Getting my first Walkman while a freshman in college in 1984 was rivaled by my first iPod in 2003. That iPod with its black and white screen and limited functions seems quite simplistic compared to the iPhone I got in July of '09. My daughter's new digital camera is quite small and takes great photos. Our first family digital camera we got years ago can't hold a candle to it.
While our five year old family computer and two laptops still chug along, real innovations with smart phones and other upcoming devices could allow us to put our traditional computers out to pasture.
As we spend less time reading magazines and newspapers, something like a tablet computer (new Apple product that's coming this month according to rumors) could give that industry a real shot in the arm. There are video demos online showing how it could be done. Having full time internet access like a smart phone could make that a fun computer to use, if it's affordable enough.
As I was having lunch a couple weeks back with some former work friends, I brought up how someday the table we were eating on could be a large computer screen, where customers could review menu choices, pay their bill, check email, read news, post to their Twitter or Facebook account, etc.
When I put my son to bed at night, I sometimes ask him what he thinks life will be like when he's grown. While he probably won't see dramatic advances like previous generations with the light bulb and telephone, hopefully he'll appreciate how technology has made his life easier and how hard it was for his parents when they had a car that couldn't fly!
Let's hope too that future geeks don't become too obnoxious for the technology-challenged among us!
No comments:
Post a Comment