UNIT 56 - Digital Communication: Emma

Task 1a -

Worldwide Web Consortium:
The Worldwide Web was invented by Tim Burners-Lee in 1989. Viewing a webpage on the WWW works by either typing a URL into the web browser or following a hyperlink to that page. The web has become a means of spreading malware and crime on the Web can include identity theft and fraud. Any websites that a user of the Web visits has the ability to collect information about the user and create a profile for the user so a disadvantage of the web is that it is not private. Despite the lack of privacy on the Web there is the advantage that the Web is accessible for people with disabilities including visual, physical, auditory and neurological disabilities. Google is an example of a search engine that people use to explore the Worldwide Web - it is one of the most popular search engines along with Yahoo and Bing.

Wireless Access Protocol:
The Wireless Access Protocol is a specification that allows users to access information via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers and two-way radios. This works by the user selects something (content, a document) on their device that they want to receive which then sends a message to the IP address of the WAP server. An example of a device that supports WAP is any smartphone or in particular the iPhone.

Global System for Mobile:
GSM is a digital mobile system that is used widely in Europe and other parts of the world. GSM digitalises and compresses data and afterwards sends it down a channel alongside two other streams of data that came from mobile users. Services based on GSM technology were launched in Finland in 1991 and now in 2015 more than 650 mobile companies offer GSM services to their consumers. GSM also allows most users to continue to use their phone while abroad. An example of GSM would be phone companies such as T-Mobile or AT&T.

3rd Generation Protocols:
3G refers to the third generation of mobile telephony technology, this refers to the speed of internet and download (mostly) on mobile devices. 3G supports more diverse applications, facilitate growth and increase bandwidth more than previous (1G, 2G) generation protocols did. 3G works by using cellular based technology with the signals passed from phone tower to phone tower and then the tower nearest to the 3G device passes a signal to it. The vast amount of towers means that there is mostly always a strong and reliable signal. Smartphones usually support 3G such as iPhones and Samsung, phone companies also support 3rd Generation Protocols.

Multimedia Message Service:
The Multimedia Messaging Service is the standard mobile messaging service, as opposed to SMS, MMS allows you to send not only text messages but sound, images and videos. Although MMS can be used by people texting their friends, a huge percentage of MMS users are companies sending messages to their consumers.

General Packet Radio Service:
GPRS is a wireless communication service that promises continuous connection to the internet for mobile phone and computer users. The higher data rates allow users to partake in video conferences using mobile handheld devices. One example of GPRS is Google Maps which, if you turn on your location, finds where you are and can help you to navigate your way around places.

Bluetooth:
Bluetooth is a wireless technology which allows mobile devices and computers to talk to each other and share things over a short distance. Bluetooth is designed to be a reliable and inexpensive way of exchanging information between phones without wires. You can use Bluetooth to send photos from your mobile, exchange business cards and real-time satellite navigation. In some modern cars, you can use bluetooth to connect your phone so that you can take calls while driving, this also means that you can play music from your phone through the radio. There are also some speakers that allow for music to be played by using Bluetooth. Unfortunately, a disadvantage of bluetooth is that it quickly drains your battery so your device may need to be charged throughout the day if you are continually using bluetooth.

Broadband ADSL:
ADSL stands for 'Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line' and is a technology used for connecting to the internet. Broadband ADSL also stands as what we call the 'house phone' and so allows information to be sent through telephone lines. In order to use ADSL it needs to connect to a modem and people who use it must be in close range to this modem such as: in your house or a restaurant. ADSL is also what people call 'WiFi' which allows people to use the internet in their houses and other places such as hotels and shops may have it so that users can use the internet on the go without using their 3G as long as the place has a modem and the user is within close distance. An example of companies that do this is Virgin and BT.

Voiceover Internet Protocol:
Voiceover Internet Protocol or VoIP is something that allows the user to make calls using a broadband connection instead of the classic analog connection. There are some limits using this because sometimes the services may only allow you to call people who are using the same service which restricts the amount of people that users can call however there are other services that allow you to call everyone you want including overseas, mobiles, landlines and long distance however some calls (international and mobile) may have additional costs. The way these services work is by converting the users voice into a digital signal however if you're calling a regular number then the service will convert to a regular call before the signal reaches the destination. Some people may be able to access VoIP on their laptop and places such as airports, cafes and some parks have wireless hotspots which allows for access to VoIP services.

Task 3.3: Evaluation

The product was fit for purpose because the idea of the product was to advertise an energy drink that does not intimidate people into buying the product but instead subtly hints that it will give you a lot of extra energy and will wake you up for anything that you need to do that day.

The technical qualities of the advert is that I created the design of the product and background by myself and I put animation onto the text. I created the design of the can by myself by layering images and colours over a stock image of a can that I got from the internet. I made the can myself by getting rid of the existing design and changing the colour to blue and putting my logo on the front of the can. I also created the background myself by, again, getting a stock image of a sunrise from the internet and then erasing the qualities of it that I didn't need, resizing and changing the colours. I put the animation on the text using existing motion presets on Flash and I adjusted the direction of the presets to fit the idea that I had in my mind.

The aesthetic qualities of the advert is that the colours are bright and will attract people's attention on websites such as YouTube or in places such as the train or bus stops. This means that the drink will catch the attention of a variety of people which was one of the aims of the advert despite the target being Females of 16+. Although the colours are quite bright, the advert as a whole is quite simple using only a few colours and not being too overwhelming in design or animation which I think will be more aesthetically pleasing than if the ad used 5+ colours and an array of different fonts in different sizes - it looks a lot cleaner and therefore will be more appealing to the people who will have the ad on their site.

My production skills during this unit were adequate, there were times that I found it hard to generate ideas and I found myself stuck for what to do with the ad but I think, in the end, I ended up with a solid idea that worked well. My workflow and time management could have been better but I finished most of the work on time and I think I did it well. To improve my time management next time I will focus more on getting everything down on time instead of leaving myself a day to tidy everything up and finish last minute details because doing this is what caused me to get behind a little bit. I think my skills in Photoshop and Flash have improved during this unit but there is still some development to be had so that I can do more complication animations and actions but overall I think it has been a decent unit without any cause for complaint.