Bill Gates’ dream of a computer in every household has largely come true. Since most American families can afford a personal computer, most own at least one, since they are so useful. Family members surf the internet, listen to music, watch TV, do homework, and more on their computers, and undoubtedly, they will continue to do so in the future. In fact, since so many people have grown up with computers, it is difficult for many to imagine life without one. What, then, does the future hold for computing? Here are a couple ideas about current computer applications and what the future may hold for them.
1. Music Downloading
Apple, among other companies, has made downloading music incredibly easy and efficient, not to mention profitable for the music’s owner. iTunes, Apple’s popular music store, allows people to download one song at a time and pay an average of 99 cents for a song. This business model threw a wrench in the works of the traditional music distribution industry, which forced music buyers to purchase an artist’s entire album at once. The current model makes it possible for artists to sell a song at a time without worrying about recording an entire album, making it possible for almost anyone to make music available, and making it possible for more people to profit from their music. In the future, sites like iTunes will probably flourish, though they may face threats from more efficient file sharing sites, which allow users to upload and download music files.
2. Movie Watching
Sites like Netflix and Blockbuster already let their members watch movies online, and since so many computer users have speedy internet connections, that business model is increasingly workable. Users can now circumvent the traditional video rental method of waiting for a movie or TV show to come in the mail. In the future, watching movies online will become even easier due to increased connection speeds.