The Best Mac Apps Exclusive to the Mac App Store

I came across the piece from lifehacker.com and I thought it would be fun for my final post.  It’s about the best Mac Apps that you can get at the Mac App store.   They only focused on free apps or apps that are under $10.  So, for anyone with an iPhone who is interested in some cheap apps, here are the best ones!

http://lifehacker.com/#!5791888/the-best-mac-apps-exclusive-to-the-mac-app-store

Call for papers • Wising Up: revising mobile media in an age of smart phones

Renaud, a colleague at UQAM, send us a call for paper this morning.  It’s from Continuum – the Journal of Media & Cultural Studies and it is obviously relevant for us (future readings!!!)!
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Issue 26(5) October 2012  Wising Up: revising mobile media in an age of
smart phones

Editors: Larissa Hjorth, RMIT University;
Jerry Watkins, Swinburne University;
Ilpo Koskinen, Aalto University

This issue of Continuum explores the impact of smartphones on
individuals, families, communities and organisations. A smartphone is a
mobile phone which uses 3G and/or WiFi networks to connect to
internet-based applications and services. Popular operating systems
include Android, Blackberry OS, OS X iPhone, and Windows Mobile. Online,
the smartphone can function as a social media portal, a games console, a
navigation device and an app platform. It can connect users to services
including banking, e-commerce and health. Offline, the smartphone can
function as an entertainment deck, a multimedia capture and editing
device, and a mobile office. Traversing the online and offline
seamlessly, the smartphone represents a new generation in ubiquity and
Web 2.0 practices.

The ubiquity, usability and processing power of the smartphone can
stimulate a range of innovative interactions and experiences for
consumers, businesses and content providers. Whilst global sales of
mobile phones are in decline, smartphone sales are growing. A
corresponding growth in mobile data is attributed to video traffic from
smartphones. Content shares such as YouTube and social networks such as
Twitter are experiencing increases in content uploads from smartphones.

We are interested in papers from a range of disciplinary approaches
which critically examine the current and future contribution of
smartphone devices and related applications, portals and networks. We
are also interested in papers which discuss the wider socioeconomic,
sociocultural or sociotechnical policies that are impacted by, and
shaping, smartphone practice. Contributions should be consistent with
the journal's overall focus on media and cultural studies. Papers could
be related - but not limited - to the following questions:
*       What is the impact of cultural context upon smartphone usage?
What part do lifestyle practices play in smartphone adoption?
*       How, if at all, do smartphones help to mobilise people in times
of disaster or political unrest?
*       How do smartphones and context-aware services change the
experience of place and co-presence? What do they contribute to everyday
modes of communication conducted on the run?
*       What types of media literacy and creativity are emerging through
smartphone practices?
*       How can smartphones be applied to developing economies and
regional and rural environments? Are smartphones just a device for
developed countries?
*       What types of ideological and image-making processes are going
on behind the iPhone versus Android competition?
*       Is a policy focus on fibre-based broadband network provision
appropriate given the capabilities of smartphones? What policy and
regulatory challenges and opportunities do smartphones present?
*       Will smartphones facilitate alternative modes of communication,
or will network tariffs, premium content prices, Managed Device
Platforms or other barriers to participation mean that they remain 'too
smart by half' for those without sufficient digital literacy or economic
means?

Timing, length, style
Please send abstracts of no more than 200 words and a brief bio by May
2011 to larissa.hjorth@rmit.edu.au Articles will be due by October 2011.
They will be evaluated by the editorial committee and anonymously by
external referees. The maximum length is around 6000 words.

About the journal
Continuum is an academic journal of media and cultural studies. For over
two decades it has contributed to the formation of these disciplines by
identifying new areas for investigation and developing new agendas for
enquiry in the fields. The journal has consistently provided a space for
important new voices in media and cultural studies, while also featuring
the work of internationally renowned scholars. Continuum is now one of
the most highly regarded and most cited journals in media and cultural
studies.
The journal is of central importance to all scholars involved in the
research and teaching of media and cultural studies. It provides vital
information and ideas for thinking about the formations of media in
culture and the culture of media.
Continuum is edited from Australia, with an international scope. It is
affiliated with the Cultural Studies Association of Australia. More
information is available at:
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10304312.asp

Call for papers: Mobile Family Interaction

This workshop at Mobile CHI 2011, 29 August 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden aims to deepen our understanding of mobile technology use by preteens. The ubiquitous nature of this technology opens up new possibilities for technology use and abuse that need to be considered by parents and governments. This technological change will also affect family interaction and parenthood, bringing up new uses for mobile technology throughout families.

* Empirical studies of preteen use of mobile technology, including use for communication among friends and family. Empirical analysis of themes, opportunities, coping strategies and mediation is also welcomed.

* Case studies of campaigns and other efforts to improve media literacy skills, and child-child and child-adult mediation, with particular emphasis on the development of best practices, as well as theoretical work on topics such as child-child or child-adult mediation.

* Presentations of innovative solutions and concepts that improve family life and child empowerment. The solutions will likely include mobile aspects, but may include also other media sources, such as the Web.

Position paper’s deadline is on April 24th.

More information: http://familyinteraction.wordpress.com/

“Recherche sociale”, seniors & Internet, hacking iTunes

3 nouvelles différemment liées aux discussions du cours, parues ces derniers jours.

1. Facebook et Twitter ajouteront une “valeur qualitative” aux moteurs de recherche/sites, ce qu’ils appellent “recherche sociale” (drôle de nom). “La semaine dernière, Google a introduit «+1» («Plus un»), un bouton à cliquer qui apparaîtra aux côtés de chacun des résultats d’une recherche faite à partir de son service. Ce bouton sera aussi offert aux créateurs de sites web afin de l’ajouter à côté du bouton «J’aime» de Facebook, déjà très répandu. Le nombre total de clics obtenus s’affichera dans les résultats de recherche, ce qui, selon Google, aidera les internautes à mieux trouver le site qui leur convient.” Après le web social, la recherche sociale: http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/economie/technologie/201104/11/01-4388551-apres-le-web-social-la-recherche-sociale.php

2. Les “vieux” Canadiens (55 ans +) sont de plus en plus actifs sur Internet. Les Canadiens demeurent les plus actifs en ligne : http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/science-et-technologie/318369/en-bref-les-canadiens-demeurent-les-plus-actifs-en-ligne. Dommage qu’ils ne référencent pas l’étude…

3. Related to last week’s discussion, someone hacked itunes. Hack Allows iTunes Music Streaming to Any Device: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/04/hack-unlocks-airtunes-private-key-allows-streaming-to-any-device

Under the city and Social network

Hi all, sorry I missed the class today – migraine… Grrr…

Last week I had a little exchange on Twitter with Daniele Rossi, a designer/illustrator from Toronto who’s also a podcaster* and I mentioned Under the city.  He just posted on his blog a few thoughts about mobile app and dialogue with viewers of documentary films.

Our discussions about mobility are, themselves, mobile.  From a documentayr project, to an app, to our class, to Twitter, to someone’s blog… 

 

* Daniele does a great podcast about stuttering, Stuttering Is Cool, which is, indeed, really cool as podcasting is basically audio!

 

CFP: The Digital Generation

Here’s another CFP, it’s for a conference in Romania!  The conference is called “The Digital Generation: Self-Representations, Urban Mythology and Cultural Practices.”  The conference will take place from September 16-19, 2011.  I thought it might be interesting for people in the class.

Here is the CFP:

—-

The Digital Generation: Self-representations, Urban Mythology and Cultural Practices International conference aims to develop an interdisciplinary platform for the discussion of the mutations in representation and socio-cultural insertion which have occurred in the last decades in the cognitive systems and everyday life practices of the digital generation.

Participation is open to all specialists, researchers, and postgraduate students with research interests in the fields of sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology, philosophy, computer science, linguistics, literature and communication studies, as well as to specialists and researchers in the fields of performing arts, music, visual arts or multimedia.

Submitted papers can be both theoretical approaches and presentations of empirical research (finalized or work in progress). The conference’s main topics are:

• Mutations in the young generation’s identity construction and self-representations.
• Direct interpersonal communication vs. virtual communication. Languages, stylistics and communicational practices particular to the digital generation.
• The digital generation and urban mythologies. Avatar, hero, nation.
• Cultural consumption practices of the digital generation (film, music, multimedia, computer games, literature)
• Socialization practices and urban ceremonies.
• Representations of young people in contemporary art.
• Controversial problems of social insertion and civic involvement of the young generation.

—-

The deadline for submissions is June 25th, 2011.

Here is the website: http://granturi.ubbcluj.ro/dramaturgia-cotidianului/index.php?pid=53

Election platforms: digital & culture platform(s)?

As the electioneering gets seriously underway, it will be interesting to see how the political parties align themselves with respect to mobility, the digital and creative economies, and education. Michael Geist has published a summary of the Liberal platform on digital economy goals – some of which impact on mobility issues. Here’s where you can find the whole platform. I couldn’t find an official NDP or Conservative platform document yet, but the NDP has four “practical first steps” here. The Conservatives have a website that you’re not allowed to duplicate in part or whole, but I imagine that the election platform will eventually show up on it at www.conservative.ca. The Green Party seems to have mapped out what they stand for in documents that you can find here.

On a related matter, here is the “radio essay” of Jian Ghomeshi talking about the lack of discussion so far about arts & culture during the election, including funding and … jobs. If the link breaks, you can find it on the Q website at CBC.ca. Remember, last time around Stephen Harper set off the election conversation about culture with his comment about rich people at galas, and the arts as an elitist luxury.

Also – I noticed that the post on the class blog just before this one was officially #100! Fitting, isn’t it, the night before our final class?