Future of the Internet

After seeing videos of the future of the Internet by my lecturer in class, I cannot help but wonder, what will the Internet be like 10, 50, 100 years down the road? I did a little more research on my own and found that the future of the Internet is a major European initiative as seen in the video below:

Future Internet from KMi on Vimeo.

"More than 1 billion users of mobile phones already have access to the Internet and this number will grow to 4 billion in the next few years" In the future, I see the whole world being interconnected via mobile devices. In the future, everyone, even those in rural areas, would have access to the mobile phone as that would be the primary device through which we communicate and carry out tasks on a daily basis.

"... As the Internet becomes the fundamental economic instrument"
In the future, consumers and businesses rely strongly on the Internet to function. Without the Internet network system, the world would not be able to function. Consumers will buy their daily necessities online and have them delievered to their doorstep daily via a sophisticated delivery system, operated by the Internet. Businesses would become ultra efficient with the future Internet and there might be no need for 5-day work weeks in the offices anymore due to flexible work arrangements made possible with Internet mobile technology.

"We are preparing for a web of things. All electronic devices will be active participants in the future Internet"
In the future, every single device would be connected with one another. Think of how your refrigerator would be connected with your bank account such that payment for goods and services becomes super speedy. Or how about cars and machines being monitored directly via the Internet? That would be a major benefit for companies!

"User genereated information will grow significantly and will be a driving force in the future Internet"
In the future, there would be no more Web 2.0. In the future, the semantic Web takes over. There will be fewer barriers for businesses, social networking and other activities on the Internet. Every single one would be activitely participating in the future Internet.

"We must imagine future Internet as a service. Mobile, ubiquitous and pervasive"
In the future, networks will be re-engineered in order to make all devices connected with one another, which increases the efficiency of the Internet for businesses and other services available. The future Internet will be 24/7, we would use the Internet more than we are using it now and it will become an indispensable part of our daily lives.

"Secure... efficient... interoperable, coherent, consistent, scalable, pervaise and reliable, these services will be networked together in the future of the Internet."
In the future, the Internet will be amazing. All these services will be networked together to provide all users around the globe with a strong network to base their activities on.

"Our future of the Internet relies on a global collaborative effort" In the future, no one gets left behind. There would be no more digital divide across the globe. In the future, everyone's lives would be improved because of the advancement of the Internet.

How long would this vision take to come true? We can only wait and see but I am surely excited to witness the advancements of the Internet in the years to come!

Some awesome websites

The Internet has been with us for many years now and it has grown to encompass virtually anything you can think of. From online references to games, social networking sites to e-learning sites, you can imagine how many million websites are out here. Today, I am going to share with you some of the websites I personally find interesting. So, here goes:

The Slightly Warped Website- The Crap Factory
Website link
This is actually the first interesing website that I came across when I was younger and I have kept it in my bookmarks ever since! It was a website introduced to me by a friend when I was bored. The website provided me with a lot of fun facts such as getting to know about the sky dining concept in Europe, interesting signboards I never knew existed and other plain unusual or weird facts.

Websites for a cause
Website link
Website link
Website link
I find it interesting that there are many websites out there that are created by people out of a good will. For example, the website links above have donation links for the recent Japan Tsunami disaster. This shows that the Internet has certainly been put to good use and it helps connect people all across the globe. People from all over are able to donate to Japan even though we are physically miles away. I definitely hope that these sort of websites continue to exist and even multiply, in order to better help those in need.

Omegle
Website link
I recently got to know of this website through a friend when, again, I was bored and did not know what to do. This is a website where one can randomly talk to and meet with strangers via instant messaging or webcam. The upside to this is that you get to meet all kinds or people and it helps to kill boredown. However, be warned that some people go onto Omegle with slightly warped intentions, such as looking for some "dirty fun". So, it can get irritating when you have to keep opening a new chat just because many of them are not there for the same reasons as me.

FML- Your everyday life stories
Website link
This is a website that allows people to post "bad" stories about their lives, in other words, rant. Perhaps this can be an outlet for people to vent their anger or relieve tension that they are feeling, which can be therapeutic for some. Visitors to the site are also able to read the life stories of others, making it a site for some good laughter or identification, in a sense that they know that they are not alone when life gets tough.

These are just some of the websites that I have discovered over time that I find interesting. Hope you had a good read!

Online journalism to take over?

With the emergence of online newspapers, it has made me think about the differences between online and traditional, offline newspapers and by extension, offline and online journalism. Personally, I very much prefer the broadsheet version as it has always been the traditional form of publication and it is something that I am used to everyday.

Technology advances has made it possible for newspapers to go online now and I feel that it somewhat changes the experience of reading a newspaper. The laying out of the pages on the table and physical flipping of the pages of the newspaper is something that accompanies me on my daily breakfast munching. If traditional newspapers were to disappear one day, I can imagine life to be a little different without it.

What would online journalism do to traditional publishing houses? Will they be able to retain their jobs in the future? Will offline newspapers no longer be able to sustain themselves in the future because of online newspapers? In the future, perhaps 10, 20 or 30 years from now, online journalism could take over offline journalism, considering the rapid advances of the Internet and technology. I can even count myself as a journalist, a citizen journalist, now as I write weekly in my blog to provide information for people to read. Will journalists then be obsolete in the future with the advent of citizen journalism? Will the quality of online and offline content differ? These are just some of my many concerns of online journalism.

One major advantage of online journalism, such as online newspapers, is that it brings convenience, 24/7 accessibly and less intruding on-the-go readership (imagine the packed morning trains with people taking up more space with them reading the newspapers) for people.

The Internet has also provided those who lacked the capital and perhaps the chance to be a journalist to actually have a shot at sharing their views to the public. There are many people who became famous for their online blogs actually, such as Xia Xua and Dawn Yang, examples more close to our hearts here in Singapore.

Also, with upcoming web advancements such as the Web 3.0, online journalism could spell better interactively, informational access and other benefits that traditional print journalism could not bring. Online journalism could possibly better meet the intellectual and social demands of people in the future!

In addition, another upside of online newspapers is that it is eco-friendly as it does not require the use of papers to disseminate information. Given the state of environmental decline we are experiencing as a whole, it could be a good idea to cut back on cutting those trees.

As much as I would not want to see the demise of the traditional print broadsheet, the benefits of online journalism seem to be catching up and might be more relevant and attrative in the future. Perhaps after decades down the road, I could be sitting at the table, reading the news with my laptop in the mornings, muching away on my breakfast, instead of flipping through the pages of a newspaper!

Yes We Can - The Internet takes politics to a whole new level

Below is an Emmy Winning video "Yes We Can" that was inspired by a speech delivered by Barack Obama following the 2008 new Hampshire primary. I personally do not have much interest in politics unfortunately but this video is something I have never seen before in the political arena. I felt that the video was very powerful on a political front, so please do take a few minutes to enjoy:



"Change", "Hope", "Vote", "Yes We Can" are the words I easily picked up after watching the video. The fact that I can so easily recall the words from watching the video just once shows how effective this video is for a political candidate. These are the key phrases they want to get out to the people and with over 1.7 million hits and being a winner of an Emmy, I can only imagine how many people take to those words.

I think this is the first time I have seen how politics are taken to a whole new level with the Internet and multimedia. I do not recall seeing a video on a political front such as this one. Most are usually boring, recordings of speeches, interviews and certainly not eye-catching. This video has employed the use of international artistes, music, a good juxtaposition of images, animation and catchy phrases. In my opinion, that is what makes the video so powerful: because it appeals to the people with its eye-catching and unconventional marketing.

Since many feel that young people are generally apathetic towards politics, maybe those in politics could also perhaps examine how they go about promoting themselves. Perhaps the majority of methods used are not relevant and appealing to the young, or perhaps we need more charismatic leaders that we identify we. Whatever it is, I think it is pretty evident that even in the political arena, there has to be constant change and improvements, in order to remain relevant.

In the future, it is highly probable that rallies will no longer take place only in real life but also broadcasted over the Internet, or perhaps voting will be done online. How about more personal interactions with Politicians over the Internet in real time? I am excited to see where the Internet takes politics in the years to come!

Apple and multimedia

These days, before the launch of practically any Apple product, such as the iphone, ipod or ipad, you can expect customers to queue up outside the Apple stores way before launch time or even witness some who camp overnight just so they can be ahead of everyone else in getting the new Apple product. If this is not evidence of successful marketing, I do not know what else is. Since this communication module focuses on communicating with the use of the Internet, let us look deeper into some of Apple's marketing strategy with the use of multimedia.

Smart use of media
With a variety of print ads, video ads, use of audio, use of text and so on, Apple uses a large variety of means to reach out to its audience. Not only are they prevalent online but they are also commonplace offline. They do not only place emphasis on a wide outreach but they also pay attention to the content used. Smart and catchy phrases by the Apple team such as "Spend Smart", "Make the ultimate upgrade" and "This changes everything. Again" are just some of their carefully chosen words used to attract consumers and build their brand. Below is an example of a very powerful video ad regarding Apple's iPhone 4:



Apple has very smartly incorporated various ways in just one ad to promote its iphone 4. These include the use of animations, use of clean, sharp and clear images, music, statistics and facts, images, illustrations, authority figures such as vice president of the Apple's product marketing team and senior vice president of iOS software, emotional and logical appeals to name a few. It has all come together to produce a very powerful video ad that I myself feel like getting an iPhone after watching this!

Website
Apple's website is also a very powerful marketing tool for its consumers. With an unconventional, unique, clean and consistent layout throughout their site, it is immediately aesthetically pleasing to the eye, attracting people to its site.



Within it's site, they have stratigically employed the use of videos, images and text to market their products, like the sreenshot of the iPhone 4 above. For example, for many of their products, there are videos and images for users to look at besides plain text. Not only are users able to get detailed information about their products but they get to visualize how the products look like too.

Interactivity
Another key marketing strategy used by Apple is the promotion of interactivtiy of their products and features. This has caused many to find the iPhone4 for example, so intriguing and to purchase the product thereafter. In fact, it promotes its iPhone 4 to be more than just any other smartphone. In fact, it promotes the iPhone to be more than a smartphone. Evidence of interactivity within the iPhone 4 include a large variety of applications, video calling, surfing, touch screen and so on.

This element of interactivity of Apple's can even be witnessed in their stores, where users are able to get their hands on Apple products and consults the Apple staff on the spot should they have any enquiries. This definitely helps to draw in the crowds!

Above are just some of the ways Apple has used multimedia alone to market their products. Just imagine what else Apple has done to promote their products and services.. It is truly amazing how within just approximately a decade, Apple has grown to capture such a huge user base!

Cyber crime in Singapore and how to protect yourself

According to an article on Channel News Asia, cyber-crime happens to 70% of Internet users here in Singapore, ranging from computer viruses to credit fraud to identity theft. Despite the extent of cyber-crime here in Singapore, many stay silent about it because the way cyber-crimes work today is that they steal only little information from victims, such that they feel it is unnecessary to report it to the authorities.

Here are some statistics about cyber-crime in Singapore from the article:
- Strongest emotional reaction to cyber-crime: Anger (58%)
- 1/4 blamed the criminals behind cyber-crime
- 1/3 felt responsible for cyber-crime activities that resulted form their responses to it
- 1/10 of Singaporeans have never fully resolved cyber-crime
- About 3/10 mentioned that the biggest hassle when dealing with cyber-crime was the time taken to deal with it
- More than 1/2 said their biggest fear of cyber-crime is possible financial losses

Given the prevalence and negative repercussions of cyber-crime in Singapore, I am sure many look to preventing cyber-crime. One way this can be done is by using a security softtware such as Norton AntiVirus. It helps to detect and eliminate online threats so that we can browse the Internet safely. It also has other feautures such as internet updates and rescue tools to help remove viruses and other malicious softwares on one's PC. Given that it is a leader in the industry, it provides one of the best Internet protections. Other popular security software providers include McAfee, AVG and Norman.

Secondly, one can employ the use of multiple passwords and also make sure that these passwords are frequently updated. This prevents hackers from easily hacking into one's other accounts.

Also, one should always remember to never disclose personal information such as one's address, telephone numbers, passwords, credit card numbers and so on unless absolutely necessary and only when it is an exchange with an authentic and credible source. This is to prevent identity theft and other related cyber-crimes.

Lastly, it is good to be educated about cyber-crimes as much as possible. They should come from credible sources such as books, credible online sources and even relevant authority figures. This includes knowing the different forms, how it happens, prevention methods and so on. With these knowledge, we are then better able to detect such cyber-crimes and decrease our chances of falling prey to it.

These are just some things that we can do as individuals to prevent ourselves from falling victim to cyber-crimes. Afterall, we are responsible for what we do online. If we do not take precautionary measures to protect ourselves from cyber-crime, we only have ourselves to blame should we fall victim to it. So, start now, before it's too late!

The Great Google

I am sure many of us are familiar with using Google's basic functions or at least, have heard of the name Google, which is the world's number one search engine today. To be honest, I did not know the extent of how great Google was until I sat through a week's lecture on Google by one of my instructors in school. I have played around with Google's features ever since and I am more than pleased to share what I have learnt.

Google Maps

The first thing that I explored on my own after my instructor's lecture was Google Maps because I personally found it very handy. It is a feature that enables you to get directions to where you want to go or it simply allows you to check a place out. I knew that Google Maps existed but I have never played around with it so extensively till last week! I am surprised at the accuracy and comprehensive list of features, such as having a comprehensive street view, enabling users to search what's available nearby and directions via public transport, private transport or walking. It really amazes me how Google manages to get such comprehensive coverage on areas around the world, not just Singapore. I will definitely be using this more often!

Google Trends

I also learnt about Google Trends in class and explored more on my own. Since I was doing a project on the record-low fertility rate in Singapore, I decided to search for low fertility trends in Singapore. Google Trends allow you to search by region and year but my search returned no results when I selected "Singapore" under region. I found out that Google Trends is better for getting a general idea of a certain trend and I would personally not use this feature for research papers as it is not comprehensive enough for my liking. One good feature in Google Trends, though, is that it brings you news results from your search too, which might be useful in helping you to gain more insights about your search.

Google Docs

Another feature that I found useful was Google Docs. As a student, perhaps many would expect me to be familiar with this feature but to be honest, I only became acquainted with it this semester when my lecturer used it to share documents with us and after my friend shared a file with me. The benefits of using Google Docs is that one is able to share files to many users at one time, as opposed to sending one file multiple times to many recipients. Also, it allows one to change settings, such as visibility and ownership, to suit one's preferences. However, I found it challenging to use as I found its interface slightly complicated. Also, as it is not a popular sharing platform among my peers, I do not see myself using it extensively anytime in the near feature but thumbs up to Google for creating such a useful file sharing feature that can be used by many at no cost at all!

Movie showtimes

Another interesting feature I learnt about Google is that local movie showtimes are available on Google! All I have to do is type "Showtimes for Singapore" and I am able to search for movie showtimes via theatre, day or timing. I do not know why I did not discover this useful feature earlier in the past but now that I have, I no longer have to go to the individual movie theatre company's website to check movie timings! It saves me so much more time and makes deciding what time to watch a movie so much more convenient!

Google has so many more features that are possibly undiscovered by many but it surely is a top-notch company that is competitive and versatile. Nowadays, you hear many people "googling" something thet they are unsure about and this certainly shows how successful the company has been. Google has been very useful to the majority of us so far I believe and I foresee that it will continue to grow to remain as great as it is now.

Students learning the new way - E-learning

5 years ago, my secondary school did a switch from the old and dusty blackboards and chalks to the dustless whiteboards and its counterpart-markers. It was an amazing change, till the power of e-learning came about.

4 years ago, I would never expect myself to ask my parents for a laptop for school-related purposes of learning.

3 years ago, I would never expect myself to tote a laptop around school for project purposes.

2 years ago, I would never expect the teachers in school to require us to utilize our laptops for assignment purposes.

1 years ago, I would never imagine my lecturer asking us, students,to bring our laptops to school for exam purposes.

There are many benefits of e-learning and I will be talking more about its effects being felt by students like myself.

Learning is made convenient, where we start to witness the disappearance of huge and heavy textbooks. We now worry less about the accessibily and availability of learning materials as materials are made available online. With this comes cost advantages. We now purchase lesser textbooks, if even, as more teachers adopt the e-learning approach, where information is made available over the Internet. This greatly boosts incidences of learning.

Also, e-learning enables communication with our lecturers outside school hours and even transcends geographical locations. The use of e-learning facilitates quick feedback from our lecturers too and makes learning a breeze. If I had a question in mind, I can always e-mail my lecturer who will provide me with an answer as soon as he or she can, a day at most, enabling me to clear my doubts when I am unable to be physically in school to consult them.

Take for example our very own UBLearns. It is the University at Buffalo's online learning platform for its students, where lecturers and students are able to interact over the net. There, lecturers can be seen uploading study materials, discussion questions and so on. There was even a module where the questions for the midterm paper was uploaded onto UBLearns and all we had to do was to copy and paste the questions and e-mail our answers in a word document. This not only helps to save the trees but also saves time for both lecturer and student as handwritten work did not have to be done.
UBLearns also enabled online modules to be available to us. An example is the online module NTR109, where we were responsible for downloads the learning materials and studying them ourselves. Then, we wre required to sit for the exam in the Singapore campus here. UBLearns also faciliated communication between the NTR109 lecturer over at the United States campus and myself and made learning feasible.

One device that I use also makes e-learning possible and even more "on the go" for me - my Blackberry phone. I am able to use the Internet for learning purposes wherever I am and I find that it helps me in my studying process a great deal. For example, I can easily look up information I am unsure about anytime, anywhere here and I can also read up on relevant materials on the way to school before the lesson starts.

E-learning is one of the newer forms of learning in this day and age and will only be effective if one's attitude toward learning is in place. No amount of sophisticated learning method will be beneficial if one does not set his or her mind to learning. All in all, we should always keep up the spirit of learning and seek to embrace different ways of learning.

E-commerce success- what does it take?

What does it take for a company to succeed in e-commerce? Andrew Field, CEO of PFL, a company that provides high quality commercial printing, tells us more about how his company stole the spot of the leading online commercial printer company in the States.

How to Create A Successful E-Commerce Web Site

One of the ways PFL did it, as stated by Andrew Field, is by making the website easy to use for its customers. This is done by PFL by not having flashy animations and whatnots that slow the page down. Keeping in mind that not everyone has a high speed connection, websites should be as fuss free as possible for a smoother online experience.

PFL also tried to provide clear information and instructions on its website. Although this sounds very basic, not all companies actually manage to achieve this.

Thirdly, they also tried to provide all the information consumers need, in this case, in order for their customers to make informed choices.

Another advise on web design given by Andrew Field include making sure all links are blue and underlined and that they should be clearly labelled too. He also adds that this is to ensure that people know what to expect and where the page is likely to lead them to.

Andrew Field also talked about testing one's site before putting it out to the market. This includes tesing it by oneself and also by others who has not seen the website. From there, they can then make changes to improve on their website from the feedback they receive.

On top of a good website design, there are also other things to consider in order to make e-commerce a successful venture. One of the first things to put in place is a clear vision and goal for the company. This enables e-commerce companies to know exactly what they want to achieve and it also provides a commitment and guidance for the company through out the process.

Also, e-commerce companies should always have a "consumer is king" mentality, where whatever enhancements and changes made should be for the benefit of the consumers. This also includes being fair and honest to consumers, which builds reputation and respect amongst consumers.

Then, embracing technology and change is also important for e-commerce companies. With the Internet continually evolving, it is also important to keep abreast of developments in order to stay competitive. Being in the know of online culture can also help e-commerce companies to strategize towards a desired direction.

These are just some of the ways e-commerce companies can emply to increase their chances of success, using PFL as a case study, but I am sure this is not an exhaustive list. What I am sure is that striving towards e-commerce success is no mean feat!

Social media and the workplace

My brother recently signed up for a Facebook account for marketing purposes for his company and asked me for advice on how to use it for marketing purposes, for in his eyes, I am the Facebook expert. This week's lecture also happened to talk about social media and business usage and so, I will be delving more into social media and its usage in the workplace.

Is it fit for all?
With social media and its popularity on the rise, it is no wonder that more companies are adopting the use of social media for commercial goals. This, of course, depends on the type of industry they are in and relevancy of the use of such a medium. For example, it would be more appropriate for an advertising company to use social media for business purposes as opposed to a law firm.

What are some of the benefits?
I have been a rather consistent buyer of local clothing online and noticed that many of them are increasingly using social media to increase its reach and revenue. For example, MDS Collections, a shop I used to work at, now has its own Twitter account and Facebook page in response to the trend of the rise in Twitter and Facebook usage. When I was working with them back in 2009, they did not employ the usage of these 2 forms of social media. With their Twitter and Facebook accounts now, I am pretty sure they have increased their audience reach and company revenue a great deal. I even have had friends who told me the shop was having a sale from the company's twitter and facebook updates!

How do we use it effectively?
Companies should always use social media with an objective in mind I feel. It should never be used "for the sake of it". With a goal in mind, the company can then adopt appropriate strategies for reaching its goal. Following that, they should adopt a plan of action and track its progress. If things are not working out, they should probably consider another course of action or even rethink their use of social media. Then, companies could also follow other industry players closely and work to build relationships with them. This way, they can not only be in the know of what is happening with the other industry players but also build a rapport with them for possible future partnerships.

Any basic rules?
Whichever social networking site one decides to use for work purposes, there are some basic rules that one should know regarding the usage of social media. For one, one should never disclose proprietary or confidential information belonging to the company or its clients. Also, one should always consult the human resources department if one is unsure of posting certain information online. It is also important to remember that we should use social media the same way we would use any other communication channels. For example, if one is not allowed to reveal in a conference the lastest technology the company has adopted to increase the efficiency of its manufacturing plants, one should never tweet about it.

If used appropriately and wisely, I am confident social media would benefit a company greatly. I would like to end this entry with an advice to companies as quoted from Stephen Baker and Heather Green from BusinessWeek, "Catch up... or catch you later."

Social media- Facebook as a case study

I am sure many young adults like myself are very familiar with the term Facebook and below is a video I came across about the use of social media, citing Facebook as an exmaple, in the dating arena.



To "... look up and then hook up" an old flame over Facebook certainly is not uncommon. I have heard of friends and friends' friends who actually reconnected with their old lovers over Facebook and other social networking sites. Since social media is made for social interaction, I am not surprised that social networking sites such as Facebook can help in one's dating life.

Being a rather active and long-time facebook user, I see many of its merits. Consistent with studies cited from an article in New York Times, Facebook has actually made me more sociable. Before, I was unable to be updated with many people's lives at once and I feel that Facebook does the trick for me. I am now able to stay connected with more people through the news feed, facebook chat, message system and other features available. On the other hand, facebook also allows me to share my opinions, experiences, photos, videos and other information online to a wider audience at one shot.

There are, of course, downsides to everything. An article on ABC News that I read recently caught my eye: Facebook as Foreplay? Survey Says Social Media Leads to Sex Faster. I was quite astonished to read about this as I all along felt that social media, such as Facebook, connected people, in a healthy way. If people come to use social media for the wrong reasons, such as to get laid, it brings a whole new meaning to social media being used for inter-action. I definitely hope Facebook does not get abused by people who sign up for an account for ill intentions.

Other common issues cited by critiques of Facebook include the intrusion of privacy and distraction from real life activities, like stated in the article from ABC News. However, I personally feel that the users themselves dictate how and what social media should be like for them. We do not have to conform with how the majority of people are using social media and we have to be responsible for however we choose to use them. When social media is used in positive ways, it can definitely add value to our lives.

Internet and its advantages- Something I cannot live without

Ever since the Internet came about in the late 1950s, it has grown tremendously. Along with it came a whole bunch of advantages and I cannot imagine my life without the Internet today. Living in Asia, I am even part of the world's largest region of Internet users in the world. Source

File Sharing
File sharing has taken on a whole new meaning with the Internet age. The Internet has certainly made file sharing faster, cheaper and more convenient. Through electronic mail, instant messaging sites and other web services, file sharing is so common that I have actually taken it for granted. Even the form of file sharing is different than from the past. For example, we can be seen sharing our photos online more often now than sharing it physically through the hard copies of it, like in the past. Some popular file sharing websites I am familiar with include Facebook, Picasa and Photobucket. File sharing on the Internet has been such a great advantage for informal and formal purposes and it will only grow to become more sophisticated.

Entertainment value
With music downloads, movie downloads, social networking sites and a whole host of information readily available online, I find myself feeling queer if I do not use the Internet for a day. When I sent my laptop for servicing for about a week some time ago, I found myself feeling somewhat "empty" because I was not able to use the Internet for a week. This can perhaps be seen as an unhealthy over reliance on the Internet for entertainment purposes but offline entertainment sources should definitely watch out for this growth of online entertainment.

The power of communication over the Internet
I frequently use instant messaging services like MSN Messenger and teleconferening applications like Skype to keep in touch with my loved ones in and out of Singapore. In the past, staying in constant contact with family and friends overseas, even locally too, were more costly but thanks to the Internet and its accompanying technologies, it can all be done in greatly reduced costs. Businesses too are increasingly adopting the teleconferecing approach with their business partners due to cost advantages. Now, even mobile phones are equipped with Internet data plans and communication applications, which shows how much influence the Internet has on communication.

There are just too many Internet advantages that have sprung up over the years but these are just a few that I identify with the most. I am sure the Internet will continue to grow and perhaps in 50 years down the road, all these advantages could become obsolete.