Our world is full of multimedia, such as music, videos, pictures and speech, and they are all part of our every day lives. Imagine going to a meeting without a wireless laptop, or going on a night into town with your friends without your mobile. It's daunting to know that we rely on this technology so much, but reassuring in the sense that the technology is being developed and changed to gives us more reliability with communication.
Most devices are becoming digitalised, which enables devices to be used interchangeably, communicating where there was once no possibility of this ever happening. TVs are compatible with computers. Hi-fi systems can be controlled by your laptop. Mobile phones are talking to PDAs.
Technology is also becoming intertwined, allowing us to ring a colleague from our PDAs, organise our schedule on our mobile phones and listen to music and watch videos on PDAs and mobiles.
It's a formidable age of digital technology. Data communication and multimedia are becoming one. There is no need for multiple devices any longer. Remember the first time you saw a 3-in-1 remote control? The time and effort saved just by being able to select TV, video or satellite from one control saved time, hassle and improved the functionality of home entertainment. Could you really envision having eight controls nowadays? One for the TV, one for the Hi-fi, one for Sky, one for the DVD player, one for the surround sound, one for… the list goes on.
And with the Internet, we have more and more communication tools. Computers with email, VoIP (Voice over IP) and instant messaging software, it really is a telecom age.