The Steroids

From wsuwiki

1 Definition
2 Overview
3 Collaboration
4 Today's World
5 Examples
6 References

Definition

"The Steroids" refers to a group of technologies that make different forms of collaboration "digital, mobile, virtual, and personal." These technologies are considered the tenth flattener of the world, and can connect anyone, anywhere, to all different forms of content.

Overview

The term "Steroids" can be attributed to a man named Thomas Friedman, a very successful Journalist that wrote a book on globalization titled The World is Flat. In Friedman's book he goes into detail about the "flatteners" of the world. The tenth flattener, "the steroids" essentially takes all of the other flatteners and expands them in a way that enables anyone, anywhere to connect to this new global network and interact in new and exciting ways. One of the key ways the steroids are able to function is because of the fiber optic background that helped lay the foundation of the internet and allows countries all over the world access to the internet. This fiber optic network can be attributed to Friedman's second flattener, The Release Of The Netscape Web Browser in which the mass over-investment telecommunications allows the transmission of vast amounts of information at a cost next to nothing. Also the Netscape browser enabled people to access the internet as they never had before. In addition workflow software allows computers to talk to each other, thus allowing people worldwide to communicate. By digitizing all different kinds of content anyone with an internet connection has access to this vast database we call the web. The emergence and adaptation of wireless communication, VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), and various collaboration tools, has enabled individuals to connect on a global scale. Some examples of these technologies include Skype, iPhone, Google Wave.

Collaboration

Digital - Everything from music, documents, pictures, and software can be digizied and hosted on the internet. Anyone with a connection can access this vast amount of content with a click of a button.

Mobile - Wireless connectivity and fiberoptic networks allow individuals with laptops, smartphones, almost any device that can connect to the internet the ability to collaborate on the go to anyone in the world. A teenager on an iPhone or laptop within an instant can look up information for his research project, talk to a friend in Europe, or get help with math homework from his tutor in India while riding the bus, sitting on his couch, or relaxing in a coffee shop.

Virtual - All of this content and information is hosted on the Web, that can be access with lightning fast speed. You no longer have to go to a library to research, or to a department store to purchase a CD, instead all of the information is available to you at any time. The physical constraints of tradition media are no longer existent.

Personal - The individual has access to these stockpiles of information. You as a user are able to collaborate in new ways with new people using these technologies.

Today's World

These technologies that we call "the steroids" are revolutionizing the way information is circulated throughout the globe. Business, students, adults, anyone with an internet connection can access any material at the drop of a hat. These technologies allow electronic commerce to be conducted millions of times everyday, from nearly every platform. Students are ordering books from their laptops, parents are purchasing movie tickets, and UPS workers are charging shipments. The vast number of individuals with internet access is astonishing. With nearly 1.6 billion internet users, the limit of creative works and collaborative thinking is unlimited. [1] The advent of wireless connectivity, VOIP, and collaborative tools has expanded the way we conduct our daily lives and has changed the world forever.

Examples

1. Skype - Is a free program that connect users to one another to be able to hold voice and video conversations over the internet. Skype is above the level of a single device, in that is is not solely a PC program. Users can access skype over wireless communication networks, home computers, 3G, etc.

2. iPhone - Is a revolutionary device that allows users to connect to one another through phone calls, instant messaging, web applications, etc.

3. Google Wave - Is an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration. A wave can be both a conversation and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.