ChaCha.Com

I found this through a friend. Basically it is a search engine but instead of having to search through thousands of results. You speak to someone through IMing and they find results that are extremely relevant to what you want.

I had been trying to fix my external soundcard for a long time. I asked the company 'Creative' if they could help and they said no but i could send it back and get a replacement, i got a replacement but it still didn't work. I then asked a friend how he fixed his and he said it was something to do with settings but wasn't sure. I then resulted to ChaCha.com and i spoke to someone called Lisa and she herself had previously had the same problem with hers and told me that she ran CCleaner and then hers worked well. I thought that this was a little bit crazy to run a program that clears out cookies and temporary internet files but i tried it. I ran it and after my soundcard volume control then worked. I was amazed...

Good Points

• Easier to find reliable results.
• In my case, the 'helper' could have had the same problem and help you instantly without a search engine.
• Quicker to find what your lucky for without looking through thousands of results.
• You can explain in more detail without being given results that contain 'it' 'the' 'a' and such words that are used often.
• Can ask for anything for them to find and they will try their hardest o find what you want.
  

Bad Points

• Don't know who you are talking to, same problems as myspace to do with privacy etc.
• Can't always find results whereas Google or AskJeeves almost always find at leats one result.

Overall, i think that ChaCha.com is an extremely good site and i would strongly recommend it.

Social problems of New Technologies

There are many problems on social interaction due to technology.
For example, instead of meeting up, many people choose to interact on such websites and software as MySpace, Skype, MSN Messenger and Faceparty, and these are only a few.

Technology has progressed, not so much recently, but nowadays people can interact basically with eachother how they would if they met up. Software/websites such as HabboHotel or Second Life, people can interact in similar situations as real life. Also, on MSN and Skype you can be on webcam or video call and basically you are audibly talking through microphone and on webcam, so its basically a face to face conversation.

Mobile phones have had a social effect on many people, as around 50 million people in the UK currently use mobile phones. First of all people used to just call more often and not arrange plans properly and ring when they wanted to meet or for example. But, not mobile phones cause even less sociability due to text, video messaging/calling, mobile internet, mobile MP3's etc.

For example, if i have arranged to meet someone in town centre and i get there and after 1 or 2 minutes after being there, i call or text the person to see where they are. This is a little ridiculous, but alot of people i know do this.

Too add to the problem of unsocialness, schools expect kids to have at least one computer in their household with internet to do research...or things like this!
Which gives children and adults more reason to talk over the internet rather than meeting up.

There are good points to new technology and sociability though such as fa,mily or friends in foreign countries, it is much cheaper to talk online rather than text, call or go and see people in other countries or far away. It is a great way to stay in contact with friends when they have left school, left a job, moved away or just don't go out...

The internet is also a great way of finding out information but isn't always reliable.
It also is starting to make people extremely lazy. For example online shopping - people choose to do their weekly shop online to save them walking places, but this is good because for people who live quite far away from towns and do not have transport, but some people are just getting completely lazy these days. Also, to populate such online shops such as play.com, Tesco Online, Sainsbury's they offer resuctions and more deals than in the actual shops.

iPod and iTunes

Ipods have become a huge hit compared to Walkmans and MP3 players. 'Apple have sold over 70 million iPod music players.' (BBC)
Even though much more highly priced than many other iPod like MP3 players, iPods have proved to be a huge hit. When i purchased my iPod the reason i chose it was because:

• I could use it directly with iTunes
• I brought a nano which was made from a highly strong metal and i am prone to breaking MP3 players.
• It looked stylish
• Most people i knew had one and from trying theres i thought that iPods were a good MP3 player.
• Easy to use
• And there were alot of cases and accessories to make it look better and also to protect it compared to other MP3 players around at that time.

I also thought it was reasonably priced for how many GB its had.
There were rumours that the battery basically is knackered after a year when the warranty runs out, whcih did make me consider if to get one or not, but a battery always being recharged in an iPod or for this matter any other MP3 is going to break sometime, and therefore when my battery started to act a little weird i sent it back and got a complete new iPod with no difficulty.

http://shop.ipodworld.co.uk/weblog/archives/2005/11/itunes_reaps_ip.html

Also, recently iPod fans have helped make Apple iTunes one of the top ten music sellers in the US.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6272051.stm

'Apple has reported a 78% surge in profits for the three months to 30 December, boosted by strong Christmas sales of its iPod digital music player.'

'Apple sold 1.6 million computers and more than 21 million iPods during the quarter, growth of 28% and 50% respectively from a year earlier.'

'Apple's stock increased 16% last year after more than doubling in 2005, and tripling in 2004.'

This information proves that alot of Apple software sales have boosted since iPods have been released.
I had not heard about the make Apple until iPods were released so in my opinion, iPods have been the biggest thing that has helpedto boost Apple and it's products.

Nintendo Wii

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6297483.stm

'Japanese firm Nintendo has seen profits jump in the nine months from April to December, thanks to popularity of its new Wii games machine and DS console.'

Nintendo Wii has proved extremely popular boosting Nintendo's profit by 43%

'The Wii is competing with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3, which has faced production problems.'

'Names such as Mario, Pokemon and Donkey Kong are traditionally associated with Nintendo, but the company has also introduced games targeted at older players, such as Brain Training for Adults, which have sold well. The success of the Wii and DS has already led Nintendo to set bolder profit forecasts for the full financial year. It recently predicted that profits would rise by 28% to 185bn yen for the year to 31 March.'

By supplying games for all ranges, boosts the sales more because they are beginning to have a larger target audience.

There have been one or two problems but Nintendo coped with these problems well and Nintendo Wii's are again wanted by alot of children, teenagers and adults.

I know many people who have Nintendo Wii's and they think that the new console is amazing and them their parents and younger siblings all find it simple to use and enjoyable.

I have now actually played on a Nintendo Wii...and i am much more interested in them. I played on it for only on it for a minute or two but i did find it quite funny...yet maybe a little embarrassing...and im sure the...talented...person in the video below should be too =P....
I would even buy one from experience because it was so different from any other console i have played on:

• The controller is in the shape on something that we use everyday..a remote controller and works like one as muchas it looks like one..e.g you point it at the console to use it, it's the same shape as a control etc.
• The controller and console also allows for a much more 'excersize' experience and ability to move around more freely due to wireless which also means a much enjoyable experience.
  
• It is much more interactive in my opinion than any other console i have been on because you feel much more like you are in the game rather than just moving our thumbs
• The console itself it very small.

Overall i think the NintendWii is one of the best consoles i have ever played on!

Channel 4 On Demand

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6212462.stm

This is the new service from channel 4 where you can catch up or just simply watch tv programmes through your computer and internet.

I have tried the service myself, some programmes are free some are 0.99p and films are due to be released soon to watch for not alot more. Also, soon you will able to subscribe rather than pay for each thing you wants which i think will prve popular.

'Viewers are able to download most of the channel's current schedule for up to 30 days after transmission or choose programmes from its archives.'

Basically, most programmes past and present.

I think this will be popular because most people do not like everything on the channel and this way theycan pick and choose what they want to watch and can access it, but 'Each programme will "disappear" from users' computers 48 hours after they start to watch.'

Downloads can take up to an hour and a half which if ok to be fair considering the length of some programmes, but only people using Windows XP and those who have Windows Media Player 10 installed.

'Channel 4 said it had signed contracts with almost 100 independent production companies, including Endemol, which makes Big Brother, and would also offer selected films under the same terms for £1.99.'

Microsoft Vista

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6309651.stm

This is a BBC link to information about the new Microsoft Vista.

Versions

• Home Basic - improved search and security but no Aero interface (pictured)
  
• Home Premium - As above but with Aero, Media Center options, back-up tools, DVD burning software
  
• Vista Ultimate - All home and business features, plus a series of downloadable Ultimate Extras

Being 3 different versions i'm guessing that the prices will vary alot.

1."Vista has taken a long time to develop so there is quite a lot of pent up consumer demand for it."

By this statement i assume that Microsoft expect Vista will be popular, therefore it must be better than XP etc...

2.'Ovum predicts that 15% of XP machines will be running Vista by the end of 2007. '

But from this statement they aren't asking for many consumers for the product, i would of at least thought over 50% if going by statement 1.

From the information i have heard about Vista, it doesn't seem very appealing to me and i think that XP Profesional that i have is more than enough. I also think that if only 15% by the end of this year, they are not expecting alot. I don't think i will upgrade to Vista because it doesnt appeal to me. For example, i don't particularily want 3-D characteristics, although voice commands do appeal to me but i'm not sure to what extent voice commands are used on Microsoft Vista and i can already use voice commands on Windows XP Professional, but i suppose that eventually i will have Vista because they state that 'Microsoft has pledged to continue support for XP users until 2011. ' but only until 2011.

Recently since Vista has been brought out, Microsoft have admitted that the speech recognition features could be hijacked so that the PC tells itself to delete files or folders.

With this in mind, Vista is starting to appeal less and less to me the more i hear.'

I asked someone i know who has Vista and they said once they had it, it crashed 3 times in the first few weeks and their computer had only ever crashed once before. Also, they do not think it is much better than XP and wouldn't give it a 5 star review although some aspects of it are quite good and are a little better than XP. Also, they advised me not to get it as i am getting a new laptop and should only get Vista if i am going to be buying a very high quality and fast laptop.

More info: http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/emea/topics/solutions/winvista?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=anavml