Technology All the Time

The continuous pursuit of current knowledge of technology.

Obviously, interning at PCMag means that not only do we report and review the latest gadget or innovation, but we also have to use the latest technology to achieve that goal. Whether it’s through the way we communicate throughout the office or using a content management system to improve workflow, we have to always stay on top of today’s innovations to give readers tomorrow’s gadgets.

This week, I had the chance to take two birds with one stone. I was given an assignment to figure out how to use a certain function on a device. I had to research the process on how to perform the function and then write a feature piece that would show the reader how to do it. My findings also served another purpose of giving the other reporters another way to show the features of the device.

I had no idea where to begin the entire process, even with my limited knowledge of the device. It’s a fairly new product, but my lack of first-hand experience with it meant that it would take a few days to figure out how to not only perform the necessary steps, but to write it down in an understandable tone for readers of varying knowledge of this area. During this time I learned as much as I could about the device not only through co-workers’ own experiences with the product, but also online through other posts and comments.

The point is that even though PCMag is at the forefront of technology news and reviews for readers, we’re also on the lookout for new things that can help us better serve our readers. One of the biggest innovations that has helped publications reach a wider audience is social media. Facebook and Twitter became a place for people to interact with each other online. Publications used these sites as a platform to advertise their product to audiences that they would otherwise have a difficult time to reach. This gives loyal readers up-to-date news, which they (hopefully) spread to other people who might not know about this particular piece of news, but somehow it relates to them.

Publications are also looking for new ways to engage readers in the story. Adding additional content through video, images, or audio is just the foundation to improve the way we tell the news. It’s unclear as to what the next big thing will be that could help the media in its continuing pursuit to better engage the audience. New technology and ideas are springing up at a faster rate than before that it could be overwhelming, but somewhere in that haystack is the innovative needle that could be the next big thing.