More useful than you first thought
October 3, 2009 11:33 PM Subscribe
What technology have you changed our mind about? What thing did you think was useless until you used it and now can't imagine living without it?
For those a few years older than me, it was video recorders and microwave ovens.
For me, the big three are
The internet - not surprisingly. I'm a book-lover and once I realised it was the world's biggest library, I was hooked.
Twitter - most surprisingly. Hate Livejournal, Facebook, and MySpace, but love Twitter. Interestingly, there was an article in the news here the other day which mentioned that it's Baby-Boomers like myself who like the brevity and conciseness of Twitter, while younger folks like social networks which allow them to waffle for pages about what they had for breakfast.
Wasn't surprised to learn that Twitter has been used by emergency services here during disasters - it's a great way to convey essential information from multiple sources in real time to masses of people; much faster than radio or television news updates.
Mobile phones - but I didn't change my mind about these until they became low cost to buy and to use. Don't even bother with a landline any more. Only give my number out to a limited amount of people, turn it to silent or off if I'm not in the mood to chat, love that I can text instead of get stuck in drawn out conversations when I only want to say or ask one thing.
So what have you changed your mind about?
For those a few years older than me, it was video recorders and microwave ovens.
For me, the big three are
The internet - not surprisingly. I'm a book-lover and once I realised it was the world's biggest library, I was hooked.
Twitter - most surprisingly. Hate Livejournal, Facebook, and MySpace, but love Twitter. Interestingly, there was an article in the news here the other day which mentioned that it's Baby-Boomers like myself who like the brevity and conciseness of Twitter, while younger folks like social networks which allow them to waffle for pages about what they had for breakfast.
Wasn't surprised to learn that Twitter has been used by emergency services here during disasters - it's a great way to convey essential information from multiple sources in real time to masses of people; much faster than radio or television news updates.
Mobile phones - but I didn't change my mind about these until they became low cost to buy and to use. Don't even bother with a landline any more. Only give my number out to a limited amount of people, turn it to silent or off if I'm not in the mood to chat, love that I can text instead of get stuck in drawn out conversations when I only want to say or ask one thing.
So what have you changed your mind about?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Chatfilter. -- cortex
A subset of mobile phones, camera phones. Never thought I would ever use the camera feature but now I am constant;y using it as a substitute of a scanner to copy documents and emailing/faxing them on the go.
I also remember having a long discussion with colleagues in 2002 about wifi and they didnt think they had any use for it. I bet they think differently now.
posted by london302 at 11:50 PM on October 3, 2009
I also remember having a long discussion with colleagues in 2002 about wifi and they didnt think they had any use for it. I bet they think differently now.
posted by london302 at 11:50 PM on October 3, 2009
In-car GPS (SatNav)
posted by hungrysquirrels at 11:50 PM on October 3, 2009
posted by hungrysquirrels at 11:50 PM on October 3, 2009
Smartphones.
Not that I saw them as useless, just useless for most people.
This changed for me when I needed to check email at work (no internet at work) or make personal calls on my break (away from coworkers), or just wanted to check news, movies, etc.
Once the iPhone came out, smartphones started making more sense to me. Then when Apple added some more useful features to the iPhone 3G (maps, apps, etc.) I got one.
posted by nickthetourist at 11:52 PM on October 3, 2009
Not that I saw them as useless, just useless for most people.
This changed for me when I needed to check email at work (no internet at work) or make personal calls on my break (away from coworkers), or just wanted to check news, movies, etc.
Once the iPhone came out, smartphones started making more sense to me. Then when Apple added some more useful features to the iPhone 3G (maps, apps, etc.) I got one.
posted by nickthetourist at 11:52 PM on October 3, 2009
Anti-lock brakes. I was deeply uncomfortable with the idea of the car's computer "taking control away from me" in a crisis, but then an accident in front of me on a wet road at night completely changed my opinion and saved my bacon when I stood on the brakes and swerved and the car magically steered out of danger without skidding. They fucking work.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:58 PM on October 3, 2009
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:58 PM on October 3, 2009
Sailing catamarans. They're as ugly as chatfilter, but they're faster for most wind conditions and equivalent wetted area, than monohulls. But, damn, they're ugly as chatfilter.
posted by paulsc at 12:03 AM on October 4, 2009
posted by paulsc at 12:03 AM on October 4, 2009
In complete opposition to paulsc, it's monohulled sailing vessels for me.
They look like they should capsize at any moment, and like there's way too much area contacting the water for drag.
And then I found out about keels... which I had just thought were a kind of skeg or molded centerboard. Turns out they're full of lead, effectively preventing capsize.
posted by Netzapper at 1:35 AM on October 4, 2009
They look like they should capsize at any moment, and like there's way too much area contacting the water for drag.
And then I found out about keels... which I had just thought were a kind of skeg or molded centerboard. Turns out they're full of lead, effectively preventing capsize.
posted by Netzapper at 1:35 AM on October 4, 2009
Metal detectors. They found a clamp the surgeon left inside me.
posted by ...possums at 1:38 AM on October 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by ...possums at 1:38 AM on October 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Facebook. I first thought that Facebook was only for young people to muck around with. Now I use it as a tool to keep in touch with the lives of friends who don't live locally.
posted by emilyw at 1:52 AM on October 4, 2009
posted by emilyw at 1:52 AM on October 4, 2009
Digital cameras. "I'm going to pay hundreds of dollars for crappy little photos to appear on my computer? Pull the other, it has bells on."
Now I cannot image a use for film outside of fine art or as a hobby. I take more photos in a year now than I took in all of my film camera years combined.
posted by maxwelton at 2:06 AM on October 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
Now I cannot image a use for film outside of fine art or as a hobby. I take more photos in a year now than I took in all of my film camera years combined.
posted by maxwelton at 2:06 AM on October 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
Digital cameras (I keep it in my bag, if I see something interesting, I take a picture, instead of only getting it out for trips), cell phones (haven't had a landline since I got to Japan, but had never had a cell phone in the States), and bittorrent. Legality issues are one thing, but when the things you want (TV, movies, football, basketball) are unavailable in your region, and there are no plans to make it legally available, it's become a godsend. My friends used it for years before I got into it. I haven't missed a Bears' game since.
On the other hand, fuck bluetooth headsets. In fact, fuck bluetooth headset users in the ear, preferably with their headsets.
posted by Ghidorah at 2:19 AM on October 4, 2009
On the other hand, fuck bluetooth headsets. In fact, fuck bluetooth headset users in the ear, preferably with their headsets.
posted by Ghidorah at 2:19 AM on October 4, 2009
When I was very young, a fork and knife.
posted by longsleeves at 2:32 AM on October 4, 2009
posted by longsleeves at 2:32 AM on October 4, 2009
Two-wheeled electric transportation.
You think, oh, they're slow, you have to charge them every day, you have to carry the charger around with you, you have to lug the battery up and down stairs, they're ugly dinky little plastic things...
But then, well, you're late for a meeting, and it's rush hour, and guess who's not late anymore? Plus, compared to the cars and motorcycles I've had, these things are super-reliable. There's nothing on it to break. It's an electric motor, a battery, and wheels. I don't need a license or insurance to drive it, no gas, no oil changes. And if there's an elevator, the entire vehicle is small enough to fit inside the elevator and then stow in a corner of the office. You can charge it anywhere there's an outlet, for pennies. And they cost $200 (in China). It goes 25mph, which is plenty fast to get where I need to go.
I'm convinced.
posted by saysthis at 3:30 AM on October 4, 2009
You think, oh, they're slow, you have to charge them every day, you have to carry the charger around with you, you have to lug the battery up and down stairs, they're ugly dinky little plastic things...
But then, well, you're late for a meeting, and it's rush hour, and guess who's not late anymore? Plus, compared to the cars and motorcycles I've had, these things are super-reliable. There's nothing on it to break. It's an electric motor, a battery, and wheels. I don't need a license or insurance to drive it, no gas, no oil changes. And if there's an elevator, the entire vehicle is small enough to fit inside the elevator and then stow in a corner of the office. You can charge it anywhere there's an outlet, for pennies. And they cost $200 (in China). It goes 25mph, which is plenty fast to get where I need to go.
I'm convinced.
posted by saysthis at 3:30 AM on October 4, 2009
Google Voice. I sat on my Grand Central number for two years, not really knowing what to do with it. Once I started using it as a clearing house for mobile contact management, it became an essential business tool. I even sold my corporate ops team on getting a couple of GV numbers to use for their remote support of a couple of our smaller accounts, as the personnel tasked to keeping watch over them shifts regularly. Being able to point the number to the phone you want to ring is pretty powerful in that regard.
Now, if they can just increase the accuracy of their transcriptions...
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:13 AM on October 4, 2009
Now, if they can just increase the accuracy of their transcriptions...
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:13 AM on October 4, 2009
GPS, definitely. I used to pride myself in my ability to print out Google Maps and drive to any destination.
But now that I have a GPS, I have to admit that it's just better at it than me. And it's a lot more relaxing to drive GPS-enabled than with three Google Maps printouts, becoming progressively more detailed as the destination comes nearer, which necessitates furious turning of pages and looking for the right street... ("damn was that the exit, or is it the next street? Is this the crossroads that I see here on the paper? And why isn't that streetsign legible?")
posted by NekulturnY at 4:29 AM on October 4, 2009
But now that I have a GPS, I have to admit that it's just better at it than me. And it's a lot more relaxing to drive GPS-enabled than with three Google Maps printouts, becoming progressively more detailed as the destination comes nearer, which necessitates furious turning of pages and looking for the right street... ("damn was that the exit, or is it the next street? Is this the crossroads that I see here on the paper? And why isn't that streetsign legible?")
posted by NekulturnY at 4:29 AM on October 4, 2009
Food processors. It was making grated carrots and then pie crust that persuaded me.
posted by sciencegeek at 4:53 AM on October 4, 2009
posted by sciencegeek at 4:53 AM on October 4, 2009
MP3 players. I proudly carried around a portable CD player for years, poo-pooing all the morons and their faddish obsessions with iPods, until my boyfriend bought me a gorgeous tiny little Samsung MP3 player . . . and then I discovered the wonder of podcasts, and of UC Berkeley's free lecture materials.
It's been almost two years, and I can't imagine what that time would've been like without this amazing device. My job required me to be alone at night for as many as 9 hours, making full use of my hands and eyes - no reading or using a computer. Being able to "take classes" and listen to stories and ALL of my favorite music and FM radio (hooray for NPR!) at a touch made a huge difference in the quality of my life while I was working.
I still don't like iPods though. But that's mostly because of iTunes.
posted by po at 5:33 AM on October 4, 2009
It's been almost two years, and I can't imagine what that time would've been like without this amazing device. My job required me to be alone at night for as many as 9 hours, making full use of my hands and eyes - no reading or using a computer. Being able to "take classes" and listen to stories and ALL of my favorite music and FM radio (hooray for NPR!) at a touch made a huge difference in the quality of my life while I was working.
I still don't like iPods though. But that's mostly because of iTunes.
posted by po at 5:33 AM on October 4, 2009
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posted by decathecting at 11:38 PM on October 3, 2009