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’m not entirely sure that is what Bob Dylan had in mind when he wrote those immortal words, but let’s go with it anyway, OK?
If asked to nominate the most significant invention in recent years (or arguably, in all years) it’s hard to come up with a more worthwhile candidate than the smartphone. These wonderful pocket sized computers have come so far in such a short period of time that it can almost take one’s breath away.
From their humble beginnings as simple mobile phones, capable of little more than calls and text messages, to the multi-tasking, life organising, essential devices that we see today, smartphones have undoubtedly changed the way we live our lives.
With that in mind let’s take a look back through the annals of time and take a retrospective look at three of the things that we used to have to do in life that have fundamentally changed since the advent of mobile technology. Don’t panic though, this is not going to be one of those dreary and tedious, “things were better in my day,” type articles. Rather, just a whimsical analysis of what is different. Not necessarily better or worse, just different (but probably better if we’re completely honest with ourselves).
Meeting Up With Friends
In the pre-mobile world, one would have to arrange to meet up with friends either face-to-face, or using the landline (that thing your parents have in their house to receive PPI calls on). You’d have to arrange a time and a place to meet and then just have faith that everyone would show up on time. Once you’d left the house that was it, you couldn’t contact anyone, if somebody was late then you just had to wait for them.
Now, when the clock ticks past the agreed meeting time, it’s straight on the phone to find out where they are. Or, on the flipside, you can at least shoot off a quick text if you are running late.
The other way in which people used to meet up, was to do a quick a lap of the usual hangouts on their bikes. Knocking on doors and visiting all of the parks, alleys and corners until you found somebody.
All-in-all it was a most impractical way of doing things.
Sharing Photos
When cameras had actual film inside them, the pictures that you took were a precious commodity. You had thirty-odd pops per roll of film and each one of those was going to cost you around five dollars to get developed. Of course, then you had to worry about what the staff at Snappy-Snaps (other photo development services are available) thought of your pics as, guess what, they got to look through them all.
However, since cameras went digital, such concerns have all but disappeared. You’re now free to take pictures with impunity and never have to worry about anyone seeing them that you don’t wish to. Take the same shot ten times and pick the best one if you want, and social networks such as Instagram and Facebook have made it a doddle to share the pictures with your friends, forever doing away with the traditional photo album.
Debate
Ah, everybody likes a good old fashioned debate don’t they?
Thrashing out differing opinions over a cold beer or a hot cup of coffee. It used to be that these discussions could go on for hours – What film was that guy in?
How old is the Earth?
Could my dad beat up your dad?
OK, maybe that last one was a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea. In the pre-mobile days, there was no way to satisfactorily resolve these differences short of cracking open the Encyclopedia Britannica (think of a voluminous, leather bound, slightly incompetent Google, which weighs an absolute ton, and you’re on the right lines). Nowadays, these things are resolved in seconds – What film was that guys in? Let’s check IMDB
, How old is the Earth? New Scientist will know, Could my dad beat up your dad? Ummm, the UFC might have some idea?
Anyway, the point is that all of the information in the history of mankind is now available at the tap of a thumb, rendering most debates on any topic almost immediately redundant. Unless it’s about cats versus dogs, or Xbox versus PlayStation, or something? (By the way, there is a correct answer to both of those).
So, there you have three aspects of day-to-day life that are forever changed due to the spread of mobile technology. Is there anything that you can think of that we haven’t mentioned however? Maybe there is some aspect of your life that no longer exists because of smartphones? Please let us know in the comments below.
Now, if I could ask you to indulge me a final thought? It seems like every day that I hear somebody bemoaning the existence of smartphones, claiming that they have fundamentally altered society for the worst – sapping us of our social skills and turning us into a nation of zombies.
Let’s be realistic though shall we?
Look at your smartphone. I mean, just look at it!
Fifty years ago, that thing would have been considered black magic and could probably have had you run out of town, or worse. So, is it any wonder we’re still a little transfixed by them?
Kerry Butters
Kerry is a published author and writer on all things tech, corporate tech, data centres, SEO, webdesign & more for some of the world’s leading sites.