Technologically rich societies have entered the digital age, and media industries are grappling with new opportunities - and threats - afforded by what is called "convergence". Media people tend to get very excited about convergence, because it holds so much promise. The melding together of different media, incorporating new personalized services is both impressive and overwhelming.
The adoption of high-performance computers, shift to digital platforms, and creation of high-speed computer networks have brought us new ways of doing things. Old barriers of time and space are practically eliminated. You can view, hear, or read virtually anything, anywhere, anytime. The old definitions that provided separation between Radio, TV, Cable, Newspapers, and Film have gone, (or are going) forever. The 1990's brought ownership convergence, creating media conglomerates like Disney, Viacom, and Sony. From the consumer view, the Internet has recently changed our favorite delivery systems - Newspapers now provide video, TV offers interactive chat, and radio has web-cams.
With 3G telephones, mass media companies can include consumer technologies such as mobile phones and videogames. We've blurred the lines between info-tainment, promo-tainment, and edu-tainment, and now it's hard to separate intrapersonal, interpersonal, and mass communication. These changes represent a seismic shift in the way we view communication, and are typically referred to as “Convergence”（"media" is implied）.
The highest ranked cluster consisted of World Wide Web, Mobile Telephone, Multimedia Computer, and Communication Satellite, suggesting these technologies best represent media convergence.
"Convergence = WWW + mobile phone + multimedia computer".
The World Wide Web gives users choice regarding external information. This reflects the traditional concept of Mass Communication. Although going to web sites is considered an active behavior, the consumer is still a receiver of information. Finally, the multimedia computer is vital to convergence. With the option of either connecting to the WWW or acting as a stand-alone device for leisure（gaming） or content creation, the computer is a device that enables the user to create, send, and receive content.
The definition for convergence based on user perceptions. One day we may find the distinction between mass communication and interpersonal communication obsolete. In a converged environment, users will seamlessly and simultaneously do both.
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For our future I feel there is going to be a huge increase in convergence because of how today's technology is as of now. How convergence is interfaced with technology today is an example like the new cell phone that just on your phone to talk and see the other person while talking. Texting is another way of interacting with some one who you are trying to contact and also a big convergence is being able to use your cell phone while accessing the internet. TV and internet are to big convergences that have been out for awhile, which your capable of accessing TV now today. Its amazing how far our technology is going with involving convergences and advertising and more to come I'm sure.
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