BACK IN THE DAY…
In 1990, life was very simple.
Technology included TVs, Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs), Stereo Hi-Fi equipment, cameras and camcorders. These items have one thing in common, they are there for pure entertainment and for pleasure.
Taking photos and then videos of family and friends and never knowing the quality of output until either the film was processed or the compact VHS cassette was hooked up to the TV was the highlight of the after-party.
Watching BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 (before Sky TV was launched around 1992/3) was all you had for content, apart from the daily newspapers.
1992 was the launch of the first Amstrad PC, using the Intel 286 chipset.
THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION
Soon followed Cordless phones, mobile phones, fax machines, DECT cordless phones, digital phone systems, GSM Mobile phones, registering domain names, setting up BT Connect email addresses and advising Businesses on all of the above all the way up to 1997. Between 1998 to 2002 BT had launched BROADBAND.
A whopping 512Kbps download speed and up to 256Kbps upload.
The internet was taking off. Google, YouTube, Yahoo, Internet Explorer (IE) were the new kids on the block. Many legal battles ensued, with other software companies complaining that with IE being bundled in with PC operating system, that this was an uncompetitive advantage to Microsoft. They eventually had to show that other browsers are available, thus paving the way for us to ‘Google’ away for our Internet searches. Let’s not forget BING!
Apple came and changed it all again. Firstly, with the iPods and then, in 2007, the ultimate game changer in the way of the iPhone!!
We now had content in our hands. The only problem was that we were still on 3G mobile speeds. The mobile networks now had to catch up with demand and along came 4G and gradually increasing the data speeds.
THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN OUR LIVES
Fast-forward to the meteoric rise of Social Media. Content, content, content….and then more content! My Space, Beebo and Friends United were washed away in history as fast as they had arrived, with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter all becoming the norm. Reddit is the one of the originals still to be popular in today’s online world.
We have become ultra-reliant on technology. So much so, that when it fails, we seem to fail and the stress and distress it causes a minority within our society is now becoming an issue.
A whole new industry of Health and Wellness companies are being launched to train people in the art of ‘taking a chill pill’ and using other methods, other than technology, to rebalance the mind, body and soul, especially in the workplace.
We give are two, four and six-year old’s tablets and smartphones to keep them occupied while we get on with household chores and running your own businesses as we have the rise of the Entrepreneur and wanting to be the next Richard Branson or Deborah Meaden.
REMEMBER TO TAKE A BREAK
However, we inadvertently put pressure on ourselves when things don’t work. This is more prevalent in the corporate world. We check our emails everyday when on vacation, we answer that ‘important’ question from a client and actually, they can wait as they have take your calls when on holiday with their family.
Remember, switch off your electronics at least two hours before bedtime. Play with the kids on the floor with lego and reset your brain daily!
MAXIMUM NETWORKS
Get in touch with the Maximum Networks team team today on 0330 102 7444 or using our contact form