05:14
Faizan
Twenty-five years ago, fax machines - which took minutes to transmit one page of data and print it out on wax paper in barely legible text -- were considered the height of communications technology. These big, bulky devices had to be plugged into an electrical outlet in order to function, and were not very portable.
Today, 4G cell phones can instantly connect us to any person or piece of information, anywhere in the world, at any time. These completely portable devices fit in the palm of our hands, and require only a charged battery to operate. They can forward information to printers, web sites, Facebook pages, email accounts -- basically anywhere you need the information to go.
How's that for change?
I bring this up because while cell phones are one change we all love (and sometimes hate), I'm getting a lot of pushback these days against the relentless pace of change. More and more I hear people say, "Enough change, already! Why can't the world just slow down for a while?"
While I sympathize with this viewpoint, I have some bad news: change is not slowing down any time soon. In fact, it's only going to happen faster and in more ways than we can currently imagine.
According to a recent report from the venture capital firm of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers (KPBC), the current cycle of tech disruption is significantly faster and broader than previous cycles. As a result, new products and technologies will drive a re-imagining of almost everything we do in business and in daily life. Not very encouraging for those hoping for a change of pace!
Here are just a few examples of how technology has revamped our lives within the past decade:
Old vs. New
Bulky, hard-copy encyclopedias... Wikipedia
Printed books... Kindle, iBooks, etc.
Desktops and notebooks... Tablets and smartphones
After-the-fact news reported by professionals... Real-time reports from citizens
Today, 4G cell phones can instantly connect us to any person or piece of information, anywhere in the world, at any time. These completely portable devices fit in the palm of our hands, and require only a charged battery to operate. They can forward information to printers, web sites, Facebook pages, email accounts -- basically anywhere you need the information to go.
How's that for change?
I bring this up because while cell phones are one change we all love (and sometimes hate), I'm getting a lot of pushback these days against the relentless pace of change. More and more I hear people say, "Enough change, already! Why can't the world just slow down for a while?"
While I sympathize with this viewpoint, I have some bad news: change is not slowing down any time soon. In fact, it's only going to happen faster and in more ways than we can currently imagine.
According to a recent report from the venture capital firm of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers (KPBC), the current cycle of tech disruption is significantly faster and broader than previous cycles. As a result, new products and technologies will drive a re-imagining of almost everything we do in business and in daily life. Not very encouraging for those hoping for a change of pace!
Here are just a few examples of how technology has revamped our lives within the past decade:
Old vs. New
Bulky, hard-copy encyclopedias... Wikipedia
Printed books... Kindle, iBooks, etc.
Desktops and notebooks... Tablets and smartphones
After-the-fact news reported by professionals... Real-time reports from citizens
