In today’s technology driven world, people expect to have the means to communicate with others at any given moment. The ability to create relationships based solely on mutual understandings and shared common interests have fed the social media phenomena. In the past, people were able to get together physically and discuss concerns or share thoughts. However public spheres are changing from gathering at the community centers to meeting online through forums and other social media platforms.
In today’s world, the easy access to technology creates the situation that, when you look around, people are often using smartphones or using their computers to check on what’s happening in the world around them, providing a feeling of connectedness. Does this ease of connection to the online world hold significant consequences on culture?
Let’s start by defining culture. Objective culture is seen as a ‘thing’ and subjective culture as its ‘unique experience-culture is experienced, shared and adopted.
In this so-called wired world, people living in the same house or workplace can all be looking at different screens and communicating with different people. This changes how people interact with each other, as well as where our public spheres may be found (online instead of discussions at the dining room table or in meetings at work, perhaps?). Most concerning to me is the suggestion that multi-tasking online is not to be applauded but to be concerned because of the impact on cognitive abilities.
As we expect more from technology; we start to expect less from each other. We often hide by sending messages electronically rather than discussing difficult issues in person. This is because of the belief that online is less personal and the effort to connect on a human level and is reduced by sending messages online rather than in person. Why? If by talking about the issues or concerns in person, discussions are open up where feelings, thoughts, ideas are exposed to be shared and probed.

Original Apple 1 computer, sold by Steve Jobs in 1976, could reach US$1 million at auction
On December 11, the only known surviving Apple I computer personally sold by Steve Jobs-out of his parents’ garage in 1976-will be offered at auction.
As you may know, Apple started life in 1976, with Steve Wozniak designing and building the Apple Computer (retroactively known as the Apple I). Steve Jobs, a friend of Wozniak, said they should try and sell the computer-and went out and secured an order from a local computer store for 100 units. Wozniak hand-built around 200 of the original computers in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage-which was the company’s headquarters at the time-and seemingly, if this auction is anything to go by, Jobs also sold some computers directly to customers from the garage
The auctioneer, Christie’s, estimates a sale price of between $400,000 and $600,000-but just last week, a popular Museum bought a similar Apple I at auction for $905,000, and that particular computer lacked documentation tying it directly to Steve Jobs. We wouldn’t be surprised if this Apple I (which is still in fully working order, incidentally) sells for over $1 million, making it by far the most expensive computer relic in the world.

The ultimate selfie: New ultrasonic imaging tech fits in a smartphone, could let you view your own organs
Imagine a smartphone-sized device that creates a real-time 3D virtual window into your internal organs when you hold it up to your body — at a much higher resolution than conventional ultrasonography. This new tech would, I’m sure, make for quite a selfie. The same technology will enable precise delivery of ultrasonic power to destroy cancer cells, or communicate with devices inside the brain. Given the power of this new ultrasonic technology, and making their device as affordable as a stethoscope, it hard to see that they will fail to capture the market.

Samsung Galaxy S6
Promises to be the “best”…yet!
Samsung usually unveils its flagship Galaxy S device early in the year. With 2014 almost coming to an end, rumours related to the company’s next flagship have already surfaced.

The South Korean tech giant has been working on the Galaxy S6 under the codename ‘Project Zero’ as it aims to start from scratch in order to make it ‘the best Galaxy S flagship yet’.
Although the screen size was not mentioned among the rumoured specs, the device is expected to feature a Quad HD (2560x1440p) display, just as Note 4. Another similarity between the two devices will be the camera sensor, IMX240, which could be either a 16MP or 20MP lens. The front camera will be upgraded to 5MP in alignment with the recently launched Galaxy A series.

Samsung Galaxy S6 will be more battery efficient than other smartphones in the market as it will use a Broadcom chip that puts the GPS as well as other sensors on the same chip, letting the phone process data faster.

Samsung Galaxy S6 is still in the early stages of development and there have been no leaked images of the device yet. The smartphone is likely to be unveiled globally late February or early March next year.