Having used many technologies and devices throughout my lifetime, I figured I’d write out my list of greatest, and worst, tech innovations and products I've lived to experience. Comments, as always, are welcome. I’m aware that my negative opinions, particularly on Mac software and AMD processors are rather controversial. Controversy and arguments are welcome, but please don’t overdo it.
I can’t say there’s a specific genre here. It’s all over the map, but it’s all tech.
So here it is – do enjoy!
Greatest:
Mini USB – Has created universal compatibility among hundreds of devices among digital cameras, PSPs, blackberries, cell phones, MP3 players, external storage drives, photo printers, and the likes.
Suretype – THE best keyboard format in existence. Combines the ease of predicted typing with the freedom of a qwerty keyboard. Exclusive to the Blackberry Pearl and 7105t’s, but I think should be incorporated in more products. Including possibly laptops, seeing how a keyboard is the only thing stopping a small, pocket sized computer from existing. Would be rather interesting. I’d buy it.)
Windows 2000 – Most robust operating system, covering most functions that XP covers, but is far less resource consuming, less graphics intensive, and most things XP compatible, are also windows 2000 compatible. I honestly prefer it over XP.
DVD+-RW – 4.7 GB of storage, with no USB sticking out, read, write, whenever you see fit. Substantially cheaper than a USB drive.
Blu Ray – 25GB per side. I think that’s pretty self explanatory.
Blackberry – A dedicated network for email, and having email automatically sent to your device, all within a phone, is probably one of the biggest corporate breakthroughs since WordPerfect.
Wireless internet – Wireless laptops (with batteries in them) are nothing new. However, using no wires, and being able to use the internet, on laptops, desktops, and now cell phones, was a change for all computer users, both personal and business.
Bluetooth – data transfer and audio, wirelessly, in a high frequency part of the spectrum. Enough said.
Bose Headphones – Have you tried these things? Words aren’t enough to describe them.
JVC Marshmallows – The first true in-ear earbuds. Pinching the earbuds to go into your ear tunnel limits the distance between your eardrum and your music, and every millimeter counts there. A whole new feeling, accompanied by a gold plug to deliver exquisite sound. Strongly recommended for those who really want to feel their music, and not just hear it.
Norton Antivirus – Used by corporations. Used by consumers. Keeps most of us safe, for whatever is out of range of windows defender. Gets better and better every year.
Webcam – The telephone has kept us together over a long distance since 1876. Instant messaging since the mid 1960s. This has covered all the bases of hearing, and transmitting information between parties. It’s one thing to hear them – but another to see them. They have provided us with social connection, corporate communication for meetings, and surveillance of locations by digitally recording the video.
SATA – Far faster than IDE. Enough said.
USB stick – The floppy disk substitute of transferring files from one computer to another. Has benefited teachers, students, employees, and all computer users alike.
MP3 – the most versatile format for clear music, not taking up too much space
Google – The internet’s most reliable search engine, expanding to email, video, translation, cellular communications, and many more applications. What would us geeks, along with any computer user for that matter, do without it?
Hotmail – The first free email provider – and still the best.
Facebook – Connecting old friends and family members, allows you to stalk that hot co-worker, play a game or two, share links and content with your friends, and stay connected.
MSN messenger – The established medium of communication. Enough said. Embedded deep into our society, both technologically initiated and uninitiated.
VOIP – using the internet to make cheap phone calls ruins expensive landline companies, but keeps more money in our pockets, and allows for us to communicate with distant colleagues, consistently and cheaply.
Water Cooling – The “pro” version of cooling. Covers all areas of a case, ensuring it never to overheat.
IBM ThinkPad – The true “pro” PC laptop. Matte Screen, hard hinges, easy to use keyboard, excellent battery life, uses only professional software, is designed to be used on the go. Quiet, well cooled case allows for convenient travel.
Macbook Pro – Best hardware – worst software. Is the sexiest laptop on the market by far. Sure, it’s a heat-prone laptop and costs a whole lot, but Core 2 Duo, SATA hard drive, at least 2gb of RAM, a slot loading DVD burner drive, 15 inch screen, isight, amazing battery life, not to mention a sick graphics card, all add up to the best looking and operating laptop available to consumers. I’d take it if it had Windows 2000 on it, as I mentioned before. For now I shall stick with my ThinkPad.
Mac Pro – Dual CPU slot made it the first widely available computer to incorporate the quad, and octa-core computers. Sexy, quiet, cool case makes it an asset to a desk, rather than an embarrassment.
Intel Core 2 Duo – The consumer level multi-core processor. A breakthrough out of the single core Celerons and Pentium 4’s.
Intel Core 2 Extreme – the 4th core empowers the user to use as many applications as they see fit. The true power user’s processor.
Ebay – Lets us buy stuff cheaply, and get cash for things we never would have believed to be worth anything.
Craigslist – Has the same function as eBay, just locally. Also has forums for people to discuss things in. If you ask me, is more useful than eBay.
Adobe Photoshop – Has a negative impact on those who are embarrassed by modified photographs, but hey, has produced ads, business cards, banners, and the likes, beautifully and efficiently. The $900 price tag is a turn-off for many budget-minded consumers, but is a necessity for artists, and developers alike.
RJ-45 – May not be wireless, but first provided broadband internet, and was a major change in communications.
Laser printer – A true improvement over inkjet printers, creating sharper, faster printouts (kind of like a dialup to broadband transition)
Hard drive camcorders – No tapes – no DVDs – no hassle. Easy to upload back onto a computer (and much faster too)
SMS – For the times you need less than 160 characters worth of explanation, can’t talk out loud, or don’t want to waste a cell phone minute – this was a total genius idea in 2G communications.
Video Calling – Like the webcam – visually connects parties – but on the go.
Wireless mouse/controller – Freedom from cords, makes you worry less about running out of cord, or getting it caught on something, and more about focusing on your current task.
Youtube – an online video community has entertained watchers, and made stars out of directors, and advertisers got excellent exposure.
Firefox – the “better” version of internet explorer.
Ctrl + T (browser tabbing) – having multiple internet pages in one window was a total breakthrough in internet browsing.
Xbox 360 – hard drive, networking, user interface, wireless controllers, Xbox live, game selection – best console out there, by far.
Xbox live – the first structured online console gaming community – playing together, from anywhere in the world makes a whole new gaming experience.
Intel Xeon – the best server-oriented processor. Enough said.
Palm pilot – an on-the-go desktop-like interface was revolutionary in mobile technology
Product red – not only a cool marketing strategy to help against AIDS, but makes your cell phone or iPod look a whole lot cooler too.
PVRs – TIVOs, and Apple TV, take away the tapes, and allow for easier saving and viewing of recorded programs.
PSP – UMD disks, web browsing, online play, videos, pictures, MP3s, movies on UMDs, infrastructural play, and 2 control axes, reverse compatibility with PS2 – it’s just beautiful.
Universal remote – “I lost the remote” was never a problem as a result of it
Flat Panel displays – use less power, are better for your eyes, are lighter weight, make less noise, and take up far less room than a bulky CRT does. Not to mention that a CRT holds 50,000 volts in its tube. You MIGHT not want to touch that.
Dashboard (10.4 tiger and later) – On the go mini-applications. One of the few things I liked about Mac.
Fingerprint Reader – No more passwords/forgetting your password/having people guess your password. Yay!
Twitter – update your status by text, web, Fring, or MSN. Enough said.
Camera phones – Take a picture wherever you want with one, not having to carry around a digital camera. Now that’s innovative.
Worst:
Mini CD/DVD – why pay roughly the same amount for smaller disks, physically, with much less storage capacity? It’s retarded!
Mac OS X – It’s Mac. It’s not compatible, it’s slow, it’s not well laid out, and it’s hard to navigate in.
Limewire – Kills our music industry, gives people viruses, people get sued by the RIAA. Which are all bad things.
Mac Mini – “Oh, please. You have GOT to be kidding me!” – were the very words that came out of my mouth when I first heard about it. The small form factor simply has no point to it at all. Oh, maybe to save packaging, but that’s about it.
Windows
Black Macbook - $200 extra? For 90 GB of hard drive extra, and a black color? That’s RIDICULOUS. Especially when you consider that the 100 GB hard drive upgrade is only $100 more – so $100 for different colored casing? Give me a break!
Nintendo Wii – has the stupidest gaming style EVER. No DVD-ROM, limited internet play, no hard drive, no traditional gaming style controllers (ok, maybe for the Gamecube games…), and a 360, which is much better, doesn’t cost that much more.
Nintendo Gamecube – the small form factor discs, 2 or 3 games that support online play (and its hell to get online play!), no hard drive, no reverse compatibility, no higher definition gaming, and a very weirdly designed controller.
Macbook Air – no optical drive? $1799 + tax minimum? I do believe I’ve said enough.
Microsoft Surface -$5,000? At best? Sure, it’s cool – but what use has it got?
Blackberry
AMD processors – Not even going to start.
Nintendo DS – Double screen is very confusing to use. Limited game selection, no mp3, no movies, no internet browsing. Get a PSP.
Wireless keyboard – Much more expensive than wired, and for what? Mismatched brands of keyboards and mice may be subject to interference of one another. Not like you have to move a keyboard around or anything so it doesn’t get tangled.
Third generation iPod nano – hardest to work with, stupidest looking design I’ve EVER seen.
iPod shuffle – the booby prize of all iPods. Pathetic.
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