Entertainment in the Information Age

Information Technology has had a huge impact on how we spend our leisure time and the ways in which we entertain ourselves. Devices have been invented that have revolutionised the way in which we play games, listen to music, watch TV, take photos and even how we read.

Games in the Information Age

40 years ago, Computer games and gaming consoles were yet to become mainstream, and ‘games’ meant board games or arcade games. Gaming was a very social activity and was far less popular and consuming than it has become in Western society today. Computer games and games consoles were introduced on a large scale in the 70s and since then have grown to an industry worth $74 billion in 2011. (Figure from omgn.com). Nowadays gaming is a huge part of society, especially in youth culture and there are new games released every day – but is this a good thing? Games have become far less social as people usually play alone, even though on most games multi-player options are available. Teenagers spend up to 9 hours a week playing games in front of a screen – especially on weekends, a time that could be spent with others. Socialising via a game – such as through a chat application on the game – has replaced playing together and physically socialising.

There are four main platforms for games – Nintendo, PlayStation, XBOX and PC. Each ‘brand’ has released a variety of consoles, and in the last two years there has been fierce competition between similar products such as the Nintendo Wii, the PS3 and the XBOX 360 – as, on release, they were the first few consoles with wireless remote controls. In the last few years there have been further advancements in these consoles to becoming far more interactive, with XBOX Kinect leading the way to remote-free gaming. This revolution is considered by many to be the gaming companies’ response to anti-social behaviour that gaming can bring, as it allows families to play together on active games and to have fun together playing using movements. It could also reduce another problem excessive gaming can cause – a reduction in physical activity that can lead to weight problems, but with controller-less gaming people are encouraged to move around and is seen as a more ‘healthy’ gaming alternative. I doubt, however, that controller-less gaming will replace ‘traditional’ video games, as the lack of movement and the ease of sitting in front of the computer/TV screen and playing will most probably always be appealing to many people.

One major game-caused problem in the Information Age is video game addiction. Though video game addiction has not been formerly diagnosed as a mental health disorder, there are many signs that make Doctors and many people believe it may well be. These signs include a drop in school grades/work, skipping meals, spending less time with family and friends and prioritising gaming over real life situations. In some countries, there have been examples of deaths that authorities believe were caused by obsessive gaming.

Gaming on phones is also growing more and more popular, and with the introduction of smart phones with apps – phones seem to be the newest gaming source that could be enhanced in the future. 

The benefits of Gaming in the Information Age

• Video Games are known to improve hand-eye coordination
• Some games involve a lot of problem solving and decision making
• Games can help people build self confidence and can be a welcome escape for people who don’t have a particularly thriving social life
• There are numerous examples of educational games such as Brain Training on Nintendo DS that are learning tools aimed at enhancing brain power and learning skills
• As previously touched upon, Games Companies are working to introduce more physical games and there are many games based on fitness such as Wii Fit with the objective to help people keep fit and possibly lose weight
• Video games have been proven to relieve pain as it provides a distraction
• Fun

The detriments of Gaming in the Information Age

• Video game addiction
• Can cause a lack of physical activity
• It is believed that people can become ‘desensitised’ if they play a lot of violent video games
• Can be less social

My Uses of Gaming in the Information Age

I don’t really play video games very often – probably a few hours a month on average – but my brothers play quite a lot on the XBOX. They enjoy playing with their friends and spend hours a week on games such as Call of Duty and Fifa. I especially think interactive games where everyone can get involved and have a good time. As long as people play in moderation, I think that gaming in the information age has the potential to be a really great provider of fun, socialising and even educational.

Music in the Information Age

Music is now available to everyone in a variety of technological ways. Before music could be shared over the internet as it is nowadays, CD and walkmans were used to listen to music for entertainment on the move. However, since the introduction of MP3 music player – and iPod in particular – music has grown into a much more accessible form of entertainment and downloads have outsold physical sales since 2005. People now listen to music from smaller devices than ever before, and with earphones becoming less and less detectable and even wireless, music seems as though it is smarter and more powerful than ever before.

The benefits of Music in the Information Age

• Music players such as iPods and MP3’s are portable and lightweight
• It is more convenient to download music from your computer than to go out to buy a CD
• There is a far wider library of music available for purchase when downloading over the internet compared to the variety of CD’s in a music store
• It is better for the environment if all the music you buy is online, rather than on plastic CDs in plastic cases
• You can transfer CD’s onto your computer and then onto your music player
• Music files can be downloaded onto multiple devices from your music player (most popular of today being the iPod) to your phone and more

The detriments of Music in the Information Age

• One of the biggest problems with the way in which we listen to music today, is the damage that the music playing directly from the earphone right into the ear can cause to our hearing
• It is easy for someone to download music for free, illegally, from an unofficial distributor
• False music sites can cause people to download viruses, or music with poor sound quality
• People playing music aloud from their phone in public is considered antisocial and can be annoying for others
• Listening to music players cause people to become distracted from their surroundings which can be dangerous when crossing a road or doing something else where there concentration is needed

My Use of Music in the Information Age

I listen to music very often, especially on my iPhone and find it a really good way of listening to the songs that I enjoy. The small, light device means I can carry my music with me wherever I go – which I find particularly useful when going away on holiday as it is far easier than taking lots of CD’s. I rarely listen to my music very loudly on my earphones though but friends of mine do as they claim it helps them concentrate when working as they can’t hear distracting background noise – and I know this is probably dangerous for them. Health dangers concerning music do worry me so I make sure that I don’t blast my music into my eardrums. I do think that music has become a more popular form of entertainment in the last 6 years or so, since downloads have become mainstream. 

TV in the Information Age

It is strange to reflect on how much television has changed and grown in the past 50 years, and is somewhat remarkable. Before the late 1960s colour televisions weren’t sold largely and most people – if at all – had a black and white television. But eventually, as the popularity of TV as a form of entertainment grew, colour TV became more popular and present in more and more households, and then came Videos cassettes in the 70s, DVDs in the early 90s and flat screens in the mid-90s. Nowadays, DVDs are beginning to become overshadowed by Blu-Ray and 3D is gradually being seen in more and more homes. TV and films are also available over the internet and on mobile phones. Due to these technological television advances, people are going to the cinema less and television is probably the most popular and mainstream form of entertainment in the information age.

The benefits of TV in the Information Age

• Mobile TV means people can watch programmes they want on the move, and at any time that they wish
• 3D TV’s allow people to choose whether or not they watch in 2D or 3D
• More films are becoming designed in 3D, so a 3D TV allows people to imitate the cinema experience at home
• 3D TV’s have very high quality pictures and cause viewers to feel ‘inside’ the film or programme
• Blu-ray players can also play DVDs
• Blu-ray can store five times more data than DVDs so can contain far more bonus material and better quality content
• The picture on Blu-ray is far sharper, more detailed and the colour is better

The detriments of TV in the Information Age

• Watching 3D TV requires special 3D polarised glasses, and some people may find these uncomfortable – especially those who already wear glasses
• 3D TV’s are very expensive, and the cost of blu-ray films far outweigh that of DVDs
• 3D glasses can hurt people’s eyes as they may strain and tire them
• 3D polarised glasses make the content appear darker than it actually is which could be a problem for a particularly dark night-time scene
• Blu-ray players take longer to load and start up than DVD players

My Uses of TV in the Information Age

I do not have a 3D TV or a blu-ray player (yet) as they have been released in the past  year or so, so they are still very expensive, and not all channels are available in 3D yet. I can’t imagine having to wear a pair of glasses to watch TV, but I am aware that in a few years they will be one in most households – mine included. Friends of mine have got blu-ray players and always comment on the better quality and claim that they would ‘never go back to DVD’s’. A few people I know also have 3D TV’s, but say they probably don’t use the 3D aspect as often as they could do yet. I think it is good that television technology is continually trying to become better quality and more involving, as it provides people with better and more enjoyable entertainment. 

Cameras in the Information Age

In 1990 the first digital camera that recorded images as a file on a memory disc – which you could connect to a computer to download – and these only allowed for about 32 images to be taken, and in black and white.

Just 16 years ago, the first camera with a colour screen on the back that allowed photo viewing was invented. This was outdone in 1996 when the first still-pictures/moving-images camera was introduced. Cameras began to become more popular, and were being made smaller, lighter and more involved in daily life – especially when the first camera phones were brought out in 1999.

Nowadays cameras are so widely used and available in so many different ‘forms’, they have turned into a form of entertainment. The rise in the quality and popularity of cameras has also resulted in jobs being altered, and now the change in creating photos doesn’t end at the camera – images can now be edited using various computer programmes such as Photoshop, and on most camera phones there is an editing application.

The benefits of Cameras in the Information Age

• Cameras are accessible in so many ways – through phones and through actual cameras; webcams can even be used as cameras connected to your computer
• The price of cameras ranges so much that almost anyone can get one, and decide whether or not they want to spend out or find a bargain – with prices ranging from £29 to hundreds of pounds
• Editing can remove ‘faults’ in pictures e.g. brightness or red-eye
• Viewing screens are bigger and better than ever
• Viewing screens mean that photographers e.g. in a fashion shoot or paparazzi, don’t have to take lots and lots of photos in the hope that they have a good and useful one, but can see whether or not the pictures they are taking are very good – which can save time, money and effort
• Cameras are being made more durable, and some waterproof, so they can used in various activities without as much concern
• Cameras have larger photo storage and can hold thousands of pictures and videos
• Some cameras have face detection which aims to remove red eye and blurred faces in photos
• Settings such as ‘night time settings’ it is easier to take good quality photos at any time of the day or night

The detriments of Cameras in the Information Age

• Due to continuous technological advances, cameras are constantly changing and becoming upgraded so it can be difficult for people to keep up and adapt alongside the cameras
• ‘Professional’ cameras are very expensive – sometimes hundred, possibly thousands, of pounds
• Problems with memory cards or battery can be difficult to sort out
• Thanks to the development of photo editing, the fashion industry has been known to produce ‘unrealistic’ images of ‘beauty’ which causes people, especially teenagers, to feel pressure to look a certain way which is a popular cause of eating disorders or warped self-image
• Some professional photographers prefer using cameras with rolls of film because they are used to it

My Uses of Cameras in the Information Age

I, along with almost all of my friends and family, own a digital camera which I use quite often when going out. I feel cameras have become a better addition to the ‘entertainment industry’ since they become digital as it meant that they have become far more accessible, and many of them are now very easy to use. Some of my friends who do Photography have the high end, expensive cameras – and it is very easy to see the noticeable difference in picture quality. I do however agree that the editing of photos in magazines has become too extreme and that it is sending a negative impact to people. As far as the cameras themselves go however, I find the cameras of today a great way of capturing a moment you want to remember – and because they are so fast and easy to use, it means you don’t have to miss the moment whilst trying to capture it!

E-Books and Reading in the Information Age

The first handheld e-Book was released in 1998; the Rocket by Nuromedia. This started the development of e-Books and e-Readers that has transformed the way in which we read. Reading has always been a form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by everyone where – people of all ages and interests and abilities – and now the paper and ink stories, novels and newspapers have been adapted and brought up-to-date with the other forms of entertainment in the Information Age.

E-Books have seen a new lease of popularity in the past few years since the release of the Amazon Kindle, and nowadays more and more people are opting for e-Books as a method of reading – and since the Kindle release, thousands of bookstores have had to close down. The Kindle is not without its rivals however; WHSmith has launched the Kobo touch within its stores in an attempt to imitate the success that the Kindle has had and the Sony e-Reader has also tried to rival the Amazon creation.

The benefits of E-Readers and Reading in the Information Age

• Books can be purchased instantly
• You can carry around hundreds of books at a time - with little effort
• E-Books are light and thin so are easily portable and storable
• E-Books and e-Readers don’t require any paper, obviously, so are far better for trees
• Newer e-Books, such as the Kindle Fire in America, are interactive and allow you to not only store you books and magazines on them, but your music and many other things too such as internet access is available
• Fonts in e-Books can be altered so that they are easier for people to read
• Reading a book on an e-Reader is more private than reading a normal book as there is no front-cover visible to everyone
• E-Books contain a built-in dictionary so that you can highlight a word in a passage that you do not understand and find the meaning
• Prices of books for an e-Book or e-Reader are often cheaper than actual books
• Most e-Readers use ‘virtual ink’ so do not have a backlight – this means that your eyes do not tire and there is no screen glare

The detriments of E-Readers and Reading in the Information Age

• Some e-Readers can be very expensive
• It is far more difficult to lend books to others or pass them on
• As previously mentioned, the launch of popular e-Books have resulted in the closure of many bookshops – so people are losing their jobs to technology
• If you lose your e-Reader, you have lost your entire library!
• Some people feel that you can’t get the same experience reading an e-Book compared with a physical book, and complain that the whole appeal of a book is the simplicity and the escape it provides from the technology-mad society in which we now live

My Uses of e-Readers and Reading in the Information Age

I do not personally have an e-Reader, by my sister does, and I think that they are a fantastic piece of technology and a wonderful example of traditional entertainment being adapted by technology. It really makes a difference when going on holiday to just take an e-Book compared to a couple actual books. I do not think that e-Reader will ever completely replace books however, because I believe people will always enjoy reading a single, physical book as – in a way – they allow you to become closer to the story and they probably remind people of a ‘simpler’ time when everything wasn’t computerised.