Just when you thought you could enjoy your iPhone 3G, along comes the iPhone 3GS. VCRs are all but gone, replaced by DVRs. DVDs are on their way out, and Blu-ray discs are in.
Betamax and VHS. Eight-track tapes.
Cassettes and CDs. With technology, nothing lasts forever. As soon as something gets replaced by The Next Big Thing, the next Next Big Thing comes along.
So, before they disappear, here are 10 advances in consumer technology this past decade worth remembering.
Blue in the Face
Say what you will about Bluetooth: It’s unreliable. It’s too expensive. A Bluetooth ear piece makes you look like a geek. The wireless system that lets devices talk to each other over short distances has changed how we use our phones, computers and MP3 players. Since the technology hit shelves in 2000, at least 2 billion devices have become Bluetooth-enabled, according to the company.
Sex, Lies and DVRs
The digital video recorder came of age this decade, offering TV watchers the chance to pause programming and resume the show at will, which meant — among other things — the power to skip commercials. Consumers bought them in droves. Today, some 33 million homes have DVRs, according to industry estimates. What’s been happening since is predictable — Americans are watching more television than ever. How much? A recent Nielsen study pegged it at 151 hours a month.
Men Behaving Gladly
Men who won’t ask for directions collectively breathed a huge sigh of relief in 2000. That’s when the accuracy of Global Positioning System technology was significantly improved for public use. Since then, GPS has become so popular that it’s a standard feature in many new cars.
We Kike To Watch
The bulky machine that broke your back. The protruding mike. The cassette tape. That was how video cameras used to be. The past decade, however, saw cameras…
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