The dictionary definition of technology is “the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.” This has been happening as far back as man can be traced. The first tools were the product of the technology of the age, and we have since been through several more eras, such as the bronze age, the iron age and the industrial age, which have all produced new innovations of their own. At the time, these inventions must have seemed wonderful. Just imagine when the wheel was first invented, or the telephone. What a big difference they made to the people living then.
We are now living in a digital age, and this has affected our lives more than any other age before it. Modern technology has progressed rapidly in the last few years, and it continues to do so all the time. Here are just 7 things that have changed, most of them for the better, but as always, there are disadvantages too.
Shopping Online
The way we shop has been changed by the introduction of mobile digital devices such as smartphones. Why trudge through all weathers to pick up your grocery shop when you can order it online and have it delivered to your front door? It is not just groceries though. You can buy just about anything online, and because the online stores do not have the overheads that come with high street premises, they can generally sell the same products cheaper than the physical stores.
Traveling to and from shops can take a chunk of time from our day when in just a few minutes consumers can buy online and use that time for more useful pursuits.
Shopping malls are suffering because of the numbers of shoppers who now buy online, but with the exception of just a few things, like getting your hair done or having a massage, it can be cheaper and quicker to purchase what you want over the internet, and that is what shoppers are opting to do.
Health Care Advances
The advances in healthcare have been amazing. The way surgery is carried out, for instance, has changed dramatically. Surgeons no longer have to make very large incisions to remove something as small as the gall bladder, and this is because of technology.
Tests are more advanced and give results much quicker. This can be lifesaving with some diseases. Diagnoses and treatments have all been made simpler, which has contributed to us all staying healthier later into our lives.
Education
Some experts believe that education has been changed more than anything else by technology. The way students of all ages are taught uses digital devices more than ever before, and they have the ability to research whatever they need online without trawling through books for hours.
Online courses, such as this masters in engineering management online at Kettering University, have opened up the world of further education to everyone. As a 100% online course, this is ideal for working professionals to gain more qualifications with one of the most respected online private education facilities in the US.
It is great to be able to add extra qualifications to your resume, and it does not matter what age, gender or race you are, or even if you have a disability; the possibility of earning a degree or any other qualification is more likely now than ever.
Banking Made Simpler
Most people now have online banking or an app for their bank accounts. This has meant they can make instant payments and transfers which lets them control their finances in a much simpler way. They can see what their bank balance is at any time and wherever they are, which is far better than having to stand in long queues at a branch.
Communications Across the Globe
With digital devices, users can communicate with anyone no matter where they are in the world. The cost used to be prohibitive, but now with platforms such as Facebook Messenger, Skype or Whatsapp, they can speak with their friends or relatives for very little cost, if anything at all.
Social media has become a favorite way of people connecting with one another with millions of people logging into their accounts every day.
More Choice of Entertainment
Games consoles such as the PlayStation range and Xboxes are still very popular, but now the necessity to buy games on discs is disappearing. Gamers can download whatever they want to play, and the consoles are being changed to accommodate this trend.
Not everyone wants to play on consoles though, and smartphones and tablets are ideal for gaming. Games can be played on them wherever the user is and perhaps make that commute on the train a bit less boring.
TV viewing has been changed too. Technology has meant people can now stream programs and films when they want to see them and not at the times the TV companies decide.
Workplaces Made More Efficient
The world of work has been changed greatly by technology and, generally, businesses are more efficient because of it. There are so many things that can be automated. Most people tend to think of the automation of factories and warehouses, but automation is also improving offices and stores too.
There are many mundane tasks that can be made automatic which results in fewer errors and less duplication of work. It also frees the workers to handle more complex and important jobs which in turn helps to make the business more profitable.
Technology is Here to Stay
Technology is here to stay, and it is hard to imagine how people would cope without many of the innovations it has brought with it. The older generation will remember what it was like not to have smartphones and other digital devices, but youngsters would not be able to manage without them.
There is no doubt that it will continue to evolve, and who knows what new things it will bring to our lives in the next few years!
