Internet Memes

Wikipedia explains that, "The word ‘meme’ is a neologism coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins occurring in The Selfish Gene to describe how one might extend Darwinian principles to explain the spread of and cultural phenomena.” Memes are pictures, videos, images, or even ideas that are spread exponentially among various different groups of people. There tends to never be a clear reason as to why memes spread so rapidly or vastly, however these memes usually share one common element; they are entertaining. Some examples of famous memes are: Leeroy Jenkins and Lolcats.

If memes have been around since 1976, why are we talking about them now? Well- it is true; actually memes have been around since ancient times, when ideas were spread through word-of-mouth or some type of imagery. However, the Internet changed the significance of the word entirely. The instantaneousness of the Internet helps memes easily get posted for public display, as well as facilitating the manner in which people can share these memes. This gives certain populations a chance to experiences memes they may never have been able to without the Internet’s connection.

Memes require a few essential elements before being able to be completely understood. A large part of why memes are immeasurably spread throughout a population is because they are usually taken out of their initial medium and used in another video or image. Consequently, most memes require a certain amount of context to be understood. Memes are frequently compared to inside jokes because they tend to only appeal to specific types of groups. Being able to understand both what the meme is referencing and the original humor attached to it is in a sense mastering the joke. Really, the overall intent of Internet memes is just making people laugh.

Who cares about memes? Advertisers do! With the advent of search engines like Youtube, which produces hundreds of new videos by the hour, visual exposure of the world is spreading just as fast as memes are. Realizing this, advertisers are smartly attaching their brand names to certain Internet memes. When people view a meme and find it entertaining, they may be obliged to see that a certain brand is helping to support that particular production. The best part about all this is that memes themselves do not have to make sense; in turn, advertisers can keep with the spirit of the meme and tag their name to any type of meme they want, whether it relates to their product or not. Memes can also be used to gain exposure for small, individual businesses. If one wants to self-promote and get their name out there, a meme can be strategically used to do so. Sometimes, a meme may also inadvertently make a celebrity out of someone (ex: Star Wars Kid).

Internet memes have found their way into popular culture and will continue to infect computer screens for years to come, whether you’re in on the joke or not.

Paper

Apple Design : Jonathan Ive

Jonathan Ive’s creative mind first began developing in Chingford, Essex where he grew up. Ive spent the beginning stages of his career at Newcastle Polytechnic (now Northumbria University) where he began studying Industrial Design. However, he only worked at London company Tangerine for a brief period until he realized that his creative potential was not being fully utilized. In 1992, Ive made both a brave and smart move to travel across seas to the United States to join one of Tangerine’s clients: Apple Inc. Little did he know at the time that this decision was monumental to his development and growth in his field of work.

Although it took Jonathan awhile to realize this because when he first joined Apple, they were experiencing a very unprofitable period. Executive leader Steve Jobs was released from the company. In addition, Microsoft was the leader in computer operating systems at the time and Apple was not putting up a good fight due to the rift in the Apple team.

It was not until 1997, when Steve Jobs returned to the Apple team did things start to really pick up for both the company and Jonathan. He was given a promotion to Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, which enabled his creative juices to finally break past the surface. His very first innovative design was the iMac G3 that “is regarded as the birth of the ‘new-Apple’ and brought Jonathan Ive to the attention of the world.” (1)


Soon after the iMac G3 came the iBook, PowerBook, and other Apple products that began to take over the technology field. Jonathan’s brilliant design ideas continue to influence every Apple product there is.

Not only is Jonathan Ive extremely talented and an expert at industrial design, but Ive is known for his great people skills and praises all his Apple team members. He makes a point to recognize the necessity of collaborative work as a group of minds is always more beneficial than just one.

Ive’s team works together in a large open studio in San Francisco where personal space is far from private. However, the environment helps to stimulate group interaction and a constant flow of ideas. The more ideas you have going on at a time, the greater the chances are you are to stumble upon the world’s masterwork. "One of the hallmarks of the team I think is this sense of looking to be wrong," said Jonathan Ive. "It's the inquisitiveness, the sense of exploration. It's about being excited to be wrong because then you've discovered something new." (2) One of the things that makes the Apple team so strong is that they are not just a bunch of stylists looking to have other people create their work for them. “They're leading innovators in the use of new materials and production processes.” (3)

1. http://www.jonathanive.com/

2. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_39/b4002414.htm

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ive

Robotic taxi runs without driver

Robot taxi may just be the public transportation of the future. Kubik Petr feels that, with technology these days, it is time to eliminate the need for taxi drivers. How the Robot Taxi would work is, a person would call an operator when a ride is needed. The operator would then scan the system to locate the closest available taxi for you. Once your inside, you can just plug in your destination and it will take you where you need to go. These taxis will hopefully be able to run on at least 20 hours of battery before needing to be charged up.


Taxi

CCC Car, when required, becomes a personal chopper

ZEEP Design designed a concept car, CCC Car, that turns into a helicopter. The entire vehicle is composed of two huge wheels with the controls/seating area in the center. The blades of the helicopter are folded to the side and out of the way when the car is operating. Once the helicopter is engaged, the tail comes out from being tucked away in the back as the blades go up ontop of the car.


CCC Car

Sea Raider adds sustainability to your ecstatic sail

Boating is definitely one of the funnest leisure activities. However, stopping to fill up gas can be inconvenient and time consuming. Designer Imran Othman plans to eliminate this need by creating a boat that generates power from roof-mounted solar cells. The boat runs on solar energy during the day, and at night time, it switches over to battery operated withzero-emission. If by chance you were to run out of solar power, the boat can temporarily run on diesel until morning.



Sea Raider

Albatros: Sand yacht for a sustainable sail in the desert

Just as the name sugggests, Julien Misrachi designed the Albatros based on observing the way that birds move. This sand yaht allows you to control the direction it is traveling by using a giant sail on the sand. This vehicle would be great to get around in desert conditions or even from one end of the beach to the other.



Albatros

Asthma inhaler connects patient and doctor wirelessly

As technology helps facilitate daily tasks, designers are constantly trying to find ways to use technology to ensure a person's good health. Cambridge Consultants are aiming to strengthen their "connected patient" concept by introducing this highly advanced asthma inhaler. By using means of wireless technology, the inhaler is able to send up-to-date patient readings to a central monitor.


Inhaler