Topic 153

key terms—convergence, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, telecommuting, digital television, push–pull technologies
by Ken Moyer

Technological convergence is the modern presence of different types of technology that are used to perform very similar tasks. The term convergence is commonly used in the combination of voice, data, and video onto a single network. These different technologies are now able to share resources and interact with each other to efficiently use all of the technologies together.

For example, there are technological converegence in the media. Playstation 2 is not only a game console, but it is also a DVD player. With your mobile phone, you can make phone calls, take photpgraphs, and download files.

Telecommunication is the transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. Teleconference is a type of telecommunication. teleconference is the live exchange of information among people and machines that are far apart from one another.They can exchange information because they are linked by a tele-communicating system, usually over the internet.

The telecommunication systems can support the teleconference by providing sound, video, and data services by telephones, telegraphs, radios, and televisions. A conference call is a method of teleconference, which allows more than two parties to join the telecommunication system. This is a much more efficient way of communicating because you only need one massive telecommunication system rather than three telecommunication system. It also saves time.

A videoconference is a way of communicating by video and audio from two or more locations. It is also known as a videoteleconference. In this telecommunication system, a set of interactive telecommunication technologies interact to exchange video and audio transmissions simultaneously. It has also been called visual collaboration and is a type of groupware.

This technology is becoming more and more popular in society. Video phones or video calls are a type of video conference. Although communication by voice is still more common, video conference will increase its popularity as the techonology becomes more affordable and simple.

Telecommuting, is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a work place is replaced by telecommunication links, in which you can work using this telecommunication system. e-commuting, e-work, telework, or working from home are other words that have similar meanings with telecommuting. There are a number of telecommuting jobs. One of them is ligitation coding. Litigation coding involves the capture of information from documents to assist professionals by storing their documents electronically and by making it possible to locate the documents using keyword search criteria. You can do this job at home.

Digital television (DTV) is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound by obtaining digital signals. It is different from TVs because TVs use analog signals instead of digital signals. Digital television has several advantages over traditional analog TV. The most significant difference is that digital channels take up less bandwidth space. This means that digital broadcasters can provide more digital channels in the same space. Therefore they can provide a higher definition digital service, or provide other non-television services like pay-multimedia services and interactive services. Digital television allows special services such as multicasting and will show electronic program guides.

Currently, one of the most fashionable technologies within the Internet is push-pull technology. The push technology enables services to be targeted at the user, without the users having to collect the information by themselves. For example, most people are signed up to some internet site. When you sign up, you are probably required to give your e-mail address or home address. Then you receive information about a product by e-mail or mails. You are given information without having to go look for it. The pull-technology is the part where you go and obtain information from the internet