The Information Age (also known as
the Computer Age, Digital Age, or New Media Age) is a historic period in the 21st century characterized by the rapid shift from traditional
industry that the Industrial Revolution brought through industrialization, to an
economy based on information technology. The onset of the Information Age can be
associated with the invention of the transistor, particularly
the MOSFET (metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistor), which
revolutionized modern technology and became the fundamental building
block of digital electronics in the information age.
Benefits of Digital age
·
Communication Speeds: Internet speeds have increased exponentially since the early days
of dial-up. Ever faster broadband enables the transfer of large amounts of
information across the web almost instantaneously, making it possible to stream
video and audio in real time, send large data files, and access data from
virtually anywhere in the world.
·
Social Connectivity: Digital
technology makes it easy to stay in touch with friends, family, and work
remotely, even if you are in another part of the world. You can communicate by
words, video, audio, and exchange other media.
·
Learning Opportunities: Anybody with access to the internet now has access to a huge
proportion of the world's knowledge over the web. Lessons and courses can now
be delivered virtually online. Communication advances mean that you can now
easily communicate with most of the world's population and learn directly from
sources.
·
Information Storage: Digital technology enables the storage of massive amounts of
information in relatively small spaces. Large amounts of media, such as photos,
music, videos, contact information, and other documents can be carried around
on small devices like mobile phones.
·
Editing: One of the
great advantages of digital technology over traditional media is that the
information can be easier to edit or manipulate. Word processing has brought
about a revolution in the editing of text.
