Communication
The Internet is a superhighway of information that we use in so many different ways. The Internet has not only changed the way we communicate with each other and conduct business but created an entertainment business as well. There is a website on the Internet for almost everything imaginable. From our computers we can access super malls music stores game rooms or just chat with our friends. The Internet allows anyone anywhere to share information almost instantly. The Internet has allowed people to instantly interact from anyplace to anywhere.
Email. Email is one of the first widespread uses of the Internet allowing one user to electronically send large files or just a simple message in a few seconds rather than by mail. Email has sped up the process of communicating with other people by allowing them to send short messages and electronic files from word processing programs such as Microsoft Word and others. Before the invention of Internet all files done on a word processor or by hand (or typewriter) would have to be sent by regular mail. Email has revolutionized the way we communicate with each other and as a result almost everybody has an email account.
Social Networking Sites. Social networking websites are some of the most popular websites on the Internet. Networking websites allow users to create profiles of themselves where they can advertise themselves and meet friends online. These websites allow you to post brief bios about yourself and pictures as well as a list of you favorite songs. Also you have spaces to list your interests and leave comments for friends. Some of the most popular websites include Myspace Facebook and Twitter. As these websites have become more popular they have become used for famous peoples business functions and promotions to advertise and respond. Social networking websites have become some of the most used websites on the Internet.
Blogging. Blogging has become a way for many people to express their opinions from anything to news or their daily happenings. Blogs allow readers to reply to the writer and hold kind of an open discussion. They are also a great way to exercise free speech in a way that many people can read. Blogs have their own websites and have been incorporated into many social networking websites. Some people even do video blogs on websites such as Youtube. There are blogs for just about every thing from every kind of person from businessmen talking about the upcoming release of a project to people just writing about their day.
Entertainment
Computers are used for many kind of entertainment these days; from music to viral videos and even simple time killing games the Internet has become not only a useful tool for communicating but also a total waste of time.
File Sharing Websites. Some time ago when people still bought albums at the record store and there was no Ipod some of the most popular websites on the internet were file-sharing websites. These websites allowed you to download their program for free and post your music files on it and download others music that had been posted all for free. This allowed people to get virtually any music they wanted for free. Eventually the music industry caught on and sued these website owners as well as prosecuting and fining some of the people who had downloaded music! This dealt a blow to the use and popularity of these websites because in their current form they were completely illegal. Some of these websites included
After a volley of lawsuits these companies stopped offering their file sharing software and many websites like Napster begin selling songs for 99 cents. Now most music download websites sell music for 99 cents a song the I tunes store being one of the most popular.
Internet Gaming. Internet gaming has become a phenomenon with video gamers across the globe allowing skilled players to compete with each other online. When internet gaming started it was only for computer games like Starcraft, Wacraft and Command & Conquer. These early games were limited to eight or sixteen players in a single gaming session. Internet gaming is not still limited to computers, game consoles such as
Allow gamers to play off their consoles on gaming networks supported by their consoles maker. Xbox live continues to be one of the most popular online gaming networks in the world. Another evolution in internet gaming is the MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) RPG (role playing game) only one MMO comes to mind that being the ever popular World of Warcaaft (WOW). WOW allows millions of players to create characters working together across the massive world of Warcraft to complete quests and gain artifacts. MMO's are growing in popularity as the WOW becomes expanded and new MMO's are in development. Internet gaming has changed from a few popular games to a massive online world of gaming.
Mobile
As the internet has become further used it has become incorporated into almost all aspects of our life. The internet is no longer only used at desks with a cable to connect to the internet but wirelessly anywhere in the world. As Wi-fi networks broaden and expand the internet can be found almost anywhere in our society. Popular stores like McDonalds and Starbucks offer free Wi-Fi to customers and bystanders alike. The internet can be accessed from a number of portable devices like Iphones playstation portables and many of today's new smartphones. The internet is no longor a thing accessed from a desk but a worldwide network that can be used anywhere. I will highlight a few of the more prominent types of mobile web surfing tools.
Laptops. Laptops were the first easily moveable unit used to surf the internet, at first the only readily available way to surf the internet on a laptop was to plug in an Ethernet chord to the laptop. This meant your use was limited to only places that had Ethernet outlets! As technology progressed wireless modem connecters became available allowing people to surf the internet without a chord but you still could not access the internet from park benches or a bus stop. Eventually Wi-Fi was invented which can be found almost anywhere today. Wi-fi broadcasts can be tuned into wirelessly with a password or beamed to you if you use a Wi-Fi card allowing internet use almost anywhere on the earth!
G3/G4 (phone internet. G3 and G4 internet is a web browser that is supported by the cell phone providers. It allows users to shop ring tones, games, songs, wallpapers and a few other things. It was a precursor to smart phones that can surf the regular internet. G3 and G4 phones do not let you browse the internet but an internet provided by the cell phone companies. Most phones in earlier days used this system though few of the new phones being produced use it. Though it is becoming outdated G3 and G4 networked are a good way to pimp out your phone.
Mobile Devices. In the past few years we have seen a multitude of web surfing mobile devices hit the market. It is almost a must for any quality new phone to be able to surf the internet quickly and relatively safely. Mobile web surfing devices include
These are not even close to all of the mobile web browser but some of the more prominent ones. These devices offer a number of functions vary depending on the device. The Iphone and Itouch offer full internet GPS road maps and a multitude of applications for a great number of uses, they also hold a significant amount of memory space for videos pictures and music. Playstation portables surf the internet play music and are as the name indicates a portable playstation. Blackberry is the businessman's phone offering many organizational tools as well as significant storage space for pictures and audio files. Mobile devices have become increasingly popular as more and more people spend increasing amounts of time on the Internet.
