Instant Messenger - MS-End

MS-End - Windows Live Messenger Crash

Windows Live Messenger, known as MSN has been shut down by Microsoft. MSN was one of the largest used instant messaging services and has 100 millions user around the world. Even though this many people use the service microsoft have decided to pull the plug on the instant messaging service in favour of switching to the service offered by Skype. People will not be able to access MSN after March 15th 2013.

Although this decision has angered a lot of people, it was the smartest option for microsoft to do as Skype currently has 280 million users, which dwarfs MSN's users, and is also expected to carry on growing. Microsoft bought Skype for £5.3billion last year and this would have definitely influenced the decision in stopping MSN.

Instant Messaging (IM)

Instant messaging (IM) is a form of communication over the internet. It offers a quick transmission of text based messages from sender to receiver. Instant messaging falls under the umbrella term online chat. This is because like online chat, instant messaging is also text based and happens in real time. Instant Messaging is now being used in mobile phones. There are two ways this is done. One way is embedded clients. This is where you can communicate with people through instant messaging, but only through a specific device. An example of this is Blackberry Messenger (BBM). Through BBM you can communicate with anyone else who has a Blackberry, provided you have their contact details. The other type of mobile IM is clientless platform. This is where you can communicate with other people through IM no matter what platform or network they are one. This is normally done through apps you can download through the app store for each phone.

IM is also used for business purposes by many people. IM is used for multiple different reasons in businesses. One reason is because it is a cheap and efficient method of communicating with other people in real time. This makes it easier for employees to communicate with eachother at work so they can complete the tasks they are set more efficiently. Another advantage with using IM is that it is much more private than using a chat room for example. If the boss wants to tell someone one thing without someone else knowing this information. This can easily be done through IM.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

VoIP is similar to instant messaging, but instead of sending text sound is sent. It is similar to making a phone call, but these messages are sent over the internet and you have the option of streaming videos. Using VoIP to communicate can save a lot of money from communicating with other people abroad. This is because you are not charged for communicating through the internet. The main provider of this is Skype. VoIP can be used from both computers and mobile phones, so you can easily communicate with other people wherever you are. The biggest disadvantage with VoIP is that you can only communicate with people if they are online. If the other person is offline you will not be able to talk to them.

Argos - Death of the Catalogue

In this post I will be discussing how the internet has replace using shopping catalogues and also if "the death of the catalogue" is happening. By saying "the death of the catalogue" I mean how they are being replaced and if catalogues are still going to be used in the future. Shopping catalogues aare big, bulky books which contain all of the goods a certain shop sells. Catalogues are used to see what goods a shop sells and people can also order from these catalogues.

Recently Argos have announced that they may stop making their famous catalogues and only use an online catalogue. This is because the amount of the catalogues being bought are not enough for them to carry on making money from them as most people now look on the internet for things instead of using books. People now use the internet because it is much easier and quicker to search for what they are looking for. Also it is free for them to use the internet whereas you need to pay for a catalogue. This are more reasons why Argos are going to stop providing catalogues for people and why people are not buying them as much.

There are also other stores which use shopping catalogues. Some of these are: John Lewis, Scewfix, ASDA, Tesco, Next and Sprots Direct. I beleive that soon shopping catalogues will completely stop being used as internet technolgy will carry on advancing in the future and people will then have no need to use shopping catalogues. I think Argos will be the first of many shops to stop using Catalogues and that "the death of the catalogue" will soon come.

 

Working Styles

In this post I am going to describe how using the following ICT will be used to change and improve the working style. These pieces of ICT are: GPS, laptop, software, mobile phone and the internet. I will relate these to an example from the text book below.

John is a sales representative selling tools to garden centres and DIY stores. He travels over 1000 miles a week to see new and existing clients. For the past 20 years he has carried round a large diary, and address book, a large road atlas and numerous A-Zs, as well as numerous small coins for phones. He prides himself on his punctuality, but even so he is occasionally late as he struggles to find a new client or is delayed by traffic. He always takes along a calculator, and a bulky sales catalogue with the latest price lists and order forms. He is usually on the road four days a week, six hours a day and spends two further hours every day completing his administration. He spends every Friday in the office ensuring all his administration and sales are handled properly. He has always said he quite likes the time spent in his car between appointments, as it is his time when he can listen to CDs undisturbed.

Advantages

There is a lot of new technology that John can use to help him with his job. The most useful piece of technology John can use is a mobile phone. This is because the new smart phones can do multiple tasks and can save a lot of time and space while he is doing his job. Most smart phones have a GPS system, calculator and can also use the internet where ever you are. Also if John used a mobile phone he will not need to carry around small coins as his has his own phone to call people off of. If John has a very new phone he will be able to download apps for whatever he needs, for example a GPS so he does not need to carry around at atlas, or a calculator app so he does not have to carry around a calculator.

A GPS will help John because this means that he will not need to carry around a huge atlas with him. Using a GPS system is also quicker and easier than searching through an atlas to find the directions and route to get to his next job. Using a GPS system will also help him get to his jobs faster as the instructions given from the GPS are clearer.

Using a laptop will help John in a few different ways. One way is that it will save space and will be easier to carry around than a catalogue, as you can buy slim laptops and can also use a thin laptop bag so the laptop is even easier to carry around. Also if the client has a wi-fi connection or if the laptop can use 3G or 4G connection, it will be easier or and faster to show the client the catalogue. This is from using the internet.

Disadvantages

There are also disadvantages to using new forms of technology over the more traditional equipment. This main disadvantage is that new forms of technology can be very expensive and the top end equipment always is. This can be a problem for John as he will be using some of his profits from his DIY business, and also his own money to invest in purchasing the new technology. This means it will cut into his profits and he may have a smaller profit margin for a bit after buying the new equipment.

A second disadvantage is that sometimes using technology can be unreliable. Sometimes laptops and computers can crash, also phones and laptops can run out of battery aswell, which would make to equipment useless. Also you can not always can internet connection which would make the laptop useless aswell. A GPS system can send you in the wrong direction is you make a mistake while programming where you are going.

Overall I think using technology would improve John business as it would make the tasks he needs to do more efficient. They will speed up his tasks that he needs to complete and also make them easier to do.

Using Mobile Phones in Public

In this blog I will discuss the social norms of using mobile phones in public and will also talk about the pros and cons of banning using mobile phones in public.

There is currently a debate about whether mobile phone usage should be banned in public areas, for example while being served in a shop. There are both pros and cons to mobile phone usage being banned and I will talk about a few of them in this blog.

Pros of banning mobile phones in public:

One pro of banning the use of mobile phones in public is peace and quiet. Some places, like the library, are used specifically so people can focus on what they are doing. If someone is talking on their mobile phone they will be disturbing the people who are in the library to do work or read. Another example would be in a restaurant. When people go to eat in a restaurant they expect and want soft conversation so they can eat a relaxed meal. However if someone is talking loudly on their phone this will disturb the peace in the restaurant.

A second pro to banning the use of mobile phones in public is a safety reason. This only applies for specific ares like on planes or in hospitals. This is because cell phones can interfere with the equipment is aeroplanes and hospitals. Many states have also banned the use of mobile phones while driving, because they can be a major distraction to the driver. In 1997, a study showed that talking on the phone while driving quadruples the chance of an accident happening on the road.

A final pro to banning mobile phones is that people using a mobile phone is public can be inconvenient to others. Often people try to multi-task while using their mobile phone and this is what can be inconvenient to others around them. An example of this is if someone uses an ATM to take money out, but they are also talking on their cell phone at the same time and this can make it take longer for them to take money out. If there is a queue behind them, the people in the queue will get frustrated and this will not be convenient for them.

Cons of banning mobile phone usage:

The first con is that banning mobile phone usage is a safety issue. Some people argue that having a phone with them at all times and being able to it at all times is vital in case of an emergency. For example if mobile phones are banned to drivers then a driver would not be able to report an accident if they saw one while driving. If someone driving past an accident didn't have their phone with them then they would not be able to call "999" and they person in the accident could be seriously injured.

Another con of banning mobile phone usage is emergencies. Sometimes an emergency situation cannot wait any longer to be sorted out. If a friend who is seriously ill rings and you are in the queue in a shop then you will need to answer the phone in case the friend is in serious danger. If the use of mobile phones in shops in banned then you will not be able to answer the phone and something bad could happen.

A final reason against the ban is that some people believe in have freedom to use their phone wherever they want to, as they payed the money for it. If someone is paying an expensive monthly contract, or if someone has spent a lot of money on buying a mobile phone, that person would expect to be able to use it where ever and for whatever purpose they want to.

Ecommerce and Social Networking

In this task I will be discussing how companies will need to develop an online presence in order for their businesses to survive. I will also talk about what ecommerce is and why companies may have to delve into using social networking sites in order to increase sales and survive.

What is ecommerce?

Electronic commerce or ecommerce is a term for any type of business, or commercial transaction, that involves the transfer of information across the Internet. It covers a range of different types of businesses, from consumer based retail sites, through auction or music sites, to business exchanges trading goods and services between corporations. Many companies will use ecommerce as using the internet is now very important to help a company emerge. Ecommerce allows consumers to electronically exchange goods and services with no barriers of time and distance. Ecommerce has rapidly expanded over the last few years because companies have realised that using ecommerce is the most efficient way of reaching their customers. They have also noticed that using ecommerce will enable customers to buy from them no matter what the customers situation is as the product can be delivered. This has helped increase the sales companies have made.

Why companies need to use social networking sites?

The main reason why companies will need to start using social networking sites more often is because this will help them get their products noticed and will dramtically increase the number of people who see the companies goods. This will happen because of the amount of people who use social networking sites daily like Facebook and Twitter. Facebook currently has over 400 million active users, and the average user spends at least 55 minutes a day on Facebook, therefore if a company advertised on Facebook, millions of people would see the advert a day. So the only way a company will be able to compete will be to post advertisements on this hige social networking so, or their competitors will get more notice.

If companies want to carry on developing and increasing their profit margains and the amount of money they make, they will need to advertise on social network sites, like Facebook and Twitter, so more people notice the company and know what they sell.

Communication

When do you use email?

Email has been one of the internet's killer applications. Email is used by everyone as it is a cheap, quick and easy method of communicating with other people. There is also a very low cost to using email and this makes it even more popular. The small downsides to email are junk mail and spam. It is suggested that between 30% and 40% of emails sent are junk mail.

The main purpose of email is to communicate with other people easily and quickly. This communication can be multiple things. One reason for communicated with people through email could be personal. This could be finding out news, or other things people enjoy. They can get information about these things through their email. Another reason for communicating through email is social reasons, for example talking to friends and family. A third reason is to communicate for issues involving work. An example of this is the boss can communicate with his or her employees about what it currently happening at the workplace, or if they need their employees to come into work for a bit they can tell them through email.

Email is used through the internet and can be accessed through multiple electrical goods. Email can be accessed through a computer or laptop, tablet, mobile phone and even video game consoles. Email can be accessed through any good which can use the internet. This makes email very easy to access and use.

Their are both benefits and disadvantages to using email. First I will talk about the benefits. The major benefit of email is that it is a great way to communicate with other people. This is because it is extremely easy to use and understand, and is also easy to access. Email is also free to access so anyone can use it or have one. Communicating through email is also very quick and does not take long to do. However, there are also disadvantages to using email. One disadvantage is that you will get sent spam and junk through the email amount. If these messages are opened they could potentially give your computer a virus. Another disadvantage is anyone in the world could potentially contact you. A final disadvantage is that some website based email providers can be hacked, and this could cause to your email being changed or someone deleting your emails.

I believe email does fulfil its purpose as it makes it easy for people to communicate with each other. Email is also an efficient way of communicating with other people. Also as email is very easy and cheap to access anyone can use it and this helps people.

When do you use your mobile phone?

The main purpose of a mobile phone is to talk to other people without having to be with them. However, now mobile phones have extra purposes along with communicating with people. As mobile phones has developed, the amount of things you can do with a mobile phone has increased. When the mobile phone was first released its only purpose was to communicate with people without needed to be next to them. However now phones has developed and have multiple purposes. An example of this is that now all phones have a camera built. So whereas before you would of needed to carry a phone and a camera, now all you need is a phone. You can also play music through a mobile phone as well. Different types of applications are also available on mobile phones now too. These applications range from books to games. This means people can do anything on their phone. An example of this is if someone gets lost, they can download a map from the app store on their phone. Mobile phones can also connect to the internet. This could be through wi-fi, 3G or even 4G. This enables people to be able to connect to the internet where ever they are.

Now I am going to talk about the main advantages and disadvantages of using a mobile phone. The main advantage of using a mobile phone is that you can take it anywhere you go. This means that you will never miss an important call. Another great advantage is that you can search the web no matter where you are because of 3G and 4G networks. A third advantage is if you are in an emergency, you can easily call someone because you have a mobile phone. The main disadvantage with mobile phones is that they can be very expensive. A good, high quality mobile phone costs a lot of money to purchase. Another disadvantage is that over time mobile phones can potentially damage your ear if it is used too much. A final disadvantage is that sometimes the reception can be poor. This can lead to people not being able to make a call when they are in an emergency.

I believe that mobile phones do fulfil their purpose as they make it easy to communicate with other people wherever you are. Also as they have many additional uses, they can be used as a helpful tool to complete many different types of tasks. Mobile phones are also a good use for entertainment, as you can access games, music and even the internet on there.