Three years may not seem like a long time, but when it comes to the world of technology, it’s an eternity.
For the past three years, I’ve tried to fill The Daily Reveille’s pages with the most up-to-date tech news and events ranging from smartphones to tablets to video games to Congress.
A lot has happened in these past three years, but if you take one thing from my columns – aside that I seem to be a fanboy of almost every company – it’s that technology is constantly changing at an exceptionally rapid pace.
If you refuse to keep up and evolve with it, you’ll be left in the dust.
The best example comes from our extremely tech-ignorant friends from Congress.
Earlier this year, two sister bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), would’ve shut down any website hosting copyrighted material – basically the entire Internet.
But thanks to enormous support from companies like Google, Reddit and Wired, the people of the Net united to bring down the anti-Internet legislation.
But unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
A new bill, recently passed by the House and known as the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), will basically allow certain tech companies and even the government to access your “private” search and online information without a warrant or even your acknowledgement.
The existence of this type of legislature shows that these old fogeys in Congress have no idea – and frankly don’t care to learn – how the Internet works.
The Internet isn’t going anywhere. The explosion in popularity in social networking over the past few years proves it.
So many times I’ve wanted to delete my Facebook because of privacy concerns or the stupidity I see on my news feed from my “friends,” but that’s easier said than done.
Facebook has become more than just a place to post your emo song lyrics – it’s become a huge online infrastructure for networking, advertising, reuniting with old classmates and even finding jobs.
People post their entire lives on Facebook, and this new online persona has become just as much a part of our identity as our actual selves.
Sometimes, though, people post too much on Facebook and other social networking sites.
While everyone needs to vent sometimes, Facebook really isn’t the place to air your dirty laundry.
Also, while that frat party may have been bro-tastic, it isn’t wise to post (or let others post) pictures of you online double-fisting Solo cups or passed out on the couch.
You’d be surprised who can see your limited profile.
Finally, there’s the evolution of being constantly plugged in.
Three years ago when I got this job, the iPad didn’t exist and the iPhone was just learning how to take video. Android was celebrating its first birthday and Windows Phone was still a joke.
Now, everyone seems to be constantly staring at a screen.
Whether its texting, updating Facebook (remember, no emo song lyrics), drawing something or playing Angry Birds, this notion of always being connected is a blessing and a curse.
When was the last time you actually used your phone to make a phone call? It’s amazing they still do that.
And don’t even get me started on the Cloud – I talked enough about that last week.
As we look forward to our wireless future, smartphones will continue to evolve, social media will only dominate our lives more and, until our generation takes over Congress, we will continue to not understand more than a plug-in nightlight.
With my time at The Daily Reveille coming to an end, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of all things tech.
Technology won’t slow down, people.
Now is the time to get on board before you’re left stuck in the past with your CDs and flip phones.
Adam Arinder is a 22-year-old graduating in communication studies from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_aarinder.
____ Contact Adam Arinder at [email protected]