The Race To Embrace Technology

Keeping up with the latest technology is a daunting task. It can sometimes seems as though a new gadget or update to an existing device is made available on a daily basis. Seconds after returning home from purchasing the latest and greatest model, you relax only to find out it has been replaced with version 2.0. Right now, for example, speculation is running rampant about this week's unveiling of the new iPhone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.

The techno-Joneses may often be one step ahead, but let's a take a look back at four media technologies that have helped fuel the information revolution:

THE INTERNET

No doubt the granddaddy of them all, the Internet has truly changed global communication in nearly every sense of the word. This world-wide series of tubes has allows people from far-reaching places to connect in a way never thought previously possible.

Ultimately born out of the Department of Defense's ARPANET initiative of the late 60s, the Internet has changed nearly every facet of our lives. The way we do business, the way we gather information, the way we learn, it has all been influenced by the phenomenon. By some accounts, over 25 percent of the world's population has spent time surfing the Net, including nearly 765 million people in Asia alone; In the United States, over three-quarters of us are on-line.

For many businesses, the rise of the Internet has been both a blessing and a curse. While it certainly has the potential to increase productivity in some respects, for employers that enhanced efficiency must be balanced with the prospect of workers illegally downloading copyrighted material, the risk of infecting the corporate network with damaging viruses, and even the electronic harassment of others.

On another level, some observers view the informal method of communication that has developed on-line (think e-mail, instant messaging) as having a growing impact on the misuse of language in educational settings. Still others just worry it is making us dumb, period.

Nevertheless, for all of the possible negative repercussions that the Internet has brought, the positives will ultimately prevail. In a world fraught with injustice, the plight of the few can be brought to light for the many with the click of mouse. The ability for artists - musicians, painters, writers - to share with the world their works to an audience once only available to the few. The possibility to debate - and learn - from others half-way about the globe. Yes, the Internet may have brought us this, but is has also opened up a world that didn't previously exist.

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

Powered by the Internet, social interaction has changed dramatically as well. Taking the communication that used to happen between friends, family and colleagues in real-world physical environments and turning it on its digitized ear, social networking sites have become some of the Internet's most popular destinations.

Dating back to the early pre-browser days of on-line bulletin boards, today's social networking sites allow users to reconnect with old friends, find new acquaintances with similar interests, and even search for the love of your life. One of the most popular destinations on the Internet that was originally designed to allow college students to interact, Facebook now boasts over 400 million active users, 70 percent of whom are located outside of the United States.

One university study suggests that the use of social networking sites by students actually helps prepare them for life after graduation by teaching the networking skills necessary for a successful career, and further found that spending time on the sites is increasing the technical proficiency of low-income students.

However, concerns do exist as well about the privacy of information being shared by users on social networking sites, and a recent survey found that many young people are becoming increasingly leery that the type of information they have shared on such sites may end up causing them harm as they enter into the realm of adulthood and seek to find work after college. And despite the diverse population available with which to connect on-line, research suggests that these sites often function to support the maintenance of pre-existing social networks.

Yet others believe that social networking sites may actually serve as a window of opportunity when disaster strikes, allowing for faster transfer of information than traditional media and the ability for users to share information and knowledge regardless of geographic location.

As member of multiple social networking sites, I do enjoy the connection with old classmates, and friends in far away places. And recently my association with the business site LinkedIn led to a job interview, which otherwise is unlikely to have happened. Still, there are times they are a little much. (No, Tom, I'm not that interested in how you spent every single waking minute over the past four days.) But, just like with any other medium . . . there is always something else on.


MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES

It seems today when we aren't physically planted in front of a computer, we are nonetheless tied to a miniature version, often in the form of a cell phone or a personal digital assistant. In a twist that Bell is unlikely to have seen coming, these new devices - often referred to as "smart" phones - allow the user to be connected 24/7. Web surfing, streaming video, music libraries, text messaging. With all of the capabilities available, it would be an honest mistake to actually forget that these devices can be used to place a phone call from one person to another.

Far from the enormous and bulky cell phones that cause snickers when seen in old movies or television shows (the first cell call was publicly placed on the streets of New York City in 1973 on a phone weighing 2.5 pounds), today's cell phones and personal digital assistants truly are miniaturized versions of our desktop and laptop computers, and are far more ubiquitous. A 2009 report by the United Nations found that there were an estimated 4.1 billion active cell phone subscriptions, which equates to nearly 60 percent of the world's population. In the United States, 25 percent of households are choosing a cell phone exclusively over the more traditional land lines.

Personally, I spent years resisting the purchase of a cell phone. The thought of being accessible to anyone, at any time, was a little unnerving - especially when it came to work. I figured my employer owned enough of me, without being on call round the clock. Like most people, however, I ultimately took the plunge and have survived. In fact, looking back it probably would have come in handy that day I got stranded on the Interstate . . .

TELECONFERENCING

Finally, the ability to rely on various teleconferencing options has significantly impacted the world of business. Conferencing together multiple people from around the globe to share ideas, discuss strategies and dissect results has transformed the notion of a workplace.

Video conferencing, Netmeetings, and Webinars - real-time discussions or instructional seminars connected via a Web interface - have joined traditional telephone conference calls for many of us. In my workplace, for example, co-workers are now not only in the next office, but in the next county, state, and even country. Not only does such technology allow for ease of access to people in different geographic locations, but it has the potential to bring together individuals from various cultural backgrounds, thereby encouraging a more diverse dialogue.

As a result of these technologies (along with the impact of the recession) more organizations are also relying on telecommuters, employees who work from home and are virtually - if not physically - connected to their peers. By some estimates, the number of people telecommuting will reach 60 million by 2016. Relying on the various conferencing options has impacted business travel as well, as more and more companies realize that sending someone halfway around the world for a business trip isn't the most cost-effective, or always the most productive, approach. In my previous organization, nearly all non-essential travel was eliminated and we relied almost exclusively on teleconference and web broadcasts.

This technology has even made its way into the realm of personal use. The Luxembourg-based Skype service allows users to place video calls to their friends and family regardless of location, using just a high-speed Internet connection. And more recently, nearly five million people are said to have downloaded the Skype Web telephony application for their iPhones.

Oh yeah, about that new iPhone . . . what are the odds it's going to be able to clean my house?