Online Entertainment

Popular forms of entertainment involving gaming, music and video have also been made popular since the beginning of the internet. Today, entertainment websites are some of the most well-known on the internet and online entertainment itself is very popular among its users.

Gaming

There are two types of online gaming among online entertainment. Free online games are available of users to play instantly. Online game websites include hundreds of simple games that are designed for the user to play quickly. Some online games are more complex such as world of warcraft and Runscape. These types of games are based on LAN and worldwide servers which allow many users to connect with each other from across the world. Because the game itself is more complex, a monthly member subscription must be paid in order to play the game.

Console games have also evolved to allow online connections. This allows a user to connect with friends or random players to play with each other. A user simply sets up a profile and connects to the network to play against other players. Popular examples of games with online play include Halo and Fifa series. Overall, online gaming has become more popular as it is easier and more convenient for players to entertainment themselves using online technology.

Music

Music services are also available online. One example of an online music service would be online radio services. This also users to access radio services and music whilst online. Online radio is also made more accessible as a user could listen to any radio station from around the world. Online radio became popular after its creation in 1994 and its still popular today.

Video

Watching videos has also seen an increase in popularity over the past years. Various video websites and companies have also become successful due to the availability of many videos to users.

Two examples of popular video companies would be Lovefilm and Netflix. Both of these companies allow a user to watch movies for a small monthly price. Most movies ever made are also available for users to watch. Today, online movie streaming is a popular alternative to buying a DVD or Blu-ray disc. Therefore the accessibility of online movie streaming is what makes popular with users.

Various websites are also popular for watching recent TV shows and episodes. These websites are also available to catch up of episodes that you may have missed during the original airing. An example of these websites would be BBC I-player. Since the I-player website was launched, other channels decided to create their own websites such as 4OD and ITV player. However, these episodes are only available for a set period of time. Despite this, catch up sites are very popular among users.

YouTube is another popular video website which has most videos any user would want to watch. Users can also upload their own videos to YouTube for others to watch. The wide range of videos is one reason why YouTube is a successful website. Since the creation of YouTube in 2005, around 72 hours of video is uploaded onto YouTube and over four billion hours of video is watched every month.

Because of YouTube’s success on the internet, a number of videos are now famous just because of YouTube. This videos are known as viral videos and become popular due to sharing on the internet. The spread of viral videos has created an impact on society as many people as using YouTube for fame, especially when promoting their music. However, viral videos have also become the subject of controversy over cyber-bullying for example.

IPad and Tablets

The tablet computer is a recent development although the idea has existed for many years. Microsoft created the first tablet computer for retail but failed to achieve widespread sales due to usage problems. 10 years later, Apple developed an improved tablet computer known as the Apple iPad. The tablet was developed as a more portable version of a laptop that features a large touchscreen instead of a keyboard.

The iPad itself is similar to the iPhone as both allow their users to browse the internet, download apps, take photos and play music as well as record videos. This means that users can find many forms of entertainment using an iPad or other tablet computer.

E-readers

E-readers are also similar to Tablet computers but are designed for reading instead of online usage. Downloadable books can be bought and downloaded onto a user’s E-reader. When a user wants to read, they can simply use their E-reader wherever they are to choose a book among their collection. However, the E-reader has had an impact on book stores. These book stores are losing profits as many people are using E-readers instead of buying ‘real’ books. Despite this, some people prefer the feeling of holding a book in their hands and therefore wouldn’t think of buying an E-reader. Overall, the E-reader provides entertainment for users that want to read if they are bored.