These days you don’t have to leave your home to be entertained and fed
Digital technology in general and the internet, in particular, which has become an inseparable part of our lives, have changed the ways humans entertain themselves and perform daily chores. The more recent additions include programmes for movies and shows such as Netflix, games such as Angry Birds, online casinos, food delivery services, taxi services, and various other mobile apps, to name but a few — all contributing to new and unique ways to spend leisure time. Let’s consider how these achievements are altering our existence.
Streaming services
The entertainment and entertainment-related industries have transformed from a largely linear model to an on-demand form of delivery, which has many ramifications. Instead of watching your favourite television show or going down to the video shop, the emergence of “rental services for TV shows and movies” such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime has made entertainment available at any time of day. These enable streaming of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and exclusive content of the organisations, thus enabling users to stream what is desired at any given time. This broken up time-saving approach also allows for a more customised viewing experience, as the streaming services have algorithms that recommend shows based on the viewers’ past consumption.
Mobile gaming
The advertisement is a catchy message saying, “fun in the palm of your hand”. Currently, smartphone operating systems like iOS, Android, and Windows are full of mobile gaming applications like Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Pokémon GO, and many more that have turned smartphones into handheld gaming consoles. These games have been programmed for intermittent gameplay, which makes them suitable for brief relaxation periods or when one is travelling on a bus, train or an aeroplane, among other instances.
By and large, the availability and the number of the mobile games introduced has brought changes in the diversity of the game population where virtually anyone of any age and with any preference for games can be accommodated. Social aspects such as scoreboards and multiplayers integrate the feeling of belonging to a larger group, and the rivalry makes the games even more enjoyable.
Online casinos
E- gambling has lead to the rise of roulette and the speculative pleasure of betting from home. Online casinos have replaced gambling dens and have brought the feel of gambling into homes. Some of the online gambling platforms include PokerStars, 888 Casino and Bet 365, which provide a broad coverage of games such as poker, slots, and roulette. They allow you to play casino games with the excitement of a Las Vegas experience while having the flexibility to play from home or anywhere at any given time. Almost all online casinos include live dealers that allow players to converse with a dealer via video stream, which provides the experience of leaving the comfort of home and going to an actual physical casino.
Food delivery services
As its name implies, Dining Simplified specialises in simplifying the experience of eating out by offering food options that require less sophisticated preparation techniques. Mobile applications that are used for making food deliveries like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub have hit the market. All that is required by the consumer is to make a few swipes on their smartphone’s touch screen and they can have food from any restaurant of their choice brought to their homes. Such services eliminate time and energy through provision of convenient means, especially to people with limited choices in their diet. The inclusion of customer reviews and ratings helps to guarantee a suitable dining experience.
Ride-hailing apps
Today, the use of social apps in transport such as Uber and Lyft has become a reality in urban transport. These apps allow passengers to get matched up with a driver through the app, which provides a straightforward and many times cheaper service compared to traditional taxis. Qualities like tracking of your vehicle in real-time, the fact that you have to know the exact fare you need to pay before even starting your trip, and the cashless payment system make the trip even more attractive. Mobile applications providing ride-hailing services have also brought improvements and advanced features such as car sharing and rental of electric scooters, with the aim of contributing to more environmentally-friendly mobility.
Social media
Today’s social networks Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others have truly changed the ways people communicate and interact with each other. These networks enable users to communicate with friends and other family, share their new life events, and post their own content or content from those across the globe. Social media can also be seen as a means of recreation, as one does not run out of material: one can browse videos, memes and articles shared for hours. These platforms have transformed into vital means in the overall marketing communication for brands and influencers to interact with the public.
It’s hard to think of any field of our lives, as citizens of a world that has been shaped by the internet, where it has not redefined our entertainment and ease. TV shows and films, mobile games, online casinos, delivery services for foods, and online taxi services have made fun and utility easier to have than ever before.
#internet #revolutionised #lives #Mail #Guardian,
#internet #revolutionised #lives #Mail #Guardian
