7 Ways Technology has Changed our Lives Forever

Technology has always brought drastic changes in the world we live. Emails have almost made telegrams obsolete and digital cameras have taken over the space of reel cameras. The last decade has been the decade of information revolution. There have been several new innovations in this period which has transformed the way we live and perform our day-to-day activities. In this write-up we have tried to highlight 7 ways that new technologies have changed our lives. The write-up also speaks about the technologies that made these changes possible.

1. Lost Contact of an Old Friend/Colleague? Cloud Computing May Help.

About a 15-20 years ago, if we lost touch with a friend or a colleague, it was very difficult to get back in contact with the person. The only way to search the person was by contacting people who knew him/her.

Today, thanks to cloud computing we have social media websites like Facebook which give us the power to network with any person instantly. This has made it easier to search for people whom we have lost touch with.

2. Want to Avoid Traffic? Data Science Shows You The Way.

Traffic has been a growing menace in most of the cities in India. Before the advent of the internet and the smartphones, if someone had to choose a route to a destination, the choice would be mostly instinctive or based on what people advised. It was hard to predict traffic or any other problem with the route.

Today, with so much data produced in the world every second, an application like Google Maps can help you by suggesting the shortest and quickest route with less traffic. The application makes use of data science to predict the traffic patterns in a particular route and suggest change in the route if necessary.

3. Car Driving and Vehicle Emergencies are Simple. Thanks to IoT.

If someone met with an accident on a highway or if there was some emergency with the car, it would take time to pass on the message to the loved ones about 20 years ago.

Today, with technology and the internet cars are connected to the cloud. As a result, telematics solutions help send emergency alerts to loved ones during situations like an accident (instances where the airbags have popped out or so.) Telematics solutions are also helping car owners to understand their driving behaviour. The cars come with embedded GPS and sensors which help track speed, acceleration, braking etc. and through an app the car sends reports to owners regarding their driving nature. In future, such telematics solutions can also lead to a new range of car insurance policies wherein owners who drive better pay less premium.

4. Shopping from Home was Impossible. Today we have Mobile Applications!

There was a time when shopping meant a visit to the store/super market or shopping complex. Today, with the arrival of smartphones and mobile applications, shopping can be done from anywhere at any time.

Mobile applications have created a virtual store for us where we can easily check-out the features and specifications of every product. The need for physical store and the staff has been undone.

5. Browser and all Websites Know You Better than Ever and AI is to Blame!

Most of us browse the internet almost on a regular basis. We have been doing this for a decade or more now. But did you ever feel that the content you see on your social media site, the advertisements and also the recommendations that you get when you browse YouTube or Netflix are very relevant to your interests? Data science, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence have combined to give you a personalized digital experience. Starting from the point you open your browser to the time you exit, every move of yours is recorded in one way or the other. Complex algorithms read this data and churn out personalized digital experiences for you on their own.

6. Land Records are Digital and More Secure. Blockchain is the Key.

Land records has always been a huge mess as far as India is concerned. Due to various factors including improper administration of records. The governments are trying to better manage the records in future through digitalization. One of the problems with managing records is the fear of it being tampered. Blockchain holds the key solution to this challenge. Blockchain is a system of distributed ledgers which is more secure than other existing systems of storage. Governments of Telangana and Maharashtra are planning to implement this technology and improve their administration of land records.

7. Wars are Now Digital. Hence Cybersecurity is the Need of the Hour!

About a century ago wars were mostly fought in the battle fields. Then we heard of cold wars and trade wars too. Today we have digital wars or cyber warfare wherein professional hackers perform attacks on digital assets of another country to take control of it. The act can be taking control of the website of a country’s defence unit or can be more violent and dangerous where the attackers take control of the weapons. Cybersecurity is the field of study that is dealing with prevention of such problems. The field is only required by government agencies but by all businesses that operate on digital platforms. Cybersecurity is the field that is supporting the digital economy that we have today.