Tag: internet

How technology has shaped how consume news over time

In human history, certain events have shaped the way news is reported, and in particular, the advent of technology has been instrumental in influencing the news industry. Before Gutenberg created the print technology, people relied on word of mouth to share news. With the invention of the print, the process of reporting of the news was formalized because towards the 16th century, the publication of the news became popular in Venice and Rome. In Rome, reading the Avvisi, as the Romans referred to the magazine at the time, was seen as a symbol of prestige just like it is today in some parts of the world.

The efforts of various inventors including Nikolai Tesla, led to the advent of the radio communication which revolutionized the news industry since the advent of the development of the print technology. One thing about the radio in terms of how it impacted news is that it allowed broadcasters to broadcast news to a larger audience. For their part, the consumers of news found an alternative and cheaper method of being informed of happenings in their country. With the introduction of new frequencies and radio programs, the experience of the listener significantly improved because listeners got the opportunity to listen to their favorite music as they wait for music.

The advent of the TV also marked an important event in the history of the news because unlike the radio, people could see news being read. Initially, affording the TV was out of reach for most families because only the rich owned it. With time, however, the population of the TV owners grew, and watching the television became a family affair where members of the same family would watch the TV together. Today, the TV and indeed the radio, continue to play an important role in broadcasting of the news to millions of people around the world.

The internet is the recent entrant to the news industry, and like its predecessors, it has been a core factor in shaping the way news is reported. Over a billion people have access to the internet, and while a significant number of these people still watch the TV, majority of internet users rely on the internet for their news. This is a trend that will not be stopping soon because the time people spend on the internet has increased in the last ten decades. This can be attributed to a wide range of factors including changing consumer behavior.    

Digital technology

The advent of the first computer in 1832 marked an important event in the history of the digital technology because it ushered in an era of digital technology revolution. From 1833 onwards, there were new developments in computer technology which were instrumental in further spurring the growth of the digital technology. The invention of the transistor in 1948 and the advent of the LED display led to rapid development of the digital technologies. The contemporary digital technology is more advanced than it was four decades ago because it is more compact, efficient and effective in terms of how it can be used and applied.

One can give examples of the different forms of digital technologies without running out of options because these technologies have become part of our daily lives, and we use them in different tasks. The gadgets we use to communicate, ranging from the phones and computers to the modems, are all digital technologies. Other examples include the curved television screens in our living rooms, and the digital security cameras used for security purposes in homes and businesses. Given that the advancement of technology is ongoing process, the recent innovations include virtual reality technology and biometric security systems.

The application and use of the digital technology is seen in various sectors including education and healthcare. In education, for instance, institutions offer e-learning programs where students can learn from remote locations. The Grand Canyon University is one of the institutions that leverage the power of the digital technology to build online programs so that more students can get the opportunity to study. Recently, more hospitals have been embracing telemedicine so that they can reach more people who are in need of health services. Because telemedicine integrates digital platform that allows providers to remotely communicate with patients, digital technology is becoming a powerful tool for advancing healthcare objectives.

Given the developments that we have seen taking place previously in the area of the digital technology, the future of the technology is promising, and we should expect unprecedented future digital transformation. More businesses are projected to shift towards intelligence operations in order to be in constant contact with the consumers, and improve their service delivery. As the internet speeds grow, the delay in the processing of data including the undesirable outcomes associated with it such as poor customer satisfaction will be a thing of the past. However, these outcomes will depend on how fast digital technology develops, and how fast businesses embrace it to optimize their services.  

How technology affects human life

The internet technology is shaping how we consume, move, work, socialize and communicate, and from early 1990s when the internet first went public to the present date, the world has seen tremendous development of the cyberspace technology landscape. Currently, people can order food and products using mobile apps on their phones. They can equally use some of these apps to transfer or receive funds, and share information. As much as the technology has played a significant role in easing how we do certain things, it has its own share of imperfections.

The compulsive need to use the internet or internet addiction, as it is popularly known, is becoming a serious problem considering that millions of internet users spend a considerable amount of time hooked on social media platforms. The more time people spend on these platforms, the more they become unproductive, and in a workplace environment, paying workers who spend a significant amount of their time at work on social media, can have negative effect on the company’s financial bottom-line. It may also result to missed targets and decline in customer satisfaction. A country that is competing economically, and that has a significant number of its populace hooked to the internet, may fail to achieve its growth targets, and economically lag behind others.

The overuse of the internet can have numerous serious health implications ranging from weight-related health issues to mental health problems. Using internet for longer hours is associated with physical inactivity which can cause one to gain weight. Considering the health risks linked to obesity, spending too much time poses health risks.  The effect on the mental health can also be serious given that spending too much time browsing the social media sites until late hours into the night can interfere with one’s sleep, and cause anxiety. Furthermore, the feeling of inadequacy may result if a person excessively uses the social media because when they see others doing better or looking more attractive than they are, they may begin to feel inferior. This can have a toll on one’s mental health.

Looking back three decades back and reflecting on where we are as a human race, there is no doubt we have managed to make significant progress in terms of advancing technological landscape. Unfortunately, the same technology we have developed to help us solve problems is creating new problems such as the rise in obesity-based illnesses. Humans can however build on the previous experiences and successes to come up with ideas that solve the new issues that are emerging out of the technology.     

The impact of technology on businesses

Trade has been part of human societies for centuries, and even before the advent of money, people exchanged goods with goods using barter trade method. With the introduction of money, the bartering method was faced out, as people embraced money as a tool for trade. Although the introduction of money eased the way people transacted, the discovery of the internet is perhaps one of the events that have had a profound impact on trade. Because of the power of the internet, one can provide services from remote locations, and receive funds paid via mobile banking apps such as Chase.

The e-business landscape has rapidly developed, and the internet has largely been responsible for this growth. Amazon’s success story can be attributed to the progressive development of the internet technology because when the company started in 1994, as an online marketplace for books, the World Wide Web (WWW) began. As the internet technology further developed, and more people began accessing internet-enabled devices, the population of internet users grew. Online marketplaces became common with companies developing websites to advertise and sell their products. These progressive changes have culminated into the growth of the popularity of the online retail sites, and some businesses are shifting from the brick and motor business setup to selling online.

The social media platforms are playing a significant role in connecting businesses with consumers. Thanks to increased internet penetration. Businesses can advertise their products on platforms such as Facebook to create product awareness, and inform potential customers where they can purchase their products. These platforms, still, provide avenues where sellers can receive feedback from their customers, and also provide information to customers about the products. The close contact between sellers and buyers brought by the social media ensures businesses constantly receive feedback, and work on this information to add value to their services and products.

The doo-to-door delivery is the next frontier of business innovation, and already, businesses are delivering goods directly to consumers. The internet is playing a crucial role in this area because people can place orders on businesses’ websites, and businesses can use deliver using technologies such as drones and robots. Amazon is an example of the companies that are delivering products using drones. Because customers want to experience better services, those involved in developing technology solutions need to come up with new methods that can make it possible for customers to know or track  the status of their deliveries. This is an opportunity that those intending to venture into e-business should consider.