Communication Technology Update, Sixth Edition

The latest edition of this review of the state-of-the-art in communication technologies is more comprehensive than ever before. The text continues to provide users with the latest information in all areas of telecommunication: electronic mass media, computers, consumer electronics, satellites, and telephony. New chapters for the sixth edition cover print technologies, electronic mail, and personal communication devices, in addition to the comprehensive coverage of two dozen technologies explored in the previous edition. Information on similar technologies has been concentrated into a smaller number of chapters to make it easier to compare history, revenues, technical descriptions, and user information across technologies.

This revision includes a more comprehensive companion home page on the World Wide Web that provides updated information submitted by chapter authors. The Communication Technology Update Home Page (http://www.tfi.com/ctu/ also offers links to other Internet resources, as well as a listing of trade organizations and trade publications covering all areas of communication technology.


As we enter the 21st Century, new communication technologies are being introduced at an astonishing rate. Making sense of these technologies is becoming more difficult. Communication Technology Update is the single source for the latest developments, trends, and issues in communication technology. Now in its sixth edition, Communication Technology Update has become an indispensable information resource for business, government, and academia.

The latest edition of this review of the state-of-the-art in communication technologies is more comprehensive than ever before. The text continues to provide users with the latest information in all areas of telecommunication.: electronic mass media, computers, consumer electronics, satellites, and telephony. New chapters for the sixth edition cover print technologies, electronic mail, and personal communication devices, in addition to the comprehensive coverage of two dozen technologies explored in the previous edition. Information on similar technologies has been concentrated into a smaller number of chapters to make it easier to compare history, revenues, technical descriptions, and user information across technologies.

This revision includes a more comprehensive companion home page on the World Wide Web that provides updated information submitted by chapter authors. The Communication Technology Update Home Page 9http://www.tfi.com/ctu/) also offers links to other Internet resources, as well as a listing of trade organizations and trade publications covering all areas of communication technology.

The sixth edition of Communication Technology Update will continue to include a Statistical Abstract of Communication Technologies, providing year-by-year statistics on dozens of communication technologies, as well as a more complete glossary.

Dr. August E. ("Augie") Grant is a technology futurist who specializes in research on new media technologies and consumer behavior.
Jennifer H. Meadows is Associate Professor in the Media Arts Option of the Department of Communication Design at California State University, Chico. She earned her M.A.in Radio, Television and Motion Pictures at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin. Her teaching and research integrate practical and theoretical concerns related to television production, the relationships between media and users, and changing media behavior in the new media marketplace. In addition to her teaching and research, she is Executive Producer for Milk Crate Productions and is a consultant to media organizations.
Using proven methodologies and strategic applications, TFI prepares technology and market forecasts, which provide a forward-looking vantage point for making sustainable business decisions. Their services include consulting, research, education, and publications. Their clients include leading international technology and industrial companies. When industry insiders want an informed, independent assessment of future technology change, they call Technology Futures, Inc. [www.tfi.com]