What does Digital really mean?

These days, everyone talks about going ’digital’ but what does that really mean? It has become a bit of a buzzword and gets thrown around an awful lot. Here, we take a look at the real meaning behind the words.

Digit A digit is a single character in a numbering system. In decimal, digits are 0 through 9. In binary, digits are 0 and 1. Describes any system based on discontinuous data or events. Computers are digital machines because at their most basic level they can distinguish between just two values, 0 and 1, or off and on. All data that a computer processes must be encoded digitally, as a series of zeroes and ones. It also relates to a finger.
Digital – Traditionally, digital means the use of numbers and the term comes from digit, or finger. However, today digital is synonymous with computers. The word relates to a device that can generate, process, record, receive, transmit or display information that is represented in numerical form. It also relates to any profession or activity that is performed using digital devices, such as a Digital Photographer.

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Digital audioSound waves that have been digitized and stored in the computer. The most common digital audio formats are music CDs and Windows WAV files. Music CDs are played in CD players as well as CD-ROM readers. WAV files are stored in the computer or on  CD-ROMs and played by a media player software application. For Home Automation, visit http://digitalinteriors.co.uk/

Digitize –  To translate into a digital form. For example, optical scanners digitize images by translating them into bit maps. It is also possible to digitize sound, video, and any type of movement. In all these cases, digitization is performed by sampling at discrete intervals.

DigeratiThis is a word that refers to people who are knowledgeable about all thing ‘digital’ and are considered to be the ‘digital elite.’ It often refers to the movers and shakers in the industry. Digerati is the high-tech equivalent of “literati,” which refers to scholars and highly educated individuals.

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Digital ConsumerDigital can be seen as a mix of technologies and social change. It is the convergence of social media, mobile and the web. Together these have created a new kind of connected consumer. Mobile phones have put 24/7 access to the web, social media and email in our pockets. This power is reshaping behaviour and creating a new breed of customer, unlike anything we have seen before.

Digital consumers see the world in a different way as for them virtual and physical have equal relevance. They carry their friends and family everywhere they go via social media apps on their mobiles and when buying an item, they are more likely to consult their network than listen to traditional advertising. They share everything online and have a different view of privacy. The connected consumer will share and seek advice on their choices, using the internet to help them.