50 Media Wiki-Abstracts:
The first Map
The first map was the Bablylonian map from 6th century BCE and was called the Imago Mundi map. It was carved on stone, and can tell us alot about how early humans saw tyhe world. This map is so important to media because it allowed the beginning of maps to come, which are objects that many cultures can communicate with.
Papyrus
http://www.historicpages.com/nprhist.htm
The first known Picture Postcard
The Wright Brothers
Airplanes also allowed people to see eachother in a quick manner, changing how people communicated with one another. The Wright Brothers were definately that beginning.
http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/TheWrightBrother.htm The first Running Shoe
Running shoes are important to media because they allow us as people to exercise and live healthier longer lives allowing so much more communication and media to occur.
Sign Language
Sign Language allowed deaf people to integrate better and become a part of the world that they belonged to. Sign language has allowed media to adapt to them, and them to media.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks are important to media because they allowed neighbors and people of a city to safely walk to one another, and allowed them to better travel around on foot. Many important people could have died were it not for the safe walking with the use of sidewalks.
The Gezer Calender
This was a palet of soft limestone written in Hebrew. The calender describes monthly or bi-monthly periods of their harvest, and was found 30 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Anthropologists think this was either from farmers recording information about his crops for taxes, or even possibly a folk song. This is important to media history because it shows that writing and communication was used for things other than story telling, and history. This document I do not think was even intended to last this long, it had a short term use, which for back then seems like a pretty big leap in media use.
http://www.historyofinformation.com/index.php?era=-1000
Homing Pigeons
As early as 776 BCE. homing pigeons have been used to communicate with people from far distances as a relatively fast adn easy way to send on information. One of its first uses was in 776 BCE, when these birds were sent away to tell people the results of teh Olympics in Athens, Greece. Also, they have been used in times of war, including as recently as World War II. These birds allowed people to communicate without having to risk their lives or time in traveling, and were able to bring messages in dangerous times like war. It was one of the first ways to network with people far away.
http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/index.php/Homing_PigeonsThe first Smartphone
First, we should understand what a smartphone is. A smartphone is a mobile phone/cell phone that offers higher level of computing and offers more features and abilities than a regular phone. The first smartphone was the IBM Simon, and it was made in 1992. It had the following abilities: a calendar, address book, world clock, note pad, e-mail, it could send and receive fax, and it had games. In 1992 this technology was a big deal, and opened the doors to the smartphones we have today. Smartphones assist media because they allow us to connect with eachother in newer faster types of social network settings. http://pockethacks.com/the-first-ever-smartphone-ibm-simon/
The Typewriter
The typewriter had many different prototypes and inventors, but the first recorded inventor to patent something called a "typowriter" was William Austin Burt in 1829. A typewriter is a machine with keys that, when pressed, cause characters/symbols to be printed typically on paper.
You press one button at a time and it stamps the letter onto the paper. Typewriters were so important to the evolution of media because they allowed people to print their thoughts and ideas on paper in a professional and unique way. This allowed people to create inked papers from the comfort of their own home. Paintings
Paintings are and were important to media because they allow people to express themselves through a completely unique medium. Whether they were paintings on cave walls or on canvas in early Europe, they communicated ideas and experiences to a varitey of cultures and time periods without the use of written word.
It is a more abstract form of media, but I believe early paintings influenced billboards, posters, and ads that we have and see today.
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=apa
Trains/Locomotives
Trains have helped us to travel efficiently from one place to another in a time when everything was by horse or by foot. There were several early types of train, but the first train to be ran by a steam engine and lacking in horses pulling it was invented in 1804 by Richard Trevithick. They have evolved over time to need less fuel and have become able to move at faster and faster speeds. Trains are important to media because being able to travel to different parts of the country allowed news, and objects to travel and arrive extremely faster than they would have. it sped up communication and therefore, the spread of media. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrailroad.htmMarkers (writing utensils)
When someone says markers a variety of things can come to mind. The first marker was a felt tip marker created in the 1940's and was mainly used by artists and for labeling uses. In 1952 a man named Sidney Rosenthal created what he called "Magic Markers" which consisted of a glass bottle that held ink and a wool felt wick. As time went on these markers became less messy and more colorful until we arrived at the Magic Markers of today. Markers are important to media because they allowed people to advertise and create and spread ideas in a fun looking new type of form. As time went on and they became colored markers, people could express ideas and make posters to advertise that would catch the human eye easily.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpen.htmThe Jingle
A jingle is is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses to sell a product. They often had catchy lyrics or slogans to help the product stick in your mind. They are and were a way to brand something using sound. These are so important to media because after the invention of the radio, jingles allowed company's to sell things without even having to show the product. It was a clever and exciting new way to advertise, and advertising is a major part of media. Payphones
A payphone is a public telephone usually located in a booth or slightly private space, where you insert money (typically coins) to be able to make a phone call. They started by usually being found in public places like train-stations or in the busier parts of towns. Payphones were such an important part of media because even if you were not weathy enough to own a phone or didn't have the means, you could communicate with people far away. Even now, payphones can be useful to those who do not have cell phones or perhaps have forgotten theirs. They allow people to communicate in one of the best ways possible, voice to voice.
Fountain Pen
Lewis Waterman patented the first practical fountain pen in 1884. The idea of a writing utensil that held its own supply of ink inside it was an exciting and practical idea. It allowed people to write faster and neater. it was based of the design of a quill pen, but by making an ink well in an unnatural object (unlike the feather in quill pens) people were able to open the doors to new ways of writing and recording information. The fountain pen is important to media because it allowed people a more efficient way to document ideas and notions, which in turn helped to advance the types of media we have today. Writing in a faster way helped people to get more ideas down on paper.
http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa100897.htmMickey Mouse Cartoon
Mickey Mouse, who is now the icon for Disney, was first created in 1928 and was named Steamboat Willie. Not only was Mickey Mouse one of Disney's first cartoons, but he is a symbol that is recognized all over the world. Over the years, Mickey became more popular and his image evolved as did his cartoons with the evolution of television and movies.
Mickey Mouse cartoons are and were so important to media because they allowed children to be a part of a new era. When TV's were new, Mickey allowed children something to watch, which in turn got them interested in technology and media at an early age. Thanks to cartoons like Mickey, children were able to make the connection that television equaled entertainment. Cosmopolitan Magazine
Cosmopolitan Magazine, more familiarly known as Cosmo, was first started in 1886 and started out as a family magazine. In the 1940's it was a fiction based magazine filled with several short and long stories and a couple articles. During World War II about 2 million copies of The Cosmopolitan were sold. It didn't become a fully women's magazine until the 1960's where almost all the articles were solely focused on women. The articles included beauty, health, and other informative things. In recent years (the past 10-20) Cosmo has gained a very strong sexual tone, and also now has articles about safety such as ways to safely date.
Cosmopolitan is so important to media because it is truly a magazine that has pushed boundries. it has brought a whole new angle to women's media, and allows sex and health related topics to be discussed out in the open. It has allowed women to ask many questions and have them answered, and I believe has helped give women a better sense of confidence. With that confidence we can further integrate ourselves into the world of media.
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), or as he is more commonly known as Charlie Sheen, is a very interesting individual. He is a movie and television star who has done a varity of work including the first hit movie he was in, in 1986 known as Platoon. In 2010, Sheen was the highest paid actor on television, getting $1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men. In the most recent months in the Spring of 2011, he has been caught doing drugs and saying outreageous and nonsensical things like, “CBS picked a fight with a warlock.” The reason Mr. Sheen gets to be a wiki is because he is a person who has used media to become even more famous, even if it is fame associated with crazyness and lude comments and actions. He is a type of media, the kind of media that does not care if it is fact, but merely runs off of madness and gossip. He truly has started an interesting chapter in our world of American Media.
Riding Horseback
In the past, long before cars and trains, horses were used to travel from town to town. Riding on horseback was a efficient way to travel, as long as the distance wasn't too far, and even then it was faster than on foot.
By riding horseback, not only could people travel, but they could deliver mail and letters. Horses allowed people to communicate much faster than it would take on foot, and yet the letters or whatever message it was could still be delivered by a person.
http://www.barefootsaddles.com.au/images/horse-dressage.jpg 
By riding horseback, not only could people travel, but they could deliver mail and letters. Horses allowed people to communicate much faster than it would take on foot, and yet the letters or whatever message it was could still be delivered by a person.
Alcohol
It is not known for sure when alcohol was first used as a drink and not just for medical purposes, but there is evidence that as early as 10,000 BCE fermented beverages were drunk by those earlier humans. Specifically wine was first sucessfully crafted in about 4,000 BCE by the Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians made at least 17 varieties of beer and at least 24 varieties of wine, most made in the home and most were also offered to a variety of gods and offerings. In these earlier times, alcohol was often used in religious ceremonies or in celebrations.
Nowadays, alcohol is still used in religious ceremonies adn celebrations but is also used on a daily basis by people all over the world. Drinking alcohol now is a social thing to do, and few people make there own and instead buy their alcohol in a store. We are exposed to media everday that involves alcohol whether it be an advertisement or on a show. Alcohol definately is a big part of media today. IPod
The IPod is a portable music player that was first launched in Oct. 2001 by the company Apple. It started with a model called the IPod classic, and several new types have been added to the IPod family since. These new additions include the IPod touch, IPod nano, the IPod mini, and the IPod shuffle. A software called iTunes is used to download music onto the various IPods, allowing you to travel about whether your in your car or working out, and listen to music you picked and bought yourself.
IPods are a huge part of media because they allow a technologic way to express ourselves. Music has also been a big part of culture and life, and being able to bring your music with you all over is a huge advancement. It's true walkmen were created first but having all your music in one little "box" allows way more accessability, where with a walkman you would have to carry around all the CD's you wanted. It really is an amazing media invention. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod
The IPod is a portable music player that was first launched in Oct. 2001 by the company Apple. It started with a model called the IPod classic, and several new types have been added to the IPod family since. These new additions include the IPod touch, IPod nano, the IPod mini, and the IPod shuffle. A software called iTunes is used to download music onto the various IPods, allowing you to travel about whether your in your car or working out, and listen to music you picked and bought yourself.
IPods are a huge part of media because they allow a technologic way to express ourselves. Music has also been a big part of culture and life, and being able to bring your music with you all over is a huge advancement. It's true walkmen were created first but having all your music in one little "box" allows way more accessability, where with a walkman you would have to carry around all the CD's you wanted. It really is an amazing media invention. Lady GaGa
Lady GaGa started out as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a girl born and raised in New York City. She started playing piano at age 4, and wrote her first song at age 13. At age 17 she began attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. At age 19 she got her first contract which fell through after 3 months, then she began bourlesque dancing and started a band. The Fame Monster was her first huge hit CD and was released in 2007, and since then she has been wildly famous with her outrageous songs and ourfits.
Lady GaGa is a huge part of media because she is one of the driving forces for media and music. Pop music got a whole new image and angle when Lady GaGa became who she is. She feeds off of media and it feeds off of her, and she is an excellent example of a person who is media. Her image and songs were created specifically for media and to be spread like wildfire.
Noxema TV Commercial
The Noxema shaving creme commercial is one of many television commercials that could have been chosen to represent how commercials can help a product to thrive over 50 years. The noxema commercial was one a very popular color TV commercial in the 1960's. This commercial paved the way to seductive advertising, and proving the point that sex can sell many things including a man's shaving creme. Because of this commercial, the company Noxema was able to thrive, pay for more advertising, and create new products we have today like their facial cleansing pads. Vintage commercials like the Noxema commercial paved the way for many products and the media that represents them.
You can watch the commercial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_c_O8oJg10
Paperboys
Paperboys typically were young pre-teen or teenager boys who were hired to deliver newspapers, and help do small errands around the newspaper offices. In the early 1900's paperboys could be a lot younger than they are now, because child labor laws require nowadays paperboys to be at least 13 years old. Paperboys, though they are not as common anymore, served an important job, allowing young men to earn money in an environment that wasn't too dangerous.
Besides the United States countries such as the United Kingdom, Austrailia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland have been known to have used and to use paperboys. The job of a paperboy allowed young men to spread media on a local level while beginning their careers as contributing members of society. By getting the newspapers to people quickly on a bike, delivery costs were not as high, which helped customers and the Newspaper.
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage usually served hot, made from roasted coffee beans. The earliest evidence of people drinking coffee appears in the middle of the 15th century in southern Arabia. Coffee is an energizing drink, that is found all over the world and comes in many varieties.
Coffee not only is a huge export and inport for many countries (allowing many jobs), it is also a delicious beverage that brings people together. Media comes in all different forms and coffee is no exception. Because of coffee there are coffee shops where people meet on a regular basis just to comunicate and relax. Coffee brings people together, and therefore brings media to life.
DVD's
First of all it is important to know what DVD stands for. DVD means: Digital Video Disk, and was the next step of at home video but this is not on a cassete tape. The DVD Video format was first introduced by the company Toshiba in Japan. A year later in 1997, something called the DVD forum was created that allowed a variety of companies to make thier own DVD's.
DVD's are so important to media because they were our next big step after video tapes. They are more compact, are less fragile, and are easier to store because of their smaller size. DVD's have allowed us as consumers a new and exciting way to watch our movies in the comfort of our home. DVD's and their technology have opened the doorway to Blue-ray discs and HD movies, which can only further develope.
Dictionary
A dictionary is a collection of words that describes what a specific word means. We as humans have been using dictionaries for quite a few years. The earliest dictionary was discovered in 2300 BCE in Ebla which is modern day Syria. The earliest modern European dictionaries were bilingual and were primarily started in France and Italy, in 1592.
Dictionatries are a huge part of media and communication because they allow us as people to know the meanings of words so we can better communicate with one another. Dictionaries allow us to be more elloquent and understand better how to communicate I thoughts. Not only do we still have and use paper dictionaries, but we also have search engines on the internet that allow us to not only find out the meaning of a word, but also any other history or phrases involving that term. Dictionaries whether they are online or not have helped media and communication progress. Texting
Text messaging is is the sending of short messages from one mobile phone to another. The beginning growth of texting started out slow, and in 1995 the average customer only sending about 0.4 text messages a month. In 2007 that number skyrocketed to the point where 74% of mobile phone users texted on a regular basis. Now in 2011, the number of people with a mobile phone who text is just about everybody.
Texting is a whole new way to communicate and is very efficient. It allows people to communicate in situations where calling someone is not possible or is not the best option like if you were in a library. Texting has also created a new language of shortened words and phrases allowing people to speak quickly and to the point. Texting has changed ways media and communication are spread.
Silly Bandz
Silly Bandz are silicone colored elastics similar to rubber bands, and come in a variety of shapes and colors. The were created by a man named Robert Croak who was on a bussiness trip to Japan in 2002. He noticed in Japan, they now made their rubber bands out of plain circles od silicone because it was a more environmental approach vs rubber, and were sometimes made in different colors. He got the idea that why not try to make a accessory or toy made of colored silicone.
So in 2009, Silly Bandz were sold in their first store in Alabama, and their popularity spread like wild fire. As of August 2010, they are now sold in 8000 stores in the United States, and were a top seller on Amazon.com. Silly Bandz which were originally for children also became popular with pre-teens, teens, and even young adults as fun and creative accessories for boys and girls alike. Silly Bandz used media to spread and become known and popular, and by being part of media Silly Bandz in turn influence media.
Cash American Money
Money is what makes our world go round. Money allows us to not only buy things, but also to buy ideas and things to make new technology. Without money, there would be very little media, because we need money to buy, create and spread things. Cash specifically allows us to spend money in an easy way, by not having to carry around gold or mass amounts of coins. Cash is becoming less and less in use with credit and debit cards becoming so popular. Cash is an enabler for the growth of media.
http://www.uspapermoney.info/history/
Electric Calculator
An electric calculator is a handheld device used for arithmetic. In 1957 IBM made the first electric commercial calculator, that was built onto people's desks. In 1970 the first pocket calculator was made, and far surpassed the previous desktop calculators in practicality and size. Calculators are important to media because they allow us to use numbers to communicate. We need calculators to help us make accurate decisions involving numbers.
Electric Calculator
