Tell me about your use of technology. If you can recall a time before cell phones, texting, and maybe even, dare I say it, email, tell us how life was different in those days. Do your best to avoid judgmental statements(better or worse) now: just describe.
There was always television and video games in my world. There was even what we thought was going to be the next big thing, "virtual reality." However, Gameboys were the closest thing we had to any mobile entertainment device that I can remember. People seemed to speak face to face a lot more in those days. Especially for my family, it took a little longer than most for us to get caught up with technology. When my parents got cell phones, we all wanted to use them, and I did not even like talking on the phone. It was the same feeling we had several years before when we got a cordless phone(yes, phones used to have chords that prevented you from going more than a few feet). When my brother and sister and I got cell phones of our own, they were pretty basic, but we loved them. It was amazing how quickly we became dependant on them. It was even longer before we got the internet. Before we would go to the library to check our email and such. I remember one time in high school I was supposed to do an assignment then email it to my teacher by the end of class. I did my assignment fairly quickly, but spent the rest of class trying to email it to him. I asked another student how to do it. I could not understand the words he was using. I began to slightly panic, knowing this was something I should already be familiar with. The bell rang, the other students left, and I stayed behind to explain to the teacher. I told him that I had done the assignment, but that I didn't know how to email it to him. He just stared at me with a blank look on his face. We stared at eachother for what seemed like forever until I finally gave up. I just said "[w]ell, okay then..." then left the room. I am sure he figured I was lying or was frozen by my ignorance. Either way, I hated technology for that moment. Of course, I completely depend on it now. It will be especially crazy for my kids to comprehend a time before...well, who knows what will exist by then.
ReplyDeleteI totally get what you are saying. I returned to school two years ago after an absence of ten years. I was lost I had to quickly make friends and ask for help which is not the easiest thing to do.
DeleteHello, my name is Kassandra and I have an addiction to my iphone. I have had two Droids (aka "smartphones") prior to this phone, both of which fed my cellphone addiction. I feel the need to constantly check the time, send texts, check email, post facebook stauses, and so on. If I walk out the house without my phone, it is immediately a bad day. If thats not bad enough, I always feel like I'm having a mini-heart attack if I think for a split second that I have lost it. Its odd how a little device can control so many different aspects of my life, but it is true. My laptop is quite useful, but comes second place in technology usefulness for me. I really do not ever recall a time where technology was not rather abundant. I'm twenty-four so the internet and computers have been a staple in the classroom as far back as remember. What I have observed, however,is the rapid evolution of computers, cellphones to smartphones and invention of new devices. The number of tasks that one device can accomplish has yet to cease to amaze me. Technology only continues to consume every nook and cranny of our society. It is the main tool,sometimes the only tool, used in many industries today. It is a crucial part of our day-to-day lives, but the ultimate impact on people, how people interac with one another and society as a whole remains to be seen.
ReplyDeleteYou are completely right about the reliance that our society has on technology. Technology has greatly contributed to our society, both positively and negatively. However, it is important to note that technology has given humans the ability to achieve tasks that would otherwise be impossible. Technology definitely consumes every aspect of our daily lives.
DeleteKassandra, I completely agree with you when you say that if you walk out of your house without your phone, it will be a bad day. It will mostly defiently be a bad day for me too. I rely on my phone way too much. A mini-heart attack how funny! You are right technology can accomplish a lot, and it is amazing.
DeleteWe have our technology usage in common, I cannot live without my phone.
I must say that I agree with Kassandra and feel just the same with all of you. I also have an iPhone and I have built a dependency on my phone for everything. I can pay my bills, I can text and call family, I can check my e-mail and check facebook. That doesn't include the game apps that I play just to play to stay in touch with my family. Thus, I COMPLETELY agree when you say that forgetting your phone can cause your day to start bad or if it goes missing can give you a mini heart attack.
DeleteThat's funny. My sister has an iphone and she acts the same way. She can't go out without it, has a panic attack at the thought of losing it, and is constantly doing something on it. Thank goodness I have a simple phone.
DeleteI was never able to experience life without technology. As a little girl I remember having a television and a Gameboy. I also remember contacting my dad through his pager. I have never been technology savvy and therefore have never become addicted to any technological device. However, now that I am older I have found myself more dependent on technology, such as my computer and cell phone. My parents always tell my sister and I about the days before our society became so involved with technology. My dad tells us that before televisions had millions of channels; children would go outside and play with their friends all day. Everyone kept themselves entertained with other activities because no one spent hours texting and playing on their phones or spent all day inside watching television or playing games on their technological devices. I always laugh when he tells the story of the time he got stuck coming back home from college one day. At the time he attended college in Bakersfield and lived in Delano. It turns out that back then cell phones didn’t exist and on his way home his truck broke down on the freeway. So, without the luxury of having a cell phone to call for help, he stood there and worked on his truck until he got it going again. He took the back roads, really slow, and had it break down again half way. It took him all afternoon to make it home. He still laughs about it today.
ReplyDeleteBeing that I was raised my grandmother, I also have heard similar stories to this one. She reminded me that, in spite of situations that occured (like your dad's), people were able to survive without a cellphone. People were able to find addresses, and keep in contact with one another with a device glued to thier hip. I just listened in awe. (lol)
DeleteLife before cell phones. I grew up in the 1990's. I remember being sixteen and dating a guy who I thought was so cool because he had a car phone. Thinking back now it seems a little goofy. I was nineteen when my parents first agreed to allow me to own a pager. My mother had always said beepers were only for doctors or drug dealers. My pager had voicemail so people could leave me messages. I was tweenty-three when I purchased my first cell phone. A cell phone that was before text messaging and before internet service. I watch my seventeen year old niece and realize her dependency on her cell phone began at thirteen when she received her first cell phone. One thing that concerns me with advancing technology is the writing. Using "r" instead of are. Using "u" instead of you. I often conduct interviews and a co-worker mentioned that the youth of today are losing communication skills because of advancing technology. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI do believe that advancing technology has negatively affected the skills of communication among the youth. The use of abbreviations and acronyms has become one of the biggest concerns because it is a form of shorthand writing that has become so common in communication. This has ruined the youth’s reading and writing skills because for them words include numbers, symbols and incorrect grammar. Many of those who text every day become accustomed to this form of writing and eventually begin using it in school and other real world scenarios, such as job applications. It is devastating to see how much this has affected our youth.
DeleteI also agree that advancing technology is hindering our communication skills but also our people skills that are needed with interaction. I honestly feel a bit sad for the generations to come because they will be so dependent on technology for information, data and everything else. They will depend on technology for basic math that should be done in your head. It will hinder the youth but the only benefit of advanced technology comes new methods for medical treatments to cure reoccurring diseases. However, in the end our youth will be seriously hindered in an intellectual level if we do not update our teaching methods that can get past this crippling dependency on technology for everything.
DeleteI could not agree with you more. I am not an english professor nor is my spelling perfect, but the deterioration of communication skills is deplorable. It irks me when people can't fomulate a decent sentence in a status, tweet or text. Can you at least read what you're writing before you post it for the world to see? Its really a shame.
DeleteI remember thinking car phones were cool. My aunt was the first person that I remember had a cell phone. It was huge, but so amazing. Thankfully none of my nieces are allowed to have cell phones yet. However, I have a teenage cousin who visited last summer that seemed to never look up from his phone. He was texting, tweeting, and updating his Facebook status 24/7. I couldn't help but be annoyed. I am not sure he really was able to enjoy his trip, even if his tweets said otherwise.
DeleteI was born in the ninety's, so growing up technology was everywhere, but it definitely was not as advanced as it is now. I remember the first playstation, it did not have built in wifi. I remember my first cell phone freshman year of high school, which was 6 years ago, it was a really small nokia, and it did not have texting capability nor did it have internet, the only thing I could do was talk; it also did not have unlimited talk, I believe it had only 700 minutes a month. But before my first cell phone I remember just using the land line at home. It was a portable phone but you had to be within a certain range or the phone would start to static and loose connection. I remember trying to see how far I could walk away from the receiver and still get a good connection. I remember leaving home and no one could reach me, everything would be left on the answering machine. Sometimes I miss those days, not being connected 24/7.
ReplyDeleteHaha it is funny how we are only a decade apart generation wise, and yet things are soo much different being born in the 80's vs. the 90's. I remember when playstation came out and I was overwhelmed and refused to play anything older than a sega or nintendo. My husband and I finally purchased a PS3 last christmas and it is so AWESOME. It isn't necessarily the video games we enjoy, but being able to access netflix and hulu through it. I also laugh about you remember getting your first cell phone when you were a freshman in High School, that would have never happened to me. My first cell phone was well after I graduated, Even though they did exist since I was in High School. It is funny how much 10 years really can make a differenc in technology. Heck, 1 year makes a profound difference these days. Thanks for your post.
DeleteThat is exactly how my experience growing up was. My first cell phone was freshmen year and it was one of those little Nokias, with no texting and no internet. In fact I remember the coolest thing you could do with those was change the covers to different colors and that was about it. I remember having a very low amount of minutes too and the big bonus was having rollover minutes and waiting till the weekend to talk to people because it was unlimited. I also remember when I finally got a PlayStation after my friend got the new psII and gave me his old one. I've never been into video games but I remember thinking, how can it get much better, these graphics are amazing! great post! it was just like my high school days!
DeleteI was born in the late 80's, I got my first computer when I was 2 years old. I also got my first mobile phone while I was in elementary school. I guess my parents thought it was wise to expose me to as much technology as possible, and embrace it I did. However, owning technology back then did not necessarily mean that you were always connected, so I can definitely relate to missing that. In the early 90's, most consumers used dial-up to connect to the internet, and so you were not always online when you powered on your computer. Nowadays with the advent of broadband, people could afford to be connected to the internet 24/7. This hyper connectivity boom is both a blessing and a curse, but the evolution of information technology will never cease as long as humans continue to be innovative.
DeleteI could relate to this because I was also a 90's kid and I also experience the whole cell phone thing. I had one of those ugly Nokia phones as well that didnt have anything much you could do with it. It was basically just for emergency. Now that I'm older I get to have one of those fancy smart phones but I myself sometimes wonder the same thing how would it be to be technology free for a day?
DeleteI use technology every single day, pretty much at all times of the day. I currently I am unemployed I am a stay at home wife and mom, but I am currently a full time student. Even though I am currently not working I still use technology all day. I own a cellphone, no house phone; therefore I rely on my cell phone at all times. I text the necessary amount, I text my friends, since their not in my network (don’t want to waste my minutes) I text my husband, he can’t talk on the phone at work. I also text my family, the only people I talk to on the phone are those who don’t know how to text (mom, dad, in-laws). I use my email all day to check on school work, and sales!
ReplyDeleteI recall when I didn’t have access to all this wonderful technology, or when it didn’t exist. I would use a house phone to communicate with my friends and family, and it was only used for emergencies because house phones were expensive to have; we would be charged for every minute that was used. When it comes to email, I guess I didn’t need it; I was probably too young, other than that I guess I didn’t need an email. Before email we would use the postal service, now in days I hardly use the post office; everything is done electronically.
I think it is interesting how you note that you have a cell phone now, and no house phone, because that seems to be the trend, due to the fact that people now use their cell phones for just about anything. But of course older generations are not willing to make those changes, therefore we accommodate them by calling them on the telephone! The fact that you also send a lot of texts in order to avoid using up your minutes is also relatable, and very symbolic of the way that people reason nowadays!
DeleteI am an in between generation. I was born in 1983, so I have always known of a little bit of technology, but nothing like the generation this day and age knows. I was a Nintendo child and that is about as far as it got. It seems when the 90’s came around technology really started to progress. I remember in Jr. High taking a computer science class it was 1995, I believe, and I was so excited to use the internet. I was stoked to look up all my favorite bands and beyond that I couldn’t think much more to look up. Then later on in high school AOL came out with instant messenger, OH MY GOD every one of my peers were hooked! I did not have AOL instant messenger, so I would go to my friend’s house and use it with her. Ha-ha, it was so stupid, but we were so entertained by it. Slowly, but surely more social networking was coming about with websites called “Live Journal” and “Melodramatic” where you could post and become friends with people, it was nothing compared to MySpace and Facebook. When MySpace eventually came out, I refused for the longest time to get an account. I eventually did get a Facebook in 2009. Social networking has completely changed socialization. I remember actually interacting with people once upon a time, but now with Facebook, I feel like I see someone every day when in fact I have not seen them in over a year. It is crazy the way Facebook has opened up a world to stay connected to people near, far, and in between. I think Facebook, along with text messaging as made people lazy, yet it is so convenient! I hated talking on the phone, and now I can just text someone real quick and it is done. I hated talking to those friends who would make you talk on the phone for hours on end and you just wanted to get off, but they wouldn’t give you the opportunity to end the conversation. Now, with text messaging I can just say my point, or ask my question and be done with it. I know I am horrible, but I hate the phone, seriously it is the devil. Anyways, I remember refusing for the longest time to even get a cell phone, but I eventually cracked and I could not imagine life without one. Funny, how I did at one point in my life manage to get along with a cell phone. Even though I have a cell, I still do not have a smart phone (I have the freebie). I am hoping when my contract expires this year to FINALLY GET AN IPHONE and be in “the know”. I did recently purchase a Kindle Fire this year, but it still does not have the apps that are available through apple. Anyways, I remember a time without hardly any technology, but I am young enough to not be out of touch with how much technology has moved forward.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about social networking today. I was hesitant to open an account with facebook before but when my sister told me all of my relatives from Philippines are on there, I opened one to check it out. After getting connected with all of my family and friends, I became hooked.
DeleteI was born in 1989 so I never really got a chance to leave in a time with no technology. I remember before cell phone and AIM, coming home from school and if you needed to talk to your friend or "girlfriend" you had to call them on their house phone from your house phone, and if you waited too long you couldn't talk to them because you knew there parents would be home and you didn't want them to accidentally pick up and find out you were "dating." I remember a few years latter when AOL Instant messenger, or AIM came out and that revolutionized the way we could all talk to each other. I remember racing home just so I could get on AIM and talk to people that I was just at school with. It then became almost like a contest of collecting people on your "buddy list" and seeing who could max theirs out. I remember waiting to see if people signed on, just so you could say something dumb and talk about it the next day. AIM is the only real connection with old technology that I remember, it was the equivalent of what Facebook is today.
ReplyDeleteYour first few discussions about the "calling the girlfriend on the house phone" is funny. Parents were very strict about that, and you always had to watch out when you called and what time you called. Today, it's a lot easier to get a hold of your partner because everyone seems to have their own cell phones. AIM was the most popular form of getting connected with friends in the past. I could remember the question that people always asked one another, "What's your screename?" I myself was in a hurry to get home from school to log on AIM.
DeleteAt this current moment I am very dependent on technology like my cell phone and the internet. I am not from Bakersfield and come from a town up north that is four hours away. I depend on my cell phone to communicate to all my loved ones and it could be through text or call but commnication is a must in my life at the moment. I am very family oriented partly due to the fact that I come from a Latin family that is very collective culture. Thus, I was constantly on facebook through my iPhone keeping up with all my family members and what they are doing in life. With facebook my aunts and uncles who live out of California also can keep in touch. In addition, I am in the nursing program and we are constantly looking at the internet for additional information on diseases and to be updated with medication. Overall, I have become very dependent on technology for school and family purposes.
ReplyDeleteIn the past I can recall using a basic cell phone when I was in the seventh grade that was mainly used to communicate with my parents. I would tell them where I am at, who I am with and if they needed to pick me up from school or from another location. The cell phone back then is not what it is today; it was with a small screen that was black text and green background lighting. I did not have text messaging until I was 19 years old and at community college.However, throughout the years the phones did get better and I did upgrade to the newer model cell phones but was never dependent on text messaging as I am now. Also, the internet I remember was AOL and the slow process of dial up and getting on messenger just to chat with my friends. I also remember that we had a computer that had color and I think that was fairly new at the time. However, when I was younger I was not as dependent on technology as I am now but there are certain factors that play into that dependency.
I think that one of the main advantages of today's technology is being able to communicate with loved ones who are not living close to us. Thanks to all the advancements in technology communicating with people from long distance has become less stressful. For instance, I remember years back when my mom wanted to talk to her family from Mexico it would always be a hassle. Now it is hard not to depend on technology when it facilitates things for us.
DeleteI know, Facebook and skype have truly helped with that. :)
DeleteBeing born in 1989 meant that while I never had experienced a time before technology, I was alive in a time when technology was starting to become mainstream. Before having an internet connection and cell phone, my younger years were spent idling about messing with more simple things such as Legos, and Yo-Yo’s. I remember the only way to contact my best friend at the time was to call him up on his house phone, and then ask for him after his mother had picked up the phone. This meant that if he was away from home, there would be no way to contact him. This was a much different time than the present, where almost everyone in developed countries carries around a mobile phone on them at all times. Life was much simpler back then, although this may be because of my new found responsibilities as adult more than technological advances. Also, we did not own cordless phones at the time, which meant that I was tied to the receiver for hours, talking to friends on the phone. My summers were spent outdoors, participating in active recreational activities. I remember back when texting was the craze; I was a pretty late adopter and belittled the ways of typing out a string of characters on a clunky mobile device rather than simply dialing a number. However, once the texting interface improved with newer iterations, I was sold on the fact it was a very nonintrusive way of communicating with others.
ReplyDeleteI was born in 1991, so I can relate to almost everything you are saying. I remember summer time being spent mostly outside. My older sister and younger brother and I would invent new ways of playing older games. I just remember being very creative because it was either that or watch television. Watching television was not bad but after sitting for so long we would build up so much energy we had to find something to do. And things have changed so much, I have an 8-year-old nephew who spends much of his time on mothers laptop playing video games. I was listening to him to talk with his friend who lives next door and his friend asked him why doesn't he have a cell phone and my nephew responded by saying, "I don't know, but I need one, I think I'm going to ask my mom for one for my next birthday." I then made both of them go outside and play. It was funny. I did not know what to say or do, so that was my best solution. Times have changed so much, I could never imagine having a cell phone when I was 8.
DeleteTechnology is like water for many people that they use all the time every day from playing games to completing their job tasks and managing their financials across the globe. I personally experience the abundance usage of technology everywhere, for example, in my church Sunday school teachers use PowerPoint presentation even for toddlers’ classes. Nowadays, we see as little as five years old kids play games on their parents’ iphone and can figure on their own how to play various types of games. Nemours games and play station types are available in the market for all ages and social statues, which made technology not only restricted to rich or educated people but fit all people. For me, access to technology was very limited. Until I turned twenty three years old the only technology devices I had were just a television, a house phone, and a very basic play station. After I moved to the States technology became more accessible and became part of my daily life. The technological feature that influenced me the most and changed my life was unlimited access to the internet. This helped me a lot to overcome the symptoms of culture shock I had when I first moved here. It also helped me to be always updated about what’s going on around me locally and globally and search for jobs. It made it easier compare and contrast between different types of jobs that a new immigrant can work. Additionally, Internet played critical role in completing my science degree and in keeping me up to date with the daily scientific changes that cannot be monitored by using traditional text books. Recently, my wife opened facebook and Skype accounts that enabled us to contact face to face with family and friends all over the world. With these awesome forms of communication, life became more endurable and enjoyable. To sum, technology shaped my learning experience, and it has become such thing that I cannot get along without.
ReplyDeleteWow, It has been awhile since I have last attended church. Seriously, Powerpoints are being used for Sunday school? Why do Toddlers need a power point for sunday school? Nothing against the church, its just kinda humors me how much people really do rely on technology, even when I wouldn't have thought necessarry. I wonder if Older generations look at the younger generation and think the same thing about us with our Iphones and what not. Thanks for your post!
DeleteElaine Souvannakham
ReplyDeleteWeek 3 Blog
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Technology have advanced tremendously over the years. I could remember moving here to United States in 1992, and it was all about cassette players, videotapes, pagers, large HP computer screens, Large TV’s that weighed over 100 lbs, and cellphones that were a size of water cup. Life was different. I watched all of my movies through videotapes because that was all that existed back then. When I wanted to refer back to a scene from a movie, I’d have to click the “rewind” button on the video player. The most popular form of communication was the house telephone. The only person that was mandated to have a cell phone back then was the head household which was my mom. Her cellphone was the size of a water cup, and it had actual dial pads like the ones on the home telephones. It didn’t have any features like touch screens, apps, music ringtones, etc. Today, everyone has a cell phone and most of them are touchscreen. I also had an old school HP computer that took up 1/4 of my bedroom space because the computer screen was so big, and the most popular way to connect to the internet was the AOL dial up which took about 15 minutes to connect because “it was so slow.” Today, my internet connection is through Bright House, and the wifi speed is unbelievably great. As a matter of fact, I’m connected to the internet all the time even when I am not home. I check my emails, facebook, general accounts, and school assignments on my iPhone. Before I always hear people say, “Call me.” Today, I hear people say, “Text me or facebook me.”The technology with cell phones has advanced so much since the 1990’s. My brother’s always played their video games through “nintendo” where the two controllers had wires that were are connected to the nintendo. Each time their game would freeze, they would take out the tape, and blow on the bottom then insert it back in to play again. Today, there are PS3’s and Wii’s. The features that comes with these are amazing. It’s wireless and I have seen my nephews connect on the internet to play with other people. When I get a chance, I play the Wii games with my family to exercise.
That is funny you bring up the "slow" dial up connection from AOL. I recall our first home computer was dial up and having to wait so long just to connect, and even longer to browse the internet. It also brings back so many memories about the nintendo and blowing off the bottom of the game so it would work! Too funny, I would love to get my hands on an old nintendo again.
DeleteI agree that technology have amazingly advanced over the past two decades. I also remember the slow AOL dial up connection and how it would take forever to surf the web or download big data files. It was a pain because it also keeps the phone line busy as long as I am using the internet. However, I love the sound it makes when it is connecting (dialing up) because it was my first internet service I had after I moved here to United States in the year 2000.
DeleteMy use of technology is more than some but less than others. More than my 50 yr. old father-in-law but less than most other people my age that I know. I use my cell phone for talking and texting but not for web surfing. I do have a laptop though that I use for e-mail, web-surfing, school, and homework, etc. Even though I do use technology, it feels to me as if it is on a minimal scale because I can only do what it seems everyone can do. If the procedure requires more than the common knowledge, chances are that I will not be able to do it.
ReplyDeleteIn the time before cell phones, texting, and e-mail, life was slower. Of course, at that time, I was younger and keeping in touch with the world was not my top priority. I would go to school, see my friends, go home, and stay there the rest of the day. I guess you could call me a homebody; moreso then than now.
This is an interesting topic for this week because I recently came across an article that showed that the youth today do not have to remember things as much as we do due to the easy access to information, I thought the article was interesting. I was also a child born in the 80's, 1982 exactly. As a child the only use of technology that I recall would be the computers used in my second grade class. Remember those big computers with the little screens and you had to enter the address before even being able to work on the computers. I remember playing learning games on those things! I do not recall cell phones until I was a little older, but I always remember our house phone. We always had a house phone along with an answering machine that used actual tapes. I know for me, I do not have a house phone and utilize my cell phone for all contact with the outside world. I've noticed that when I was younger and even a young teen I was always outside playing, running around the neighborhood with friends and could careless about what anyone else was doing. Nowadays kids don't get out and play as much as they used to. With Facebook, twitter, and texting there is really no reason for our youth today to have to interact with other youth.
ReplyDeleteToday as an adult I find it more convenient to have easy access to the outside world. With school, it takes shorter time to type a paper then to write a paper. I can access my professors without having to pick up the phone, and even communicate with friends and family at the push of a button. I have grown to enjoy my experience with technology, however, miss my younger days when I didn't have the options to be readily available to the outside world.
Unlike the majority of you, I lived many years without “modern” technology, because I grew up in the 1970’s. When I was young, our family had one telephone in our house, a rotary, for those of you who are not familiar with a rotary phone you had to put your finger in the number one at a time, rotate it to the top of the phone, and then wait for the dial to return to its original position. We did not have an answering machine, there may have been some available, but that was a luxury not all families could afford. Our family had one television, which had about six channels. During the day, there were only soap operas and game shows. Cartoons were a treat for kids, which were only available on Saturday mornings. Upon entering high school in the 1980’s, my family had gotten a cordless phone. There were not cellular phones or pagers at that time, but I still had the ability to meet up with friends, make it to parties, and maintain a very active social life. By the time the 1990’s rolled around, I had a pager! This freedom allowed me to go places and be reachable for anyone who needed me, as long as a pay phone was around to return the page (that was a telephone, usually in a booth that required money inserted into it to make a call). Finally, that brings us to today, I am a total technology junkie, I have an android Smartphone, I have four computers, a Blu-ray DVD player, and would not be able to function without my cable Digital Video Recorder (DVR). I feel like I could not function without any of these items, unlike the bygone days of my youth, where I functioned perfectly fine.
ReplyDeleteWow, another 70's kid! I thought I was the only one. I love your description of the days with the pagers and pay phones, too funny. I feel like we're describing the roaring 20's!
Deletehaha, I completely forgot about pagers! I remeber my brother getting one and I was so jealous! I remember watching saved by the bell and the "Zack Morris" cell phone seemed so high tech.
DeleteWhile I do love modern technology. I can appreciate the days when channels were limited and play time was face to face. I think those of us who grew up around that time played outside a lot more because we had no choice.
DeleteI'm probably the most ancient person within this group. I was born in the 70's! My use of technology was limited to t.v. and land lines with rotary phones. Nothing was wireless and everything was big and bulky. My first use of a video game console, Atari, was in the early 80's. At the time, the games were so fun and exciting. Pac-Man gobbling up dots while being chased by ghosts, very exciting stuff. As far as cell phones, I am one of the lucky ones to have witnessed the ginormous cell phones from the 80's. My brother actually had one, which was quite the status symbol. It was as big as a shoe box, but extremely cool. Looking back, these items make me laugh to no end. I wonder if those of you born with technology all around you, will one day laugh at the days of texting.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny that you mentioned a rotary phone. I was born in 1981 and I guess my parents weren’t too advanced because I remember that phone and they also had an 8 track player which they would refuse to get rid of, until it finally broke. It is so amazing and frustrating how fast technology advances we are always going to try to keep up until we get tired of it and refuse to upgrade and just keep what we already have.
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ReplyDeleteGrowing up I can remember always having television but it was not until later in my life that my parents bought a computer. I was around 12 or 13 when I began to use the internet and I can remember that I mostly used it for school related reasons. I recall my dad always having a cellphone and if not a pager and we always had a house phone. Early on I was not too drawn into using technology. The main reason for this is that I used to live in a ranch so I would rather the outdoors. I did not even get my first cellphone until my senior year in high school which was not that long ago. Now, on the other hand, as technology has become more advanced and useful I have to admit that I feel anxious when I do not have my phone with me or I do not check my email. I guess it has become a habit for me.
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool that you lived on a ranch and I would rather be outside than inside. At the same time, I can't live without my iPad. I don't know how I got along without it. I am just happy that technology is becoming outdoor friendly.
DeleteI use technology constantly in my daily life, and I don’t know how I ever lived without it. Even though much of the same technology was around when I was younger, my parents were far behind and didn’t want to change their ways. My family didn’t even get a computer until I was fourteen—we used a typewriter before then! After I began using the internet (dial-up, of course) I was hooked on it. Thinking back to my childhood, no one had cell phones. They were only for rich people. There were landlines and answering machines, and when you left the house, no one could get a hold of you. I remember my parents listening to the answering machine first thing when we got home. It’s strange that in a matter of about ten years landlines became obsolete. I got my first cell phone when I was sixteen, but I didn’t even know how to text until I was almost twenty. Now I rarely ever call anyone—texting is so much easier! Before e-mail was popular, I got letters in the mail all the time from my grandparents. I can’t remember the last time I got a letter from a person. I rely heavily on my GPS every time I go out of town. I can’t even imagine trying to look at a map—I would have no idea how to read it. Whenever I need to know something, I just google it. I rarely go to the library anymore, and I certainly wouldn’t know how to use the card catalog system.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think how far technology has gone in just a decade imagine how much more advance it will get as time progresses. Your post is relateable because texting has made my life easier now I can avoide those awkward phone calls and just text the person if I need to ask something.
DeleteI was born in 1991, so my generation already had technology, but nothing as advanced as this generation. I remember in the 90’s I would be addicted to video games, either playing them in the Super Nintendo or the Gameboy. Other than that I didn’t really use technology much until I got much older like in middle school. I remember the first time my parents bought me a computer was when I was in 8th grade and I didn’t have a cell phone till high school. Even when I was high school though I didn’t have the normal cell phone, I was stuck with the pre-paid phone. It was the most annoying thing ever because every time I had a friend call I would have to cut the conversation short because they would waste my minutes. At that time I would always use the house phone now, I don’t even bother since it’s easier to just text someone. It wasn’t till freshmen year of college I got an actual cell phone and now I’m always with my phone. Also social networking was something I got into especially in high school when MySpace was the “thingy” everyone was on. Now in this generation we are really into social networking but simply because I think it made things easier such as to communicate with people. Like currently I have a Facebook, twitter, email, and tumblr. I think technology has made us dependent on it, before if you were looking for an answer to something, you would hit the books, now you can simply Google it and you would get different sources to that question, in just in a single click. I also think that in this generation everything has gotten smaller and more portable and easier to carry technology wise like you just need one single gadget to have all in one for example, an iPhone. In a iPhone you can watch TV shows, surf the web, calls, texting, and etc. everything has become so much easier than before. Everything in my generation was big like the cassettes, VHS, boom boxes, televisions, and computers to just name a view. I think I wouldn’t be able to last a day without using technology because it has become part of my life now, whether it is my cellphone, iPod, computer, or even my Xbox it’s just something that has become a routine for me to use.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this generation is completely into social networking. I kind of think that it’s a good thing because growing up I really didn’t talk to my relatives who live in Mexico so we missed out on many family events and family information. Now I still don’t have a Facebook, I am against it because I think its addicting, but my husband does and he has all of his relatives and my relatives. We find out in an instant if someone is pregnant or even see the baby as soon as it’s born or any other meaningful or meaningless information that they choose to share. Social networking is a great way of keeping in touch with people who you would not otherwise keep in touch with.
DeleteAs time passes, technology advances. It has taken over almost every aspect of our lives. Don't get me wrong, I love technology. I just believe in purpose and functuality. I don't use just to have the lastest, most popular, cool looking electronic device. I use my laptop mainly for papers, to check important emails, and complete online homework. I do not have a facebook. I'd rather talk to my friends in person. I enjoy technology, but not to point where I can't live without it. I remember the days when hi-tech to me meant having a television and a portable cd player. Growing up, I did not have a game system. I spent most of my time on my acoustic guitar or on trips with my family. I loved the simplicity of those times.
ReplyDeleteI am always years late when it comes to technology. I usually am able to be up to date with technology as it becomes more affordable. However, I still only own the free phone from Verizon. Crossing my fingers that I can finally get an Iphone with a new contract. Anyways, I completely agree with your comment about technology taking over every aspect of our lives. It makes me think will we one day live in a world depicted in the movie "Wall-E"? I sure hope not, that would be pathetic. Thanks for your post!
DeleteI grew up in an age before the Internet, cell phones, and even pagers were common place. The most exciting piece of technology we owned was an original Nintendo. Birthday cards and invitations came from the mail man. Our photographs came from film. I remember being excited when my mom took us to a photo hut to pick up pictures and how much fun it was to look through the stack. It gave me a chance to relive the moment and experience the emotions, good or bad, that I felt when someone snapped the picture. I also remember the day we went down as a family to pick out a computer. My mom, dad, brother and I walked into a small store in a strip-mall and in the center of the room there were four or so pedestals. Perched on top of each was a computer. The screens were small little black windows and the key boards were big and clunky. My brother and I had access to more technology than most, but our attention spans were too short to spend a great deal of time inside. Most of our day was spent roaming the neighborhood. As a student now, with access to the Internet and different forms of instant communications, I spend more time staring at a computer screen than outside with my dogs. Everything now is instantaneous. I no longer have to wait for pictures and most of the time I rarely go back and look at the ones I have taken. Technology has come along way and changed many aspects of society. It will be interesting to see what life will look like for me twenty years from now.
ReplyDeleteYou’re right it was exciting to go develop the film just because you couldn’t wait until you got them back, you had no idea what they would look like until you picked them up and saw for yourself. In a way I miss having to go to the store to develop the film but I also remember how expensive it was. We had to buy the film and then pay to get it developed. You were also more careful about what you took pictures of because you didn’t want to finish the 24 roll on just any pictures you wanted to get the best ones. In that way technology is good because now you could take as many pictures as you and do over if it didn’t come out the way you wanted. I do miss the excitement of looking at the pictures because, like you said, I don’t go back and look at the pictures after I take them.
DeleteRemember when Polaroid cameras came out? Wow, now that was exciting! Like both of you, I would get so excited to see the pictures when they were developed. Often times, I could not even remember what pictures would be on them and I always would be so disappointed in the ones that didn't come out or I had my eyes closed in! But when the Polaroid cameras came out, that changed everything!
DeleteI am not very advanced when it comes to technology but I really have to say I love it. It makes my life easier and it gives me more time to spend with my family. My main use of technology is computers and I mainly use it for paying my bills, checking my accounts, and for music. It is just so easy to keep an eye on everything without having to call, go places and wait in line, or deal with rude customer service people. It’s funny to think that about ten year ago I was making all kinds of checks and running to get to places before they closed so that my bills wouldn’t be late. I used to have to buy a CD because I liked one song on it, so I had a stack of CD’s and it was hard to keep them organized. Now I have all of my music in organized playlists in ITunes and I only download the songs that I actually like and I get to take them with me everywhere on my phone. Even though I love technology I do limit it for my kids because they could spend most of the day playing their games. I really don’t like to spend too much time on the computer and I don’t understand how people could be in front of the computer or playing games when there is so much to enjoy outside. It could be because when I was growing up our technology was a phone (with a cord), a T.V. with very few channels, and a record and tape player. The technology wasn’t so advanced but I did spend a lot of time playing outside and using my imagination to play pretend because that is what life without technology is.
ReplyDeleteI feel very fortunate to have a parent who was always interested in the forefront of technology. When my parents ran a daycare service, we always had a new gaming console. When cell phones became available, my dad had one for work. We always had a computer in the house -- I still know how to run DOS because that's what I grew up with until Windows debuted.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can think of being very fascinated with before the "advent" of e-mail is letters. I wrote letters to everyone. When my grandmother passed away, my mom found a stash of letters that I had written to my grandparents. I wrote letters to the next door neighbors, and I *loved* receiving them. One of the best things I ever did was pass on a postcard "chain" letter. A few weeks after sending out postcards to the address I was directed to, I received hundreds of postcards from all around the United States. I still have them!
I agree with you, I also remember the excitement that came with receiving a letter through the post office. My cousins and I kept in contact for several years and taking the time to sit and respond was one of my favorite on the weekends. I sometimes go through my stuff and think back. The letters definitely bring back beautiful memories. I would like to frame them on day to be able to show them to my children and encourage them to do the same. I would dislike for them to miss on something as special as that.
DeleteI still love receiving letters. Checking the mail isn't any fun now that we all have email address. All I receive is bills, and wants that? There is something about receiving a letter in the mail. I think because it breaks the normal routine of receiving bills. Or maybe because you post it somewhere on a desk or shelf and it still looks nice. Try printing out a nice email though and it looks so impersonal!
DeleteFor some of us life without technology would be complicated. Cell phones in general are a great tool for communication purposes. In the past cell phones were big and heavy. I remember being amazed when my father got his first cell phone. I used to like carrying it most of the time because I thought it made me look cool. A couple of years after for my birthday, I asked my family for a pager. My brother surprised me with a cute and small pager. I remember carrying it everyday and everywhere I went. I would hardly receive any pages and when I would receive one, I did not have money to call back. Thinking back on those days I realize how people can be more secluded from the world now days. I understand the purpose of the social networks but I do believe they are also helping people decrease their in person social experiences. A great deal of individuals do not bother to visit or talk to one another in person because it is easier to check their Facebook status. Facebook is the most recent and successful network to take over the social media. Before Facebook, almost everyone attained a MySpace or other social network account. Emails and text messages have proven to be more efficiently for all career levels. Smart phones allow us to save time, money, and increase our organizational skills on a daily basis. I personally believe that technology can be a positive thing more than a negative change for society.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I forget how much technology has changed in the past couple of decades. Last week I was pumping gas into my car while my young daughters sat in the back seat watching me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them waving their arms to get my attention. I opened the car door to see what was going on, both of my girls simultaneously said "mom, the phone is ringing!" That was such a strange experience for me, that would have never happened to me at their age. When I was their age, we used TV guide to find what shows were on and when. And unless you had a new TV, you did not have a remote control. I really noticed technology changing as a preteen, pagers were invented! Payphones were everywhere! I remember people lining up at the payphones so they could call people who had paged them. As a freshman in high school I had typing class, now who has heard of that? However, by the time I was a junior, their we were in a computer class with floppy disks! Internet came shortly after that, boy did that change everyone's life. I can't recall one day in the past several weeks, where I have stayed off of the internet. I watch some of the movies that were made in the 1990's, with the large cordless phones. They look like bricks compared to the ones we have now! Technology has really changed.
ReplyDeleteWow you took me back to the times of pre-remotes and typing class. I remember word processors which was like a cross between a computer and typewriter. Wow I feel old now thanks. Haha
DeleteThe 75 degree combination of sunshine and breeze is ideal for a day outdoors, so I sit on one of the round tables outside of the Starbucks on Stockdale and California, sipping home-brewed coffee from one of my tumblers, my face so close to my iPod Touch, I block the sun from creating a glare upon the screen. I sit far enough away from the building not to feel guilty for taking up an available seat that could otherwise go to a customer, but close enough to pick up the free at&t WiFi. My widget screen is four slides of four icons long, each of which are running at the same time because I am using all of them. My internet icon alone holds eight tabs, four of which are related to research for a class project, another two being used to buy two textbooks from Amazon simultaneously, another containing my work schedule, and still another which I am using to access Blackboard for one of my classes. My Bose earphones are plugged into the jack, my thumbs are typing shorthand onto one of my “notes” drafts, and the sounds of Big D and the Kids Table on Pandora Radio are feeding my flow of thoughts as I wait for my music to finish downloading from iTunes, my new applications to finish downloading from my App Store, and my email inbox to contain a response from somebody I am corresponding with at the moment. In another email icon, I am responding to messages, while my Facebook icon remains open as well for correspondence. Meanwhile, I have a couple of articles open from my Russia Today and CNN applications, as well as an article from the New York Times open on my News Stand icon and the place I left off on last in the Donald Miller book I am reading on my Library icon. My English Standard Version bible application is open to the place I left off on last in Proverbs, while my camera is set up in case I see anything I want to photograph during my bike ride. I also have my music icon open so that I don’t lose my place on a Dominic Balli song that was about to come on before I stopped, and which I plan to listen to on the way back home. My global positioning system icon is open as well, displaying the bicycle route to a place I need to be later that evening, while my calendar remains available as I synthesize information from three other planners.
ReplyDeleteThe manner in which I completed the above tasks about seven years ago was much different. In fact, most of these tasks weren’t even necessary for me to worry about, as my only planner was a large spiral note-book style book in which I wrote long-handedly which class assignments were due on which days, as well as the lesson plan for each class day, a few doodles, song lyrics and simple, cheesy poems, written in wooden No. 2 pencil. When I listened to music, it was either during a car ride or on my Wal Mart brand boom box, which probably then weighed about the equivalent of three text books. Everything that I read was either a book or a hard copy of a reading, as computers were not used nearly as prevalently as they are today. The greatest difference between now and then is the way in which I would buy music. Now, I think of a song I want to listen to, type a keyword into the iTunes search bar, find the song and download it for a dollar. Seven or ten years ago, my brother and I would beg my mother to take us to the mall with the closest F.Y.E. store, which was about a 30-minute drive for us then, spend hours listening to samples of each song on each of a stack of CD’s I would collect after going through the music in my favorite genres in alphabetical order. After listening to each song, we would go through a process of ellimination and get down to about three of the best CD’s. My brother and I would take part in this project together. We would work together to make these decisions. After a difficult decision, we would present the two CD choices to my mother, who was always hesitant to support our music taste, and we would be lucky to go home with one of them. We sought for this experience more than any other incentive.
I use technology for everything. I have an smart phone so it is very helpful. There is so many things available for phones today. We can add extra features and we can take advantage of the internet. If we can access the internet through our phone this is basically like a computer. I use my phone to do research on many things. Whether I am looking for help on my homework or just trying to find the lyrics for a song that I've listened to my whole life. I do remember a day without texting and emails. But since I can remember cell phones have always been around. THe only difference is that the cell phones that people used to use back in the day were a lot larger. Texting tok of when I was in 7th grade. I remember texting my brother when I was in Mexico with my dad. Texting and using e-mails is something that is very helpful in our everyday lives. We can't go without it now that we have seen how great it is. I think life was different in those days because when people wanted to talk to their families they would actually cal them. Now a days we text. This is actually a good thing though because now we can keep in touch with our friends and families at all times.
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