How Technology Has Evolved in the Past Decade Randall Hunt | RandallHunt.tech
There are so many technological items that we take for granted nowadays. Some of them are so integrated into our daily lives that they feel as if they’re been around forever. It’s hard to imagine that some of them didn’t even exist ten years ago.
RIDESHARING The whole concept of ridesharing has gone from outrageously dangerous to incredibly convenient. Most people were raised to never get into a stranger’s car, yet here we are ordering them like a pizza and happily getting in. Uber and Lyft are the two leaders of the industry, and there is a vetting process when it comes to hiring. In addition, the cars have designations on them that are meant to be matched with the user’s pickup data so there’s no confusion about which vehicle they enter. Taking the idea of convenience even further, UberEats now delivers food and groceries as well as humans to assorted destinations.
iPad The iPad was a game-changer as well. Not quite a laptop, not quite a smartphone, Steve Jobs unveiled Apple’s creation on stage in 2010. There have been numerous iterations since its inception, but there is no doubt that current models can hold their own against any modern-day hybrid or touchscreen notebook.
Photo Sharing and Apps It’s hard to imagine a pre-Snapchat era, but it didn’t appear until late 2011. The main purpose was to send disappearing photos. Although the name changed from Pictaboo, the iconic Ghostface icon remains easily recognizable. Snapchat is now a publiclyowned company called Snap, Inc. and its value is estimated at $22 billion. The company has evolved into partnerships with AR, TV, and publishers, among others.
AI AND VIRTUAL REALITY Aside from automated flying cars, virtual and augmented reality are two of the most dreamed about futuristic concepts. The idea of a user going into another world without leaving their living room was always the stuff of science fiction, yet here we are. Oculus VR started in a garage in 2012 before being swept up by Facebook in 2014. Their main competition is SONY’s Vive. Both offer gamers and artists opportunities never-before explored, including stepping into 3-D paintings as you create.
HOME TECHNOLOGY Google Home, Apple Home, and Amazon Alexa are all devices that respond to voice commands. Situated around various parts of a house, users are able to program everything from music, heat, and lighting to home security protection. They can even order products online, as Rocco the parrot effortlessly proved.