Cute. Even the cat’s getting into technology. 🙂
On March 21st 2006, Twitter was born, and it’s first tweet by founder Jack Dorsey read, “Just setting up my twttr.” It was launched to the public in August of that year, and quickly grew. Interesting isn’t it? Because Twitter doesn’t feel seven years old. And why? It didn’t truly take off until around 2009.
In my explorations of finding out more about Twitter, I searched the web. It was there I located the oldest article, one from the New York Times dated April 30th 2007. It explained Twitter as being a mini-blog, where a user can broadcast short text messages from their phones and computers to those of friends and strangers. It was expected Twitter would be a curiosity, which is why the creators gave it a flippant name to match.
What they didn’t know back then was how it would morph. Today it’s huge. Figures released at the end of 2012 state there are 500 million users. Twitter’s catching up to Facebook, which truly proves we like to stay in touch. This all makes me wonder though what the tech-gurus will come up with next? What more social media platforms could we possibly need?
As I consider this, I’m reminded of the rises and falls in time. This week my Nanna (who’s 88) sent me a letter. Yep, the old-fashioned way, by post. She doesn’t have a computer, and she likes to put pen to paper, so that’s the way it goes. She’s probably the only person I actually still write to. I even grab a pen too, a biggy for me since I can whip out close to 80 words a minute and I’d rather type it. She also pops in photographs and newspaper clippings which might interest me. I send her family photos, too. I can’t have her missing out. But it’s these letters and the content which exactly mirror Twitter and Facebook. The written word and images. This is how we keep in touch, no matter how technology advances. The basics are still there.
So, back to the question. What’s the next revolution? Today, everything is at our fingertips. Wireless technology has boomed and cell phones are becoming a do-it-all tool. What are your thoughts? What are those gurus going to offer us next? Take a look at this then and now picture of Times Square in New York.
This happened in my grandmother’s lifetime, so what else is going to happen in mine? Do you think about the “then and now” as I do? Drop me a comment. I love hearing from you. Also, congratulations to Julie Wallace, the winner of an ebook copy of PROTECTOR, for my blog’s “Lucky In Love Blog Hop” prize. Enjoy the read, Julie.
You all have a great week. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
I do wonder about that, Joanne. In my 4 year old daughter’s pregnancy journal (when I was pregnant with her) I wondered if she would experience space flight in the same way we experience visiting other countries. Will that be the norm? “Where are you off to these holidays?” “Oh, just a quick trip to the moon.”
It is amazing to see what changes have come about, even in my own lifetime – computers in most homes, mobile phones – in the hands of children even! What could the future bring? Though sometimes I think the changes are not necessarily for the best – I much prefer the image of “then” New York, than now…
Hi Heather,
I love that comment “Oh, just a quick trip to the moon.” That might actually come true for your daughter. Amazing. I like the “then” New York too. It looks more real, particularly for me since we have nothing like the “now” TImes Square in New Zealand.
I agree, my goodness, we didn’t even have a home computer until maybe 2001. Now, we all have cell phones, a desk top (the same one…) a laptop, two, no, three tablets and an iPod touch. Wow! I write on one, send it to the other…
I didn’t tweet until a couple years ago. I don’t know where it will go from here, but I’m excited to find out!
Hi Amy,
I had a work laptop purchased for me by the company I worked for in 1998 to bring home. I’ll never forget the company forking out $4,500 to purchase it. You could buy five or six laptops with that same kind of money now. I’d forgotten about that. I still have that old laptop, and it works. One of the kids uses it to play games on since it doesn’t have WIFI, and can’t connect to our broadband. I have a computer from 2001/2002 and that came with WIFI, but not the 1998 model. Even in those 3-4 years technology advanced dramatically. Interesting.
I’m excited to find out where we’re headed in the next few years as well.
It’s mind blowing how dramatically the world has changed in the last century. Looking at the pictures of Time Square then and now, makes me excited what the world will bring. I wouldn’t mind being the first old lady on Jupiter!
LOl. The first old lady on Jupiter. I’ll join you. Jupiter would be a cool place to visit.
Hi, Joanne! I’m completely fascinated by the changes that occur in a lifetime. It’s one of the reasons I love talking to older people. It’s amazing the changes they’ve seen. I also love looking at old photographs.
Looking back on my own lifetime, there have been so many changes. I remember my first computer was an XT that ran at a blistering 4 mhz, had a monochrome monitor, and operated on DOS (no windows). Now I walk around with an iPad mini, among all the other gadgets I have–including a desktop, 2 laptops, Android phone, and a Kindle Fire. Honestly, sometimes I think technology moves too fast. I’ve definitely benefitted from it, but I wouldn’t mind if it slowed down a bit. Great post!
Oh my goodness. I remember DOS, too. When I was 17 I was trained by IBM in the Unix and Linux Operating Systems. I have a very wide and varied past, particularly with technology.
I believe my kiddies would freak to see what our world’s first computers looked like. Those huge monitors, and cables everywhere. Now, that would be a blast from the past if I could haul those out.
Yay for technology.
This is what’s known as a ‘singularity’. Whatever comes will be unexpected and so completely change how we function that our children won’t be able to imagine how we got by without it.