User:LucianaFash/sandbox

Technology and Internet relationships

Internet relationships have become easier and more accessible with the increasing developments in technology. Various forms of technology can have different impacts on online relationships. Accessibility for communicating online has become easier with the developments of Wi-Fi, 3G and high-speed broadband Internet, thus significantly changing online relationships.

New and revolutionary devices are constantly being developed and released, for the mass public to communicate online. Many people have different requirements and needs from a device, so rather than having many devices for different uses and ways of communicating, communicating online is more accessible and cheaper by having an Internet function built into many devices. Some of these devices are; mobile phones, laptops, iPads, Smartphones and iPhones. With many devices now also having camera technology built in, with a microphone, this makes it possible to hold video and voice calls. This can be done through applications such as Skype, which also provides an Instant messaging service.

Other ways of communicating online with these devices are through services and applications such as, Email, asynchronous discussion groups and on the World Wide Web. Some of these ways of communicating online are asynchronous meaning non real time and some are synchronous which is immediate communication. The tools we have traditionally relied on to communicate, say, turn-taking or nodding to signify agreement, become obsolete.