Joining the 211/2th Century
(for what its worth)
Of the hundreds of appliances that make life in this era a paradise, no gadget has more obviously changed everyday livelihood than the smartphone. The potential of instant connection has unleashed hundreds of new industries that allow individuals to parse out unique lifestyles no matter where they are. From communication to entertainment to travel, even the amount of time a person spends on his phone has changed many dynamics of everyday living. However, as more people and businesses adopt the newest technological and digital platforms as their foundation, one might notice that the old infrastructure – and the people who still rely on it – sometimes gets left behind.
At a certain point it becomes a social necessity to know of if not already own the staple hardware and software for modern discourse. If one has been keeping up with the trends of applications, he might also have a digital trail of forgotten or incompatible accounts, which can be dangerous if those accounts involve personal data or links to funds or legal holdings.
Whether it’s to simplify one’s digital existence or to exist digitally and still have money leftover, this chapter aims to summarize what are the most common computer devices, how they operate, and the industries undergirding their continued relevance to common discourse.