You can watch movies and browse the web on games consoles. On my iPhone I can watch TV/surf the web/listen to music/read the news/play games/take pictures/update social networks/book trains and even make a call! Technology is becoming an electronic version of a swiss army knife.
The old idea of convergance was of one central device that did everything, like a universal remote or a 'black box' in your living room. However, this isn't the case. Due to cross-media ownership and the expansion of interactive 'new' media, the same content can flow through many different channels. Cheskin Research (2002) states that " What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges." Meaning, we can access the same content from many different devices.
However, Jenkins argues that this media change isn't just technological, it has a cultural effect:
" Convergence alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres, and audiences. Convergence alters the logic by which media industries operate and by which media consumers process news and entertainment." (Jenkins, 2008, p15). From a top-down corporate driven perspective, companies deliver content across different channels to expand revenue and broaden markets. This leads to a bottom-up consumer driven convergence, which allows the user to control the flow of media and interact with other consumers. I don't know where I'd be if I couldn't check Facebook and play Angry Birds whenever I wanted to.
It's an expensive trend to keep up with though. Technology is constantly evolving and the most advanced media device becomes outdated within a year. Do we really need to have the latest gadget just because it can do everything? I mean, what is the point of an iPad?
Seriously.
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