It seems like only yesterday mobile technology didn’t exist. Not so long ago we used Royal Mail to send letters, maps to find our way around and once you left the house the only way to speak to your friends was to use a payphone. Life has come a long way since then. Innovations in Mobile technology is moving at lightening speed and has already changed the way we do business and socialise in the modern world, but is it really such a welcome convenience?
The last such revolution was when we were first introduced to mobile phones. Practically overnight we found ourselves unable to live without our mobiles, when five minutes before we couldn’t see the point. But alongside this love of mobile phones brews a bitter taste as we suddenly realised nowhere was safe anymore. Now the boss / the other half / the kids could get hold of us anytime. Anywhere.
Our new found love of smart phones seems to be developing in a similar manner. Its fantastic how we can navigate our way to a meeting, check our emails on the train and upload photos from anywhere, but this ‘always on’ mentality means we get a whole lot less downtime. Now, as well as phonecalls, we can also be interrupted anywhere by incoming emails, the latest Facebook status or a breaking news item.
Although mobile technology is designed to help us stay in touch with our friends, in some ways it seems to have made us more isolated. Why bother making a phonecall to catch up with a mate, when it’s so much cheaper and more efficient to send an email? What’s the point in using petrol to pop round to a friends for coffee when we can catch up on the gossip with our instant messenger for free?
Going on holiday will never be the same again. By the time we get there we will have checked out the hotel on Google images, found out about the local area on Lonely Planet and already lined up the top 10 attractions on Trip Advisor. Going out for dinner? No longer do we cruise the high street to see what we fancy. By the time we get to town we’ll have read the reviews, downloaded the menu and found a money off voucher. All at the touch of a button (or screen).
Whilst all this is very useful and saves time in our busy lives, doesn’t it somewhat spoil the excitement? Sometimes getting a bit lost and wandering down a back road will reveal the best little Italian in town. And isn’t there something beautiful about visiting a new town and making your own mind up about the attractions, instead of relying on other people’s reviews?
There is no doubt that mobile technology has made things easier and is sure to continue to evolve and become more and more a part of our lives in the future. Still, sometimes I think we need to leave the smartphone at home and do things the old fashioned way. There has to still be a place in our lives for libraries, maps and exploring, otherwise where will we be if the internet stops working?
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