It’s an interesting paradox that a lot of Americans are struggling still with the economy the way it is, and others are buying every new techy gadget that’s on the way.
I remember when my cell phone bill was about thirty bucks. There really weren’t many options with the first mobile phones—you just picked the number of minutes you’d need, basically.
Today it’s a whole different story. My mobile phone bill is three times what it once was and I have three times as many options to choose from. And yet it somehow simplifies my life instead of complicating it.
This isn’t a post about disparities in wealth or anything like that. Everybody got hit by the Great Recession, some more than others, some only peripherally. Some believe if anyone is the big loser in all this, it could be the middle class.
This isn’t about that, though, it’s about one person stripping their expenses down to the minimum while another buys the latest and greatest gadgets.
It’s amazing how little you need when you start paring things back. Life is much simpler than it seems. Not that I’m saying we should step back from technology.
Here’s what technology can do. If it’s well thought out and extremely capable, a technology can greatly simplify our lives. New technologies do that every day.
(I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention how Apple is unveiling the new iPhone 5 next week. And all the iPhone fans and would-be fans are excited. Of course. They should be.)
Technologies like smartphones and IVR systems are making our lives more convenient and efficient every day. And safer. And less expensive. And a lot of other things.
