“There are dozens of technologies which may be used for communication on the Internet. Most popular of these is undoubtedly electronic mail, called email. Email allows users to communicate asynchronously using text, images, and sounds to the electronic mailbox of other Internet users. The second most popular use of the Internet is for browsing the World Wide Web (WWW). Briefly, the WWW is a vast serious of inter-linked pages displaying text, images, audio, and other forms of multimedia. The third most popular use of the Internet, after email and web browsing, is for real time (synchronous) text based communication between users. There are numerous technologies which Internet users employ to communicate with each other and these include Internet Relay Chat (IRC), avatar based chat (such as The Palace)” ().
The Internet is not perfect and like many other things it has disadvantages. Here are some of them. Using the Internet is costly and you must pay certain amount a minute or you can pay monthly. So must be careful on how long you spend your time on the net. Sometimes when you are on the Internet your computer might crash which will lose any unsaved information. When children are on the Internet they might get access to wrong information for example going on ‘dirty’ websites or going in chat rooms and meeting wrong people. They might get Spam or junk mail sent to them.
“The Internet also houses controversial materials that many adults prefer not to have available to children for various reasons. Sites depicting pornography cause one problem.”().
“Viruses, worms and Trojan horses are human-made software programs created specifically to wreak havoc on personal computers and networks. The chance of downloading one of these computer viruses over the Internet has increased dramatically recently. Typically, you contract a virus by opening e-mail attachments.” ().
Some people go round hacking computers, which is a disadvantage. The word hacking means when some hackers break into your computer and get your personal information e.g. your password or pin. Credit card and Internet fraud is another big disadvantage.
“Consumers lost over $3.2 million to Internet fraud last year in incident reports to the National Consumers League's Internet Fraud Watch. A 38 percent increase in Internet fraud complaints in 1999 coupled with an average consumer loss of as much as $580 indicate an urgent need for consumer education about shopping online.” ().
The term "Internet fraud" refers generally to any type of fraud scheme that uses one or more components of the Internet - such as chat rooms, e-mail, message boards, or Web sites - to present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions, or to transmit the proceeds of fraud to financial institutions or to other connected with the scheme. ().
These were just some of the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet.
Mobile phones are another way of communicating and are very commonly used around the world today.
“Over half the people in Britain have mobile phones. In a wide variety of settings - at work, at home, out and about, for convenience and security - they have become part of our way of life. ()”
Mobile phones are phones that you can take anywhere you want so basically they are mobile. In today’s society nearly every one has they own personal mobile phone. This allows you to directly get in touch with one another and easy access to people.
“Mobile phones are low power devices that emit and receive radio waves. These connect each phone to a network of base stations, so that users can make and receive calls ().”
Mobile phones have some advantages and disadvantages. One of biggest advantages is that mobile phones can help us by emergency cases. You can make a phone call from anywhere at anytime. Mobile phones are cordless. You can walk with it anywhere. Mobility allows broader availability of connectivity (and faster access to information on demand). Mobile phones have a lot of features which include, chat and games to keep you occupied when you are bored, Mobile phones have a memory for you store your personal numbers or you can keep reminders, you can receive news and sport bulletins from your mobile phone via wap, It also includes the time and alarm. Another advantage is that you can have pre-paid credit which means you can buy top-up cards and pay as you talk.
Mobile phones have some disadvantages. The disadvantages are that they are slow and can be expensive (as airtime is billed per minute). The actual phone itself is fairly costly as well. Another big disadvantage is that a lot of mobile phones now have radiation. This can cause brain tumour and is very dangerous.
“Mobile phone users may be placing their health at risk from electromagnetic radiation. Now there is more evidence of definite effects of mobile phone radiation on human health. There are symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, burning sensations on the skin are more common among those who make longer mobile phone calls. At the same time there are a growing number of unconfirmed reports of individuals whose health has been affected after chronic, frequent use of mobile phones, presumable from radiation effects on cells.()”
Mobile phones can be time wasting by playing games the listening to tones. Mobile phones can be distracting for when you are in a quite place and your phone starts ringing. There is a risk of theft against mobile phones because they are expensive.
The Internet and mobile phones have had a lot of impact upon our lives and will do as technology increases.
