Technology is all around us all the time, it has evolved and continues to evolve, and we’ve elected to highlight 4 ways that technology has changed our lives.

Technology is always with us

Both at home and in business, technology is always with us.  Smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, iPads, GPS – how did we ever live without them?

We have changed the way we read, listen to music, keep in touch with old friends, and purchase our groceries – all because of technology.  We need technology to function.

1. Education

Technology has changed the way people learn in a very big way.  Online and distance learning has made adult learning more accessible, while classroom learning has been enhanced with computers and the Internet.  Notebooks and blackboards are used in conjunction with technology to teach students.

These days one doesn’t have to be present to hear a lecture or be in attendance to understand a complex concept.  Technology provides students with easy access to a lecture through video conferencing.  Online tutoring has also changed the way students can learn.

2. Communication

Technology has changed the way people communicate.  People continue to communicate but they are encountering less face to face communication.

Smartphones, Voice Over IP and other methods of communicating including social media have made it easy to connect with anyone around the world.  These tools have made communication simpler, more efficient and convenient, allowing you to chat virtually and instantly share information and ideas.

Gone are the days of picking up the phone or heading over to someone’s house to chat. Smartphones and the internet have replaced traditional chats with virtual ones.

In business, technology has allowed for improved collaboration – particularly for offices that are spread around the world.  Communication tools like video conferencing have improved this communication by eliminating time and distance.

3. Productivity

Technology has changed the way we do business.  You can use technology to speed up production, decrease costs, increase quality, save time, and more.

You can sell your products online; use online marketing to reach larger markets, use the internet to research your market and competitors, making you more competitive in the marketplace.

Customers expect answers in minutes, accounts and statements are sent out instantly, while bulk emails can be sent to an entire client base.

Computers have replaced filing cabinets stuffed with handwritten files and reports.  Technology has streamlined the workplace, made it more efficient.

The downside to technology in the workplace is when employees use technology for activities that aren’t work-related, like spending time on Facebook or watch YouTube videos.  This is definitely a productivity killer.

Introducing new technologies into your business without having the expertise to implement and use them effectively is also a concern to the time and cost that could be spent.

4. Mobility

Because of technology, we can now work wherever we are.  Whether it is a smartphone or a laptop, whether you are on a train or a plane, you can do business.

Wireless technology has brought with it telecommuting.  This provides people with the option to work from home or in a coffee shop; we have a flexibility that didn’t exist before thanks to the advance in mobile technology.  Mobile devices can be used for most office functions, allowing the option to not be in the office, but get the job done.

More ways technology has changed our lives

• Cloud technology: Cloud technology can be used to store your own personal documents and files rather than filling up your hard drive.  And businesses are using it more and more rather than purchasing their own hardware.  Working in the cloud allows a business to be efficient and cost-effective.  It allows quick access to more resources if required, or if you want to reduce resources, this is also possible.
• Online banking: Online banking has made it easier for people to access financial services from wherever they are, and to pay for goods and services at stores, or online, without requiring cash.
• Google (or the Internet): This is where you can book flights, buy your groceries, set up a business, and connect with your customers, and friends.  It is where people manage their lives, and probably cannot live without it.

What is to come?

If we are already experiencing artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning and virtual reality glasses, what next?  If we can do our jobs without leaving the bedroom or can communicate with the world from our mobile device, what is next?

We can choose to look ahead in fear or excited anticipation.  We believe the future of technology is bright and we’re looking forward to new tools that we can use to make even bigger differences in people’s lives.

Embracing technology

By harnessing much of the technology highlighted above, we at DataRapt have been able to deliver our solutions to SYSPRO users in 29 countries.

Sources

• https://techspirited.com
• http://www.atechnologysociety.co.uk/