Communication Technology
The way we communicate has changed drastically over the last few decades. We can send messages, pictures, or even video chat in live time to show our family and friends items and events. Today’s children and the young adults have never known the struggle of waiting for mail or photos to be delivered and for information to be passed along.
Mail and Post Cards
Growing up most of us would have sent letters and post cards of some point. We would have addressed envelopes, gone to a photo store to have film developed or selected a premade postcard. We would send to our family and friends from where we might be to share our stories and experiences. When was the last time any of us sent a letter or post card for this reason? The age of email has changed this way of sharing and memories. Today we simply call on our cell phones, use a video chat feature, or send an email to tell others of our travels. We can show people where we are in live time and even get peoples opinions on what to do next. The digital age has transformed the way we travel and share memories. There are even tracking apps and devices that allow others to see exactly where we are thanks to the Global Position System, better know as GPS.
GPS
GPS has made a huge impact on our daily lives, and we often take that for granted. Our cars, our phones, and even many tablets and laptops are GPS enabled which allows us to get directions to anywhere from anywhere in live time. We no longer must spend time planning our travel routes and looking at maps to make sure we take the best route possible. We do not have to ask friends or family members for help or even write down instructions for ourselves. We simply use our smart devices and let them guide us to where we need to go. If we go back 30 years almost everyone had some type of road map in their cars. If we go back 20 years people would used websites like MapQuest to print step by step directions. At the time MapQuest was a revolutionary tool that was widely used. Today we simply search for a destination online and let our smart device guide us. Can you image how most millennials would react if they could no longer rely on technology and were forced to use a map to figure out where to go.
Shopping
Another common use of modern communication technology that gets overlooked is how smart devices and the internet has changed the way we all shop. We used to use catalogs, newspaper advertisement, radio and television advertisement, and word of mouth to find the items we were looking for. We would rely on skilled salespeople who studied the products and could relay the useful information to us before deciding what item we need. Modern communication has impacted the retail sales world drastically over the last several decades. Today almost everyone uses the internet to do their own research and often know whether a store has an item in stock prior to even going to the location. People do not even have to leave their homes to shop, thanks to the internet. You can have anything delivered to you from consumer goods to perishable foods. If you do decide to go to the store, you can use technology to consult with your friends. You can facetime or send picture messages to ask others if an outfit is cute enough, you can consult with your significant other to see if you need a certain grocery item, you can even by extra and ship unwanted items back to be returned. Gone are the days where people must go to the store to get what they need. Modern technology has ensured we can get whatever we need without ever leaving the comfort of home.
Technology has changed the way we communicate, it has changed the way we travel, and it has changed the way we shop. It has changed the way we live our lives, and it is still advancing. It is impossible to know what the future holds but if we make as much progress in the next 30 years as we have in the past 30 years who knows how easy our lives will be in the future Remember, do not live in the past, embrace new technology, it will only make our lives easier.