Technology

By: Group 5
How it All Began
Technology began with the creation of stone tools from 2.5 million
years ago
It came into existence as a way to survival and harvest materials
These technological tools were constantly changing and evolving
Competition always provided a way to better or create a new
technological tool.
Technology continued to emerge through the industrial revolution
which set the path for Edison and Tesla
How it All Began
If it was not for Edison and Teslas feud we would not have AC in our
homes which could not power any of our devices
In the 80s we were introduced to the minds of Apple, IBM, and
Windows which then became the platform for mobile devices and the
internet
In the late 90s PDAs, Blackberrys, and smart phones were introduced
which changed the way the world functioned on a day to day basis
Technology, answers to questions, directions, ideas, and the internet
was now in the hands of billions of users
How Does Society View
Technology?
It helped to make the Internet, which people use every day
It connects people around the world through social media and chat
It allows people access to information, websites, and email
Students can look up schools they want to go to and change their lives
However, it may also cause isolation because people may rely on
technology instead of going out
It also affects education because not all schools have computers or
classes on how to use computers and other forms of technology
How Do Members Perceive
Technology?
Windows, Apple, Google, and other tech companies perceive
themselves as doing something innovative that other companies have
not done
Although they widely respect each others ideas and IPOs, they use
their ideas to create something new and better
Each has used their ideas to create their own devices or software
which is used in various ways
How Do Members Perceive
Technology?
Macs, for example, are used primarily for video editing, music
production, and programming, whereas PCs are more for databases
and Office features
These institutions perceive technology as something that must be
created and modified to meet the needs of people in everyday life
Technology has become a necessity in life and these institutions do
their best to make it as user-friendly as they can
How Has Technology Changed
Over Time?
Technology has changed to let people transmit pictures, data, and
ideas to people all over the world
It became a self-regulating system when people began duplicating
their skills in programs
Some things got too expensive and had to be cut; however,
technological advances still helped people in the workplace
The government uses technology with their missile systems
Technology helped economic growth with the purchase of products
people need and rely on
What Caused Technology to Change?
Radio:
First device that allowed mass communication
Radios appeared on ships at sea to reduce isolation
and increase safety
Public demand for radio entertainment and
information
During WWII, 90% of Americans owned a radio to
listen to the current news and speeches of
presidential staff
DECLINE OF THE RADIO:
The mediums cultural impact has diminished
considerably in the past 20 years
A 2014 BLS report said station consolidation and the
increased use of computers will continue to eliminate
DJ shifts
Over the last 10 years, the average share of
Americans listening to the radio at any given time has
shrunk ~14%


Television:
Before 1947, the number of U.S homes with TV sets
were in the thousands
By 1990s, 98% of US homes had at least one TV set
Between 1953 and 1955, TV programming began to
take steps away from radio formats
The election of JFK provided evidence of how the TV
would change politics and coverage of news for the
future
o JFK looked like a presidential candidate as
opposed to his opponent, Richard Nixon
TELEVISION TODAY:
Second most popular mass media outlet in the world
The impact was almost instantaneous
Now TV has the ability to deliver simultaneously into
millions of homes in an instant
The average American home now has more television
sets than people (Nielsen Media Research)

Main Reasoning: Human desire for ease of communication between each other and ease of dissemination of
information
What Caused Technology to Change?
Telephone:
Made the distance between people seem smaller and
allowed for a faster means of communication and
interactions
In 2012, there were 5.9 billion cell phone subscribers
worldwide.
This shift in the span of only 27 years has had a
dramatic effect on how people relate to one another
o As of January 2014, 90% of American adults
have cell phones


Internet:
The internet continues to grow, driven by ever greater
amounts of online information and knowledge,
commerce, entertainment and social networking
Incorporated in almost every aspect of life and is used
by almost every person worldwide
In 1994 only 3% of American classrooms had access
to the Internet while by 2002 92% did
As of May 2013, 63% of adult cell owners use their
phone to go online



Main Reasoning: Human desire for ease of communication between each other and ease of dissemination of
information
Social Media:
Today social media is extremely prevalent to our
society
It is easily accessible and used by 73% of all
internet users 18 years and older, according to
Pew Research
71% of online adults use Facebook, and 19%
use twitter
What Caused Technology to Change?
Hand-held Devices:
These devices can be used for a variety of reasons:
o Educational Purposes:
According to the Roanoke Times, companies
like Apple now market their devices as
educational tools, pointing out the bevy of
features that could work well in classrooms
the iPad, the Kindle, and laptops now can hold
digital textbooks, allow access to certain
websites and programs that are useful in a
classroom setting
Consuming local, nation, and worldwide news
64% of tablet owners and 62%of smartphone
owners said they got their news on their
devices in 2012
We now have mobile sites, such as theSkimm,
iCitizen, CNN, and NPR, that give you the
major headlines or a summary of the news
Allows people to be informed without
having to read the in-depth articles

Film/Movies:
During WWII, films were a visual representation
reflecting the cultural, social, political, and emotional
dynamics of society during this time
The Vietnam war was the first time in history television
viewers could see clips of the war
The government used films to manipulate their
viewers
In 1965, the Pentagon produced Why Vietnam?,
explaining the reasons why the U.S was fighting
Today, the box office revenue continues to rise showing
the continued popularity of film as a medium

Main Reasoning: Human desire for ease of communication between each other and ease of dissemination of
information
Stable Features of Technology
The purpose of technology will almost always stay
consistent
Gaining the ability to communicate with people all
around the world
o Mark Zuckerberg stated in his IPO letter that,
Facebook was built to accomplish a social mission--to
make the world more open and connected
o According to surveying company, Super Monitoring,
91% of people worldwide have mobile phones
Obtaining and distributing information quickly and
easily
o The telephone made is so we have a mode of fast
communication available to us at a moderate price
o Television has allowed more efficient means of
distribution of information to a mass audience
o The radio was the first form of mass communication
that gave people an insight to a new way of obtaining
information and entertainment in the 20th century

How to Improve Technology
Technology should be made more affordable so that it can be available to
more people in society
Technology can be used to improve health care, health education, and
diagnostics
It can also be used to prevent crime and to report crime in a safe and
anonymous way
Technology can also be used to improve education and to increase
educational opportunities through online classes, etc.

Who Are the Major Participants in
Technology? What Are Their Roles?
The major participants in technology are the users and the developers.
These two simple categories constitute the whole of the institution of
technology, as someone must create it, and another must utilize it (as per
the purpose of its conception).
Because technology encompasses such a broad range of material items--
guns, phones, computers, wheels, etc--each branch of technology is has
its own markets. We understand current technology to be things that deal
with information processing, storage, and exchange. However, technology
is defined as the application of knowledge for practical uses.
It is interesting to note the evolution of the word technology, as technology
itself has evolved and transformed to accommodate human desires.

Who are the Major Participants (cont).
In the context of the modern definition of technology, the participants may be
categorized into different subgroups, depending on the branch of that
technology.
For example, computers:
The computer industry requires CEOs, other officers, software developers,
public relations experts to market its products, designers, engineers, manual
laborers who put the parts together, store managers, salesmen, and finally---
the users themselves, who might employ it for personal or work-related
necessities. The CEOs, down to the salesmen, all compose one sector of the
participants--those who help make it possible. The other side includes those
who buy the technology and use it however they wish to.

Who are the Major Participants (cont).
Technology can also refer to advancements in warfare, which has its own
major participants. They also include companies with CEOs who specially
manufacture war materials. This can range from guns and missiles to sonar
detectors to products that protect the human body. The buyers are the US
government, who then distribute the resources to the military.

We all enter into a contract when we use technology. These contracts range
from the price receipts we sign, to the agreements/licenses we comply with
before we download any new programs. These establish the two major
participants in technology: the purchaser and the maker.
Does Technology Work Better for
Some Members of Society?
This question depends on your interpretation of better. On a functional
level (but not with a functionalist perspective), the answer is no. An iPhone
for someone in the lower middle class (iPhones operate outside of class
these days, as far as I can tell. Many people own one) will operate the
same way and perform the same functions as the one purchased by a
multimillionaire. If you get down to individual products, each product of the
line is meant to be relatively equal, discounting minor glitches that occur in
production assembly lines.
If you start comparing the kinds of technology available to people in
different social hierarchies, the answer is yes.
To elaborate, technology is a resource, which means it has economic value.
Some might not have exact monetary conversions, but it has a price range, and
it can be bought and bartered. Those who are more well-off financially have the
purchasing power to buy technology that is out of the price range for those who
struggle to pay their bills every month. One family might have five computers,
while one might have one or none.
Technology will be inherently discriminate in this aspect. It takes a certain
amount of money to produce it, and companies want to make a profit. This
means that there is a minimum price they must set it at; this is out of their
control. The price, obviously, may fluctuate as the need for it rises or lowers, or
it becomes commonplace. It may also be affected by the market as we
determine the worth of the technology in our lives. This means that some things
will always be more expensive to many people.

Does Technology Work Better for Some Members of
Society?
Functionalist Theory
Analysis of Technology
Society is made up of different parts that each fill different needs.
Technology fits one of those needs
Technology is developed and advanced to fit the needs of society at any
given time
Technology also helps to create social stability by having everyone in
society using the same tools
The use of technology can also encourage sharing of public values,
particularly through the internet, social media, cell phones, etc.

Conflict Theory
Analysis of Technology
Technology can be a powerful tool used by the dominant group in society
to achieve consent to their ideas and values
Inequality is also enforced through the lack of availability available to
certain groups (especially when technology is too expensive)
Those who control technology are able to advance their own interests,
often at the expense of the poor and weak
Technology is ever-changing, just like society

Works Cited
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