A Matter Of Time

Black Enterprise, April, 2001

There's no doubt that technology will change the way you live. The question is when?

Everywhere you turn there is some reminder that you--no matter how Tech-savvy--are somehow behind the technology curve. Each new day brings some new gadget or upgrade to an existing one. If you're like most of us your typical response is, "So what?" But, just because you aren't interested in technology for it's own sake doesn't mean you should discount its benefits. At home or in the office, there are plenty of ways that technology can make our lives easier and more productive.

Clearly, Internet access is the cornerstone of the Information Age--and for good reason. Never have we had access to such a vast amount of information at our fingertips. Leisure and business pursuits alike have found a champion in the Internet. Whether searching for movie listings or gathering competitive intelligence for your company--it's a good bet you'll find it on the web. Never again will you have to suffer through a friend's convoluted directions to get to that weekend getaway. That alone is enough to make technology converts out of many of us. And it's just the tip of the iceberg.

If you've seen the commercial featuring the telecommuting parent who delivers a presentation to her company's board while sitting at the dinning room table in her bedroom slippers, you have an idea of just how useful technology can be. Believe me, it's not that far fetched. In fact, with a PC and an inexpensive video camera, you can use the Net for videoconferencing as well. It won't be picture perfect, but it works fairly well. Telephone companies and Internet Service Providers now offer high-speed Internet connections--such as DSL or a cable modem--that improve the delivery of audio and video over the Web. For businesses, however, videoconferencing is much more than a novelty. It's away to leverage their existing investment in ultra high-speed connections, such as T1 and T3 lines, to reduce travel costs and improve the bottom line.

However, videoconferencing is often no substitute for a face-to-face meeting. For the traveling salesperson or executive, that likely means being out of the loop when it comes to company documents, memos, etc. This no longer need be the case. Advancements in portable computing allow mobility without sacrificing communication. Companies can now store and manage documents online thereby allowing mobile workers to access important files through a range of devices. For instance, a mobile executive can now use a laptop computer, Web-enabled cell phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), for example a Palm Pilot and/or Pocket PC, to access critical documents while on the road. Those who prefer not to carry a laptop can use their PDA or phone to access a file and have it sent to a nearby fax machine. While this amount of access and mobility is typically the domain of business people, online storage has also made headway into the consumer market.

Technology will find its way out the office and den and into the fabric of our lives in ways that we could never imagine. It is a promising future in which we will reap the benefits of increased productivity and increased downtime. Technology will bend to the needs of the user rather than the other way around. But that doesn't mean you should go blindly into the abyss. No matter the intended purpose, for business or personal pursuits, technology tools make sure you first assess what you need, not what the salesperson tells you is the hot new thing. However, if there's some money left over after you have what you need, try out that hot new thing--you might like it.

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