Game Changers

I, like many of us, complain a lot about technology. It doesn't do what it's supposed to, it's hard to learn, it takes up too much of our time and attention, it's expensive, it's quickly outdated. 

That's all true, but I also began to think about the tech that has actually been a real change for the better - adding some new "ways of life" that I'd be loathe to go without now that I have been so spoiled by them.

Recognizing that all technology, from fire on, more or less, can be - as we were warned by the story of Prometheus, who stole fire from the Zeus after that God punitively took it away from humans so that they would have to eat their food raw - used for both good and ill in almost every case, I'll just concentrate on the advantages of a given technology without worrying about the ways in which it can also do us harm. And I won't be so basic as to review email, laptops, and cell phones. They're just part of the background now, aren't they?

One of my favorite things is Google Earth, or the equivalent. "Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and GIS data onto a 3D globe, allowing users to see cities and landscapes from various angles."

I have always been a fan of maps, atlases, and images of places far away and far different from what I can see when I walk outdoors, or even go for a ride in no particular direction to see what I might discover. Google Earth allows you to go to the top of Mount Everest, or up the Congo River; visit Paris or see what Lake Titicaca looks like. The other day I showed someone my childhood home using "street view" on a map, and walked to my childhood school using the same route I did all those years ago.

Along the same lines is GPS. As long as you have a signal and a cell phone, you have the benefits of a compass and a map, and if you use an app like Find My Car (or a pin dropped on a map) you can find your way back to a particular location and not run (much) risk of getting lost.

Calendars are a pain, of course, since we must keep them in order to conduct business, personal or professional. But using an online, coordinated calendar with alerts allows us to use our computer and our other devices to warn us about an appointment we made a month ago, complete with details of location, departure time, others attending, and a host of other needed information to keep things simple and within reach. 

I have been a fan of books on tape for so long I can scarcely recall not having them - but they were just that - on tape. Or on CD or DVD. And I rented them from the library because they were prohibitively expensive. But today, with online apps, you can listen to your favorite book via a phone or tablet and, with wireless ear buds, you don't have to bother anyone else with the sound or have to stay tethered to your device. You do have to worry about a charge, but with solar-chargers, you can have a full additional charge in a small device that can go into your backpack or on a belt loop and not have to worry about running out of power.

I would never have expected to say that I love all the gadgets new cars provide, but - I do. The backup camera is as much safety device as convenience, but it's also quite handy to not have to worry about fumbling with a key in a lock or even for the button on a keyfob, but to simply have the fob on your person will unlock the door, connect your phone, and set your driver's seat and controls at the preferred position. You don't have to worry about trying to follow the GPS instructions on your phone, because your car is equipped and will duplicate the map to a right-on-the-dashboard location for ease of use. 

Yes, I prefer in-person meetings, but there is much to be said for the ease of a phone call with the added benefit of some visual signals from those you're talking to - so apps like Zoom have their benefits. A four hour car trip, or a plane flight to a short meeting have, in our age of Zoom, become overkill; but having a "semi" face to face meeting with someone, or even a catch-up chat with a friend, can benefit a lot from seeing a smile, or a moment of confusion.

I have detailed my love affair with Air Fryers, and it only becomes the more happy as I discover the many things the air fryer can do. The other day I had unexpected company for dinner, so I managed to make perfectly done steak, fries, and salad, in the amount of time, it would normally have taken me to make just the salad. I wouldn't say that I'd always use an air fryer over conventional cookery, but it's nice to have when you need it!

And finally - yes, streaming services are quite nice. Your choices increased exponentially, even over the bad old days of HBO when the "new movie" was a huge event (now it's more like the 300 new movies/series per day). Whatever you're in the mood for, it's probably available on a streaming service, when you want it and in whatever room you happen to be in. 

So what are your choices for "can't imagine now having it?" Just pay attention to your day, and notice all the ways life has become easier. It may surprise you!