Media & Technology

Whenever I stop and think about how quickly technology’s developed over the last few decades, it blows my mind. I remember when I was a child and we had a home computer that we would play Solitaire on. Whenever someone won, the cards in the four different piles would individually emerge and spread across the screen, taking several minutes to fill the monitor. It was only years later after playing Solitaire on a newer computer that I realized our first computer was just extremely slow, and that that process usually takes about ten seconds. Over the last two years, my house has suddenly filled with a wide variety of advanced electronics. We have a flat screen TV with wireless capabilities, three different laptops, smart phones, a Blu-Ray player, and an excellent stereo which plays music from iPods, CDs and even USBs.

I love how convenient technology has become; I can listen to music anywhere, anytime, and look up any information I need on my iPhone. I simply adore our television. I’ve always admired the extent of details that DreamWorks movies like How to Train Your Dragon include, and with our new, not blurry TV, I can actually see those details. I love being able to see the ridiculous amount of work and effort that was put into everything from the scenery to individual hairs on the characters’ heads. Watching movies with our surround sound and with perfect graphics makes watching any movie a first-rate experience; we’re constantly inviting friends over just as an excuse to have movie nights.

Another of my favorite electronic devices is my iPhone. I never thought I’d be able to afford such an expensive phone, but now I don’t believe that I could switch back to an ordinary, non-smart phone. I love that I can access all of the social media sites that I use with one click. I can search Google for absolutely anything I want to know, wherever I am. I use my Facebook app every day; staying in touch with my friends has never been easier. I had never had texting before, and had always thought it was a waste of money, but since I got my smart phone I’ve seen how convenient it is. Instead of having to answer my mom’s phone calls while I’m at work, she simply texts me and I can respond when I’m able to. If I’m somewhere where there’s a lot of background noise, I don’t have to worry about hearing the person I’m communicating with; I just text them.

I think that the biggest perk for me when it comes to texting is my ability to text my best friend. She has a stutter and won’t answer phone calls, so my new ability to text messages to her has greatly increased the extent of our communication. I can even plan parties and events right from my phone; between texting and using my Facebook app, I’ve noticed that my plans come together more quickly and with much more ease than before. Being alerted immediately when someone texts me or messages me on Facebook helps with my being able to respond to them in a timely fashion. Although I’m quite satisfied with the amount of electronics in my life, I look forward to seeing what other kinds of technology come out in the next few years. Though it’s hard for me to imagine technology getting even more advanced, I’m sure that it will. After all, when black and white TV came out, I bet people never thought something like 3-D capable televisions would ever be on the market.

I wrote this article for an application to a scholarship sponsored by Direct2TV.com