Education in the Information Age

Information Technology has become such a monumental aspect of Education today that it would probably be difficult for students to imagine school life without it. IT has revolutionised the way young people learn and opened new opportunities for further knowledge that wouldn’t have been available as recently as 30 years ago.

Computers

In my school, there is at least one computer in each classroom – and over 20 in each of the 9 computer rooms – and they play a huge role in both teaching and independent learning. From class work to online revision, computers cover many aspects of school life. Word processing programmes such as Microsoft Word work alongside textbooks and paper, researching online has replaced the need to search through library books and other sources, and emailing teachers with enquiries has become an alternative to seeking help in person – in short, the uses of computers are numerous within education.

There is an abundance in computer programmes that assist with everyday school tasks – an example of this is the use of SIMS for registration. SIMS is a programme used in my school, accessible only by staff members, that allows teachers to take the register from the computer and acts as a record of all student information e.g. targets, behaviour records and attendance. Teachers can also write progress reviews and reports on SIMS, so it has a function in both monitoring and feedback.

In every classroom in my school, an Interactive whiteboard is connected to the computer and acts as the focal point for most lessons – replacing the older option, the blackboard. Similar to blackboards, teachers write notes and explanations on an interactive whiteboard but, as they are connected to computers, they are able to do so much more in addition. Teachers can save the notes they make on the interactive whiteboard – a luxury its blackboard predecessors were without – which allows them to recover them at later dates, or even print them off and give them to students as aids for studying. Another key features of interactive whiteboards is that they are just that – interactive. They act as a visual aid that students can contribute to. As you can access the internet via the computer they are connected to, Teachers can open educational games and students can play on the whiteboard. Interactive whiteboards have the potential to add things to a lesson that a simple blackboard and chalk never could – positive student involvement.

The uses of computers within a learning environment are vast and value – they are a fantastic resource.

The benefits of the use of Computers, and computer-related technology, in Education

• Less paper used when work can be done and submitted using programmes and email
• Emailing teachers is instant and you don’t need to interrupt either persons school day in order to contact them, you can also send an email at any time including evenings and weekends
• Changes to any work can be done instantly and without the need to start again
• All work can be saved and stored in one place, rather than having piles of papers and school books
• The internet provides thousands of educational pieces of information – such as videos of science experiments or biological dissections
• Interactive whiteboards provide student participation
• With the use of SIMS, it is easier for teachers to keep a track of students’ progress and supervise their behaviour
• Computers are becoming increasingly present within society, so having computers within a school enables young people to become computer-literate from young age – this means they are lucky as they will not struggle as much with new technology in the future

The detriments of the use of Computers, and computer-related technology, in Education

• Computers are expensive, so this resource is not available to all schools
• Having so much information at their fingers can cause students to become lazy, and lack the drive to find their own alternative sources for study
• Students may copyright the work they find online, unaware that what they are doing is illegal
• Some of the information online may be incorrect
• If a teacher sets some work on the computer, students without access to a computer outside of school may not be able to do it
• It is difficult for schools to control how each and every students uses the computers and they may not be using it sensibly or for the correct reasons

My Opinion of the use of Computers etc. in my school

I think that the computers are a fantastic addition to my school as they open up a whole world of research opportunities – and their uses don’t stop there. You can email teachers about any work difficulties; you can find contacts for work experience and all the other amazing things the internet allows. In addition, without computers, IT certainly couldn’t be taught in the same way and I feel it would be near enough impossible to try and learn about computers and other technologies and what they have to offer without actually using them. I cannot really imagine my education without computers – both in school and at home for that matter. It is just a shame that schools who cannot afford computer systems are denied this resource.

VLE – Frog

VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) is a web based tool used by schools that provides two-way interaction between teachers and students. Although Virtual Learning Environments were originally created to enhance distance learning, they are nowadays used more as a popular supplement to a traditional physical learning environment.

At my school, the VLE we use is ‘Frog’. It can be accessed from school or from home and includes features such as the school calendar, notices from the school, homework set by teachers and links to the school network and the school email. Uploaded lessons, subject information and resources can also be found on Frog.

On VLE’s students can access handouts, videos, interactive material and worksheets. There are also features that provide group interaction and tutorials such as chat and conferencing.

The benefits of VLEs – Frog

• Frog is easy to use and has a friendly format
• Sources are more easily available to students so they can explore a variety of information from different places and various opinions and ideas
• Uploaded lessons can help students if they wish to re-cap, in order to retain more information than they may have done during the actual lesson. These can also help if a student is absent and they need to catch up with the work that they have missed
• In regards to homework, teachers can see which students have opened homework – not just when it is completed and sent back – so they know when a student deliberately hasn’t done it
• Homework can be set at any time of the day, and every day – even if School/ a lesson is cancelled due to bad weather or some other reason
• Frog provides students with new learning opportunities that could help them do better should they choose to use them e.g. the resources and uploaded lessons
• Parents can access their students work and information and keep an eye on how they child is doing and whether or not they are completing set tasks
• Frog saves paper as homework is set and completed and notices are sent over the VLE rather than on paper

The disadvantages of VLEs – Frog

• There is a worry that students become less concerned about missing school if all the work and lessons are available online anyway
• A huge drawback of VLEs such as Frog is the cost as it prevents many schools from becoming part of the Virtual Environment and means they cannot utilise the available resources and help
• Not all students have computers at home so the VLE would be of little use to them and they would benefit more from homework and other information being provided in the traditional way
• Teaching and learning via a VLE means the ‘personal touch’ from the lesson is missing as the teacher cannot add their own ‘flare’ to them. Also practical lessons e.g. a chemical experiment, cannot be imitated by students at home. The lessons provided on Frog are mainly done in written format and miss the occasional excitement that certain topics could potentially provide, if taught well
• If someone is doing homework or a lesson on Frog they cannot seek immediate help if they don’t understand something or need help

My Opinions of my schools’ VLE – Frog

As my school has only had Frog for around a year now, I don’t think I am familiar enough with it to have realised its full potential or to get as much out of it as I could yet. Furthermore, very few of my teachers set homework on Frog so I rarely feel I need to check it. I feel that although VLE’s work fairly well alongside regular school, I don’t think I benefit very much from Frog. I much prefer lessons in classrooms as I find the social interaction between my fellow students and teachers more useful and enjoyable. I do however think that on days when school is cancelled e.g. when it there has been heavy snow, Frog is useful for accessing work that has been missed. I can definitely see the major advantages of Virtual Learning Environments however at times I feel that, in my school at least, Frog is a little under-appreciated and so unnecessary. I would certainly use Frog as extra support for my learning, but it wouldn’t be my sole resource as I prefer books and having the work directly in front of me rather than on a computer screen.

Smart Cards

There are two types of smart cards used in my school – ‘card keys’ and ‘canteen cards’. Card keys, as they name suggests, act as keys – allowing the holder access into certain places that are closed to those without. The sixth form building uses this system to keep in remote from any of the students from the younger year groups, and the school gates have a similar system so that students cannot leave when they shouldn’t. They also ensure that people who shouldn’t are unable enter the school when it is locked up. Ultimately, the role of cards key is to maintain security.

The benefits of Smart Card keys

• Sense of increased security
• Each smart card key is allocated to a certain student so, unlike normal keys, people cannot swap
• You cannot make your own working copies of a smart card
• Once a card is reported lost, it is possible for it to be deactivated so it can no longer be used
• Lightweight to carry and can be simply kept in a wallet or pocket as they are thin

The detriments of Smart Card keys

• The card key systems are quite expensive – certainly more expensive than an average lock and key
• If a card is lost or stolen, the person without it can’t enter the buildings and the person with it may not be supposed to – so the security is lost, even if it is only for a short while before the key is deactivated
• Can be lost easily if the person isn’t responsible

The second type of Smart Card in use at my school is Canteen cards. There are sort of similar to credit cards – parents add money to the individual card over the school site, then the student need only take the card to school and are able to purchase lunch using the money on their card.

The benefits of Smart Canteen Cards

• Students don’t need to carry any money to school – so there is no risk of someone stealing it from them
• They can only be used by one person as they are personalised with their information and picture – so even if someone else takes it they cannot use it
• Cards can be deactivated if they are lost
• There is a daily limit on how much of their ‘credit’ someone can spend – so they don’t spend all their money in one day
• Lightweight to carry and can be simply kept in a wallet or pocket as they are thin

The detriments of Smart Canteen Cards

• For parents without internet access, it is difficult for them to add money to the card
• If someone forgets their canteen card, they cannot simply buy food with money
• Visitors to the school can’t use the canteen to buy food
• Can be lost easily if the person isn’t responsible

My Opinion of the use of Smart Cards in my school

I think smart cards have made a massive difference to my school since they were introduced. If anything, I like the Card keys as they add a sort of ‘exclusiveness’ to the sixth form building. However, they do make a lot of my friends far more complacent as they give a false sense of complete security in my opinion. The canteen cards I think are very good and I think they fulfil their job well as now no one can steal anyone else’s lunch money. It is slightly annoying that money can no longer be used at all in my school canteen as it means when I forget my card I have to either beg my friends to buy me lunch (which can be difficult due to the daily limit) or go hungry.

CCTV system

In certain places around my school there are CCTV cameras – particularly in the computer rooms and around the outside of the buildings. This surveillance equipment is used to watch over areas where problems are likely to occur. The CCTV cameras in the computer room are monitored in the ICT technicians’ room. They have only been used in the school for the past few years and, for the most part, you don’t even notice that they are there.

The benefits of the use of CCTV

• If there is an incident, CCTV footage can be used to find out what happened
• They make people think before they misbehave and can prevent unsafe/bad behaviour
• Students vandalising the building/computer room can be seen and stopped
• When a teacher leaves a computer room, they can check on their class in the technicians room to see if they continue working
• Parents may feel happier knowing that the wellbeing/behaviour of their child is being monitored at school

The detriments of the use of CCTV

• CCTV systems are very expensive
• Someone needs to be monitoring the cameras all/most of the time because there is no point there being surveillance equipment if no one is actually going to use it
• Some people may feel that their privacy is being breached if there are cameras watching them at all times
• Some believe the use of CCTV cameras as misconduct deterrents undermines the authority of the teaching staff

My Opinion of the use of CCTV in my school

I don’t have a very strong opinion about CCTV. I can definitely see the benefits of watching students, but I also agree that it takes away from the role of the teacher. As I previously mentioned, I don’t really even notice them unless they are pointed out to me – so I don’t have a problem with them.

Other examples of technology used in my school include

• Video cameras for subjects such as drama and English and P.E so that performances can be recorded for reviewing, analysing and marking
• TV/ DVD player for watching films and programmes that relate to the subject and the topic being covered

And many more which I probably don’t even realise as I have probably become used to them.

Introduction to Life in the Information Age

In the last 30 years there have been ground-breaking advances in Information Technology. In developed countries in particular, Technology seems to have become increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life. Information Technology has evolved dramatically and has transformed the way in which we work, communicate, play, learn and live. We are living in the Information Age – a time where information is power, and where technology has enabled us to discover information we would otherwise have no way of obtaining.

It is hard to comprehend just how radically Information Technology has influenced us over the past few decades, so in order to make it more graspable you can compare the usual offices of today to a typical office from the 1980’s.

By the end of the 1980’s, the previously ever-present typewriter had been replaced within offices by computers and keyboards. Beforehand, offices would contain numerous filling cabinets for storing paperwork – in contrast, today most workers need little more than a computer. There were no fax machines, no printers and the only way to transfer work was by mail or by hand. If a piece of paperwork was found to have a mistake, the whole thing would have to be typed again – whereas straightforward amending is available to us on computers now.

By the 1990’s, computers were becoming present in every office around the world and nowadays the technology present in the workplace has become even more innovative in comparison to the 1980’s. With the introduction of wireless connections to the internet, printers and other work equipment, the workplace has become far more flexible even in the last 4 years or so. Online conferencing allows business people to communicate and form partnerships all over the world and employees can contribute work from home via email – reducing their need to go to the office every day. The Technology in the workplace today has impacted people’s lifestyles greatly. Work no longer necessarily finishes when you leave the office – Blackberrys, iPhones and other smart phones are used by businesses to contact employees outside office hours and for the employees to send emails and finish work when they are at home – whether or not this is an advantage or a disadvantage is open to interpretation.

We are living in an information spiral – the more information we acquire; the more technology we can create and the more technology we create, the more information we are beginning to realize and so on in a continuous and expanding cycle. Technology has certainly advanced in the past 30 years, and in recent years the advances have snowballed. As a society we seem to have developed an inability to settle and accept that things are the best that they could possibly be and so we continue striving for improvements within our lifestyles – increasingly through technology. But as we aim for what seems to be ‘technological supremacy’, we may be losing site of what we need and, essentially, of simplicity. With each advance we are making some sort of sacrifice – and every time we must decide whether or not it is worth it.

Case Study – How the job of a Sales representative has changed due to the development of Information Technology

According to 440 sales representatives who responded to the ‘Registered Reps’’ annual survey, the ‘typical’ sales rep has been on the job for seven years. Within those seven years those sales assistants would have experienced many changes to their job because of Information Technology. Technology has changed the way that people shop, and thus has changed the way that sales people sell. Even from the beginning technology has had an effect on the job of a sales assistant – when phones became more available, phone calls with clients coincided with face-to-face conversations and the typewriter replaced hand written documents. Nowadays, a sales representative is a perfect example of just how much technology is around and how is has transformed the way people carry out their jobs. Sales people today must be competent with using computers, databases, production software, smart phones, and social media at least – and ability to use other equipment such as SAT NAV would add to the ease of their job. For some sales persons, this means they required retraining or they risk losing their job.

Computers and the Internet have allowed sales reps to be more productive. They can access information and organise it far faster than they ever could have before. Client contact details and addresses and product information can be stored on a database which can be accessed from computers, laptops and some smart phones – meaning they can be accessed on the move. Satellite navigation systems and map apps on phones mean that sale reps can find their way around unfamiliar places with ease and without hesitance or a need for too much planning ahead. This would save time, and for a sales rep more time can potentially mean more money. 

Smart phones can also act as a planner – holding appointment details and other information. Information Technology has made it so that sales reps needn’t spend days in the office planning routes and sorting through paperwork, and they can instead do most of their work either at home or on the go.

For sales representatives there are fewer things more important than creating new sales leads, and one way in which technology is involved in doing this is though social media such as FaceBook and other social networking sites. Sales people can use these to attract thousands of people to their products quickly and with minimum effort. Social sites also all them to research other products and receive feedback, and it acts as a foundation for forming preferably profitable customer relationships.

This is just one example of a job that has been enhanced and altered due to Information Technology. Recent and new technologies provide opportunities for workers to enhance their output and improve their work-life – and more and more people are taking full advantage of these opportunities. But for those who cannot keep up with the constant changes and additions, their jobs may become increasingly stressful and confusing the more time passes and the more technological advances there are. 

Online Entertainment

YouTube

YouTube’s vision is ‘to give everyone a voice’ and since 2005, when it was created, the popular video-sharing website YouTube has grown to hold thousands of millions of videos – but it is constantly growing. It is one of the biggest forms of Online Entertainment.

The benefits of YouTube

• It is free to become a member and upload your own videos, or view other peoples
• You don’t have to be a member to watch videos
• YouTube has become somewhat of a talent-spotter sight, as new talent can be published for the world to see and in some cases has landed people record deals after being ‘discovered’ over YouTube
• You can rate and comment on videos – giving feedback and allowing others to get an impression of the video, before necessarily watching it
• YouTube is available in 51 languages
• YouTube videos can be about anything and can be purely for amusement or instructional or to impress
• There are millions of videos to choose from
• You can listen to the latest music free on YouTube
• There is a YouTube app that can be downloaded onto mobiles, so it can be enjoyed anywhere
• Can be used at any time and by anyone
• An age restriction may be put on videos so that only users over 18 should watch them
• Comments can be removed by the person whose video they are on – and any abuse can be reported

The detriments of YouTube

• Because anyone can watch videos you upload, you cannot control how they are being enjoyed and whether or not it is in a way you are comfortable with
• Comments can be very hurtful and, even after they are removed; the user will have still seen them and may be hurt by what is said about them
• Videos about anything can be uploaded – including disturbing and inappropriate videos
• People who own the content of a video, e.g. a song, may be unhappy if people are using it without their permission
• Despite the age limit, people can still watch the videos if they choose to lie about their age

My Uses of YouTube

I think YouTube is a really good form of Online Entertainment, and can be enjoyed by anybody because there is something for everyone. I think it is great that someone can simply post a video and become an internet sensation overnight. I use YouTube quite a lot for listening to music, which is a great free method of hearing the latest songs, and have also seen a lot of funny videos. Being able to make people smile through a video is nice and so a communal place where people can share their videos is a wonderful idea. I do however think that people should be sure, before they upload a video, that they are happy for everyone to see it as it is beyond their control who watches it and what their opinion of it is. 

Spotify

Spotify is a music streaming service available online that allows users to listen to millions of songs. Spotify acts as a sort of online radio which you can tailor for you own music preferences.

The beneftits of Spotify

• You can access Spotify on your phone as well as your laptop, and many other devices, so can be enjoyed wherever and whenever
• You can search for songs by title, artist, genre or by record label; but there is also a new release section so you can find music you’ll enjoy that you’ve never have heard of before
• It is available for free
• Spotify acts as a music library and you can make your own playlists, and listen to millions of songs all kept in one place
• You can import Facebook friends
• You can share songs with your friends – so you can share with them the music you enjoy – legally
• You can send recommendations to friends, along with text, using the ‘inbox’ feature
• Spotify has a minimalist design and is easy to use

The detriments of Spotify

• There are adverts on Spotify which disrupt peoples listening and you can’t stop them
• Only premium members – a.k.a. paying users – can access Spotify on their mobiles
• The messaging via the ‘inbox’ feature is a one way system, users cannot directly respond to messages/recommendations they are sent
• You don’t actually own any of the music you listen to
• You can’t share entire playlists with your friends, only single songs at a time

My Uses of Spotify

I have actually never used Spotify first hand, so have no experience of how easy it is to use and of the overall quality of the service. A lot of my friends use it however, as a free way to enjoy music and make playlists of the songs they enjoy. One of my teachers also used to use it to play music in lessons and the songs were always of good quality – but the adverts were very annoying, especially when you were in between songs in an album. 

Online TV

Many popular channels have created sites where the TV the offer can be viewed, channels such as BBC with BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 with 4od, itv with itv player and channel 5 with channel 5. Online TV has allowed TV, which was already incredibly popular, to become an even more widespread method of entertainment.

The benefits of watching TV online

• Over the internet you can find shows you may not usually get on your TV
• You can watch the TV where you want as, if you are watching from a laptop, they are portable
• You can play/pause/replay the show how you want
• Many channels are not making their online TV sites available on mobiles
• For the most part, watching online TV is free and available for everyone with access to a computer
• You can watch your TV programmes wherever you are in the world
• If you missed the programme when it was broadcasted on TV, you could watch it on the online site for the channel it was on
• Some channels hold the episodes of entire series, so you can watch them all at once without missing any
• You can watch TV online at any time of the day or night

The detriments of watching TV online

• Illegal TV sites can spread viruses
• Online TV takes up internet bandwidth
• Some online TV channels might not work on certain computers or may involve an instalment of a programme that may be unwanted
• TV programmes may take a long time to load
• The sound/picture quality may not be as good as watching regular TV

My Uses of Online TV

I don’t watch TV online very often, but when I do it’s usually to catch up with a programme I have missed. I find it very useful. I have both 4od and itv player on my phone think they both work really well. I also enjoy using online TV to watch shows that I do not get on my TV. I do feel that, even though online TV has its and I feel they outweigh the disadvantages, I don’t think it would ever replace conventional TV for me. 

Second Life

Second life is an online 3D world where users lead virtual lives through personal avatars. It began in 2003, and has around a millions users. Online life-imitating games like ‘Second Life’ are very popular forms of online entertainment and are used all over the world.

The benefits of Second Life

• Second life provides people with social interaction with other users
• It is in 3D so visually quite impressive
• It is free to join
• Second life provides players, known as residents, with unofficial learning opportunities including the possibility of learning a foreign language
• Residents remain anonymous
• Residents partake in games and quests which keep Second Life exciting
• You can befriend people from all over the world
• The currency of Second Life – linden dollars (L$) – is actually worth money (exchange rate L$1,000 = US $4.16)
• Residents can create properties and own them
• Everyone is given the same ‘life opportunities’ so it doesn’t matter if you are disabled or under-privileged in real life as everyone is equal in Second Life
• It’s a virtual world

The detriments of Second Life

• It’s a virtual world
• There is a need to update software continuously
• You have to use headphones
• The game can sometimes be slow
• Some people become addicted to the game and begin to become confused about what is reality – their second life or their actual life. There have been cases where people actually fall in love with another resident in second life – even though they have never physically met
• Because Second life has so many features, you have to overcome a bit of a learning curve when you first start before you can really get into the game
• Residents can never really know who they are talking to/becoming friends with

My Uses of Second Life

I have never been on Second Life and, in fact, never heard of it before researching online entertainment. I have however, been reading about people who play these games and become obsessed with their second life – so much so, that it takes control over their life. I do however, believe these must be the extreme cases and that on the whole people can enjoy Second life safely for what it is – a form of entertainment. To some extent I can see the appeal of Second life – especially for those who don’t particularly enjoy/ thrive in reality – as it is a chance to live the way you dream, and look the way you want, and basically get a second chance at a life which you have almost complete control over. I do think that when playing life-imitating games it is important to remember that it is real life that is actually important and if at any point it becomes difficult for someone to differentiate between the two; they should probably review their priorities. 

Download services

Software

Nowadays software needn’t be bought from a shop along with packaging and instructions, but can be downloaded from the internet. Downloadable software includes add-ons such as upgrades, driver updates, program patches and firewall updates. It is now even possible to receive software automatically – without even realising or having to do anything.

Benefits of downloading software from the Internet

• Many manufactures allow you to trial software before you buy – so you can download it for a period of time and are able to check whether it works well on your system and whether or not you really need/want it before you have pay for it
• Less expensive than buying from the store
• Wider variety on selection – not just what a store has in stock
• A lot faster and easier than having to do it all yourself and it takes far less time, as there is no waiting for a delivery, so is far more convenient
• Downloads correct problems immediately or prevent them completely
• Updates are usually free and if not are very cheap
• Updates are instant

Detriments of downloading software from the Internet

• Many customers want some sort of proof of purchase so if the software gets wipes off or something goes wrong, unless the manufacturer provides some sort of back-up plan, you won’t be able to get access to the software without downloading it again
• Despite no delivery wait, downloading can take a few minutes even with fast broadband connections
• One of the biggest problems is obviously security – some manufacturers ask for personal information e.g. credit card details and email address which can lead to money fraud and spam

My Uses of software download

I have never really consciously downloaded software – the most I have ever done is accept an automatic update when a pop-up box appears. Most of my updates are done without my knowledge and any other software downloads are done by my parents.

I think it is good that software can be downloaded over the internet – so long as people know what they are getting and are quite sure that it is reliable – because it saves a lot of hassle for people who probably have much better things to do than constantly update their computers and sort out software manually.

Downloading Forms

Over the internet, people can download application forms for things such as jobs, credit cards, provisional driving license and more.

Benefits of downloading forms online

• Saves paper as people can complete them on their computer and send them back, without necessarily having to print them
• Allows users to receive forms from their home rather than going to the place e.g. the place you want to work, and have to pick one up
• Forms are downloaded instantaneously
• Almost impossible to loose – unlike a piece of paper – it is on your computer and if it is lost you can always download another one
• If you complete the form online you can easily fix any mistakes, and you don’t have to post it/ physically take it back which saves time and effort
• No paper or printing costs

Detriments of downloading forms online

• They could carry an unknown virus or could be spam
• It could be in a read-only format so you may not be able to edit it
• The form could be on a programme that the user doesn’t have on their computer so they may not be able to access it

My Uses of downloading forms online

I found downloading forms really useful as it means I can apply for things online without having to leave the house, and without needing to print them off – which is especially good as my printer is quite unreliable. I also found downloading forms really fast and easy and haven’t experienced any issues when downloading forms. I think that, as long as people know what the form is for before they download it, there is no problem with online forms.

Apps – phone apps

An app, short for application is basically a software programme. When people talk about ‘apps’ they are typically talking about the apps on smart phones such as the iPhone or Blackberry. On a phone, an app is downloaded because it performs a particular function or provides a bit of entertainment. There are thousands of apps available, both free and for a cost, and the variety is expanding daily.

The benefits of apps

• Companies can produce mobile apps in order to expand their business and increase their accessibility
• Mobile apps can be downloaded pretty much instantly
• As previously mentioned – there is a wide variety of free apps on offer
• Mobile apps can be accessed at anytime and anywhere
• Some apps are really useful – some supposedly relieve stress and others, such as GPS systems, mean you can find your way around
• Downloading apps is very easy
• Updates of apps are usually free
• People can leave comments about apps they have downloaded that are available for others to see before they download it so they know how it performs

The detriments of apps

• Some apps need a lot of updates
• Apps can take up a lot of memory on your phone so can significantly slow it down
• Because apps are so easy to download, some people – especially young teenagers or children – may get carried away and, even though costing apps are still fairly cheap, they could run up quite a big bill
• There are some rubbish apps that are of poor quality

My Uses of apps

As an iPhone owner, I think apps are really useful and have lots of benefits. They are so straightforward to download and all the ones I downloaded have been free. Some of my friends have got a lot of game apps, which has made their phones quite slow, but I have found that I only really need useful apps that actually perform a function. I don’t see any serious problems with phone apps as long as people are sensible about downloading/using them. 

Cloud – the iCloud

‘Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices...over a network’ (definition from Wikipedia)

 This means that if you edit or add to an application on your computer, the change is also applied to other devices with that application such as your smart phone. One relatively new example of cloud computing is ‘iCloud’ from Apple.

The benefits of iCloud

• Keeps your content up to date on all your Apple devices without you having to update them individually
• iCloud syncs the devices wirelessly
• The synchronisation is done really quickly – almost instantly
• You don’t lose your content because iCloud backs it up
• You don’t have to do anything – iCloud does it immediately and without instruction
• Comes free with new Apple products that have iOS 5
• On the iPhone, iCloud includes a feature called ‘Find my phone’ which allows users to locate the phone and lock/erase it on a map

The detriments of iCloud

• It costs for those without Apple product which already have it, which means users a effectively paying to listen/view things that they already own – just on other devices
• Because iCloud is fairly new, there are some concerns over unknown things such as                            -If you stop paying, will the data copied through iCloud be lost on your other devices? Apple scans your iTunes – but what will it do with the information it obtains?

My Uses of iCloud

I have iCloud as it came free when I recently got my iPhone. I find it very useful as it means that when I buy a song on my iTunes of my laptop, I can listen to it immediately on my phone. I am also happy knowing that my content is backed up so if I l can get it back if anything happens that means I lose it. My only problem with iCloud is that I don’t really know a lot about it, and what happens ‘behind the scenes’ that I don’t know about and may not be happy with. 

Contemporary News

The Blackberry blackout

On and around the 7^th October, tens of millions of Blackberry users began noticing problems with ‘Blackberry messenger’ (BBM), their internet browsing and their email services – resulting in outrage and frustration. The service failure lasted three days and affected most of the Blackberry customers in the western hemisphere. RIM (Research In Motion), the developer of Blackberry, claimed the cause was a failed switch in the core of the network – this means there was failure with a ‘specialised computer that directs communications within networks’. This failure shouldn’t had mattered, had the back-up system not also failed.

As it wasn’t the first outage in Blackberry’s history – it has lead to customers questioning its reliability and whether it is worth remaining faithful to Blackberry when there are so many, possibly better, smart phones on the market; with one of the closest rivals being the Apple iPhone. It is thought that, from the results of a study by ‘Kelkoo’ (a comparison website), one in five blackberry customers were thinking of switching to a different service provider in the week following the problems. Apparently; 19% of those surveyed were considering moving to another company, 42% would consider moving later and 9% already had (figures from telegraph article).

‘The largest outage we’ve ever experienced’ was how the co-chiefs of blackberry described the blackout during a question-and-answer session.  And, following a public apology and explanation, the Blackberry Company promised to give each of their affected customers a free ‘app’ for their blackberry every day for 30 days.

If nothing else, the Blackberry blackout has helped me realised how dependent we are becoming on our mobile phones as a method of communication – and, at some times more than others, it is difficult to tell whether that is a good thing. In some ways, the Blackberry outage provided a ‘technology’ holiday for some people and highlighted to them how dependent on their phone they might have become. 

HSBC Computer Malfunction

On the afternoon of Friday 4^th October, a breakdown of the computers of HSBC – one of the largest banks in England – left many people unable to access their money. Customers experienced difficulties when attempting to reach its online service and were prevented from withdrawing from cash machines. People also reported that they couldn’t use their cards for shopping. 

The whole problem cause huge inconvenience, especially at such a busy time for customers and the banking world. Services were down for more than two hours.  The cause of the failure was unknown which caused some customers further concern as they worried over their personal information and money.

NatWest Failure followed one month later

One month later, on 4^th November, NatWest – another big British bank – followed suit and experienced a computer crash. 15 million frustrated customers were unable to access their accounts; meaning they couldn’t check their balances or transfer money and some couldn’t use cash machines. The problem took over 15 hours to correct, so much longer than HSBC’s, and was said to have been caused by a fault during routine maintenance. Again, people were worried about their money and personal information but the bank assured that it was nothing to do with any sort of external hackers.

It seems that a lot of the time, Electronic convenience comes at the price of possible electronic failure.

Stealing FaceBook data

FaceBook is a social networking site that is popular all over the world. It is used by millions of people everyday – allowing them to email, instant message and post to friends and family, and upload photos.

Recently a new method of obtaining personal information from FaceBook, called ‘socialbots’, has been discovered. Socialbots are fake facebook profiles which, when accepted by people as friends, allows the creator to steal their personal information and photos. The study was done by researchers from the University of British Columbia and consisted of them sending out 102 socialbots for 8 weeks, each requesting 25 friendships a day. Out of the 8,570 requests made – 3,055 users accepted (figures from report on ‘the gadget website’). FaceBook responded to these claims, saying ‘the conditions for the research were unrealistic’, and discontinued many of the fake accounts. At the ‘Annual Computer Security Applications Conference’ next month in Florida, the team will present their findings.

Stories like these make people question the security of the internet, and whether or not they should display so much of themselves and their personal information over the web. It raises awareness of how important it is to be safe on the internet – and, on social networks, only accepting people who you really know. Most people do not realise how vulnerable they are over the web.