Topic 6d: ICT in the Home Flashcards
How is ICT affecting home entertainment and leisure?
ICT in the home is changing the way people enjoy music, TV and film, photography, online games, social media, the Internet, digital devices, sport and fitness.
How is ICT in the home changing the way people consume music?
MP3 players and smartphones are used to store downloads of songs so people can play them wherever they go.
Streaming music services, such as Spotify, allow people to choose from millions of tracks. They can either pay a subscription, or listen for free with adverts.
Audio platforms, such as Soundcloud, allow subscribers to stream, share and download tracks. They can also upload their own compositions.
How is ICT in the home changing the way people consume TV and film?
People still watch digital broadcast TV (cable, satellite and terrestrial services).
Hundreds of channels are available on streaming TV and film services. These include NetFlix and Apple TV, and catch-up TV services, such as the BBC’s iPlayer.
Smart TVs are hardware displays that provide access to a wide range of these services. People can also watch TV on their mobiles, tablets and PCs.
People can use interactive TV to access teleshopping and ticket booking services.
How is ICT in the home changing digital photography?
People use social media services, smartphone cameras and dedicated cameras to create and share digital photographs and short videos.
Consumers can take professional-quality, high resolution pictures just using their smartphones.
Social media services, such as Instagram, provide fun filters that let people customise and share their creations with friends.
Individuals can reach a worldwide audience by uploading their videos to sharing platforms such as You Tube.
How is ICT in the home changing gaming technology?
Online gaming platforms, such as XBox and Playstation, offer an exciting and absorbing first-person experience.
Players can compete online with others anywhere in the world.
Virtual reality headsets, such as HTC’s Vive, aim to provide a fully-immersive experience, whereby the player experiences the game as if they were inside the the 3D environment.
Augmented (or ‘blended’) reality games project the gaming action into the player’s home environment. The user wears a headset, such as Microsoft’s Hololens, that lets them view the game overlayed onto the objects in their room.
How are consumers using social media?
People use social media to interact with and to keep in contact with family and friends.
They share messages, photos and videos and can use video and audio conferencing.
They publish short articles on blogs.
They tweet short messages on social media platforms such as Twitter.
They also use social media to join debates and share their opinions.
Professional social media services, such as LInkedIn, allow users to share their CV and personal profile with potential employers. They can also network with other professionals.
Give a disadvantage of music streaming and download services.
Music streaming could cause road accidents if pedestrians are not paying attention.
Some musicians complain that they do not receive enough royalties.
Music may be downloaded illegally without paying.
Hearing could be damaged if the volume is too high when wearing headphones.
Wireless network reception may not be reliable enough for streaming playback.
Give a disadvantage of smart/interactive TV.
Online film channels could put cinemas out of business.
The availability of hundreds of TV channels could become addictive and lead to social isolation.
Films may be downloaded illegally without paying.
Some Smart TVs monitor and record people’s conversations, even when they are supposedly switched off.
Give a disadvantage of digital photography and video-making.
Cyber bullying issues, such as digitally changing a photo to make someone look silly, filming violence and uploading it, recording people and sharing images without their permission.
Give a disadvantage of digital gaming.
Gaming is highly stimulating and could become addictive, leading to social isolation and health/obesity problems.
Virtual reality gaming can cause motion sickness.
Violent games could desensitise gamers or lead to copying behaviour.
Young people are very interested in games and their school work could be affected.
Give a disadvantage of social media.
Cyberbullying
Identity theft
Grooming
Potential employers may see unsuitable material
Used by hackers and criminals to gather information about individuals
