tracking computerized things

Last night, I realized that I interacted with more computerized objects than I would almost like to admit. Whether it be getting cash out of the ATM, watching tv, playing with my phone or even preheating the timer on the oven for a frozen pizza. We really don't realize just how integral computers are in our lives. For example, this morning I checked the weather on my phone without even realizing that ten years ago this would have been an absurd thing to do. Things that I do in my free time including listening to music, reading the news, or watching things that make me laugh all involve computerized systems. Just because I am not on my computer when I'm scrolling though pictures on my digital camera doesn't mean I'm not in some way interacting with one.

Blog post #7: Tracking computerized interaction

The way things are now, it's hard not to know that our daily routines are highly computerized. Nevertheless, tracking my computerized activities in one night was still eye-opening.

Beginning at 4:00pm, I walked to work at the Herald office. As I usually do, I had my iPhone on me and listened to music as I walked. I also used it check my mail, in case I missed anything through the day. When I got to work, I opened my own Macbook to finish checking my mail and start the nightly activities of reading and editing stories in Movable Type. Then, I used Microsoft Word to write my column.

Throughout the night, I balanced Herald work and homework, using Google Chrome to access Facebook, Twitter and much more, Word to type, iCal, etc. Because of how I use my phone, I typically don't use many different programs on my computer. Rather, I usually end up balancing tasks and entertainment between my phone and my computer.

Blog Post 7

After tracking every computerized thing I interacted with in an evening, I was not surprised to see the long list. I am on my computer constantly for both school related reasons and entertainment purposes. Yesterday evening, I checked Learn@UW multiple times to get the reading assignments for my classes and to see if any new grades were put up. I went on iChat and instant messaged with a few friends and video chatted with a friend who is studying abroad in Prague. I was on Microsoft Word for a good portion of the evening working on a Comm Arts paper. While doing all of these things, I consistently refreshed Twitter and Facebook to see if there were any new, interesting updates. I also used the microwave, set my alarm clock, and listened to my iPod. Then there’s my phone. I have a Blackberry and while I didn’t use it as much last night as I normally do, I still managed to text and bbm a few friends, check my email, get a weather update, look at my calendar, and play a few games of Sudoku.

It’s pretty crazy to think of how many computerized things you use in just a few hours and not only that, how many you often use at one time! It’s not unusual for me to have 5 tabs open on Firefox or to be simultaneously using my computer and phone while watching a movie.

Computerized things- A digital life

Let me traipse through my memory of what I did with computerized things yesterday.... which was, most of the day.
Pre-1 (I'm not renumbering)- Phone-Alarm Clock X5
1. Computer- MS word
2. Computer- Gmail
3. Computer- Facebook
4. Computer- Amazon
5. Computer- Adobe premiere
6. Computer- Mac Lab in Vilas-Final Cut
7. Computer- Adobe premiere again
8. Computer- Windows Media Player
9. Computer-MS word again
10. Computer- googling around for info on comm arts production courses and student center
11. Computer- Online textbook to ERPsim
12. Computer- Gmail, Facebook, Amazon, again
13. TV-Main screen turn on
14. Computer-Playon server to screencast hulu to xbox
15. Xbox-Watching 30 Rock and Archer
16. Xbox- Plants vs. Zombies

Also, probably about 5 instances of text messaging and at least 20 instances of checking for email on my phone... though not a single phone call to my recollection. Wikipedia was somewhere in there too.

Pretty much everything I do is interact with computerized things. I'm sure I forgot stuff. It's no surprise to me.

Blog Post 7- Internet Tracking

I actually spent a lot of time on the computer yesterday. Not that I don't normally; I'm just saying that last night was no exception.

I spent a chunk of the night playing Rift, the game I'm doing for my practicum project. Nothing terribly exciting, just running around with Chomposaur, I'll probably write about my adventures there in my next practicum post.

Aside from that, I spent a chunk of time playing Resident Evil on a Playstation emulator (Off my own legal disc, of course), bouncing around YouTube and my email, and being generally non-productive.

That said, I did revise and print off a story I wrote for a journalism class, so I didn't completely waste the night.

I should also mention that my phone is an Android phone, so I suppose that counts as a computer time as well. I checked my email with it while I was away from the computer and played a puzzle game while I waited for a screening to start, but other than that I actually didn't use the phone much yesterday.

Blog post 7

At first I thought that I interacted with a lot of computerized things aside from the appliances in my apartment. I rarely use my iPod, or watch TV on an actual television set, so I really only use my phone and my computer. I have a smart phone, however in a good portion of buildings on campus including, my apartment I do not have good service. So the Internet is slow and it takes forever to load a single page. The only time I use it is if I am at the gym, I’ll read a couple of articles to pass the time or if I do get good service in a building I’ll read a couple of headlines before class. I find myself not taking advantage of the Internet on my phone and using it just for calls/text.

Since my phone is not much help connecting me to the Internet, I find myself constantly on my computer. I use it take notes in class, check my email, Twitter, Facebook, school work, reading the newspaper, and more. After this exercise, I have realized that I relay on my computer for everything from reminding me of meetings to keeping my schoolwork in one place.

Blog Post 7

Hey everyone.

Here's a list of everything computerized I've dealt with thus far today...

• cellphone
• television
• dvd player
• ipod
• laptop
• projector
• elevator
• printer
• alarm clock

And if just electronics count because I'm sure they have some sort of computer-ish element, there'd be about 29813408234 more things. I don't think I'd bode to well without electricity...

It's weird when I think about just how much of the computerized stuff I use every day hasn't been around that long. Won't it be crazy if we can look back on these posts in another 20 years and see the difference in the computerized and maybe yet uninvented things we'll be using??

Blog Post #7...My evening on the Internet

So for this post, we had to monitor everything we did on the Internet for one whole evening. I figured Easter Sunday's evening would be a great candidate, because I wasn't on my laptop at all during the day (I was too busy putting myself in a food coma). So when I got back to my apartment in Madison, I started to take note of everything I did online.

I guess (technically) my internet usage began at about 8 p.m., right before I got into the city. As a person who hated the Chicago Blackhawks, I was religiously checking my smartphone's ESPN app to see if they had broken the 3-3 overtime tie with the Canucks (unfortunately, they did...and won). So my night online began in my car, and it just goes to show how easily the internet can be accessed.

From then, I got home, unpacked then turned on ESPN and had my MacBook Pro on my lap. It was time for me to catch up on the 46 emails I had ignored from Thursday to Sunday. Business first. After about a half hour of deleting, responding and deleting some more, I could vacate my WiscMail and get onto the important site. Facebook. Honestly, I could spend hours (which I do) on that site without ever getting bored. I had about 30 notifications to go to, some friend requests to ignore and some new photos to creep on. And as if watching SportsCenter in the background wasn't enough, I was still checking my ESPN tab on my laptop, just in case something perked my interest and I wanted to look it up more.

With Facebook always one of the tabs, I checked my Twitter three times, my LinkedIn once, UWBadgers.com twice, my bank statement (I hate being 21) one time, the weather once, the NYT three times and Groupon once. But I thought the funny thing about checking these sites is before going right to the next site, I'd take a look at Facebook in between, just in case, you know...I got tagged in something--who knows?

After about 2 hours online, it was midnight, and I was tired. I finished unpacking, got into bed, and went to my desk and pulled my laptop in bed with me. It was time for one final round of email, Facebook and Twitter checking. I had no new emails, no new @ tweets, but one new notification. My 9-year-old cousin added me on Facebook. It was time for bed. But not before one quick run through of the most addicting game known to man: Block Breaker

But, I only made it to level three. NOW it was time for bed. Except for one final Facebook check (it's almost like I do it subconsciously). Amazingly, nothing had happened on it in the last two minutes.

I think this was probably my favorite blog post of the year, because you really take for granted how much you use the internet. It's almost--for me at least--sort of something I just do when I get bored. A time filler, if you will. I'm interested to see if everyone else feels the same way...