Ten Years Ago, We Didn’t Know What They Were – And Now We Can’t Live Without Them
By Paul Wein
In less than 48 hours, we not only get to say goodbye to another year – but another decade. While the “00’s” have brought many joys and sorrows to us all – they have also introduced us to some amazing items that we would never have dreamed of ten years ago – but now could not possibly imagine living without:
•Smart Phones – In 1999, we were elated if a phone call we made on our cell phones lasted until the end of the call without dropping out. Nowadays, we can do everything on our phones from text, to watch movies, to download music, to even taking video.
•Social Networking – I remember how excited I was when I received my very first e-mail. Now, through sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – we can connect with people from our past, present and future in ways that were absolutely unheard of ten years ago.
•YouTube – Probably the greatest invention in the last decade in my opinion. When Ring Fever was on Brooklyn Cable Access Television, people recognized me on the street from the show. Now, anyone anywhere can post and/or view anything at anytime. In fact, one of my clips has close to a quarter of a million hits. If only YouTube launched when Ring Fever was still on the air.
•iPod – If you had a Sony Discman in 1999, you were the coolest person around. Now, my iPod can store tens of thousands of songs and hundreds of videos. The soon-to-be-released iPod will allow you to shoot video.
•Google – I used to hate having to thumb through dusty, out-of-date encyclopedias at school to search for something I needed for an assignment. But thanks to Google, the world is at our fingertips. The term “googled” is now a common spoken word, and their Google Maps literally does put the world at your fingertips – and right in front of your face.
•Global Positioning System Technology – I feel very sorry for the Hagstrom Map Company now that you can carry a digital map of the entire planet in a device no bigger than your wallet. Every time I see one in use I still am amazed by it. In the middle of the decade, cars even began integrating GPS technology into their dashboards, and some cars even come with it standard.
•WiFi – Ten years ago, all I had was a pesky, half-ass dial-up connection that took longer to get me on line then it took to write this column, now – not only do we have Internet access at incredible speeds – but we don’t even have to be connected to anything – or even be at home. From the insides of restaurants and buses, to cafes and coffee shops – to even some workplaces – all you have to do is turn on your computer and you’re online.
•USB Memory Sticks – Another of my personal favorites, these little devices enable us to carry almost the entire contents of our hard drives in the palm of our hands. I remember getting a Zip Drive that used 100 megabyte disks and feeling like I could rule the world. Now – they have sticks that go as high as 32 gigabytes – and counting.
•Streaming Video Programming Online – Watching clips on YouTube is cool, but being able to watch full length television episodes and movies online is amazing. With sites like Hulu, Netflix and others – you can catch up on what you missed – or see movies that you missed in the theater. This invention is my personal companion during my “up-all-night gimmick.”
•Digital Video Recorders – Did anyone ever think in 1999 that we would be able to literally pause live television? With DVRs, it’s as easy as hitting the pause button. My two DVRs at home are constantly full – and with my schedule – I couldn’t live without them.
With technology as advanced and rapid as it is, I am sure that in 2020 – everything I listed above will probably be obsolete. But truth be told, I’m glad we have them now because I can’t live without them – and I can’t wait to see the things I can’t think of right now that I won’t be able to live without ten years from now…
…how about video phones in every home?