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Technology and high technology (hi-tech) seem to be a natural part of our everyday lives. Some people even find it difficult to imagine a world without cellular phones (cell-phones), computers and the internet.
But actually, theses technologies are relatively new. People began buying computers and cell-phones for personal use, only in the late 1970s and 1980s. That means that 30 years ago most people couldn't contact friends and family whenever and wherever they wanted, like they can today using a cell-phone. There was no such thing as e-mail, so people had to wait a few days to get a reply to a letter sent in the regular mail. Without computers, people had to save business and personal files on paper, so it was more difficult to change or update files, than it is today.
Technology is always changing and reinventing itself. New technologies are developed so quickly, that it's hard to keep up with the latest products and services that technology has to offer. Some of us are still getting used to using e-mail, "facebook" and "iPods". Others are already using "Twitter", "Kindle" and "iPhones".
"Twitter" is an internet service that allows you to send short messages to other people, who are interested in knowing where you are, what you are doing and what you think about a certain subject. Celebrities like using it to find out exactly how many "followers" they have at any given time. For instance, Britney Spears has over 53,290 followers. These devoted fans are actually interested in what this 28 year old singer has to say. Unfortunately, the writer of this newsletter has no followers at all.
"Kindle" is an electronic book developed by "Amazon" that is supposed to replace regular "hard-copy" books. This hi-tech gadget holds up to 200 books, newspapers and magazines, even though it's only the size of one standard book. The electronic display is easy to read and you turn pages by pressing a button. You can even change the size of the letters to suit your specific needs. You won't have to go to the book store anymore, because you can buy books directly from your "Kindle".
"iPhones" are cellular phones with a camera, iPod and internet service. This hi-tech gadget was designed by "Apple" and is supposed to change the way we think about our mobile phones. There are no buttons to press on the "iPhone". Instead, you touch the screen in order to dial a number or surf the web.
 "Kindles" and "iPhones" are both hi-tech devices with many advantages, but they also come with a high price tag. Each one costs a few hundred dollars. Some people think that there are also "social prices" that come with these new technologies.
Are young people spending too much of their free time following every movement and every sentence spoken by their favorite celebrities? Will future generations enjoy the experience of reading a "hard-copy" book, feeling its pages and smelling its paper? Will "iPhones" intensify people's addiction to the internet and make it even easier to stay on-line all day long?
What I'm sure of, is that like computers and cell-phones, that were once considered new technologies, these "newer" technologies will also soon be a part of our everyday lives. So get ready!
Ishmael Ben Israel
English Online Team
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