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Chapter 2: Our digital future
ISSUES
: The Internet of Things
2
Chapter
Our digital future
Ringing the cinema, taping TV shows
and travel agents – all falling victim to
technology
E
xperts have unveiled a list
of tasks, jobs and pastimes
which have fallen victim to
technology – including visiting the
travel agents, checking a map and
writing to pen friends. Researchers
who carried out the study found
that there are dozens of activities
Brits no longer carry out due to the
explosion of time-saving functions
on smart devices.
The poll of 2,000 adults also found
ringing the cinema to find out movie
times, using public telephones
and printing photographs are rare
occurrences these days.
Gadgets such as smartphones
and computers have also made
using
telephone
directories,
encyclopaedias, address books and
dictionaries redundant.
The research, commissioned by
business communications provider
Daisy Group to mark its technology
summit #DaisyWired2014, also found
we no longer put classified adverts in
shop windows or send love letters.
Kate O’Brien from the Daisy Group,
said:
“Technology dominates modern life
and so it comes as no surprise to
learn there are a number of acts we
no longer do as a result.
“Developments
in
computing,
smartphones, televisions and other
gadgets have made communicating
with people easier and faster than
ever before and it is now quicker to
fire up the laptop to buy something
rather than visit the shops, or talk to
someone online rather than pick up
the landline.
“Life is simply getting easier and
faster, as experts are working all
the time to find ways of conducting
business more efficiently and saving
time wherever possible. And this is
just the beginning, with a huge range
of jobs and activities being overtaken
by technology.
“We’re seeing librarians being
replaced by ‘bookbots’ in academic
libraries, automated trains taking the
place of train drivers, Cloud software
replacing accountants and robot
vacuum cleaners replacing traditional
cleaners for example.”
The study also showed household
chores such as hand washing clothes
and hanging wet laundry outside in
winter rarely happen now tumble
dryers and washing machines have
taken over.
Similarly, use of the telephone has
changed dramatically – as gone are
the days of saving up change for
the pay phone, remembering phone
numbers, reversing the charges and
dialling 1471.
The bank, building society and post
office now get fewer footfalls than
ever before, as people are paying for
car tax, paying bills and checking
accounts online.
Keeping a personal diary, hand-
writing essays and sending postcards
also appear in the list of things Brits
no longer do.
Other everyday activities and errands
which have fallen by the wayside
include booking tickets over the
telephone, trying on shoes on the high
street and buying flowers fresh from
the florist.
Warming hot milk on the stove, using
a pager and keeping copies of printed
bank statements are also acts of the
past.
Eight in ten people admit the majority
of their daily activities now rely on
technology in some way, believing
advancements save them up to four
hours a week.
Researchers found the average
household now has at least five
computing devices in the house,
compared to just two or three five
years ago.
The study also highlights the huge
popularity of pocket-sized digital
devices, with 18% of us using
smartphones and 12% tablets for
over 16–20 hours per week.
As surfing remotely online becomes
an ingrained way of life, 36% also
admit that they spend over 16 hours a
week carrying out everyday activities
such as online banking, uploading
photos onto social media sites and
listening to music.
Tom Cheesewright, author and
futurologist who will be speaking at the
#DaisyWired2014 event in May, said:
“Technology plays a part in every
waking moment of our lives, as
individuals, for businesses and in our
homes, towns and cities.
“Smartphones do everything from
waking us tomonitoring our health; our
