Multimedia Assessment Task #4

In the duration of the past few week, I had started researching on the topics that I was to write about. I had done some work on each topic and briefly touched on each. I also started designing my webpage but couldn't decide on how I wanted the final outcome to look like. Eventually, I decided to simply start from scratch and create pages and menu bars of my own.
I haven't had much of a chance to blog about my work and findings as I have been quite pressed for time. I have been working on my website briefly and concentrated more on the research. I have had some problems with some of the topics as the concept has been a little hard to grasp. I have completed my research on Handheld Multimedia Devices and CPUs, however I had some trouble with Software License Types as they were hard to understand. Even though I had been researching them for a while, I was slightly confused and wasn't sure if the information I had gathered was accurate. So I changed my pink topic from Software License Types to Social Networking. I have completed research on that as it was far easier and I have gained a deeper understanding. Before I conducted my research into this topic, I had some of the most basic information but after I read more about this, I have learnt more about some various Social Networking sites that are available to us today. If I had time before I encountered my problem, I would have picked a more complex topic to research, however, I had only a few days before I was to submit the assessment. I hope to post my information on my blog before I post it on my website.


Here is my information on Social Networking (Pink Section of Assignment)

Social Networking

What it is? What do we use it for?

Social Networking is a means of communicating with family, friends and relatives all around the globe. It allows users to share multimedia information such as images, videos and many more and is the most efficient way of keeping in touch.

How is it a part of our multimedia world?

Social Networking sites make up an enormous part of our multimedia world as they consist of videos and images which can be viewed through the use of a computer, laptop or even phones or iPods.

Are there different types? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each type?

There are various different types of social networking sites that are available to our society today. Some of the many common ones include Facebook, YouTube and Skype.

Facebook is an extremely popular site used by millions around the world. It allows users to share information conveniently and almost instantly, and thus, is a simple way of keeping in touch. It allows private and general conversations and sharing of multimedia. However, there are some security and privacy issues that occur frequently and it is not always considered safe.

YouTube is a website specifically used to share multimedia in the form of videos. This is a website used for entertainment and amusement that is very convenient and videos are viewed by millions. Movies and television shows can be watched, however, there are some issues with privacy. It is also quite addictive and some videos are quite inappropriate.

Skype is a commonly used social networking website which allows video-conferencing. Family and friends can be contacted almost instantly and be seen on the screen. However, quality of sound will suffer during the call, especially if the internet connection is poor. Also, sharing photos on Skype is problematic as it takes an exceedingly large amount of time to be transferred.

A “simple” explanation of how it works.

In order to use social networking sites, a computer (or laptop) and internet connection is required. Each site varies as they all have different purposes. Facebook is designed for the sharing of messages (both private and general), videos and photos however Skype is mainly designed for video conferencing. Also, when video conferencing using Skype, video cameras are required by both members who wish to communicate. Social networking sites are generally used to post images, videos and information about yourself in order for friends and family to view.

A rough indication of the cost of the device (only where a device is being researched)

Social Networking websites such as Facebook, YouTube and Skype are free of charge and available to everyone to use. However, some sites require you to pay in order to use them. Free social networking sites make money to support millions of users through investments from venture capitalists. These are funds made available for small start up firms with exceptional growth potential.

Future directions, what is waiting around, what is the next “new” technology in this area?

The future of Social Networking and the long term success depends on the ability of the sites to retain the interest of their members. Already, the number of users have been maximised since the introduction of social networking sites being used on phones and iPods. The next step regarding social networking relies on the websites’ ability to entertain and engage their users. If this is established, it is predicted that many improvement would be made to existing websites and new ones would be created to enhance the ability of the site.