Top Consumer Technology Advances Over The Last Decade
- Sites like Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter have revolutionized the way we interact with our families, friends, and coworkers. Most of these sites provide a plethora of games, music, photos, videos and fan pages where a user can spend hours submitting comments, browsing and chatting with other members.
- In addition to the social networking site phenomena, blogs and Skype (a free video chat service) have changed how we communicate via the web.
- Cell phones have also become an inevitable part of everyday life including texting, email, and even the internet on smart phones. The 3G, and newly emerging 4G, wireless networks enable us to download web pages on our phones faster than ever before. With the advent of "apps" for practically every purpose, we have the world at our fingertips with the latest touch technology in phones like the iPhone.
- When was the last time you went to drop off a roll of film? Exactly. Digital cameras became the norm in the last decade as well as built-in cameras and video recorders in items like cell phones and iPods.
- Digital music also saw a boost with the introduction of the iPod and numerous other MP3 players.
- We saw the slow decline of retail video/game rental outlets with the advent of services like Netflix (which also can stream directly to your living room with the proper devices), RedBox and Gamefly.
- We can now rewind live TV and fast forward through commercials in recorded programs with DVR boxes and services like TiVo.
- Flat screen TV's have replaced the older tube TV models and the newest LCD TV's average only 1" thick. HDTV is also the norm with advancements like Blu-Ray discs that make the movies come to life like never before.
- E-readers like Amazon's Kindle, Barnes and Noble's Nook, and the Sony Reader series are beginning to edge in on the print publication market. These devices allow avid readers access to the daily paper, games and thousands of books anywhere in the world instantly.
- Video games have evolved tremendously over the last decade with advancements in motion technology on systems like Nintendo's Wii console. Microsoft's Xbox 360 console is not far behind Wii with its "Project Natal", but has yet to discuss an official release date. The Playstation 3 is billed as an entire home entertainment system, boasting a Blu-Ray player in addition to its solid gaming platform.
- Sirius and XM have changed the way some of us listen to radio. As a subscription service, satellite radio broadcasts commercial free on the same channels, coast to coast.
- Flash memory has made data transport the easiest it's ever been. With storage capacities upwards of 64GB, some have been compared to external hard drives.
- Cloud Computing is catching on. Internet based use of programs and file sharing will soon replace the need for multiple servers and heavy duty workstations. Bulky desktops with massive amounts of storage will give way to "thin clients" - basic workstations to access the "cloud".
- Hybrid cars are on the rise and practically every major manufacturer has their version on the market. The advances in green automobile technology over the last decade have given us a strong foothold for the future of hybrid and electric automobiles.
- GPS systems have now become easily accessible to consumers and have simple interfaces that any novice can figure out. Whether you are getting directions on your iPhone or using a portable GPS in your vehicle like a Garmin or Tom-Tom, getting where you need to go has never been easier.
- More and more states are passing laws regarding hands-free cell phone use. Bluetooth technology has made the "10 and 2" rule a breeze with their hands-free earpieces and other products. Some vehicle manufactures have even started to include Bluetooth technology in their products, allowing drivers to access their cell phones through a button on their steering wheel rather than fumbling around for their phone and being distracted from the road.
