Banking

Online banking

Had bank trouble in the past? Lost some money in the bank unnoticed? Then online banking is the way forward for you.  Internet access is steadily increasing, internet banking has emerged. Internet banking has changed the banking industry and is now considered as a good link with their customers to from a better relationship.

Online banking was introduced in the 1980’s.However in 1994 Stanford Federal Credit Union was the first bank to offer online internet banking services.Internet banking allows customers to control their financial transactions on a website via online.  Online banking has now become much more common; you can access your account quickly and check your records and past transactions. As soon as you have logged in, the online banking site would give you guidance and help on how to navigate around, all sites are customer friendly. And if there are any problems with the site or anything like that, then you can just easily contact the bank to talk to them about it and ask for help.  Online banking makes everything so simple with what you do financially; you can access it anywhere if there is an internet.  Whether you’re just checking your account and reading some information about it, or even making payments. Instead of going to your local bank, you can now do this with just one click on your mouse.  It makes your financial life much simpler to manage.

Online banking is gaining more audience everyday as customers now sees or recognises its full potential and its advantages. There are many banks today that have their own high street branches and also have online services such as HSBC. HSBC is one of the biggest banks not just in the UK but also in Europe. Now there are also banks that are purely online which means that they do not have street branches, one example of this is EGG.EGG banking specialises in savings, credit cards and general insurance but they no longer offers loans or mortgage products.

Advantages to the customers

• One of the main features of online banking is that you can pay anything online, pay your bills etc in the comfort of your own home.
• You can also view your previous transactions; you can check your account history. This is the quickest way of checking your account and looking after it.
• You can also see if there is any unauthorized transaction quickly and therefore you can report about it faster and actions can be taken faster. 
• You can transfer money via online; it’s effective, convenient, efficient and faster.  Because of lower overhead costs, online banks are able to offer more or better rate of interest.

Advantages to the Bank itself

• Banks having online banking also attracts more costumers, and maybe the banks itself may gain more profit.
•  It will make their bank more popular and boost its appearance and trust worthiness.
•  Having online banks also mean that the bank company is expanding its business and its target audience by being used worldwide.
• Some are purely working just online therefore there is no need to buy a land or build your own building etc, you don’t need many employees as normal bank would need therefore this will save more money.
• Annoying mails coming through your doors are also out as online banking will only send emails, this saves time and more convenient.

Advantages to employees

• There aren't a lot of advantages to employees as not much people are needed for the online banking to function well. They only need few employees but this also gives new jobs to other people like web designing etc.

Disadvantages to the customers

• Just like all other sites, online banking has its disadvantages too. The lack of trust is one of the biggest problems and there is no real relationship with the bank.
• Online banking can be difficult and complicated if you’re a beginner.
• Security concerns are also a massive problem that needs solving; we have no idea how secure the online bank is. They always have doubts as they know that hackers are always around.
• Errors occurs frequently especially with online banking. With just one click of a wrong button customer’s money might be wasted.
• One of the biggest problems is also the digital divide. Other people are really good with computers whilst others knows basic skills therefore they are unable to use computers.
• If help are needed, some customers would rather to a person that read something on the website. Customers still like the feeling of having a face to face negotiation with a banker etc.

Disadvantages to the Bank itself

• For the bank itself, if the online banking is a failure then people or the customers would also think that their actual bank would be a failure or is a failure. This would give the bank a bad image and might lose some of its costumers.
• The cost of creating a website and making sure that the security is high is quite expensive.
• Buying new up to date technologies for the online banks are costly.

Disadvantages for the employees

• Some employees who only need basic computer skill will need constant care and constantly need to be train as technologies are evolving every time.
• Some employees will need to gain new skills in order to work in an online banking and learning this new required skill might take a long time

Contemporary issues in ICT

Contemporary issues in ICT

ICT now plays a big part of everyday life. Since its introduction, ICT is gradually improving. ICT are now use in different areas of our life, in school or education, in trains etc and in government too. In the last couple of months or so, ICT has been making noise through the news, bad or good, and I will analyse these news to give more insight about ICT and what it does.

Better hospital IT 'would save thousands of lives'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15340102

In this news, they are arguing that with better use of information technology in England’s hospital, it could prevent 16,000 deaths a year. One of the systems they recommend hospitals need to use is a computer reminding nurses or other member of staff when to give patients their drugs. Evidence suggests that hospitals may miss one dose in every five and I think by using this system, it would reduce errors and the timing of delivering patient’s drugs would be perfect. With the number of errors decreasing, more life could be saved.   Reducing errors is not the only feature this “system” has; it also generates alarms when patient’s heart rates etc changes and more. The hospitals main objective is “to unleash a revolution of information throughout the NHS, so that everyone benefits from a modern, responsive service,"

This shows how ICT can be a good help not just for us well and sick free people but also for people at the hospitals. This could potentially be a big break through on ICT being use in hospitals; this could lead to ICT being use in more variety of ways to help the nurses, doctors and the patients.

BlackBerry Messenger shutdown rumour spreads in London riots

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/blackberry-messenger-shutdown-rumour-spreads-in-london-riots-50004663/

Windows smashed, cars and streets are burned, group of people out at night and people panicking, this is what local people from London experienced and encountered. Riots in London broke out couple of months ago and it spread out so quickly that most shops got looted before the police can do anything about it. The police were wondering how it spread out so quickly and how a big group of people can unite and cause mayhem so easy and rapidly. This is where the use of ICT comes in, the rioters or the leader of these different groups just easily contacted people to join them. By just using a mobile phone, simple text or a simple blackberry messenger text or by a small twit on twitter, people are all together. This show how powerful ICT can be and there is no doubt that ICT is very helpful but in this case ICT has let us down and maybe we should just stop developing and live life simpler.

This is an evidence that ICT, if use badly can cause havoc and big problems in a city. This is just a start and polices and the government should take this as a warning on what could come up next.

Making the London Olympics technology fit together

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15084036

Technology is key aspect not just in a good Olympic but in every sport. London Olympic committee is making sure that technology will not let us down and that it will play its part accurately. Technology is very useful in making big decisions in an event, a close 100m sprint finish and just a quick video review or a photo finish would solve the problem. The way they show the event is also part of the technology or ICT, better quality of technology and more the audience will enjoy it.

This is shows how important ICT or technology is these days and how it can help to improve a particular sport and make it more entertaining and fair.

3D learning tools positive for pupils, says study

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15115059

ICT plays a big role in education and in this news they are trying 3d tools to help students learn. They have found out that it improves test results by an average of 17%. With the test results improving, student’s behaviour also improves and student pays more attention with this tool as it grabs their attention and carries on till the end.

I think this is clever idea that obviously works with the results they’ve got. With 3d, you focus only on what you are watching and nothing else, you cannot get distracted. This helps the students learn, make teachers job a bit easier and this also helps the school to get better results. Overall it’s a win win situation for both students and schools.

Has the iPod made us anti-social?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15066957

IPods are created to entertain and make our life more colourful. By just pressing a button, your mood can change. Music can dictate our mood, calm, energetic, sad or happy. This news argues that IPods are complete opposite of what said. They argue that IPods makes us anti social, which can be true in some aspect. When we listen to music we block out the rest of the world. Listening to music is our time to reflect our life and just be on your own, it isolates us from everyone else and due to this, it does make us anti social but not in a bad way. I would also argue that, does watching TV make us anti social? Does

This shows the good and maybe bad side of IPods. It just depends on how you use it and how you portrait “anti social”. I think sometimes that it’s best to be “anti social” and just to be by ourselves this enable us to learn more about ourselves.

Who are the jail breakers?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15340326

Jail breakers or hackers are common in ICT and this is the biggest problem ICT encounters every day. Hackers are very clever people and everyone should be take notice of them and be aware at all times when using ICT.  Hackers are around 24 7 and this causes concerns to people especially if they are using online banking, buying online etc. These causes the companies to invest more money enable to stop these hackers and guarantee customers that their sites are safe.

This is the bad side of ICT. This shows that ICT is not always a safe environment and that people should be wary of what they are doing at all time. Hackers should also be a sign of warning for big companies that they should invest more on security of their own websites to make sure that no hackers can get through.

Other issues in ICT

Is the internet rewriting history?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15097139

Can train technology reinvent the wheel?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9617577.stm

Web commerce hack attack may 'happen again'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15348821

Radar that can 'see' through solid walls

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15376184

Suspected LulzSec and Anonymous members arrested in UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14760650

E Government

E Government

ICT have revolutionised not just our life but also businesses and government. The potential of ICT also inspires visions of a more open Government with greater public cooperation.  ICT has grown so quickly that everywhere we go; we can find evidence whether in a new TV, services, internet and more. Business and government uses ICT to reach out to their customers and audience and to show the dramatic improvements in service. Government have the opportunity to adapt ICT to improve the efficiency and effectives of Government’s public services, ICT enables the Government to be more transparent with their citizens, giving them more access to information generated by Government. ICT can also be the missing link that Government needs. ICT could be a great fit to improve the whole city or the whole population.

The main advantage of e government is that it will improve the efficiency of the current system or old system and in return it would hopefully save money and time but this system loses the person to person interaction which is valued highly. It is also easy to make excuses for errors.  They could easily make up excuses like the server has gone down etc.

Governments use of ICT

•  Online tax (Inland Revenue, car tax)
• Online voting
• Contact Member of Parliament
• Electronic application services (UCAS)
• Tell us once
• Statistics (crime info)
• Employment

  5 popular uses

Theory test (driving applications)

 Ever had trouble with your theory test and getting driving applications? You can now book your theory test, pay the fees and other driving applications online. The government has now realised that most people owns a computer or some sort, which where they can get information from. This makes it easier and quicker for the people and this gives the Government a great option to communicate and be in touch with their people. Instead of buying a book, theory revision sites are now also available online, they also makes DVD revision that works on your computer, this make it easier for drivers get information and be more prepared easily.

Advantages

•           more convenient, saves time
•          all information are online and can it get easily

Disadvantages

•            website might be out of date
•           Some information given might not be needed or might not the one you’re looking for

Police websites- Need to report a crime but too scared to do so? Needs advice on how to protect yourself or your child? Police websites can now allows this. Police website gives you more privacy than ever when reporting a crime. You can report the crime anonymously which gives the “reporter” more comfort. Additionally, police websites also allows you people to give them feedback on what you think about your place or city, or what’s your opinion on police’s services overall. Police websites also gives you a map, detailed with where crimes are occurring; this gives the citizen a feel on where they can go etc. You can also find latest news about the area and about crimes which are very helpful and can also be entertaining. Police websites is very helpful for the citizens. This is very clever for them to build websites as it creates a new way to communicate with them and share their opinions.

Advantages

          

• Extra way to communicate police
• A good source of news about your local area
• Can also get advices and careers
• Can get more details about different crimes

Disadvantages

• Internet access is needed and some doesn't have internet
• Knowing the crime statistics in your area might be a bit scary

Petitions
Ever wanted to appeal about something you are not happy about? Need people to join you with this? Do you have issues that you feel very strongly about? Then starting a petition might be the solution. A petition is request for a change or action; usually it is signed by large number of people. Petition is a strong way of getting your point across and very effective as it can get support from thousands of people. Petitions can be requests for or against something. Enable for your petition to be granted you will need thousands of signatures and creating online links, social network groups would easily get supports needed. Creating a petition group online is very easy and you’ll have people joining instantly. Online petition give you unlimited reach and lets your petition to develop and spread quickly. If you are looking to influence some part of society and need help, then online petitioning is a great tool for this.

Advantages

•           You’ll be able to link and share  your petition with others quickly
•           Social networks and others websites can be linked to help your petition
•           You will be able to get signatures quicker with just a click of a button

Disadvantages

•        Take a long time to create a petition or a page for it
•           Money is maybe needed for advertising the petition

Health (NHS Direct)

Ever had a health issues and needed help and advice instantly? NHS Direct offers help and advice, and it’s just a click away!  NHS Direct is a health related website for the UK. NHS Direct only provides its services for residents and visitors in England, Scotland and Wales. They give heath advice and reassurance. As a part of the National Health Service, all NHS Direct services are free. The healthcare should be available for everyone who needs it, whenever ever they need it. NHS Direct was designed to do this.

 NHS Direct firstly started with a 24 hour telephone advice line and from then on, it has developed further.  As the telephone service was rapidly increasing, NHS Direct was then ready to introduce its next phase and that phase is a website. They created this website to build a new approach to healthcare. Its aim was to be a good source of accurate and up to date health information. The website allows people to access clear and straightforward health information anonymously. Since it has been created, NHS Direct website has attracted more and more users.

Advantages

•          Easy access  and just a click away- instead of calling or making personal appearance, you can now get help by just getting or searching on the internet
•           Get a lot of information  in a short period of time
•           Immediate and 24/7 help or advice is available

Disadvantages

•          Not all people has internet connection or use a computer/technology
•           Person to person- Some people would rather go to the doctor than trusting a “website”

Directgov

Directgov is UK government’s digital service for the citizen in the United Kingdom. Directgov is the most exceptional form of e-Government in the UK. It links together many different Government departments and agencies websites. They receive more the 15 million visits a month since it was launch in April 2004. They provide access to public sector information and services. Directgov’s main outlet is via a website although some content and services can be delivered via interactive TV. Government is using ICT more smartly for a change in service delivery, targeting to make public services more effective.

Directgov’s priority is to be the citizen focused digital channel for the Government offering a high quality experience for customers by delivering information and services that meet most of their needs. Directgov will give the citizen easy and effective digital access to all the public services and information they need, when and where they need it. Directgov also gives citizens new ways of communicating and community groups to provide better interaction with the Government.

Advantages

•           More efficient- the sites has links with other websites therefore there is no need to search
•           All in one- all services you need, you can find it in just one website
•           No paper work- most data or when you have to fill up date, you can do it on the internet therefore there is no need of hand writing.

Disadvantages

•           Too much information to process in a page
•           Internet connection needed

Online Services- Education

Online Services- Education

Online education is now very popular. People or students uses online to revise, research, get information and learn. Websites are specifically created for learning and revision purposes like my maths, BBC bitesize and forums or students rooms. Even teachers now uses online for teaching, this gives them variety of ways that make their teaching better, improve it and make it less tedious. Schools emails is also a great source for education, you can now communicate with your teachers via online. In today’s busy lifestyle, people need as much information they can get in small period of time and online education does this.

Revision- Revising online is now easier as you have many resources you can revise from. You have bitesize, mymaths and more. You can also get past papers online which is very helpful for revising specific subjects.

Buying books and other resources- different websites now sells school books, textbooks and revision books which is very helpful for students especially when they need another source of help from something else. Different books also give different views which are very helpful for gaining more information and making a specific topic easier to understand.

Mymaths- mymaths is a specific subject just for maths and a little bit of statistics. Mymaths is also used by teachers as well as students. Mymaths explains a specific maths or statistics topic clearer and explained in little stages. Teachers can also set homework in mymaths for students to do.

Research- lots of people now a day find it easier to get information in the internet or online. It is quicker and you can get variety to choose from. Collecting information by yourself or personally would be time consuming and maybe expensive, the online community take that away. Additionally you can search on the internet or online every hour of every day.

School websites- education online doesn’t just satisfy students but it can also satisfy parents. Parents can now also visit school websites to get information, contact that school and read news about the school. This will keep the parents updated.

Virtual learning environment (frog) - i think that frog can be very useful. You can access it 24/7, get your documents and your teachers can share information or additional studies that needs to be done. Teachers can also put documents that are important and the students can just read about it. I think that is a good way for revising and a good way for getting information about a specific subject as your teacher specifically put that item or document for you as resource.

Email- school email is very important. It’s a good and easy way to communicate with your teachers and maybe other students. You could easily ask teachers about subjects or lessons and any revisions that should be done or need doing and they could response to you immediately. Teachers could also send student important information that would help students.

Forums/ student room- forums and student room is very helpful for getting information as it enable student to talk and collaborate with other students.  Students’ gets different and variety of views but some might be unreliable. It also allows you to share your views.

Video conferencing (Skype) - video conferencing is really not that popular for students to use especially if they are using it on their own time. Some students would rather just do the work by themselves instead of being recorded but video conferencing could be very useful if it’s a group work etc as it’s free and could work with more than 2 people. It could also benefit people who need help from others and need support from others enable to do some work.

YouTube- YouTube is a site where you can share videos to all of the users all over the world. It’s a good way to get recognise and show talent but it’s not just all about that, users or video makers also uses it to help others, either for education or just for everyday thing.  There are YouTube videos that are good for revising a specific subject like maths etc. They sometimes explains that subject clearer and easier.

Best 5

Research- have you used Google? Or even yahoo? Or maybe even Bing? All of these sites are use for researching and getting information about a specific subject. Most people or students now use search engines like Google to collect information and use this information for their work. Google and other search engines changed everyone’s life and maybe made our life easier.

Advantages

• You can get variety of information from different search engines.  
• Quicker to use
• Easy access

Disadvantages

• Its secondary date therefore, some information may not be reliable
• Data you've collected might not be the one you necessarily need

Mymaths- Need helps with mathematics or statistics? The mymaths is the site for you to use. It is specifically made for stats and maths. Mymaths is good for a student who needs extra help with maths GCSE and A level, statistics GCSE and A level.  You can learn and practice different topics easier and more accessible.  

Advantages

• Easy access and can use it anytime
• School protected

Disadvantages

• Might be hard for some people to understand the way a topic is explained
• Some topics you need to learn might not be in the site

School website- ever had a problem knowing when the next half term is? The latest news and updates about your school? Well your problem is solve, most school now have their own school websites.  Unemployed teachers and new students also firstly look at school websites to find details about the school etc. School websites is now one of the most important features of the school.

Advantages

• Updated about the latest news and goings on about the school
• Parents could check and contact teachers

Disadvantages

• Cost lots money to create the website
• Hard to update regularly

Email/ school email- everyone are use to calling to school to contact teachers, maybe writing a letter was an old way of contacting a teacher or the school but now school has their own email, teachers has their own school emails. This allows the parents and the students to contact teachers and the school easily and more convenient.

Advantages

• Easy to contact teachers and schools
• More accessible
• Can send messages to more than one people at the same time

Disadvantages

• Spam and maybe even viruses can be transmitted through
• Responses might take a long time

Forums/ student rooms- ever needed help from other students? Ever want to share your opinion or views about a specific subject with everyone? Then forums and students rooms are what you need. A student room is a unique site where you can get help from other students and where you can look up universities and revision help.

Advantages

• Help from other students
• Responses is quick
• Can argue or talk about a specific subject

Disadvantage

• The argument or the forum may go off topic