This week I responded to two blog posts discussing Red Queens and Increasing Returns-
Jessica Green: http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/module-5-red-queens-and-increasing.html?showComment=1344550022027#c8119219849939538251
Tim Weaver: http://weave1-weave1.blogspot.com/2012/08/red-queens-or-increasing-returns.html?showComment=1344550666408#c8658732145789260809
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Module 5 Blog Post- Red Queens
When I was assigned to watch a science fiction movie based on Phillip K. Dick’s books, my first thought was, “How am I supposed to find these old movies without Blockbuster?” Just a few years ago Blockbuster was where we went to rent movies, and they had a large variety of old and new movies. Since Netflix and Redbox has emerged, Blockbuster has recently closed its stores and has attempted to limit their business to vendor machines similar to Redbox. The only way that I figured I was going to find older titles was through my Netflix subscription or downloading one from the Internet because Redbox and the DirecTV On-Demand Cinema only seems to have new releases available for renting. The great aspect of Netflix is that there are several ways to access its services, such as on iPhones and iPads, XBOX, Blu-ray players, or through their website. I used Netflix through our XBOX 360 since it is connected to our family room television and easiest to view. I chose to watch the movie Paycheck, and fortunately it was one of the titles available.
I believe that the driving force behind the current competition of movie rental technology is due to the concept of ‘Red Queens’. Thornburg (2008) clarifies how “The name ‘Red Queen’ is attached to certain phenomena when competition between two forces results in the rapid development of them both”. There seems to be more than two emerging technologies in existence today for renting movies, but the two that are rapidly competing and emerging into society are Redbox and Netflix. These two companies continue to rapidly develop as they compete with low prices, Redbox costing $0.99 to $1.50 per rental and Netflix offering unlimited streaming of movies through for $7.99 per month. I use both services, as Redbox seems to offer newer releases faster and Netflix is great for when we are bored sitting at home and want to instantly find a movie to watch without leaving the house (or when I need to watch a movie for an assignment).
According to McLuhan’s tetrad, I believe that renting DVDs from Redbox retrieves the idea of going to Blockbuster or similar companies to rent a movie. Video-on-demand will continue to reverse the idea of movie renting by allowing people to find movies to watch without leaving their home. With the developments of the Internet and the abilities to download or stream movies, I believe that eventually videos-on-demand will obsolete Redbox and people will choose to download movies or access them through Netflix. Although we can predict what the future of such emerging technologies holds, we can only wait and see!
The following article takes a look into why Blockbuster has become obsolete and how the emergence of Netflix has made an impact on movie rentals.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2010/10/18/101018ta_talk_surowiecki
References
Surowiecki, J. (2010). The next level. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2010/10/18/101018ta_talk_surowiecki
Thornburg, D. (2008). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
I believe that the driving force behind the current competition of movie rental technology is due to the concept of ‘Red Queens’. Thornburg (2008) clarifies how “The name ‘Red Queen’ is attached to certain phenomena when competition between two forces results in the rapid development of them both”. There seems to be more than two emerging technologies in existence today for renting movies, but the two that are rapidly competing and emerging into society are Redbox and Netflix. These two companies continue to rapidly develop as they compete with low prices, Redbox costing $0.99 to $1.50 per rental and Netflix offering unlimited streaming of movies through for $7.99 per month. I use both services, as Redbox seems to offer newer releases faster and Netflix is great for when we are bored sitting at home and want to instantly find a movie to watch without leaving the house (or when I need to watch a movie for an assignment).
According to McLuhan’s tetrad, I believe that renting DVDs from Redbox retrieves the idea of going to Blockbuster or similar companies to rent a movie. Video-on-demand will continue to reverse the idea of movie renting by allowing people to find movies to watch without leaving their home. With the developments of the Internet and the abilities to download or stream movies, I believe that eventually videos-on-demand will obsolete Redbox and people will choose to download movies or access them through Netflix. Although we can predict what the future of such emerging technologies holds, we can only wait and see!
The following article takes a look into why Blockbuster has become obsolete and how the emergence of Netflix has made an impact on movie rentals.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2010/10/18/101018ta_talk_surowiecki
References
Surowiecki, J. (2010). The next level. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2010/10/18/101018ta_talk_surowiecki
Thornburg, D. (2008). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
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