The Gadgets That Are Modernising Our Lives

It’s impossible to ignore the rise in technology being used in everyday life. It may not be easy to see all the time, but it is there, making our lives easier and keeping us all connected. It also means that entertainment is more easily accessible.

Although not all have embraced the next generation of technology in their lives, these modernized activities will soon become the norm.

E-readers and books

When the Kindle first came out, it was shunned by the avid readers of the UK population. It was called a ‘ruthless money making devil’, but now leading electronics companies and even Barnes & Noble have their own e-reader. Not only do they allow you to carry great tomes on a tablet-sized gadget, they are now allowing the blind and visually impaired to read more. Before now, only a small percentage of books were translated into Braille.

With Fifty Shades of Grey becoming the first eBook to have surpassed the paper copy sales, it won’t be long before eBooks become the first choice when buying a book. The price of books cannot lower much more, as they will always carry the cost of the paper and binding. Still, there is no reason why e-readers and books cannot exist together.

Gaming and Smartphones

The battle of the console still wages on, with competition strong between Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. Even PC manufacturers are trying to create the perfect gaming laptop and desktop. Whilst this goes on, another popular platform has emerged. With smartphone screens ever increasing in size (the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a 4.8 inch screen), the opportunities for game developers are also increasing.

With better processors and resolution, games now run faster and smoother on the most recent smartphones. They may not be as in-depth or visually attractive as a console game, but you can’t take your Xbox 360 on the road with you. Don’t be shy about trying games on your smartphone, as it’s a far cry from Snake on the Nokia 3310.

Android TV and Surfing the Internet

Smartphones are not the only platform in which people crave a bigger screen. People have been connecting their computers up to their televisions to give have a larger screen with better definition. Now, with the use of a dongle, you can have an internet connection directly into your TV. Companies, such as Visopix, now have gadgets that run on an Android operating system.

You can download apps, surf the internet and use your TV as a media centre. This gadget will mean that customers can use their TV instead of a laptop, with the ease and accessibility of a smartphone.

Social Networking and Job Applications

This can work either way: it can enhance your application, or destroy it completely. Privacy is the main issue here. Do you talk about all your problems in your Facebook statuses? Have you been tagged doing something illegal? Have you been rude about someone or a company in a recent tweet? Your CV is not the only document checked now by potential employers.

Your social media usage can tell them a lot about your personality, work ethic and reliability. If they don’t like what they see, you can be denied the job no matter how good your application was. Be modest in your social media activity and frequently check your privacy settings. It’s only a matter of time before even the simplest of activities are done through digital means.

This doesn’t mean that the old ways will be forgotten. Old games consoles are still played on and books are still read via paper copy. They are being modernized by digital devices, rather than being made obsolete.

  Beth O'Brien

About the Guest Author:

Beth O'Brien is a Bournemouth University student, who's passionate about technology and gaming.