How shoppers with smartphones are changing the retail landscape

1. On a traditional list of Christmas Eve activities, shopping wouldn't rank very high, given that most stores are locked up tight. But in a reflection of how the world of retailing is changing, consumers with a hankering for the best post-Christmas bargain will be able to make their choice without doing anything more than tapping out an order on their smartphone or tablet. Those who consider Christmas Eve should be reserved for more festive or religious activities may say "bah humbug," but for a retailer like Future Shop, which is seeing increasing visits to its website from smartphone and tablet users, it's more like "bring it on."Future Shop started seeing a noticeable uptick in visits to its website from mobile devices about some months ago, which triggered the development of an iPhone app.

2. Analysts talk about the "digital revolution" or "digital transformation" that is changing the retail world, as consumers use smartphones and tablets for everything from product research and price comparison in the store aisles to purchases. Retailers in turn are developing mobile apps to provide product information, coupons, promotions or consumer ratings. The total number of sales from mobile devices is still small. But the digital transformation doesn't seem likely to slow down.

3. Still there is a minority of shoppers who are using handheld devices, and sales via mobile are only a small fraction of total revenue. But the business case for mobile and e-commerce is not necessarily the small numbers that people are seeing.

4. Analysts talk about the different shopping experience, and the need for retailers to have a strong presence wherever customers might find them, whether that is in their store, online or via a mobile device. The interest in tapping into mobile apps extends beyond retailers to those running the shopping malls and centres which are eager to get more consumers in the main doors.

5. Another question is security. It depends on the consumer making a conscious decision to use the app, but technology also exists that would allow malls to track shoppers via their cellphones. Two malls tried out the technology last month, but quickly turned it off, because there's a line that shouldn't be crossed. The success of any mobile strategy for a retailer is to gain the trust of the consumer. If the consumer feels tracked, then it's not a very good strategy.

Reading Comprehension

I) Match the headings to the correct paragraph:

1. No turning back

2. “Multi-channel” presence

3. Privacy concerns

4. New way of shopping

5. Don’t be misled by small numbers

II) Match the sentence halves:

1. Digital revolution is changing a) not very high

2. Not so many shoppers use b) the way of shopping

3. One of the main goals of any mobile strategy is c) new technologies to

compare prices

4. The total number of sales from smartphones is d) to make clients trust it

 

Vocabulary

I) Find words and phrases in the text which have similar meanings:

1. a small group of people or things within a much larger group 3

2. the range of people or things that you can choose from 1

3. to hit your fingers lightly on something 4

4. money that a business or organization receives over a period of time, especially from selling goods or services 3

5. the activity intended to help sell a product 2

6. a choice or judgment that you make after a period of discussion or thought 5

II) Match the English words with their Russian equivalents:

1. bargain a) жаждать

2. hanker b) давать начало

3. festive c) выгодная покупка

4. trigger d) праздничный

 

Sentence Completion

Use the words on the right to fill the gaps in these sentences:

1) A…………rise could be seen in visits to the website notice

from smartphones.

2) ………… use mobile devices to search consume

for products.

3) Clients should make a conscious ………. to use new decide

technologies.

4) The ……….of success is in these numbers. reflect

5) The changes in the way people go shopping are………..

to appear. like

 

TEXT 26

Computer software

 

Computer software, or just software, is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programmes, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on the computer system.

 

Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physical interconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) the software. At the lowest level, software consists of a machine language specific to an individual processor. A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions which change the state of the computer from its preceding state. Software is an ordered sequence of instructions for changing the state of the computer hardware in a particular sequence. It is usually written in high-level programming languages that are easier and more efficient for humans to use (closer to natural language). High-level languages are compiled or interpreted into machine language object codes.

Types of software. Practically computer system divides software system into three major classes: system software(helps run the computer hardware and computer system), programming software (provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computers programmes, and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way), application software (allows end users to accomplish one or more specific tasks).

System software includes: device drivers, operating systems, servers, utilities, windows systems. The purpose of the system software is to unburden the application of the programs from the details of the particular computer complex being used, including such accessory devices as communication, printers, readers, displays, keyboards and also to partition the computer resources such as memory and processor time in safe and stable manner.

Programming software includes: compilers, debuggers, interpreters, linkers, text editors.

Application software includes: industrial automation, business software, computer games, telecommunications, databases, educational software, medical software.

Applications software has a wide variety of topics. Users often see things differently than programmers. People who use modern general purpose computers usually see three layers of software performing a variety of tasks: platform, application, and user software.

 

Computer software has to be "loaded" into the computer storage (as memory, or RAM).Once the software has been loaded, the computer is able to execute the software. This involves passing instructions from the application software, through the system software, to the hardware which ultimately receives the instruction as a machine code. Each instruction causes the computer to carry out an operation-moving data, carrying out a computation, or altering the control flow of instructions.

 

Sometimes data movement involves moving data between memory and registers, which enable high-speed data access in the CPU. Moving data, especially large amounts of it, can be costly. So, this is sometimes avoided by using "pointers" to data instead. Computations include simple operations such as incrementing the value of a variable data element. More complex computations and data elements together.

 

1. Answer the questions:

1. What are the "pointers"?

2. At the lowest level, the computer software consists of a machine language specific to an individual processor, doesn't it?

3. What are the types of software? Their functions

4. What is computer software?

5. Name three layers of software, performing a variety of tasks.

 

2. Complete the sentences, using the text. Translate into Russian. Retell briefly.

1. Computer software has to be "loaded" into the computer storage (as memory, or RAM).Once the software has been loaded, the computer.....

2. System software includes:.....

3. Computer software, or just software, is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programmes, procedures......

4. Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses........

5. Practically computer system divides software system into three major classes:......

6. Programming software includes:......

7. Users often see things differently than programmers. People who use......

8. Moving data, especially large amounts of it, can be costly. So, this is sometimes avoided by using......

9. Application softwareincludes:......

 

3. Translate the following sentences into English. Use the information from the text.

1. Программное обеспечение-это общий термин, обозначающий целый ряд компьютерных программ и приложений, документацию и процедуры, позволяющие выполнять определенные задачи.

2. Программное обеспечение-это упорядоченная последовательность инструкций для успешной работы комплектующей компьютера.

3. В системное программное обеспечение входят драйвера, операционные системы, сервера, утилиты, системы Windows.

4. Программное обеспечение включает следующие средства для написания программ: компиляторы, отладки, интерпретаторы, редакторы текста.

5. Пользователь выбирает программное обеспечение в зависимости от своих потребностей.

6. Прикладное программное обеспечение включает широкий ряд тем, таких как: промышленная автоматизация, бизнес, компьютерные игры, телекоммуникации, образование, медицина и многие другие.

 

4. Match the words and word-combinations from the columns.

1. prosedure a) окружать,заключать

2. machine language b) разбиение,разделение

3. increment c) последовательность

4. complier d) процедура

5. templates e) приклад. программное обеспечение

6. untilities f) машинный язык

7. application software g) возрастание, увеличение

8. sequence h) компилятор

9. partition i) шаблон,заготовка

10. encompass j) утилиты

 

 

5. Look through the text and find the English equivalents of the following words:

язык программирования, компьютерное программное обеспечение, прикладное программное обеспечение, разработка, набор, компилирующая программа, шаблон, увеличение.

 

6. Define the main idea of each paragraph.

 

TEXT 27

Operating systems

 

In the world there are a lot of network operating systems. Among the most successful system are Unix, Novell Net Ware, Windows NT Server. All these system can restrict the rights of customers' file servers to allocate resources of the workstations. Each of these systems meets the criteria of safety, reliability and most importantly-security.

 

In addition to the system which primary function is to organize a file server, there are systems that provide the user on the network. These operating systems include Novell DOS, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95-98, Windows NT Workstation. And the last operating system contains a tool to allow access to local networks, and the utilities access the Internet.

 

Currently most operating systems support a variety of networking protocols, hardware, and application for using them. That means that computers running dissimilar operating systems can participate in a common network for sharing resources such as computing, files, printers, and scanners using either wired or wireless connections. Networks can essentially allow a computer operating system to access the resources of a remote computer to support the same functions as it could if those resources were connected directly to the local computer. This includes everything from simple communication, to using networked file systems or even sharing another computer graphics or sound hardware. Some networks services allow the resources of a computer to be accessed transparently, such as SSH which allows networked users direct access to the computer command line interface.

 

Client/server networking involves a programm on a computer somewhere which connects via a network to another computer, called a server. Servers, ussually running UNIX or LINUX, offer various services to other network computers and users.

 

These services are usually provided through ports or numbered access points beyond the server network address. Each port number is usually associated with maximum of one running program, which is responsible for handling requests to that port. A domain, being a user program, can in turn have access to the local hardware resources of that computer by passing requests to the operating system kernel.

 

Many operating systems support one or more vendor-specific or open networking protocols as well, for example, SNA on IBM system, DECnet on system from Digital Equipment Corporation, and Microsoft-specific protocols (SMB) on Windows. Specific protocols for specific tasks may also be supported such as NFS for file access. Protocols like ESound, or ESD can be easily extended over the network to provide sound from local applications, on a remote system sound hardware.

 

 

1. Define the main idea of each paragraph.

 

2. Find the sentence expressing the main idea in each paragraph.

 

3. Complete the sentences. Retell the text, using the answers.

1. In the world there are a lot of network operating systems. Among the most successful system are...

2. All these system can restrict the rights of customers' file servers...

3. Currently most operating systems support a variety of networking protocols,...

4. Networks can essentially allow a computer operating system to access the resources of a remote computer to support the same function...

5. Client/server networking involves a programm on a computer somewhere which connects....

6. Many operating systems support one or more vendor-specific or open networking protocols as well, for example,...