Download Services

There are numerous ways of downloading different types of software. Software such as Microsoft Office, can be bought online and then updating also via online downloads. Another example is anti-virus software. This software is found on the internet and advertised or recommended when without protection.  For a programme such as Norton, a system is used for automatic updates and a firewall update. Updates can therefore be done more frequently and make sure it is up to date.

 

 

Another popular download is of music and videos. Youtube, Itunes and torrent sites being the most popular for these. Itunes is very popular with playing and consuming music but some say it is expensive with the sites available to the user online. Illegal downloads have become ever popular and bit torrent sites are the main ones used as it is simple to search and download mp3 files quickly. With Youtube as popular as it is, lots of Youtube converters are now available, so simple that you only have to copy url of video and it will convert it to mp3 and then download by a click of a button. 

There are all new video sites now too, allowing users to watch brand new films online for free. They are also able to download them but with the size it will take a long time. 

Online Services in Education

Online services has broadened in the aspect of education. There is a lot of information available to students studying in schools and universities. These sites generally are revision sites such as 'BBC Bitesize' and 'MyMaths', created for GCSE and A levels. The websites provide all possible areas of study with exam question and papers.

Other useful websites include examining boards such as OCR and Edexcel. These websites offer, especially Edexcel, chances to do and mark papers online. Other resources on the website include work sheets, lesson plans and a chat room for students to interact with each other. Chat rooms are particularly risky, especially on education websites, as it can allow plagiarism. An example of a website involving this is Wikipedia, as the information generated on there can be edited by anyone making the information not 100% accurate.

A new form, that is being entered into education is by using videoing from online routes. Youtube and the Iplayer are being used more frequently in classrooms to demonstrate a point showing real life examples.
Both these examples also make it quicker and easier for the teachers and it is much more clear to the students with the latest technology.

VLE meaning Virtual learning Environment was designed for students and teachers to track the progress of students watched by teachers and parents if they want to.  An example of a VLE is ‘Frog’.

Entertainment

Entertainment has evolved dramatically since the new technology has been developed. The Apple IPad being top of the range, ranging to, computers, PS3's, Wii's and sat navs. However, the online services has created various ways to listen and consume music, play online games, watch videos and many more.

Listening/ Consuming Music
There are lots of different sites where you can listen to music. Lots of people use Youtube to listen to music but mostly Itunes. You tube is free for all users but they are not always reliable or accessible. Itunes is mainly money orientated based, unless you consume the music elsewhere, for example via a disc.

A fairly new website for listening and consuming music is Spotify. Spotify only allows a certain amount of people to be registered but it offers the chance for you to listen to new songs all the way through on your laptop. To consume it, you will have to pay for it, just like Itunes.

Games

You can get different forms of games available online as well as PC games bought on disc. 

The online games target different ages and audiences. 'Miniclip' offers more fun and strategic games for teens but you've also got children education games such as CBeebies website. The PC games would be more complex such as Fifa, Call of Duty and Warcraft.

Videos

Videos online have become ever so popular with the high quality resolutions on hand now. The videos range from music to sport. Music videos have always been popular due to Youtube. Sport has become more advertised online more recently, as more and more teams of all sports have their own homepage. Sites that include sports videos will be BBC sport and skysports. These sites focus on all different sports and the videos will focus on  highlights of previous games or interviews.              Above: You can see all the video options top right.

E-government

E- Government is an online feature created to make it easier and quicker to pay government fees. The E-government websites are designated for each county. Our local website for Tunbridge wells is: http://www2.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/. This website gives the user a chance to pay their taxes, mortgage, direct debits, etc. The website also generates information about the Borough council and the local area.

Payment

The picture to the right is an example of how easy it is to pay your council tax/mortgage. Each payment would need this amount of information but it proves how simple and efficient it is to do online.

Apply

Another feature to the website is where you can apply for grants, building regulations, planning permission and others. The information given is very detailed and will be told whether you qualify and if you don't understand you can ask for further information.

 

Report

The website also allows you to report any incidents that could have happened. Your details will need to be entered, where it took place and when you saw it. The incidents could vary from dog fouling to graffiti. 

Locate

Another handy function to the website is locate, which allows the user to find certain attractions/ accommodation there and then. 

Direct Gov is also a very useful website, allowing people to find out more information about their local area and businesses within, e.g. schools. It is a wide spread business that deals with education, driving, taxes and aids the homeless, disabled and unemployed.
The website also gives anyone the chance to apply to be a councilor. Not only that but by just entering your postcode or area, you will be able to see who your local councilor is now. 

Online Banking

Online Banking

Online banking is a new way to check out about your account without having to leave your house. A lot of banks have now got an online banking system. The system allows people to look at their online details and make payments using cyber-money over the Internet. 

An example of an online bank is Lloyds TSB. Like any online bank, you can perform a transaction online at any time, anywhere on various devices. The site gives you a personal log in number, with a password and memorable information that you will make yourself. Online banks also offer the added security of using ‘https’ instead of the genuine ‘http’ for other websites. This is just an added safety device used to prove that the information being given is safe to do so. It will often appear with a padlock, along browser bar.

An exception of High Street banks, also online is ‘EGG’. The website allows costumers to save their money, borrow money and insure their money. EGG is similar to any high street bank however, they just don’t have a solid location and it is just done via cyber.  

Scams have been becoming growingly common since online banking was introduced. A good example of a scam is the Trojan. Trojans take their name from the term 'Trojan Horse' and are a type of computer virus which can be installed on your computer without you realising. Trojans can be capable of installing a "keystroke logger", which captures all of the keystrokes entered into a computer keyboard. Some specifically seek to capture passwords entered at certain web sites, by capturing keystrokes or taking screen shots of sites you visit. This information is then sent to the fraudsters over the Internet.
Typically the fraudsters send out emails at random to get people to click on a link from the email and visit a malicious web site where vulnerabilities in the web browser are exploited to install the Trojan. The emails are not normally related to Internet banking and try and dupe people into visiting clicking on the link to the malicious web site with a variety of excuses.

An easy way to stop this from happening would be to have installed on your computer recommended antivirus software, for example Norton.

The most dangerous and problem with online banking is ‘Phishing’. Phishing is where emails are sent pretending to be part of a genuine company operating on the internet in an attempt to trick customers of that company into disclosing information at a bogus website operated by fraudsters. These emails usually claim that it is necessary to "update" or "verify" your customer account information and they urge people to click on a link from the email which takes them to the bogus website. Any information entered on the bogus website will be captured by the criminals for their own fraudulent purposes.

Advantages

1.    Online banks are open 24/7

2.    Check balance at home

3.    Make payments whenever

Disadvantages

1.    Risk of becoming victim of fraud

2.    Cyber money

3.    Personal data is involved

 

Communication

SMS Alerts
Moblie phones have grown in popularity over the years, hugely. Texting/ Messaging is used more often than phone calls to contact someone as takes less time and can catch up just as easily, some may argue.

I feel that the use by children has grown and is making them more lazy but it is also getting them more familiar with the language. Predictive text will create lazyness but at least it prevents typing errors. In a way, it could and studies have proved that it has helped teenagers spelling.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6005772/Mobile-phone-text-messaging-is-making-children-more-impulsive-claim-researchers.html

Instant messaging
Instant messaging, a new and quicker way to get in touch with people, slowly replacing email. It started off informal between friends, but it is increasing and populating offices now as well. Instant messaging improves communication throughout the world. Instant messaging was fun for a while, but more friends and some businesses as well have switched to Facebook instead.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8698174.stm

Facebook
Facebook is argueable the most popular social network site around now, but only in the past year. Like any social network site however, there are some dangers about Facebook, such as paedophiles. There are certain things that Facebook could do to help but it is mainly down to the users, and how private they want their profile.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10796584

The overall safety has improved on Internet services and no doubt the popularity has increased enormously. These are new forms of technology that everyone is excited about and are replacements for phone calls and emails.

E- Commerce

An E-commerce site is any web site offering pre-sale support, products for sale or after sales service and backup. Examples of popular online shopping sites that display this are:

eBay
Amazon
Argos Online
Topman Clothing Online

Features of E-commerce sites

Online Payment
Easy to use homepage and navigation options with links 
A page providing help for customers 
An link providing store information, including how to find local stores 
A bold search facility  
Contact information 
Images of the products on offer  
Review of the products
An alternative to the product
Checkout
Shopping basket
Secure password, verify identification
Delivery options input
Tabs providing links to other pages of the site 


PayPal

     A good example of an E-commerce business is PayPal, this operates to help people make payments online in a secure manner. It is a new way to pay for products and payments, instead of cheques and always typing in card details. Paypal is free to create and to buy products, but they take a small percentage commission when selling. Paypal is involved with lots of various website as an optional purchase choice, but it is heavily linked with ‘Ebay’.

     
Security

Website security is vitally important, the customers have got to have trust in the website otherwise they wont purchase. An unprotected website could be liable to hackers, viruses and identity theft. Most websites are genuine and can be trusted though, but the most risk is found throughout online banking sites.