Convergence in Technology Essay -- Essays Papers

Convergence in TechnologyThe concept of a global village or a united community around the world has only in these last few years become a concept widely thought of. However, it seems that the idea of a large-scale sharing of information has long been developing, whether intended or not.The tools of communication have long served a single purpose, that of transmittance information from muckle to people. Direct communication was long ago realised with sign language and speech, but when people spread out, a kind validatory communication was needed. Thus we created (or rather, hired) the messenger. (Necessity is the mother of invention.) This evolved later into a postal service, connected around the world by a network of synchronised offices of a homogeneous nature. For a long time, indirect communication was the only way to fetch everyplace long distances. Once the telegraph came along, however, people were able to instantly communicate information over long distances. Th is evolved roundwhat into the telephone, which spawned the radio and television. As these were developed, the efficiency and clarity of these transmissions improved, and this allowed the world to know what was happening anywhere else in the world at any given time.At this same time, programmable computers were finally coming to be used. Information was input to these machines and stored on tapes that could be put onto different computers to be run. This paralleled postal mail in a form of indirect communication. However, computers were also already based in intercommunication, because computers are systems of smaller functioning devices connected to perform a function or process. The evolution of computers communicating then evolved by extending direct connections between these large systems, sharing information. With the invention of the modem, computers could communicate piggybacking a system that people already used. As the modem developed, communications speeds increased .The state of convergence began when people were communicating increased types of information through these computers. First program data, statistics, stock market quotes, news, proper(postnominal) interest information, and finally personal information. Computers became a method of communication within themselves.The increased usage of modems for things like e-mail and on-line forums came about even... ... to use our computer, connected through the internet via our TV cable outlet and displayed on our High-Definition TV, to watch a TV show broadcast via the internet.The ultimate point of convergence I envision for the future is a single fibre-optic cable in our homes (perhaps brought to us by ShawTel?) as a conduit to what we know now as the Internet. frenzy appliances like WebTV will be eliminated due to their inadequateness and will be replaced by integrated systems within a household. They will provide for our entertainment ineluctably with interactive broadcast programs, news reports of only the stories or areas we request, and communication via a video and audio connection to anyone, anywhere in the world.This battle for supremacy over who will control the future of communication will be fought largely between the telecommunications companies and the Cable TV companies. Perhaps mergers will be sought, or some companies will be run out of business because of their inability to keep up. Millions of dollars will be lost and billions will be made, but the end result will create a closely-knit global community, able to communicate instantly regardless of language or location.