If your vision of horror is a packed DMV and a low battery signal flashing on the smartphone, it’s safe to say technology has changed the way you live. In waiting rooms, we were once at the mercy of whatever magazine or pamphlet was there to distract us. Today, we’re plugged in, constantly communicating and multitasking.

Technology today is moving at a speed we can’t even hope to keep up with. It impacts almost every aspect of our lives. Our parents used to send every piece of mail through the good old postal service and make trips to the library to do mundane research.

How We Communicate

The way we communicate today is a far cry from even 20 years ago. Today the vast majority of Americans have an email account and millions log onto Facebook or Twitter every day to find out what their friends and family are up to. With instant messaging you can chat with friends while taking care of any other computing task you might be working on. Our phones are so much more than a talking device; we can text, check our email or shop online, to name just a few extras.

The Computing World

The personal computer does so much more than it could a mere decade ago. You can look at a typewriter as a sort of great grandfather to the computer. Then came the word processor, which was basically only good for composing documents.

Today the PC is much more than a niche object we use for one specific thing. It has become a centerpiece in our lives. Think about how often you log on to check movie times, find a good restaurant of see what your friends have planned on a given evening. The computer has become your own personal ticket booth, travel agent, stereo, restaurant finder, librarian and event planner. Of course, this list could go on forever.

Our Knowledge Or The World

We used to have to wait for the evening news or the next day’s paper to get caught up on current events. Now, the whole world is at your fingertips. Whether you want to know what’s happening in Ethiopia or simply get the latest tabloid gossip, it’s as easy as logging onto the Internet. Second-by-second access to news and other information has changed the face of the media industry and the way we gather information as consumers.

Household Tasks

What did our parents do when the bills came? They took out the checkbook, some stamps and started writing checks and licking envelopes. That’s a far cry from the automated bill pay and banking available online. Most of our service providers allow us to have bills deducted automatically from our account. Balancing your checkbook has become a task of the past.

Shopping

Shopping is a completely different experience. Slogging through retail stores, waiting in line and finding a parking spot aren’t always necessary anymore. Thanks to online shopping, you can find the item you are looking for, get the best price and have any product you can imagine shipped right to your door. Buying your favorite albums and movies today is as simple as clicking the download button. Of course, the Web will never be able to replace the necessary brick-and-mortar shopping, but it can sure cut it down.

Travel

The impact of technology on the way we travel is astounding. You can book a flight, hotel room and dinner reservation from your smartphone and even use the GPS to find your way around a new city. Any number of discount travel websites allow you to become your own travel agent. Every aspect of your vacation is in your hands thanks to advancements in technology.