As the saying goes, the only constant in our lives is change. This is most apt and of course, applies to the internet. I vaguely remember those days when I had to type codes into the computer just to launch a game from the (enormously huge) floppy disk. Now, they are nothing more than ancient history in the history of technology. And as technologies change, no doubt will the way we use the internet.
It used to be that there's 'mass media' (which is the traditional newspaper, magazines, tv, radio, etc.) and then there's 'new media', aka, the Internet. Both groups used to be clearly distinctive from each other but now, the way things are heading, I can see that the lines are blurring.
1) Internet combining with mobile gadgets
Well, since coloured phones had been introduced, we have the WAP service whereby one could surf the mobile web, fees charged to the user's mobile phone. And now, taking over that is the WIFI feature. Practically 80% of phones these days have that feature now, and I guess this is one of the best indicator of how big a role the internet is becoming in our lives.
Now, to top it off, we have two words- Google TV."What is Google TV?" you ask. Well....
"Google and Intel have teamed with Sony to develop a platform called Google TV to bring the Web into the living room through a new generation of televisions and set-top boxes. (...) The partners envision technology that will make it as easy for TV users to navigate Web applications, like the Twitter social network and the Picasa photo site, as it is to change the channel. Google intends to open the Google TV platform, which is based on its Android operating system for cellphones, to software developers in the hopes of spurring the same creativity that the consumers have seen in phone apps."
This one is probably the biggest change/impact, in my opinion. An obvious example of this would be Second Life where players can adopt any avatar they want, roam a world without physical boundaries, and basically live out their fantasy life, their "double" life. And according to an article from TIME magazine (link: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1739601,00.html), having an avatar which is deemed "ugly" by other users can harm a person self-confidence even though the avatar does not look similar to the real person. Another case where we see virtual life impact real life would be the UK divorce case whereby the woman divorced her husband because she caught his avatar having an affair with another. -.-
Oh, wait, if it doesn't get more crazy, do you know that a guy got married to his simulation game girlfriend????
The lines between the virtual world and reality is fast blurring and skeptics have every right to be concerned with where it's all heading to, its impact on our lives, and whether it is "all good".
Com 125, Class A =]