On the launch of MTV 28 years ago was a video titled "Video
Killed the Radio Star". MTV brought an age of video stardom to rock
bands. This transition was expected to mirror the change that had
happened decades earlier when radio stars were replaced by TV
stars.
Video Killed the Radio Star
Some performers made the transition; others had their careers
end.
Technology has long had the power to change industries almost
overnight. Silent movies were replaced by talking ones. Black and white
movies were replaced by color. CDs and DVDs have replaced albums and
videotapes. People are dropping their landlines and going wireless.
Computers for Work
For the longest time, computers were somewhat immune to this
phenomenon. Instead of being replaced being completely replaced, they
were becoming smaller. Computers went from taking up a huge room to
fitting in a box on a desk. The box using solid state electronics has
stuck with us for around 40 years. In this
shape they have gotten faster and smarter, but they are largely
unchanged in appearance or purpose.
While we have replaced our desktop computers every 3 to 5 years, the
next one was mostly the same. They ran the same kinds of programs (word
processors, spreadsheets, and databases). Throw in a few games, and
almost nothing has changed, except that green text on a black screen
has been replaced with a WYSIWYG window of information.
For most of these 40 years, portable computers - and later notebooks
- have existed alongside their desktop counterparts. Computing was so
useful that we wanted to bring it from work to home, and then from home
to school, and now to our coffee shops and restaurants.
Over these 40 years, computers have transitioned from the boring
work of basic
computing (number crunching, data storage, and text processing) to
being interactive and fun.
Making Computers Fun
Three important elements converged to bring fun to the world of
computers.
First, there are games. These brought a demand for better graphics.
Sure, there are practical reasons for improved graphics capability, but
video games managed to put these pixels to more entertaining use.
Another important element is sound, especially music. Music became
popular on computers through listening to CDs and later copying the
music from CDs for storage on the computer. Once stored, music can then
be listened to and shared more easily. We enjoyed sharing our musical
choices with family and friends.
The third element is the Internet. It became the means by which we
share sounds and images. Sharing is an expression of ourselves. It
comes from our deepest need for family and support. The Internet was
the opposite of "computing". The Internet is a virtual teleportation
device that links people on opposite sides of the world.
Making Computing More Personal
As we are become less interested in calculating answers, we spend
increasingly more time enjoying and sharing in online communities.
Internet successes show our real interests: Napster (the original,
where people shared music), eBay, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, etc. These businesses/websites are not about computing; they
are about sharing, buying, searching, showing off, talking, acting out
our views and ideas.
This change is killing off the PC as a desktop computer. Sure, we
may still have a box on a desk, but we are more likely to have a
notebook or netbook or smartphone with us. Each device is more personal
than the other, and we want the experience with us wherever we go.
Cellular and WiFi connectivity are playing their role in freeing us
from desktop PCs and bringing in a new era of personal communication
devices. This will define the next 40 years of devices that people will
carry with them. The iPhone, which embodies the new class of personal
communication device, will be seen by future generations as the tool
that killed the desktop PC.
The desktop PC will not disappear completely. There is still work
for it to do, but like my radio, vinyl record albums, or CRT monitors,
it will be pushed more into the background. The smartphone will
continue growing until it eventually surpasses the desktop in
popularity.
We all owe a big thanks to Apple for pushing the technology from
childhood to adulthood (or at least into the teenage years).
Mac of the Day: PowerBook 500 Series, introduced 1994.05.16. 'Blackbird' includes a 25 to 33 MHz 68040 along with smart batteries and grayscale or color displays.
We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
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We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
