Remember when "multimedia" was the hottest term in the
computer world? Everyone wanted a system that was
multimedia-ready -- some were even called "multimedia"
systems, which usually meant that they had decent sound and
video cards.
Today, we are on the verge of having TRULY multimedia
systems -- systems that integrate and connect various ways
of communicating and sharing information. Businesses that
want to prosper (or perhaps even survive) in the future need
to be aware of these changes and should try to capitalize on
them as soon as they can.
What kind of changes am I talking about? Mainly the ways
that the Internet is combining with other communication
media to create products and services that hadn't been
thought of before. Here are just a few examples:
* You can now use the Internet to make local and long
distance telephone calls, as well as video conferencing. The
combination of these two media allows customers to transmit
more information than either could do by themselves.
* More and more merchants are integrating their physical
store locations and their Websites, so that the two aren't
separate selling points for the company, but rather work
together to make profits. These kinds of systems lead to
more sales and greater customer satisfaction.
* Innovative businesses are combining the power of the
Internet with the ease and popularity of television to
create new interactive media. With these systems, a person
who is watching TV can use a wireless mouse to find out more
about a product that he or she sees, including how much it
costs and the closest place to buy it, all based upon the
viewer's individual information and location.
These examples help show that the future of the Internet is
going to be based upon the innovative ways that it is
combined with media with which we are already familiar. As
business "entrepreneurs," we should keep a close eye on
these kinds of developments, so that we don't get left
behind.
About the Author
Mary Wheeler takes the time to help her clients
understand the nuances of new Internet services and
technologies. To find out more about an exciting new
opportunity involving the first dot-tv company, please visit
her Website at http://www.121.tv/marywheeler or email her at
mailto:MaryWheeler@121.tv |