“with my laptop I have all my music organised by artist, genre etc… so I am much more organised”.
Films
ICT has made home look like a cinema. We have big plasma televisions. Almost everyone I know has a 32 inch widescreen tv. DVDs are invented now which are exactly like CDs but hold a much larger amount of memory and contains a movie. DVDs give a perfect footage, unless there has been illegal copyright. Televisions these days, even if it’s a cheap one, give good quality. With DVDs and a good television for example a SONY plasma TV, you will get such a fine movie. Sound is now digital. You can fit any room with surround sound 5.1 which involve:
- Six discrete audio channels:
- Three for speakers at the front - left (L), center (C), and right (R)
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Two for surround speakers at 110° to the side or rear - surround left (LS) and surround 110° right (RS) )
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A low-frequency effects () channel carries supporting deep bass sound effects, ranging from 10 to 80 Hz, which can for example be used by a .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surround_sound
There is also 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound. I mentioned before how music industries have gone down because not as much people would pay for an original CD from stores like HMV. As DVD’s there is a high penalty for illegal copyright. Copied DVD’s usually provide bad footage and a bad quality in sound, so the movie industry is still good and more and more good film come out on cinema. Cinema’s are still as popular as it has always been. There are cinema’s located in every borough in London.
Games
Games have such an impact on everyone from children to adults. Its not like before you would play 2 dimension games but in such short spaces of time, games became 3-dimensional and more sophisticated each time. I am 17 years old. When I was about 7 years old I used to play simple 2-dimensional games. Even the violent games looked nice and simple. 7 year old children now in 2006 can play virtual reality games whether its about army games or cartoon games. Machines such as the ‘Playstation 2’ are designed for video games.
‘Playstation 2s’ are designed in different colours world-wide
Video games and machines like Playstation 2 have made such an impact economicly. ‘Playstation 2’ is made by Sony. There are also other machines for video games like the ‘X-box’ made by microsoft or the ‘Game-cube’ made by Nintendo. Playstation 2 is also able to play CDs and DVDs protecting from illegal copyright.
When the PlayStation 2 launched in America in , , Sony sold 510,000 units within the first 24 hours. It cost $299.99 per console, Sony made gross sales of roughly $153,000,000.
Price of the Playstation 2:
North America
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299.99 (, , Launch Price)
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US$199.99 (, )
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US$179.99 (, )
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US$149.99 (, )
Japan
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39,800 (, Launch Price)
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JP¥35,000 (, )
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JP¥29,800 (, )
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JP¥25,000 ()
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JP¥19,800 (, )
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JP¥17,800 ()
Republic of China (Taiwan)
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NT$10,900 (, 2002, SCPH-30007, Launch Price)
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NT$ 7,980 (, 2003, SCPH-30007)
- NT$ 6,980 (2003, SCPH-39007)
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NT$ 6,980 (, 2003, SCPH-50007)
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NT$ 6,480 (, 2004, SCPH-50007)
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NT$ 5,888 (, 2004, SCPH-50007)
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NT$ 5,888 (, 2004, SCPH-70007)
Disc Media: DVD-ROM (CD-ROM compatible) with copy protection. 4.7GB capacity, a few are DVD-9 (8.5 GB)
: 128 bit "" clocked at 294 MHz (later versions 299 MHz), 10.5 million transistors
Advantages on Entertainment and Leisure
For music and films ICT has provided us with a much more comfortable way of living the everyday life. I can say music is heard frequently and to watch a film ICT gives us a much more reality in films because of better graphics from ICT, the sound and footage is good. It helps us entertain ourselves way better. For those people who would download music from the Internet and copy CDs save up a lot of money. Downloading music is free. It is just the Internet that cost. But at the end it can be worth it.
At least now children can have much more fun with video games and in a future generations they could create something even better.
Disadvantages on Entertainment and Leisure
Crime is going on even for Video games. Everything is being copied. Game consoles like the ‘Playstation2’ are being chipped so it’s compatible with copied video games. People in the UK who used to sale imported CDs have gone on a downfall because it is now easy to get any type of music through the Internet. Video games have had the wrong violent impact on children and adults making them violent and in some cases committing murder by influences of video games. Children who get addicted to the wrong games like racist games can be influenced and also become racist.
If people completely stop buying original CDs then artist wont be able to produce music because artists need the money that us customers spend in their music to pay for new productions, sound systems etc…
Analysis for Entertainment and Leisure
ICT has not turned into boring people. It has just found ways to improve the ways of entertainment that we have always been living.
Communication
Communicating through ICT means getting in touch with someone or many people. It means you can share ideas or share files. The use of e-mail, mobile phones and instant messaging are examples of communication thanks to ICT.
E-mail
E-mailing is free. It is reliable and you can send things that you would never send in a real post such multimedia. You can communicate to people worldwide for free. So if you want to constantly communicate with someone overseas then there is no problem. You won’t be paying so much anymore to call overseas. You can send and receive e-mails from anywhere where there is Internet.
Mobile
Mobile phones can include video calling. Video calling makes two people look at themselves live as they are talking on the mobile with each other, thanks to the camera installed on mobile phones. Mobile phones can play music, which is good, as you can use them as MP3s and a way of entertainment. They can send text messages and receive them, which is good if you just want to express a short phrase to the other person
Some mobiles contain Bluetooth and Infrared. Bluetooth is a short distance wireless voice and data communication between digital devices, which are currently connected by cable. Infrared is a beam that connects to any digital devices, it is also short distance and cable free like Bluetooth.
Mobile phones have become a necessary possession by people of all age groups. Young children of 8 years of age possess one and have it as a way of fashion. In this generation it has become a way of just socializing, I personaly talk on the phone with my cousin on an average of an hour a day. I would say that almost everyone communicates by mobile phone.
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging is can be a good way of expressing one self. If your doing anything, like work on your computer you can chat to people who have a source of instant messaging like MSN messenger. Talking to a lot of youngsters, so many just use it as a social thing. It’s good because you will not pay such a big phone bill. You send instant messages with anyone across the world.
You can enter chat rooms where there are different chat rooms for different types of conversations. There can be chat rooms which you can chat to people about music, dating, sports or whatever the subject. This has been good for students because they can always share ideas online about their assignments.
Benefits of Communications
You can always really keep on touch with those you care for. You can make new friends through by chatting to friends of friends. It is economically good because it is free.
Drawbacks of Communications
The server can shut down or have a technical fault, which leads problems onto email and instant messaging, and therefore you are not able to connect and use the software. You may receive a virus through a file sent to you. Another massive problem is health. Many people are becoming obese. It is unhealthy to just sit on a computer and get no exercise done. It is also bad for your eye sight. Instant messaging can lead you to meet some one new and can be dangerous for children who are in danger of pedophiles.
You may just meet someone who doesn’t turn out to be the way they seem.
Analysis of Communications
People communicate much more efficiently. If it comes to instant messaging in can take up a lot of your time. Without the sources of communication through ICT businesses, social life and personal life will not be the same.
Education
I know for sure that ICT has made an impact on education because I am a student myself.
The Internet is a useful source for students because it can provide any type of information for any assignments. It is quick depending if you have broadband or normal Internet. Very few people use normal Internet i.e. they use a modem. The Internet can provide you with useful exercises to educate yourself in any subject and more importantly it’s a source of research for anything.
Students use word processing to produce courseworks or assignments which is easier to read and edit. Errors and spelling are well easily corrected which is good because at the same time students learn grammar. Microsoft Word contains a thesaurus, which saves a lot of time. You can present important documents like your curriculum vitae, simply making things more presentable.
ICT is helping people become more successful. Younger generation are growing up using and benefiting from ICT. A young person studying ICT will be able to seek for jobs involving technology once they are qualified. Students are becoming more centralised and are controlled by ICT. Adults can also gain knowledge of ICT and be qualified on a certain thing like learning to use spreadsheets and databases or even things like Java. It will lead them to a better career where perhaps they will earn more money.
Businesses use education to train employs and staff so that they can learn about their work. Some degrees such as medical degrees, ICT is needed enormously, Medical research and cures have been found and research can be produced and shown world wide thanks to ICT.
Advantages of Education
At least we know that next generations will use ICT to benefit them because they are being bought up with ICT. There is less unemployment because if anyone wants to they can educate themselves and settle into the world of technology.
Dissadvantages
Some LEDCs do not benefit ICT and very importantly the educational bit. Which is so important for future generations. If children in LEDCs don’t learn of the new technology then those countries may not progress too much. Although other LEDCs are progressing a lot like India and China.
Analysis of Education
It is very good to know that there is likely to be much more advanced ICT and also that there are much more jobs available. I am sure to say that there is no reason why people shouldn’t get into the education of ICT. The world is run by ICT and we should get to know more about it.
Banking and shopping
Years and years ago people would have to walk to their local branch/bank to take out money. Now we have a card which can be used in a cashpoint and you can withdraw a certain amount of money which you may need.
Now Internet banking helps you be organised over your money where you can check your statement from wherever there is internet access. It is popular as it saves time; it can be dealt with 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Most professionals do not have time to be queuing up at banks and sometimes doing their shopping so they do it all through the internet which saves so much time. It can help avoid debt. Popular thing in which people can buy online are voncert tickets, CDs, groceries and holidays and other sorts of travel. With a credit or debit card number you can buy anything online. So many people do not trust the online banking because of so much credit card fraud there has been before but on the other hand the people that successfully complete online transaction, are likely to do it again as they gain confidence in the service.
You are likely to save up a lot of money depending what you buy throughout the internet. My friend Francisco Smith said,
“I bought my laptop for £300 because through the internet because I bought it straight from where they manufacture it. In computer stores they cost £500”.
30% of adults have purchased thing online. It shows that 30% of adults make their lives slightly easier.
Advantages of banking and shopping
As I mentioned it definitely makes life easier specialy grocery shopping. If you think about it, a person can spend about 40 minuits a week just shopping for groceries plus driving to the supermarket ect… With online shopping you can save up so much time throughout the year. And I say good for the people who benefit from online shopping.
Dissadvantages of banking and shopping
You can seriously be put in a lot of debt if someone figures out your personal details. They will make a credit card account and put you in debt. Hackers can send viruses which means they can receive every detail that you type. Or send an e-mail asking you to write personal details pretending to be the bank itself. Criminals are up to date with latest technology. There have been so many cases of fraud and a different case is in the papers on average once a week.
Analysis of banking and shopping
Everything is at owner’s risk. People should know about spam e-mails and simply learn how to protect themselves from hackers.
Employment opportunities
A country can benefit of ICT as a whole if the country has a successful IT industry. Every citizen can gain from the economic benefits that it brings because it provides many opportunities.
ICT is having an impact on job opportunities. There are companies with a big demand for people with the right skills. Most managers of businesses know that the use of ICT is what can make them earn money. All they need is ICT capable different levels and also ground breaking ICT professionals that can help carry the business forward. Companies expect School and college leavers to be able to handle office software, the Internet and basic file handling because it has been able to be done before. They should also be able to adapt themselves quickly if a company installs new computers. This shows us that there is currently so much job opportunities.
There are higher paid job opportunities for those who have skills in building networks, web development and programming and specially designing.This is because you can get right into where the money is, like helping create modern video games. Making it very virtual reality.
IT has been embedded into the national curriculum as a core subject, hence the need for IT teachers they teach students how and what can be done on the computer. By simply teaching how to produce a spreadsheet or presentation. Can lead to numerous job opportunities. My friend James works in my gym Fitness First because he has good ICT skills. He said,
“By having a little bit of work experience and knowing how to make data bases I work here”. What James does is let the members through making sure their membership is working well.
Advantages on Employment Opportunities
There is an enormous advantage with ICT on employment because as less people are unemployed, ICT just gets bigger and develops even further. It helps us create a much better world making life much easier.
Disadvantages on Employment Opportunities
It is still not good for a lot of LEDCs because they don’t have the technology to provide employment opportunities.