Real Time Information

Real time information is ‘data that is updated instantaneously. There is no delay in the timeliness of the information provided’. Most of the examples of Real time information that I am about to discuss relate to transport and travel – but all are provided with the aim to be convenient to people and to make everyday life tasks that little bit easier.

Train Timetables

In order to discover train times, just go to a website (e.g. the national rail website) and enter the desired information e.g. the station you are travelling from and the station you wish to get to, and the date and timing of the journey.

Lots of travel companies have put time tables of their service online in order to appeal to a broader market and in the hope of increasing the number of people who travel with public transport.

The benefits of Train Timetables

• They are available for anyone to use and at any time
• Free (for those with internet access)
• They don’t require any personal information for you to view the timetables – unless you choose to pay for a ticket online
• Relatively simple to use
• Information require is provided quickly
• Some site gives extra information on alternative routes that may be more convenient or cheaper for the user

Most sites offer an estimation of the length of time the journey will take and of the time of arrival. Also ticket cost is displayed – this allows customers to plan ahead and make a more informed decision about their travels

The detriments of Train Timetables

• Computer-illiterate people may find it more confusing to look up train, or other transport, timetables online than simply checking at the train station or asking someone who works at that station
• Problems that may inflict on the journey including delays or strikes are not usually displayed by train timetable websites – this could cause difficulties for people relying solely on public transport

My uses of Train timetables
As someone who rarely travels by train and therefore finds reading the timetables at the stations quite confusing, I find using an online timetable far more easy and useful. Using online timetables has allowed me to check the timings online, which allows me to avoid having to walk down to the station and then have to wait for ages for the next train to arrive. It also allows me to get some idea of how much it would cost – this means I can calculate if maybe an alternative mode of transport may work out cheaper. I have found online train timetables to be fairly reliable and will continue to use them whenever I take a train journey.


Weather forecast – BBC Weather
Similar to Weather forecasts on the TV or newspapers, forecasting sites present people with the opportunity to an estimation of how the weather will be in the future – with some sites, e.g. BBC Weather offering the forecast of the weather of up to 5 days ahead. On the BBC website, all the user needs to alter is the location they want. As well as the 5 day forecast, which gives a brief overview of the basic information for the weather over the next 5 days, you can also look at a 24 hour forecast which gives more details – including hourly estimates.

The benefits of Weather Forecasts

• Weather forecasts are available to anyone with internet, at any time
• Free
• Accessible to people who do not have a TV – unlike the Television forecast
• No personal information is required to discover the forecast – so users do not have to feel as though their privacy is being preached
• All the forecasting information provided is relevant to the user as they select exactly which area they would like to know the weather for
• 5 day forecasts allow people to prepare far in advance for any extremes of weather
• Most weather forecast are regularly updated – so the information is relevant and reliable

The detriments of Weather Forecasts

• Computer-illiterate people may not know how to get the most out of the site
• The information provided may be inaccurate as times – especially is updated do not happen as regularly as possible – because no one can predict the weather certainly

My uses of Weather forecast – BBC Weather
I use BBC Weather for the weather forecast quite often – especially when I am going on a day out, particularly in the summer holidays as the English summer weather is not very consistent. Due to the fact that I spend more time on a computer or laptop than watching TV, I find it very beneficial to have access to the forecast online rather than just on the news. Online weather forecasting is convenient for me, and I take full advantage of it as I find it easy to use and it makes me feel somewhat prepared when making future plans.


Route Planner
What with people travelling increasingly, there is a demand for a modern map-alternative. This can be found in the form of a route planner site. Simply enter the relevant details e.g. where you’ll start your journey and your final destination, then route planners provide you with not only directions – usually in the form of an illustration on a map along with instructions – and also provides a time estimation for the journey.

The benefits of Route Planners

• Details are given to the exact location – needing just the postal code
• Route planners can prevent people from getting lost on their travels
• Free
• Doesn’t require any personal information to help you
• Many sites have options to avoid certain things e.g. speed cameras
• Some routes provided with petrol stations emphasised – this can prevent break downs and allow people to plan when exactly they may want to stop for petrol, to suite their need
• Using a route planner is quicker and easier than using a map

The detriments of Route Planners

• Route from websites are oblivious to traffic jam, so could lead you straight into one unnecessarily
• If the user takes a wrong turn, there is no way of discovering location or how to get back on route as the map may not show much more than the exact course
• If the user doesn’t know the postal code of the destination they are trying to find a route to, they may not be able to process a route plan
• The plan given may not be up to date as roads are changing all the time

My uses of Route planners
SAT NAV is probably more preferable to Route planners nowadays however, as they are quite expensive and my family don’t own one, I find route planners (the one on the Green Flag website in particular) very useful when trying to work out the way to an unfamiliar destination.


SAT NAV
SAT NAV, short for satellite navigation, systems can used by bought attached to a car, as a separate machine to be attached to a car or can be found as an application on a mobile – to use you simply type in the destination (comparable to a route planner) then receive a step by step guide both visually and audibly.

The benefits of SAT NAV’s

• SAT NAV systems give a moving picture of the users location and the neighbouring roads so they can relate exactly to their surroundings – even if the setting is new to them
• The audio description means drivers can concentrate on driving rather than having to repeatedly check the screen, or a map
• The audio directions allows time for the driver to prepare for the next direction e.g. ‘in 20 metres take a left turn’
• SAT NAV’s are easy and quick to use
• The route is determined and provided instantly, meaning less preparation is needed by the user – meaning less stress
• Using a SAT NAV saves on paper as there is no need to print out directions or a route on a map, on paper

The detriments of SAT NAV’s

• SAT NAV’s can be expensive
• The voice of the audio description is sometimes unclear and difficult to understand – and can be quite annoying
• Some people may not understand how to use it as it might not be simple enough for people who aren’t used to working with technology
• Routes provided by SAT NAV’s don’t take into account traffic jams

My uses of SAT NAV
As previously mentioned, my family do not own a SAT NAV system. Some of my friends’ parents do however, and one friend of mine has a SAT NAV on his phone – which is very useful as it means we can use it even when just walking somewhere, but it doesn’t have the audio description and, what with the screen being so small, the directions are a little unclear.


Parcel Tracking
When ordering an item, many sites provide a special code that allows you to ‘track’ your order as it travels to you. The intention of this service is to simulate the feel of control that is lost when ordering online in comparison to picking it up in person.

The benefits of Parcel Tracking

• Having the knowledge of which stage your order is at gives the customer a feeling of reassurance
• If the order has still not arrived after a few more days than expected, they can look online and discover where it is and possibly identify any problems in the process of delivery
• If parcel is lost, it is easier to discover where it may be if it is being tracked

The detriments of Parcel Tracking

• An illusion of accuracy is given when someone is tracking a parcel as there may still be a problem in the delivery

Online Cinema Bookings – Odeon

For big cinemas such as Odeon, an online booking system is an effective way of being more convenient and accessible to more customers.  Customers can sign on, select a certain film and a certain viewing and book their tickets instantly. As soon as any booking is made, the information is then updated – so the same seat cannot be booked more than once. You receive your tickets from a machine at the cinema where you enter your payment card number and they are printed out.

The benefits of Online Cinema Bookings

• There is no need to leave the house and arrive 10/15 minutes before the start of the film
• When booking online there is the opportunity to pre-book tickets for films that have yet to be released
• You can immediately see when a film showing is fully booked without having to arrive and then go home or rearrange your plans
• Once your seat is booked, you have a guaranteed place as no one else can book the same seat
• Some cinema sites have special ‘points’ offers for people who book online
• The payment is straightforward and means you don’t have to take any money with you to the cinema, unless you’re buying refreshments

The detriments of Online Cinema Bookings

• You do not actually receive a ticket – so there is no absolute certainty as something could go wrong
• Someone can only book online if they have a credit or debit card to pay with – your computer cannot except cash
• If a customer has booked online there is the automatic expectation of the ‘machine’ that all tickets booked together will be collected together – so you have to collect your tickets as a group at the same time
• If the ticket machine at the cinema is broken, this may not be advertised on the website so you could book your tickets unaware

My uses of Online Cinema Booking
As I do not have a credit or debit card, I have never personally bought a ticket booked online. I have used my mum’s card to pay for tickets though so have had quite a lot of experience with online cinema booking – especially recently as my mum has become a member of Odeon’s ‘Premiere Club’ which enables her to collect points for every time she buys tickets. I have found booking online really beneficial as it is quick and easy and it reassures me that, even if I’m late, I will still have a seat. There was one incident though, where we’d booked tickets for two separate films that were showing at overlapping times – a pair for one film for me and a friend, and some other tickets for my Mum and Dad to see a different film – and when I picked up my tickets for my film with a friend, the tickets for the other film were printed off too: this caused problems for my parents.  Other than that one occasion, I have had no other problems but have reaped the benefits of pre-booking as it has meant I can assure tickets for high-demand films that I know will sell out quickly once they are released.


Online Flight Booking
You can book tickets for flights online either through specific airlines or with an independent website that could provide lots of flights from a variety or airlines.

The benefits of Online Flight Booking

• It can be cheaper than booking via high street travel agents as it ‘cuts out the middle man’
• Booking online allows people to compare prices of different airlines quickly and easily
• There is no need to leave the house
• Immediacy
• You can book tickets online at any time of the day or night

The detriments of Online Flight Booking

• Unlike with travel agents, there is no one to ask for advice from
• Some people who find using computers may find booking a flight online confusing and difficult
• If a booking site is not valid there may be privacy concerns as you have to obviously give away a lot of personal details, including credit card details, online
• Mistakes may be made in the booking process and they may not be able to be changed online but there could be the possibility of rectification if done with a travel agent
• There are sometimes additional charges with booking flights online

My uses of Online Flight Booking
My family goes on holiday once every other year, and as I never have the responsibility of booking the tickets I have next to no experience of online flight booking. My Dad always books the tickets online though as he finds it easier and less time consuming. He feels that being able to instantly have a flight booked without having to deal with a travel agent, and from the comfort of your own home makes the sometimes stressful experience a little bit more bearable. 



Online Communication

Email (electronic mail)

Emailing is a way of sending messages, and documents, from one computer to another.

The first real Email was sent in 1971 – just 40 years ago. Since then this method of communication has escalated and in 2006 around 22 million Emails were sent everday. Email revolutionised the way people correspond and offered many benefits compared to the traditional alternative of that time – phone calls or letter writing. Many of those advantages are still relevant today.

The benefits of Email

·         Quick – involving just five simple steps (listed above)

·         No need for paper

·         Allows for easy rectification of any mistakes without the need to start over again

·         There is the option to send the same message to many people at once

·         You can send emails from the comfort of your own home, without having to buy stamps or walk to the post-office

·         Availible on any devices with Internet connection, including mobile phones

·         It is fairly cheap

·         Email allows you to send various attachments e.g. pictures, music, videos or documents along with the Email

Emailing however, like most things, is not perfect. There are many disadvantages to this method of communication.

The detriments of Email

·         Both the person sending the Email and the person recieiving it need to be connected to theInternet and have Email

·         The hardware and software sometimes needed can be expensive

·         If a single letter of the Email address is wrong (e.g. sarah@email.com instead of sara@email.com) and the Email won’t be delivered

·         A sent message will just sit in the recievers’ inbox until they check their Emails

·         Damaging viruses can be transferred via Email – Email is the most common way of infecting computers with viruses

·         4 billion spam messages every year are sent (correct 2006)

These things in particular are reasons why nowadays Emailing has become less popular and people are branching out to using more modern, updated alternatives.

My uses of Email

The main way in which I use Email is to send homework documents to my teachers as this saves me from having to print it out at home and remember to bring it in to school. In terms of using Email as a mean of communicating with friends of family on the other hand, I would have to say I do not use it very often as it seems fairly ‘slow’ when compared to other online communication services e.g. instant messaging.  My friends in particular rarely check their email everyday, so if I sent them an email they would probably not be read or responded to immediately – which is where I feel Emailing falls short. I believe that in the future Email shall become less and less popular as it is ‘outshined’ by other messaging methods – however, so long as there are people too confused by the complications new messaging methods can bring, Email will still be used as a straightforward and somewhat more relaxed process of contact.

Instant Messaging – MSN

Instant messaging consists of sending real-time messages to another person or group of people. It is a fast and simple way to chat to friends and family online. With instant messaging, all you need is to be connected to the internet and to set up an account. The main function of all instant messenging services is the open a new method of simple communication. MSN is a particularly well known example of instant messaging.

The benefits of instant messaging

·         You can keep a log of contacts and are alerted to when they are online

·         You can hold multiple ‘live’ conversations at once, with multiple people

·         Most instant messaging conversations, for instance on MSN, allows you to transmit music files and pictures between members

·         Instant messaging programmes – liked MSN – are usually free to download and there are no charges to use it, which means you can spend as long as you want communicating on it

The detriments of Instant Messaging

·         There is a major danger element in terms of paedophiles having access to MSN and being able to talk to anyone who accepts them

·         Bullying can occur quite often over instant messaging, as people are ‘hidden’ behind the screens

·         People with little computer-literacy will take longer to reply and this will make conversation inconsistent, and it may hold them back in terms of using all the applications that the service has to offer

My Use of Instant messaging – MSN

2 or so years ago, I used to use MSN almost every week when at home as it is incredibly easy to use and safe – if you use it properly and don’t accept strangers.  I used to use it just to chat to friends in the evenings and on weekends as it would save me money on my mobile credit, and I would use it to keep in contact with cousins who live abroad. Even though on MSN anyone can get an account, my parents in particular were reassured that you can block and delete contacts so that person can no longer contact you or converse with you. Nowadays however, I do not really use MSN at all as there are other ways that suit me and my needs better. I also feel I have ‘outgrown’ MSN and now use more advanced and sophisticated services – and so do my friends and family. MSN was also becomingly increasing unsafe as it was being used to spread viruses and I would receive a lot of spam from bogus addresses.

Blogs

A blog, also known as a web-log, is a personal diary or journal published on the Internet. Since they were first made in around 1997, well over 5 millions blogs have been made. A blog can be made by anyone and, in terms of personal information, requires only their email address and username.

The benefits of Blogs

·         Photos and links can be included on blogs – this makes them interesting and improves their appearance

·         It is easy to leave Posts and there is the option for others to comment on the Blog – these comments are easy to view and respond to

·         Simple to create

·         Can be made private and seen only by select users

·         Could be used to communicate to lots of people at once

·         Creating a blog is straightforward

The detriments of Blogs

·         Some people reveal too much personal information on their blogs – this could, in extreme cases, lead to major problems like identity theft

·         People owning public blogs are susceptible to bullying

My Uses of Blogs

Personally, before now, I have never created a Blog or browsed many Blogs before. But having created one for this project I have found them simple to set up and can easily see the useful features Blogs have to offer. It is nice not to have limitations of what you can write and the freedom to create a blog for almost anything – and that you can make more than one Blog is you want. I don’t think I would make a personal blog though as I don’t feel comfortable displaying my personal life over the internet.

 Friends of mine have frequently made and updated personal Blogs which allow them to inform long distant family and friends of the latest news within their life, and to display to them picture and video updates too.

Message Boards

Message boards, also known as forums, are online discussion areas. Users can post discussions and read and respond to other people’s posts. Separate conversations within a message board are called threads – made up of posts written by members. Most message boards are based on a particular topic and attracts a sort of ‘online community’ of people who are interested in discussing or reading about that topic.. Message boards can be dated back to around 1994, so is a fairly recent trend. Forums can also be found on a lot of different technologies – an example of this is an computer games – and is used as a place for the players to talk and discuss their gaming and any new tactics or availible updates.

The benefits of Message Boards

·         Before joining an Internet forum, people usually have to agree to a set of online rules (depending on the forum’s settings)

·         Message board administrators can join in threads – as well as modify and delete certain posts or comments. In some cases they can also temporarily block people for breaking the message board’s rules. This would help to prevent bullying and profanity.

·         You can start a board about whatever you want

·         Most message boards are free to join and you can use them whenever you want

·         The non-live discussion can be visited at times convenient to the user, and they can catch up on any posts or comments they have missed

·         There is no need to contribute – you can simply read along with the forum if you don’t have anything to add to the conversation

·         Can be used as good information resources

The detriments of Message Boards

·         Due to the lack of restriction on what the topics for message boards can be, some people use it to express negative thing e.g. self harming forums designed to influence others

·         Similar to blogs and instant messaging, people are more likely to be bullied due to others feeling more confident to say things online than they would face-to-face

·         Anyone and everyone can join and comment on anything

My Uses of Message Boards

I have never really used a message board, but my brothers and sister have. There are various student message boards from people doing the same course as my sister so she can take a look at the opinions and advice of others when she is finding a particular piece of work difficult and she finds it straightforward to comment and communicate through threads. My brothers use the forums availible on their XBOX to talk to their friends about what they are playing and, being fairly technologically-capable they too find it simple to use and a really useful addition to their gaming. I have heard of bad experiences on TV though, of girls joining forums to discuss Anorexia and various methods of ‘staying thin’ unhealthily – without the knowledge of their parents.

Online Video Conferencing

Online video conferencing uses the Internet as a location for conferences. Used mainly by business people, online conferencing can be used in many ways e.g. meetings, lectures or short presentations and can be based on any computer. It allows people to hold visual conversations online at any time – all that is required is an internet connection, a visual input  (e.g. webcam), an audio input (microphone) and an audio output (speakers).

The benefits of Online Video Conferencing

·         Unlike phone calls, sign language can be expressed over Video conferencing

·         Can be used to transfer documents and other files

·         Can be between just two people, or many more can be added for a group conversation

·         Conferences can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world

·         For businesses specifically, online video conferencing saves on travel costs and time

·         Fairly cheap as hardware for video conferencing has had various progresses so the price has stayed low – so it is affordable to a wide proportion of the general public, as well as large businesses

·         Lecturers can use it to teach students all over the world – generates the idea that the future of  Education could be students taught via online lessons

The detriments of Online Video Conferencing

·         Flow of images and audio between the two places depends a lot on the Internet speed – and faster Internet can be quite expensive

·         People can be quite image conscious, so may not feel comfortable talking over a video conference

·         In order to partake in video conferencing people need to invest in a microphone and webcam and speakers

My Uses of Online Video Conferencing

My family is connected to Skype, a type of online video conferencing, which allows us to visually communicate to our family all over the world. I find it a nice alternative to simply messaging them in text as you can see their faces, and if it’s been a long time you can see how different they look, and you can hear their voices and the way they are saying things. My Dad has held a couple of online video conferences for work from home which has been particularly convenient as it enables him to stay at home rather than travel abroad, and essentially is allows him to make a profitable relationship with new clients quickly. Furthermore, he believes it is beneficial as he can give presentations to people all over the world from his work place – where he feels calm, fully prepared and less nervous.

Social Networking Sites – FaceBook

Social networking sites act as an online platform for developing social relations between people of similar interests. One of the most well-known and popular Social Networking Sites, which I myself am a member of, is FaceBook. All you have to do to sign up to FaceBook is enter your name, email address, gender and birthday, and create a password – then you have your own personal profile, you can add other people as friends, exchange messages and upload pictures. When first joining FaceBook, you are given clear instructions on how to work the site – so even those who aren’t confident with computers can manage their own FaceBook page. FaceBook was launched in 2004 and has over 75 million active users – and the site is constantly growing, and becoming updated.

The benefits of Social Networking Sites – FaceBook

·         Anyone can join and they only have to give away very few personal details – although some people don’t feel comfortable entering their birthday, it is necessary so the site can prevent younger users from seeing pages that aren’t suitable

·         Users can search for Friends – by just entering their name into a search bar

·         People can join ‘groups’ set up by their workplace, school or university with people of common interest

·         You can determine the different levels of privacy your page has depending on what you feel comfortable with sharing, and with whom

·         Can be accessed through mobile phones

·         Easy to use and unlimited and costless – so you can spend hours on it without it becoming expensive

·         Share photos with friends easily – but you can select which friends can and cannot see them

·         Offers three different ways of conversing with friends – posting on their profiles, private email or instant messaging

·         You can report any abuse and delete any comments on your profile or pictures that you don’t like

·         When another user requests to become your friend you can see how many ‘mutual friends’ you have, and who they are, so you know whether or not they are a complete stranger and can make your own judgement on whether they are reliable

The detriments of Social Networking Sites – FaceBook

·         You need an email address to sign up

·         The site is constantly being updated and changed which, despite the instructions you are offered whenever there is a new feature, can be confusing and frustrating

·         Social networking can easily become an addiction – especially for younger users

·         Fear of cyber stalking

·         Anyone can join as long as the details they put in are accepted by the site

My Uses of Social Networking Sites

At least once every week I use FaceBook and I find it a really good way of socialising online as it is very easy to talk to friends – as it offers private emails, open posts on each other’s profiles and an imitation instant messaging called ‘FaceBook Chat’. I also enjoy the features of the site such as ‘tagging’ people in photos – which allows them to see any pictures they are in. I never have a problem with ‘odd’ people talking to me via the site as I am careful not to allow anyone who I do not know to view my page. Some of my friends are not as careful and have had unpleasant experiences, but they have sorted their problems by either removing that person as a Friend, or by reporting abuse directly to FaceBook.

Blog Introduction

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” Albert Einstein

Hello and welcome to my ICT blog.

In a world in which we are becoming increasingly adventurous with, and more dependent on, Information Technology – do we realise all the effects of what we are using and how it is shaping our lifestyles? Is the escalating demand for better, faster and smarter technology providing the benefits we truly require or has the ‘Information Age’ engulfed us in an desire for progress for the sake of progress? The information revolution is providing new and innovative prospects, but with it comes great confusion and disagreement; our fast-growing technological world is causing a divide – but why?

 Since the 1960’s and the ‘invention of the internet’, for example, a whole online universe has transpired and is constantly growing and evolving – but should this be cause for celebration at the increasing opportunities the internet is providing, or for concern that many will slowly be left behind not understanding the detail and difficulty that new technology can bring. What with so many new developments occurring so often, we are finding ourselves experiencing technological advances we could only have dreamed of just a decade or so ago. From Banking to Business, from Education to Entertainment; we are realising the extent to which technology can be manipulated to suite our wants and needs and we are using it for all we can. Modern technology has a huge impact on us and we are becoming less able to live without it. Practically ever aspect of life ‘updated’ and imitated virtually. There is no longer a need to leave the house for most everyday tasks e.g. shopping or socialising, and even when we leave the house technology surrounds us; CCTV cameras on every street, speed cameras on busy roads, electronic billboards attempting to influence our choices.

“Technology keeps on advancing with greater and greater power, either for good or for destruction.” David Bohm

For those of you left confused when trying to work out how to use your latest phone or iPod, or lost in conversation about the latest technology; this blog is designed to discuss ‘The Information Age’ and to identify and evaluate the ways in which it is changing our daily life. With main topics of ‘Online Services’, ‘Life in the Information Age’, ‘The Digital Divide’, ‘Multimedia Components’ and ‘Design and Testing’, I plan to comment and evaluate the Information Age in all it’s vastness – discussing the advantages, the disadvantages and the overall effect on us. 

Online Services
As previously mentioned, it is hard to carry out any daily activity without some sort of information technology being involved – or without there being an online equivalent. Online services such as grocery and clothes shopping have become increasingly popular over the last decade and due to an increase in web access and the quality of websites, online methods of doing things have grown to provide equal competition to traditional, physical methods. Another way in which online services have affected our lives is through the ways in which we communicate – young people nowadays find it difficult to imagine a time without emails or instant messaging as a means of conversing. Even when considering travelling, in this day and age it is an almost immediate reaction to head to a computer to research anything involved – such as train timetables, weather or traffic reports and any other relevant available real-time information. It is also fair to say that along with the rise in the popularity of the internet, entertainment services online have grown significantly too – online gaming seems to have replaced ‘outdated’ games such as board games and other physical games and puzzles. It seems, in addition to during our leisure time, online services are becoming increasingly involved in our work lives – be that in Education, or in business. Almost every work/learning establishment owns computers, where possible, as they are a recognised tool for providing resources, and other online services such as online-video-conferencing have enables business’ and learning to spread all over the world. 


ICT has changed our lives over the years - even if you don't realise it.