Aisling McCartney 12:34, 9 Sep 2004 (EST)
ECommerce was really a product of late 20th century despite the fact that enabling technology had been around for decades prior (May, 2000, p.28). The establishment of the World Wide Web in 1989 provided the pathway for eBusiness to grow and expand (Berners-Lee, 1996). In the 15 short years since its introduction, the computing technology landscape has changed dramatically. The nature of the Internet requires that businesses continuously update their software and hardware to protect their intellectual property and to remain ahead of the game.
The current trend in technology has been a move towards bluetooth, wireless and optical applications (Faloon, 2001, p.28). Bluetooth and Wireless technology enable data transferal between wireless devices within short range frequency (May, 2000, p.172). These devices include mobile phones and other mobile technologies. Optical applications, on the other hand, involve the installation and utilization of fibre optic cables that allow for faster and easier access to more Web content than ever before.
New media technologies have already seen the integration of telecommunications, digital media and the Internet through the increasingly popular camera phones. In addition to this, Digital or Interactive television will have eliminated the use of analog television in Australia by the year 2008 (Flew, 2002, p.111) Digital television offers better picture and sound quality as well as the potential for Internet integration (Flew, 2002, p.111).
Interactivity is another trend for the future of eBusiness technology. Within the average home, all electrical appliances will be networked and controlled via the web (Grebb, 2000, p.120). Television will eventually become synonymous with the Internet and the telephone.
Technology is becoming smaller. There is a movement away from larger area-consuming hardware to smaller, portable devices. The rise in popularity of the flat screen television and the decrease in size of mobile phones highlight this trend. Mark Schmidt, Director of IBM’s Home Networking Unit, believes that in the future there will be, “touch screen monitors that you could carry around the house with you� (Grebb, 2000, p.120). This is simply an indication of what the future holds for eBusiness technology.
New technology is an integral part of a successful eBusiness operation. The technology must be cutting edge yet accessible to the consumer. Updating technology is crucial for security reasons as well as to remain competitive. As eBusiness grows, technology will continue to evolve and dictate the future direction of the Internet.
Aisling McCartney 08:46, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
Youth Culture and New Technologies
Berners-Lee, T. (1996) “The World Wide Web: Past, Present and Future�, retrieved October 24, 2004, from http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/1996/ppf.html
Faloon, K. (2001) “Hot Trends to Watch in Infrastructure Technology� Supply House Times, vol. 44, no. 3, retrieved October 24, 2004, from http://proquest.umi.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=9&did=000000074298220&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1098963204&clientId=14394
Flew, T. (2002) New Media: An Introduction, Victoria: Oxford University Press
Grebb, M. (2000) “Next Amazon�, PC World, vol.18, no.1, retrieved October 24, 2004, from http://proquest.umi.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=6&did=000000047372943&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1098966169&clientId=14394
May, P. (2000) The Business of eCommerce: From Corporate Strategy to Technology, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
