A few weeks ago, I was working on the couch while Ankur was at the dining room table – watching a recorded lecture on his laptop. A couple minutes into his lecture, I noticed that the professor was talking very rapidly. No pauses in between sentences. No slowing down for students to process the information.
I knew that medical school was supposed to be challenging, but this guy sounded like the worst lecturer ever. He was going too fast! I looked at Ankur with wide eyes and said, “Is this what you have to listen to every day?!”
He explained to me that he could change the speed of his lecture to 1.5 or 2x the normal speed. The professor didn’t actually talk that quickly; Ankur had just sped up parts of his lecture in order to cut his learning time in half.
This blew my mind.
I am well aware that I am a “Generation Y” kid. Things like this are supposed to be “normal” for me. I shouldn’t look so surprised when technology does cool things.
But there are quite a few tech-y things that still amaze me – each and every time I experience them.
1) Wifi on a plane
This never gets old. The fact that my text message can dive through the clouds to reach my family and friends on the ground leaves me in disbelief. Or that I can GChat with people on my laptop, scroll through my Facebook feed (IN REAL TIME), or even pay a bill online – all while flying through the air – makes me feel like I’m a superhuman living in a fantasy life. I don’t know how people could have possibly engineered this reality and I feel like a grandmother every time I see those 5 bars connect while I’m in the sky.
2) Portable chargers for our cell phones
I am a proud member of the iPhone club. I, just like every other member of this club, hate how quickly my battery gets drained. There have been several times when I’ve been out with friends, stumbled across a random outlet in the wall, and whipped out my charger to get as much juice as I possibly could until we ventured somewhere else. I’ve also been known to ask bartenders and waiters/waitresses if they wouldn’t mind charging my phone “in the back.” (I’ve never taken it as far as this guy though. I’ve got some self-control).
So, when I discovered that portable chargers can charge my phone IN MY PURSE, I about nearly lost it. My phone can go from a 5% battery life to a 100% battery life without being plugged into a wall. While I’m walking down the street. Safe and tucked away in my purse. What is this WORLD we are living in?!
3) Interconnectedness
(Source)
This is the one that I experience the most often and, surprisingly, the one that still shocks me the most. I’ll have text messages that pop up on my computer, phone, and iPad all at once. And my calendar notifications that were once made on my laptop are now showing up on my phone 10-15 minutes before the scheduled event. When all of my devices sync, it leaves me feeling like technology is talking behind my back and plotting for my murder. (But, also, it’s really efficient when a picture that I snap on my phone is available on my computer for blogging purposes.)
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Regardless of whether it’s harmful or helpful, technology has completely revolutionized our world. And, though the term, “digital native,” is supposed to describe us Generation Y folks, I find myself looking at some of these advancements in complete fascination.
Questions of the Day;
- What is one technology-related thing that amazes you?
- Do you own a portable charger?
I have a friend who listens to a bunch of podcasts and does so on double speed so that he can listen to more. That would overload my brain!
I’m an iPhone user as well. The portable chargers are awesome! I still get so amazed by some of the technology of today. I was literally just having a conversation with my sister about how text messaging still blows my mind. Lol.
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The wifi on an plane thing gets me too! I can’t even believe modern technology sometimes.
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Interconnectedness. Love you sissy. And love eat teach blog.
Yes indeed ! I am an iPhone user but still quite old fashioned !! All this to me is mind boggling !! What more ? Oof !!!
SadiDadiNani – you may be old-fashioned, but you commented on a blog post like a young hip-to-the-hop kid!
This post makes me sad. It shows how dependent the new generation is on electronic devices.
I’m with you! I wish we weren’t so dependent on technology (guilty as charged), but I am. And, unfortunately, it’s something I have to actively try to be mindful of so that I don’t spend my life connected to my technology and disconnected to real life.
Still though, despite the depressing part of it, you can’t help but be amazed by how crazy some of this stuff is!
I don’t have a portable charger [yet] because I have a charger in my purse, home, and office so typically I am covered. I aim to get one soon though. When it comes to technology, I love wifi. I was able to spend 40 days abroad without having to turn on my data. Communication was still a breeze. I was pretty happy.
I’m way older than you, but I love how technology has made life sooo much easier!! The plane wifi blows my mind too!! I have a portable charger but to be honest I forget I have it. I’ve needed it a lot though! I’m glad to hear someone as young as you not taking tech for granted and being just as amazed as us older folks!
I love the fact that when I’m on an airplane, I can still connect with the world. Especially when it’s a long flight. Got to love technology!
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I’m still amazed by WiFi on planes. I guess because it’s still kinda new. I remember traveling and it being such a big deal to make sure our phones stayed off during the flight.
Oh my gosh, YES. I still have a minor panic attack when I see someone using their devices during take-off and landing. (Partially because I’m so scared of flying!)
A very Good Morning to all the Eat Teach & Blog followers.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on modern technology.
When fax machines first came out i was fascinated that the paper goes in on my end & is received on the other end of the world.
Today in this high tech world I’m reading &. commenting on your blog on my iPhone.
Cheers!!!
Hip-to-the-hop-mommy-pants <3
wi-fi on a plane for free is AWESOME. I hardly get that option though. But yes, I hear ya. Small things can bring big happiness.
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I love all of these. It’s so weird to think that in the 80’s and 90’s, none of this really existed!
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I am a baby boomer–all this tech stuff amazes me all the time. I have learned to use some of it-but not all. No I don’t have that kind of a phone charger–heck I still have a clam phone which doesn’t even work!!
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Interconnectedness is one of my favorites. I’m also fascinated by it and being able to switch a device and have the same info/whatever I was doing right there.
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Yup, you are right about the wifi on board. I am so grateful that it now exists, especially on long flights. Technology has come a very long way and excited to see what the future brings.
This is so true. We’ve come a long way, and what I consider normal with what my parents consider normal are two different things. I’m still blown away by 360 degree cameras and virtual reality.
I flew today and I used both the in flight wifi and the portable charger. Life changing both of them!
So true! I am fascinated by the standalone phone chargers too-I can’t ever get mine to work though.
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I have to get portable charger. I don’t know how we lived our lives without I-phones and Internet in 90’s.
I had internet access on Turkish Airlines when I was heading home from the Maldives and it blew my mind that I could update my Facebook from the air. It does sort of freak me out being a nervous flyer that these technical waves linger in the cabin!
I’m amazed that my iPhone has learned where I live and where I work and can tell me how long it will take me to get home from work at any given time based on the traffic. How did it learn where I live and work?! I don’t even work full-time!
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WiFi on a plane is nice, but it’s ALWAYS so slow because it’s not the usual speed and we’re in the air and they’re too many people accessing it. It’s a mess, but I do like the idea of it 😉 xx Adaleta Avdic
I would say my cell phone. When it first came out it was a large and heavy object that you could not put in your pocket. Nowadays it can be tiny and big again. The best is that you can search for just about anything online easier than going to the library and using a microfiche.
I love that I can continue working anywhere. I would waste so much time waiting for my kids at their various activities. Now I use that time to catch up.
I’m Gen X so I still remember the days before everything tech exploded (Walkman, anyone? LOL)! Wi-Fi on planes blow my mind for sure.
Its been a few years since I had been on a plane (like 5). Therefore, when I traveled to Chicago to see family I was shocked there was WiFi on the plane. I freaked out! I was so excited I could run the kids Nabi and watch Netfilx. Blew my mind and I’m your age. So yeah, I totally get it.
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Generations Y are like machines! hahahaha sorry for my description, but its true. Our multi-asking skills are more developed and could process task in more speed-up.
The down side : If we work like machines, we could easily be depreciated (e.g. get old physically fast!)
I’ve never heard of changing the speed of a lecture feature! sounds fun for when the person speaking is too slow and boring but it can be such an information overload, I wonder if I can process it the way I would otherwise! The other two though….genius indeed!!
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Love wi-fi on plane. I recently had a out of country trip and I tried wi-fi service on the plane. It was amazing. I was talking to my family and friends thru out the journey. I was really amaze with that.
Rita | http://www.styleroundtheclock.com
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Love the conversational format of your posts!
Wifi on plane in absolutely mind blowing to me, especially because my brain’s been wired to “airplane mode” on the sky.
The tech that amazed me recently was the virtual reality cardboard box – a simple gadget, yet an awesome experience.
Oh yes, been using a portable charger for sometime. Can’t live without one now 🙂
I had no idea about the double speed thing haha thats pretty amazing to me
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your 100% correct!! actually not only with Gen Y girls but also BOYS>>> specially with those gadgets.. awww… so expensive but they are going crazy for it..
What portable chargers for cell phone? How have I not seen these?
Sooo…had no idea you could speed up videos like that! haha Been a while since I was in college and needing that technology, though. WiFi in planes is AMAZING! And no portable charger here, although that would be fantastic!
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Double-speed lecture replays were a game-changer for me in medical school 😉 Those portable chargers look quite useful as well!
I wish that more planes had free wifi. I honestly think it should just come as standard now.
Technology has definitely revolutionized the world! While there is much good about it, there is also the nuisance factor of being plugged in, sometimes against our will, 24/7