I’m old enough to remember the early days of some of the technology that we now take for granted. I’ve seen the invention of the video recorder, the mobile phone and the Walkman. All of these have been improved and developed, as you would expect. Here are some of my favourite advances in techology.
When the Walkman came on the market back in the 80s, it was great to have music on the move. The annoying thing about it was having to carry cassettes, and wind them back and forward. Then came CDs, which were an improvement on tapes. Now we have Mp3and Mp4 players – hundreds of songs in one little player. Love it.
If the internet had never been invented, you wouldn’t be reading this and I wouldn’t have written it. It’s revolutionised life in so many ways, allowing easy communication with people all over the world and enabling many to work from home. So much information is now easily accessible.
I used to dislike how bulky TVs were, with the back taking up so much space. Now, flatscreen TVs are available at reasonable prices, as are flatscreen monitors. So they don’t occupy so much space.
At the start, cellphones were ENORMOUS and too expensive for the average person. Now they fit easily in your pocket and a basic phone is available for pocket money prices. When I got my first phone, I found the sense of security reassuring. Can we imagine life without them now?
Like the cordless phone, I love the freedom that wi-fi gives me. I can move my laptop from room to room, sit out on my terrace and work, or even go to the park, where there is free wi-fi. Plus with libraries offering free access to members, if your home internet goes down or you need somewhere quiet to work, you can take your laptop there and not have to book a computer.
This was a great advance in photography for the amateur user. Before (for the benefit of younger readers), you were restricted to a film with 24 or 36 pictures. Now, you can take unlimited photos, play around with them on your computer, and only print out the ones you want copies of.
With the growing demand for energy, and the risk of existing forms of fuel running out, there needs to be more emphasis on developing and promoting renewable energy sources. In addition, the environmental benefits make this a really positive advance.
It’s not something I’ve undergone myself (although I’d like to), and has to be considered with caution, but there are many people who have had laser eye surgery and been delighted with the results. I do love the thought of being able to wake up in the morning and not have to fumble for my glasses!
What is your favourite technological advance? Is there something you can’t imagine living without, or does technology simply not interest you?
Top Photo Credit: rickvug