10 Ways Technology Is Reshaping Our Life on a Day-to-Day Basis
Technology is everywhere. Depending on your definition, your home, the chair you sit in, and the heat you use to prepare food count as technology. However, when we speak about the technology in 2023, what we’re addressing is the following:
- Smartphones
- Smart technology
- Cryptocurrencies
- Internet of Things
- Apps
No, these are not just some marginal inventions or high-tech gimmicks. Instead, they shape our lives and lifestyles as we know them. With this in mind and without further ado, here are the top 10 ways technology is reshaping our life on a day-to-day basis.
Internet as a basic human right
Some initiatives are proposing that the internet is supposed to become a basic human right. This is not just a product or a technology; it’s an outlet that keeps us connected to the world around us and helps us access any information we need at any moment.
There’s even an official note to it since, by the 2016 UN resolution (non-binding), government disruption of internet access to citizens is highly condemned. The exact wording is something the same rights people have offline must be protected online.
Everyone has a smartphone
In today’s world, about 6.92 billion people have access to a smartphone. This is almost all humanity, meaning we’re on the brink of a much larger technological revolution than anyone assumes. Also, people are using phones at an unprecedented rate. According to some estimates, there are about 11.701 billion IoT cellular connections worldwide.
This has already penetrated our culture too deeply. You can leave home without your pants but not without your smartphone. We use them for everything from communication and payments to controlling our smart homes. Speaking of which…
Smart homes
Controlling your lights remotely was never a problem, but it took a while for this protocol to become available via a smartphone. After all, if your remote is not within reach, you can’t turn it on/off without getting up. Fortunately, a phone is always within the hand’s reach.
This is not just restricted to lights. Via your smartphone, you can check your locks, control and monitor your thermostat, and even turn your kettle on for tea. In other words, never before could you have such control over your household. While convenience is huge, the control is even bigger.
The dominance of digital money
Contactless payments and digital money, in general, are huge in today’s world. More and more people pay via card or even via their mobile app. Contactless payments were always the most cost-effective, but today, this difference is astronomical.
When it comes to cryptocurrencies, things are even wilder. The idea of decentralized finance (De-Fi), a financial system without a single brick-and-mortar bank or institution, is too big to ignore. The biggest question is whether you see this as digital money or a potential investment asset. If you do your research and find the best tokens to buy now, you’re in for a potentially lucrative payoff.
Online dating
A surprisingly large number of people are looking for partners online. Now, while some prophesize that this is a huge problem, there are a lot of good sides to this. First, finding a suitable partner is hard for people not working in mixed-gender environments. With more and more people working from home, this is becoming an even bigger problem than ever.
Sure, people still use looks as one of their main criteria, but you can filter out by their interests and preferences. This means that future couples may be a much better match; however, one of the side effects is that people are now pickier than ever before.
Gaming is a huge industry
In the past, gaming was just a pastime; today, it’s a huge industry with incredible potential. First, there are people out there making a living on professional gaming. Others are making money by streaming themselves, playing video games, and uploading video game-related content on youtube.
Then, there’s a huge market for indie game developers. With today’s AI tools, making your own game is incredibly easy, even with a relatively small team. There’s even a market for minimalist and pixelated games, meaning you don’t have to invest in expensive equipment to get started.
Pandemic changed everything
Even people who were big about outdoor activities had to spend more indoors during the pandemic. Many people started playing chess, while others got hooked on podcasts and digital content. With greater interest, more money started rolling in, creating an incentive for even better content.
The thing is that many people were completely oblivious to the current scope of digital education. Many of them saw it first-hand for the first time in a while. The photorealistic animation must have been a shock for many people who slept on the last 20 years of gaming (from when Lara Croft was still in polygons).
Remote work
With today’s average broadband availability, hardware, and software development, working from home is not just acceptable; it’s preferred. Some may argue that because it eliminates the need for commute and helps you establish a healthier work-life balance, it’s an incredibly advantageous form of work that many people have the privilege to enjoy.
Even people who work from the office may have a side gig that they work on remotely or finish their tasks at home.
Once again, many people tried working from home for the first time during the pandemic. Also, many employers got a chance to see that this doesn’t have to ruin productivity. If anything, there are many scenarios in which it even boosts it.
Transportation
Being able to hail an Uber, make a contactless payment, and select the best driver via an application is the revolution that the world of urban commutes has been waiting for all along. This is simple and convenient. This is a true saving grace for a generation that prefers texting and app usage over calling and hailing cabs in person.
Then, there are so many hitchhiking apps that can make carpooling more accessible and more popular. This is a simple, efficient, and a green solution
Health and Fitness
With the help of smartwatches and fitness apps, you will have an easier time tracking various parameters in real time. This was never possible before; to learn even something basic about your health and body, you would have to go to a lab or for a checkup.
The best thing is that this technology is widely accessible. As mentioned, everyone already has a smartphone, and smartwatches are rather cheap. Also, numerous fitness apps (even great ones) are free. You even get some with your OS. Overall, this is a huge step forward and an undoubtedly positive side of technology.
Modern technology is reshaping our everyday lives
Since you’re reading this, you have access to the internet. Because of the figure that we’ve presented, you are guaranteed to have a smartphone, and it’s not that far-fetched to assume that you’ve, at least in some capacity, interacted with the majority of items from this list. In other words, modern technology has had an impact on your life.
