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DEL.ICIO.USMy favorite ‘new’ technology isn’t what you might expect
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A friend at work asks, “So what’s new in the gadget world?” almost every time I bump into him.
He’s expecting word of some new computer that can read minds, or a GPS that not only finds the restaurant but orders for you. Truth is, most gadgets are evolutionary, not revolutionary. Computers get faster and multiple processors are crammed on a single chip. Cellular phones get more sophisticated and add features. But there’s little truly new there.
Here are some advances that are really important. There’s very little glitz and dazzle here: but this is stuff you use everyday, for better and worse. This is my list of what’s new in technology, both good and bad.
Good: Computers are more dependable than ever. That may not seem true when your PC or Mac is acting like a demented house cat. But anyone who’s been home computing for a while can vouch for the fact. The personal computer is now a mature technology. Most of the worst kinks are fixed - a huge deal since the most important attribute of a computer is dependability, not speed.
Bad: Lots of interesting medical technologies show results. I have talked to an Atlanta physician who implants a tiny sensor in the brain, allowing a person to literally “think” a computer cursor around the screen. Imagine what this kind of research can mean to those who do not have the ability to move their limbs. So why did I put this in the bad category? Research and technology like this doesn’t get the recognition or funding it needs. The iPhone is front page news, yet technologies that can change lives often are not. There are plenty of other examples of promising research that can let the blind see, the deaf hear. This needs the sort of government backing that NASA gets (and I’m a big fan of NASA).
Good: The Internet has turned into one of life’s most important tools. It was more fun when I started messing with it, but much less useful. Need to find a movie? Looking for directions to a restaurant? Need quick information for work? Using the Internet has become second nature. Most of us would part with our telephones before the Internet connection.
Bad: The Internet has turned into one of life’s most important tools. Yes, I just said this was a good thing, but it’s also bad. Here are several reasons why. E-mail seems to encourage rudeness. People who know how to spell and use grammar often abandon it when sending e-mail or posting to an online blog. People spend too much time in the online world’s sheltered coves and too little in the real world. I know you could make the same argument with TV, or even books. But I’ll rely on you to see the differences.
Good: Lets finish with something good: Prices continue to fall in the gadget and computing world. Imagine how great life would be if that was true at the grocery store, or the auto dealer. Pick a technology and see how true this is. HDTV prices were near $10,000 and above when that technology hit the market. With computing, the price you pay may stay around the same amount but the power you get for your money has increased dramatically. Digital camera, printers, MP3 players … you name the category, prices consistently go down, not up.
Got your own ideas on the good and bad of technology? Post your thoughts. That way, when my friend stops me in the hall and asks “what’s new in the gadget world,” I’ll have a new answer for him.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Columns
Comments
By azde
September 23, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this
MP3 players ?
i have a philips hdd070
mp3 player i feel ripped off
drm makes this thing useless
can’t use itunes or spiralfrog
By Debbie
September 23, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
I’m getting a lot of “error” messages stating that my computer does not support TI BlackLink Service/TI Graph Link. My kids both have TI graphing calculators, but haven’t used the online updates for years…….they get them updated at school. I’ve tried deleting/uninstalling the program, but my computer says I can’t. Somewhere I read that if the troublesome program was added when I had Windows 98, but now have XP, that I may have to uninstall XP, install Win 98 and then delete the stinkin’ TI program, then reverse everything to get back to XP. I’m very nervous about that whole process. Is there a better fix that you know of?
By Tom
September 23, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
try the suggestions here
Tom