iPod/Apple Phone/ MP3 phones(Sony Ericsson Walkman)

The Apple/iPod phone has been released in America, and much like iPods, iPhones have been hyped up so much due to release.

The iPhone is unlike any other product and the release of such a product is not typical of an Apple product. The iPhone will require Apple work with a wireless carrier and the carrier typically handles customer service....Another option for Apple would be to become a mobile virtual network operator, leasing service from one of the existing providers. This would allow Apple to sell service and iPhones at local Apple Stores and online. While it would be a risk of sorts due to the infrastruction and investment, it could transform Apple's existing business. What's more, it could result in convergence of the iPod and mobile phone resulting in the world's first iPod Phone or iPhone. iPod- Not a typical Apple release

The site suggests the device will pack a whoa Cupertino, 3-megapixel camera and 2.2in screen. But it also suggests that Apple will use off-the-peg parts. They’ll be using Intel chips and USB next. - http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34428

From this i can see that it will basically have many characteristics of a computer. I think a problem with it will be the battery. On normal iPods the battery will only last for about a year and due to the iPod phone having much more 'stuff' on it to use other than music and video, it has a camera, maybe bluetooth and much more which will make the battery loose charge much more quickly. Therefore, it will need to be charged more and people are reliant on their mobile phones than their MP3 player and this may decrease sales.

To be honest, i would much prefer to have an iPod and my normal SonyErricssonWalkman phone because if the battery broke down on an iPod it wouldn't really bother me because i could just get another iPod or MP£ player quite cheap whereas if my mp3 player and phone(all in one iPhone) broke could go out an buy a new MP3 player but i wouldn't really be able to get a new phone so cheap and i would loose all my contacts and important information on my phone.
Although, talking about the battery, 'The screen adjusts the brightness depending on the ambient light and turns itself off when you're making a phone call to save power.' this may happen on many options of the phone which will save battery power alot.

“By entering the mobile phone market, Apple hopes to thwart increasing competitive pressure from 'converged' handsets such as the Nokia N-Series and the Sony Ericsson Walkman phones. Improvements in storage capacity are allowing handset vendors to compete with MP3 players for capacity. MP3 handsets, like the Sony Ericsson W950i, can store up to 4,000 songs – as much as standard iPod minis. http://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/news/news_story.ehtml?o=2764

Sony Ericsson Walkman vs. iPhone Site one Site two

SEW : 1. Less of a 'fanbase', although gaining many more users.
2. Can buy quite large memory cards and use many in one phone but only one at one time, but not sure if you can get 4-8GB. W950i has on-board 4GB memory.
3. Smaller screen but not as big as iPhone.
4. Much cheaper than iPhone.
5. Around 106mm tall x 54mm wide x 15mm deep. Smaller than iPhone apart from depth.
6. Not much compared to iPhone on software, although it has photo, music, video editing software. Also, has e-mail via WAP/GPRS and radio.


iPhone : 1. Larger 'fanbase'/popularity, SEW starting to challenge it.
2. Choice of capacity but only 4GB and 8MB.
3. Large easy to view screen.
4. Much deerer than SEW.
5. Around 115mm tall x 61mm wide x 11.6mm deep. Larger than SEW.
6. It runs a version of Apple's Mac operating system, OS X, and includes Widgets, Google Maps, the Safari browser and iTunes with CoverFlow. Apple has partnered with Google and Yahoo to bring maps and email to the device.

Both:

• Have camera
• Have video
• 2-3+ megapixel cameras
• 
  

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.'