navig8ing netw0rked m3dia
So today I look at how networked media is navigated through the use of various tools, systems and interfaces. Networked media is becoming more and more of a tangible ‘will do’ as opposed to a ‘must do’. Digital content is presenting itself in new forms every single day of our waking lives and how it is received, interpreted and recycled is quite an interesting and vast process.
There are all sorts of media types from social networking to point of interests and how this data is related amongst us comes in various ways. Navigating your way through networked media can take you from one viewpoint to the other and everything in between.
Now what are some of these ways I speak of; well for online experiences such as social networking and geotagging, this very site I am posting on allows me to put links to external webpages, which when clicked on, would move you to a new page and on that new page would be more links to other content which would navigate you away again. Using data caching sites such as del.icio.us, Flock.it and StumbleUpon, users can keep a library of their favourite webspaces which is then viewable by other users to transport them to these bookmarked pages.
Geotagging works much in the same way, whereby I can upload images and place them in geographical areas to highlight places I have visited and then others can view and send information about where I have been.
Mobile devices have become more than just a speech tool over recent years and and with the developments of SMS (short message service), MMS (multimedia message service), EMS (email message service) and the likes, one device can transform the way in which content is created, stored and shared. Nokia’s Ovi service works much like Flickr and YouTube at the same time, whereby users with compatible handsets can record/capture a video or image and directly upload the content to their Ovi account, bypassing the need to connect to a computer. While having access to WiFi, GPRS (general packet radio service) and HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) users then have a wireless internet connection to log into sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo to post the url to their content and have their friends view what they have uploaded.
Gaming systems such as the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and even the Sega Dreamcast allow gamers to connect the system to an internet connection and transform television screens into online networked gaming rooms where each person can play against someone on the other side of the world in real-time.
Navigating networked media can also be utilised for the exchange of services or goods. For example, Redbubble.com is an artistic, social commentary sight where people can share their ideals and thoughts - the more inclined can also upload their works to be printed onto clothing and can then be sold to other users who select their options and then pay online through PayPal and then have the goods delivered to them via electronic booking.
Connectivity is key for the further expansion of media access and the places where content can be discovered, remixed and recirculated is constantly on the rise. There are many other forms of connected material and uncovering them will only add to the amazement. Check out the the Nokia Ovi experience below.
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