Thursday, July 29, 2010

Old Vs New Technologies

When you hear the words "Old Technology" what kinds of words, titles, labels or phrases come to mind?
-boring
-"it gets the job done"
-small screens
-mouse pads
-ticking clocks
-analog
-"oh, that old thing"
-"my old brick phone"
-"that old hunk of junk"
-"I love my old record player"

So what kind of technologies, inventions or devices come to mind when you hear the words "Old Technology?" -

-Oldschool
-the old  televisions (not flat screen)
-the "brick" mobile phones (no internet access, no colour screens, no cameras - just dialing, contacts, texting and alarm clocks)
-radio
-morse code
-record players
-juke boxes
-discmans
-typewriters
-nintendo 64
-gameboys, etc.






So what kinds of words do people of today use to describe "New technology?" - cool, useful, convenient, fun, big screens, touch screens, flat screens, clever, digital, hip, rad, "the new craze," and of course - "NEW!"

In today's society "New technologies" tend to include - 3d Television and films, iphones, ipads, newest versions of mobile phones (colour screens, applications, interenet access, mp3s, games, 3G technology), video and picture messaging, mp3s, ipods, eco friendly cars, networking websites, wireless internet, video chatting eg SKYPE, digital radio, xbox360, cd and dvd burning, music downloads, etc.

I believe that "new technologies" are described as such because they supersede or are seen as "better than" the technologies and inventions developed and used before them. However, the words "better than" often refer to prefence or opinion, yet new technologies are often described as "better than" the devices or technology that came before them. For example; a mobile phone is new because it is the latest version of that particular mobile phone and inbuilt into that phone are the latest technologies such as the latest apps, the latest games, the latest this, the latest that and the fastest WIRELESS internet and downloads and the fastest this and the fastest that...

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