The environment is an important issue, no one is debating that, but it is only one half of what our business is about here at Pothast. Technology, and its advances, dictate what we see in our shop every day (which is why we have so many VCRs!). We see many old models of just about every electronic come through our doors, pieces of equipment that retailed for thousands of dollars just a few years ago.
Technology is increasing at such a rate that it is impossible to predict the next generation of gadgets. Just look at Research In Motion (RIM), out of Waterloo, Ontario. This company has grown solely because of the evolution and explosion of smartphones - they created and manufacture the exceptionally successful Blackberry line of 'smart-phones'. In fact they are so successful, that in 2009, Fortune Magazine named RIM the 'fastest growing company in the world', not a bad title!
However with every 'overnight' success, years of hard work have been forgotten. Starting in 1996 with their first pager models (remember pagers?), up until the latest unveiling of the new Blackberry Torch, RIM has been at the forefront of the smart-phone evolution.
I suppose it must be asked though: are our lives better for it? Certainly we are more connected, that much is obvious. Any device where I can check my Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, text messages and phone calls is obviously very well-connected. But what does this connection give you? I mean, the short of it is that you can contact as many people as you know in the entire world pretty much, without actually speaking to them. The jury is out on whether your life will improve if you have a smart-phone, I suppose it depends on what you use it for.
However I urge you to watch this video which is comedian Louis CK with Conan O'Brien talking about how 'Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy'.
Keep e-volving
Great article. Keep them coming!
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