Since my life has pretty much revolved around technology for the past decade I thought it appropriate to write about the past 10 years of change and innovation that has taken place on Planet Earth.
From the Y2K hype at the turn of the last century (of which we will never know if our biggest fears would have ever really happened) to the DotCom Era of booms and crashes on the stock market, we have survived and exceeded expectations in the world of technology – the Digital Decade.
Written about by Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates back in 2001, the Digital Decade had yet begun with the man himself. He initiated this by encouraging us to get on to the Internet via Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.
Technology has soared in leaps and bounds this past decade, whilst policies and procedures are still catching up. For example, read how the FTC guidelines have suddenly changed after 30 years.
Certainly in my opinion, one of the most influential companies of the Digital Decade has been Apple Inc. Along with founder Steve Jobs, Apple Inc has revolutionised the consumer electronics media market, selling over 200 million iPods as well as selling loads of iPhones. Apple have also sold billions of songs on their iTunes media player which was made available to both Mac OS users and PC users.
Cellphones have become smaller and smarter to what we now refer to as Smartphones, creating an all useful electronic that fits in your pocket.
GPS navigational units have helped us save fuel and time by getting us to our destinations quicker and has also helped us save the environment in the process.
The paperless office has become more and more of the norm these days rather than a novelty heard about from some trendy, new office spaces. eBooks and digital information are fast becoming the way we refer to reading and learning in the Digital Age. Amazon has just released its Kindle Wireless Reading Device which allows you to read ebooks bought from there Amazon Store online. What an awesome way to spend time on the Underground and public transport.
Google became the Internet search giant of the Digital Decade, making the way we search for things on the Internet much more relevant and accurate after the recent Caffiene update in June of this year.
The freely available social media websites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and Wikipedia are some of the top visited on the Internet today because of the interconnectivity they offer between friends, family and common interests. There is no doubt they will continue to grow into something so much more in the future.
So to sum up I have included some of Justin Harrison‘s predictions for 2010 below or on YouTube.
Smoke hovered over Thesen Island today, whilst a fire raged on the west bank (Western Head) of Knysna’s Lagoon. We travelled across on a boat to get a closer look later in the day only to see flames jumping a few metres across the trees and an explosion went off at the top of the mountain.
Houses on the west bank of Knysna were surrounded by flames with only one helicopter making every effort to combat the fires in Knysna today.
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Started reading How to Win Friends and Influence People again after about a decade and came across this simple expression which goes nicely with my Christmas theme…
“It costs nothing, but creates much.
It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give.
It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None are so rich they can get along without it, and none so poor but are richer for its benefits.
It creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in a business, and is the countersign of friends.
It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and Nature’s best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is no earthly good to anybody until it is given away.
And if in the last-minute rush of Christmas buying some of our salespeople should be too tired to give you a smile, may we ask you to leave one of yours?
For nobody needs a smile so much as those who have none left to give!”
I am quite sure everyone is gearing up for the holiday season by now. Family are starting to arrive and gifts are getting bought. I find the shopping malls this time of year hectic but enjoy sitting down to have a coffee to take in the festive spirit around the place.
Most people are sitting window shopping and as the month goes on, the sales in the windows become more enticing whilst walking by. “STOP! Let’s go in here quickly”, one would say, while the other is clearly looking further ahead at a different destination.
So it’s happening all around and I can definitely say that it is a great time to see everything come alive. See you at the mall!
If all the hussle and bussle is cetainly not your thing then online shopping is the way to go. The best part of it is that there is still time to get things delievered before the serious mad rush of Christmas.
