Microsoft made a stupid move making this video.

However, the video is slightly inaccurate, anyone who uses Google knows that their products are VERY useful.

Poor Microsoft, scared of a little competition.

By little I mean HUGE, I personally believe that Google is the future.

All hail the Google!
- Ryan

Putting terrible pictures of you on Facebook is NOT illegal?

... in America at least.

Eric Olson sued his own uncle because his uncle (Randall LaBrie) added a childhood picture of him onto Facebook.
Randall then posted some teasing comments on the photo and Eric wasn't too happy about it.

We've all been there.
Everyone has terrible pictures somewhere on Facebook, the sensible among us just untag ourselves.
Some people just get over it, accept the picture and laugh at themselves.
Now, some people think it's a good idea to sue the person who added the photo. SPOILER: It's not.

Randall was sued for harassment but the court session didn't last long and was definitely not won.
The judge dismissed the appeal and it was also rejected from a higher court.
The judge said: "Comments that are mean and disrespectful, coupled with innocuous family photos, do not affect a person's safety, security, or privacy -- and certainly not substantially so"

There is some strange people in the internet, I feel the long term solution is to not take pictures of them.

For more information or just to know where I got my information from.
Check out this video:

It's not about the money, money/
We don't need your money, money, money/
We just wanna make the world dance/

Forget about the Facebook tag.

- Ryan

Double Fine

TV is now on board with the internet.

What about video games?
I've seen Rockstar games trying to promote their online club which gives you an in-game bonus but the people of the internet and video games have never been connected until now.

The game studio Double Fine have gone on Kickstarter.com and asked fans for $300,000 to make the game and $100,000 to document making the game.

This was a bold move and the best part is... in under 24 hours the game studio made over $1 million.
Breaking the record for most money made in a 24 hour period.

The game they plan to make is an old-school adventure game which was turned down often by game developers/publishers, so Double Fine studios turned to the fans.

Since they've way over shot they're target, they plan to publish their game on more consoles, have a totally original soundtrack and much much more.

If this project is successful, fan interaction with video games will never be the same.

The best part of this (for me) is that this information was released today. (10/2/2012)

So this blog is really up-to-date.

Future looks less grim.
- Ryan

Kodak bye-bye?

I remember my parents using Kodak to print out their photos. We had a Kodak shop in our town and I remember it's yellow and red colour scheme well. I also remember it being quite up to date on the printing side of things.

Apparently I was wrong.

Kodak has filed for bankruptcy or whatever because their company went down the toilet.

I also remember the Kodak adverts, as far as companies go, I was quite fond of Kodak. But the name had slowly been disappearing lately and it was only when the bankruptcy was mentioned in a lecture that I actually noticed I hadn't heard the name Kodak for a while.

I did some research... I know what you're thinking. "Ryan you're a lazy *******, you don't do research!"
Well, person in my head, you are wrong, I googled it and everything.

Kodak start failing because it specialised in developing film, the business took somewhat of a nose drive when Mr. Digital came along.

Anyone else remember the phrase: Kodak Moment?
Well this is going to be their last one!
No idea why I'm getting all sentimental over a business I never used, I really have no idea what their problem was, if Jessops can make it why couldn't Kodak?

I read that Kodak was one of the companies that pioneered the creation of the digital camera and to be taken down by it is a bad case of irony.

Well that's all I have to report and further proof that I did my homework on this is that Mr. Kodak himself (a self proclaimed 'not special' high school drop-out) killed himself in 1932.
I wonder if he tried to frame somebody...

How's that for a snappy ending.
-Ryan

SOPA, PIPA and the devilish ACTA

Companies should not control the internet.
The government are doing a far better job than they think they are. It is a hard balance keeping piracy to a low and keep freedom of speech on the internet.
Corporations want this power to stop new industries and businesses from taking money from them and that is not fair, especially from my point of view. In doing this, SOPA, PIPA and ACTA will take away the majority online freedoms including sites like Wikipedia, Youtube and  even Google to a certain extent.

Sure, people put their content online and watch/listen to it for free but studies has shown that if they download content illegally and like it they are more likely to discover and buy new genres and movies that they never would have previously heard of.

Bare in mind this post is a rant so not particularly structured.
I understand if I owned if I owned Warner Bros (and about forty mansions) I would want all the money I can get but as someone who uses the internet as a form of expression I don't want to lose my freedom.

It is a simple fact that piracy will always exist. It's an unstoppable force of human nature. Freedom of expression however is not.

Sony is obviously against piracy yet they sell the CD-R burners that pirates use.

I don't want to get too much into the actual documents as it's becoming and old topic now but I know what they say, what they are supposedly meant to do and I know what they will really do. They are silly.

Pirates is such a cool word.
-Ryan

Some life goals.

Thing's I'm aiming for and things I wish to happen with my life.

• Get paid by YouTube/Google for doing something I love.
• Work on a hit TV show. (ie. Doctor Who)
• Meet and/or do work with JJ Abrams.
• Meet and/or do work with the Yogscast.
• Meet my perfect girl and fall in love.
• Live in Canada.

Wishing is important.
- Ryan

Where old and new media collide

Convergence culture is what we call the bridge between the old and new media.

Perhaps an example might be a newspaper having a website with embedded video.

A better example might be the shift between most of us being consumers and an audience to media, whereas now it is so easy to become creators and users of media with our own freedom to be creative.

Internet video is slowly replacing television, this is my opinion, but I'm not the only one that thinks this. Web series is a good example of convergence culture mixing TV paradigms with the interactivity of the internet.
(My favourite Web series is The Guild) <3 Felicia Day

Week 4: Online learning materials.

Working through this learning material I have learnt a few things:

What "crowd sourcing" is. (outsourcing tasks to many people through an open call)

The 'five characteristics of social media'. You don't know what that is? Oh, let me enlighten you:

(Mayfield 2007)

Good old McQuail has a theory of new media:
He thinks that there are seven characteristics of new media.

After reposting this, I do realise that I have learnt this before. Not quite sure where, probably AS communication studies. Anywizzles...

I'm sure you're dying to know what I think of all this ruckus.
Well I personally liked the website's information. It was very useful.
That being said, it's not the best read in the world. But probably because I'm reading a book by John Green at the minute and every other piece of writing in the world is nothing compared to that of Mr. Green.

I always seem to go on a tangent with these things. I duly apologise.

Informative, simple and somewhat interesting. Those are the good points.
(it also had some pretty pictures)

Not a lot I can criticise, aside from the list/types of social media, to me it seems obvious. But I understand not everyone is me (thankfully) so I suppose it should be in there.

This picture is silly: 

If that's any help...


And this task has been useful.
If anyone other than Zoe is reading this, it probably wont make much sense (or be at any interest to you) so I would tell you there's no point reading this, but seeing as this is the end and you are reading then it is too late to tell you not to read this.

Long sentences.
-Ryan

Sunset Sunday #1

Basically, I like to take pictures of the sun.

Here's a few that I've taken in the past few weeks or so.

I'll post the title followed by the photo, then the short description.

Goodnight, Leicester:

This was taken on my first night living in Leicester. Capturing the warm glow of the sun silhouetting the horizon with a large lens flare.

Blinded by the Light:

This portrait photo has so much happening. The window is completely whited out by the sun causing the camera to get many oval flares creating a beautiful pattern. It's shows the true power of the suns light. The photo is full of curves, straight lines, shadows and silhouettes and is definitely my personal favourite.

Low Noon:

A lovely city-scape caught just after the mid-day point. Again we have the flares but this time they seem to be imposed on the sky. The sun falling into the clouds bouncing its light off the clouds. I'm half expecting Mufasa to make a guest appearance. I personally like the fact that you can see people walking on the street (bottom right) giving a very archaic feel.

Aeroplane Window:

The marked glass gives the feel like you're actually looking out the thick windows of an aeroplane but I certainly did not take the photograph out of a aeroplane's window. The photo was cropped as to only show the sky, but it look's as if the viewer is flying above the clouds, staring at the golden setting sun.

Wear sunglasses. It makes you look cool.
-Ryan 

Fire, fire!

Went to bed at an amazing half nine! Sleeping like a child. Hoping for at least 12 hours sleep when the fire alarm goes off. And it's a real fire.

What make's a Meme?

This is a short SlideShare presentation on what make's a Meme.

Pretty basic, but the more you know!

What make's a meme?

If it's viral... see a doctor.
-Ryan

Nokia's master plan.

Now the Youtube (read: online video) culture has begun, Nokia is cleverly trying to worm their way into this market by creating their own online video ad.
By saying their phone, the Nokia N8, can help you capture video that will become viral on the internet.
Nokia assuming that everyone wants 'internet fame.'


They made a 7 minute advert, famous cast all made on mobile phone cameras. Here it is (well worth the watch):


They created this advert and probably spend a lot of money making sure it goes 'viral'. So a large group of people will see their video and hopefully be persuaded to buy the N8 phone.
However upon watching it myself, had I have not known it was a Nokia commercial previously, I didn't see the brand advertised that much. I was more focused on the actual film.
So the ad had no effect on me... but then again I have an iPhone, which just beats anything the Nokia can do. ;)


That being said. I love this method of new media advertising. Not only does it appeal and convince the youth and the majority of online users to buy something. Not only is it fun, but it's new media advertising like this that funds most of the online shows I'm subscribed too.


A very admirable attempt Nokia.
-Ryan

The Ryan Module Vlog

Life's little let down. Spontaneity.

"Catch Instants, Spontaneity and freshness."
(#53 of the Street Photography Now Project.)

"Freshness" - Nothing on this earth is fresher than water.
"Spontaneity" - Nothing is more spontaneous than get water thrown at your face. 
"Instant" - Having to take multiple photos in quick sucession to "catch" the instant when the water impacts with his face. 

I much prefer cinematography but still image photography still has a place in my heart. I do believe some moments deserve to be captured.

When given a specific instruction, it not only gives us inspiration but a new way of seeing things. We look for the perfect moment, then we preserve it.
I sound like a poet.  
Social media has obviously allowed us to share these moments with not only friends but the world.


Good morrow, Good day, good afternoon, good evening, good night. 
- Ryan