Introduction to Online Services

Online services have changed the way we work, interact and think. We can now access the Internet through our smart phones, tablets, laptops and computers wherever we are. The Internet influences our daily lives in many ways from how we speak, to our friends, to how we spend our money. The Online Services are divided into sub categories:

E – Commerce

E-Commerce is the way of which we shop; deal with our banking and many payments online. We are now provided with 24/7 service of shopping and banking meaning we can access them at any time. You can now get apps where you can check your balances and pay your bills whilst on your mobile.  

Communication

We can now communicate with others instantly all over the world, for example we now have things like Skype and emails which allow us to send instant messages and to even use a live webcam. We can also write blogs and get the most recent stories from the news.There are many other social networking apps and websites that allow us to post pictures and videos to update our friends and families on what we are doing. 

Real Time information

Real Time information allows us to check the most recent train timetables, giving us an update on the latest news and what the local weather is going to be like for the next 7 days. Real Time information can also provide commuters with the latest traffic and train reports. 

Government

A more recent online service allows us to have online tax returns, to also be able to pay our car insurance and tax online through the Government gateway. We can also access services like the NHS direct, allowing you to check your own symptoms online. 

Education

Education has changed a lot due to online services; we are now able to take part in interactive lessons and revision sessions. We can also do our UCAS applications online and have VLE’s to keep us connected with school whilst at home.

Business

Businesses are now able to connect worldwide through video conferencing and collaborative working. They are also able to have their own business networks making it a more worldwide way of connecting.

Entertainment

Entertainment is now accessible from any device due to apps like YouTube and game websites that allow you to use them anywhere. We can now download and listen to music wherever we are.

Download Services

Download services have allowed us to upgrade or download software on our devices, we are now able to download films that we can watch anywhere without the use of the Internet and music we can listen to any time.

Cloud Archiving

We now have cloud archiving which is where data that no longer needs to be accessed on a regular basis is stored, managed and backed up on a cloud storage service provider.