http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318049/1-10-couples-talk-email-text-mobile-phone-calls.html?ito=feeds-newsxml This link shows how technology has completely changed the way we communicate!
Online Chat Services
MSN:
Windows live messenger (MSN) is an online chat service that allows users to talk in real time via a conversation window. Users can talk with one specific contact or talk to a large group at once; this allows synchrous communication to occur. MSN is a free service that comes with hotmail; once you have a hotmail account you automatically have an MSN username and password- the fact that it is free would appeal to a wide range of people. This means that you could talk to anyone around the world for no cost at all; whether this is by written chat or the video call feature you could be talking to someone across the globe for no cost other than your internet subscription.MSN eradicates the need to talk via mobile phones or email; it's quick, instant and free of charge which eliminates use of minutes or long text messages to talk to someone. It's much more beneficial than talking via a mobile phone as you can talk as much as you like, and for however long you want. However for this type of communication to occur, all users must be online and at their computer for this to be utilized effectively- sometimes waiting for a person to sign online may be futile and it would have been much easier to just ring them. However agreed timings to appear online will make communicating possible via MSN.
Skype
Skype is another example of online chat services; but much more emphasis is placed on verbal and visual communication via the use of microphones and webcams. There is also a written chat option but the majority of users choose to communicate via the video call which is the selling feature of the site. The sound and video quality may vary depending on broadband speed and computer system which can affect the speed at which information is shared but in general a good level of communication can be obtained. This type of communicating is extremely advanced and the popularity of using this free service is spreading widely across the globe; you can not only to talk to people in your country but also those in other countries, all for free.
Skype is a good way of keeping in touch which people who live far away; not only can you hear their voice as you would via the telephone, but you can see them and show each other physical things on the webcam. Skype has been known to broadcast live events such as a baby's first steps and even the birth of a baby which was broadcasted to the father in Afghanistan. It can be used effectively by companies who need to talk to others for advice, meetings and important decision making- this is all possible using Skype in the boardroom to broadcast to another office and allows for verbal communication between the companies.
Other examples of chatting online are chat rooms; here you can meet people of similar personalities who share interests and ideas. However chat rooms can also be a dangerous place where children are often stalked and groomed by older men- an example of this is the incident involving Holly and Jessica in 2002 who were targeted and lured to their death by an internet chat room pervert.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article150379.ece
Advantages
- The majority are free to use
- Connects people from all around the globe
- Visual communication is also available allowing people to see each other as they talk
- Increases the depth of how we can talk to others
- Can be accessed via any computer; not only accessible via your personal computer system
- Can meet and talk to new people, and speak with like minded individuals
- For MSN and chat rooms, in particular, groomers can pose as children to talk to other young people in disguise.
- Can be used for cyber bullying
- People often give out their personal details after beginning to trust who they are talking to; these details can then be used to stalk, impersonate or hurt others
- You can sometimes be unsure of who you are talking to, and say things personal that may be spread
Emails
Emailing is the most popular form of electronic communication in the world; roughly 247 billion are sent every single day all around the world, accounting to 2.8 million every second. People not only use them for personal purposes, but for work. Emails are a great way to communicate without giving away too much of your personal information; senders only know your email address, can't gather any personal information from that and if a user spams excessively to your account you can block them from contacting you. There are thousands of different email service providers; so you can have several email accounts- often one for personal purposes and another for work, letting you differentiate and prioritise correctly in each inbox.
Companies often have an email address set up for customers to use to contact them with complaints, queries and praise. Good customer services means that often someone will reply to these emails swiftly with relevant information; allowing the company to be connected better with the public. Within companies and offices workers are often given their own personal email account, sometimes ending with a URL relevant to their company; for example staff at Family Mosaic's emails end in @familymosaic.com. Staff can then use these emails to contact other companies regarding queries, order forms or general exchange of information that may be useful to them.
Many deals and business agreements are often conducted via emails as they can be used to contact people all over the world in a matter of seconds; they can contain attachments so everything you need to share can be exchanged in one transaction. In fact businesses use emails so frequently now it's hard to imagine how they functioned before it; now information can be shared so quickly and to so many recipients it's almost as if you are talking face to face with them.
Schools, like my own, also use their own generated school email system which is approved by the blocking systems and allows students to email teachers if they need help, email other students to share documents and if they do not own a USB they can access files from home that are sent to their account. Our email accounts are personal to us; using our school log on user name and password. Many schools utilize an email system as it connects the students and gives them a secure account on which they can share files and access the documents they need without the risk of viruses or spam.
Emails can also be accessed from anywhere; they can be logged on to any computer, any phone and any PDA. Some phones, such as Blackberries, are work phones that place a lot of emphasis on Emails. These phones are linked to one account only, and notifies the user when an email is received and allows them to reply from their phone. This is extremely useful to people who work in environments where instant communication (for free) is essential and information needs to often be shared with a wide range of people, such as social work.
Advantages
- Free and easy to use
- Can create many accounts to suit personal needs
- Can be accessed anywhere; the inbox never changes
- Allows for instant communication if both users are actively on their email accounts
- It's simple to use after installation
- It's efficient- files can be sent to a large group of people at once
- A good way of keeping in touch
- Allows you communication with companies and groups
- Can be time consuming to keep up with all replies
- Can give you viruses and spam often fills up your inbox
- Mannerisms can often not be portrayed in written emailing, it is socially more beneficial to communicate in person
- Emails can compromise the security of a business as personal information may be sent accidentally to an untrustworthy source and misused
- People can be scammed for personal information, such as when people pretend to be Banks and ask for people's bank details.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are the second most used mode of written communication, SMS is behind emails, and the most popular form of spoken communication. On average, in the UK alone, 132 million phone calls are made from mobile phones and 265 million texts sent. This is a phenomenal amount; the population of the UK is 62 million yet we manage to send four times this amount of texts every single day. Mobile phones have completed revolutionised the way we communicate; they can be carried anywhere and as long as they are credited they can connect to other landlines and mobiles all over the world.
Mobile phones are not only used for SMS, MMS and phone calls, but in recent years technology has become available that allows people to connect to the internet from their mobiles. This constant internet connection lets people access Emails, Facebook, Skype and MSN all via their mobile; it's basically every technological form of communication rolled into one. People can use Pay-As-You-Go tarriffs or choose from a wide variety of contracts that give people limits on the data they can send and minutes they use; those with unlimited texts can send however many texts they want, eliminating the old 10p per message rates and sending figures soaring regarding how many texts are sent.
The use of mobile phones has allowed us to connect in ways we never thought was possible; you're now able to deal with clients from home or even have a three way conversation on the train to work. It has given people a sense of security, they now have a means of communication with them wherever they are to ring home, friends or even the emergency services if the need should arise. In my opinion it has made a profound difference to the way the whole world talks to each other; it's now common practice to exchange mobile numbers rather than landlines and to text someone rather than to see them in person. Seeing as the average age in the UK for owning your first mobile phone is now 8 years it seems almost natural to use these devices as the most popular form of mobile communication.
Advantages:
- You are contactable/can contact others from wherever you are
- Stops you missing important calls
- You can call somebody for help if you are in trouble or witness an accident
- Lets us keep in touch with people all over the world
- Breaks down the communication barrier
- It's a phone, camera, pc, camcorder and games system all in one. It has so many features that cover all aspects of technology
- There's a huge range of companies you can choose from, so you're more than likely to get a great deal
- Lets us talk to people simultaneously
Disadvantages:
- Answering phone calls in public or when with others may be deemed as rude and socially unacceptable
- Excessive use of mobiles can impair our social skills in real life
- There are possible health hazards associated with mobile phone radiation
- Rates to call abroad or to go over your contract limit can be pricey and once you've gone over you can't take the credit back
- Phones go in and out of fashion very quickly, and the most modern versions are extremely expensive
- Often experience 'no signal' in some areas, and the phone cannot be utilized fully
- Extra hidden charges can also be added without your knowledge (link 2)
Other uses of communication
Walkie Talkies:
Walkie talkies are small portable hand held devices, similar to mobile phones, that can be carried around and communication between several linked devices can take place. Once the devices are purchased they are then free of charge and verbal communication can take place; but they are of a much more limited use than mobiles as they can only connect with people with other walkie talkies in a certain signal range. These are often used in jobs were a lot of people need to be updated on a certain situation; we see examples of this in the army where radio devices in aeroplanes and hand held versions are used to establish a secure communication link between a whole brigade of troops. We also see these used to a lesser scale in schools between caretakers when they are completing various tasks around school.
Pagers
Before the usage of mobile phones became common pagers were used for instant, short messaging. These messages could only be very brief and often only consisted of a few words and a telephone number that they wished to be called on. These are mostly outdated ways of communicating now, however we still see some hospitals (especially in America) using pagers as a way to inform doctors where they are needed and if an emergency is taking place. They are used mainly due to the poor mobile signal in the large hospital complex and because the signal from mobiles can interfere with sensitive medical equipment. The lifeguards and firefighters in the UK are also required by law to carry pagers to ensure they have a means of communication in times of trouble.
No comments:
Post a Comment