New Age of Technology

The New Age of Technology, I believe one of the most redundant phrases that is being tossed around today.  50 years ago we had a "New Age of Technology" and 50 years from now we will have a "New Age of Technology", but what I am interested in is This Age of Technology and how it will affect the next New Age of Technology.

To me it seems that in the not so distant past technology was driven by the need for companies or industries to redefine how they produce and sell.  The automotive industry because of the necessity to mass produce cars popularized the assembly line method which was recreated for years to come.  While television had already been created at this point, it wasn't until companies realized they could advertise better on Television that shows starting reaping more benefits, and more channels were created thus beginning the boom of television.  The internet can be seen the same way.  It wasn't until people and companies realized they could start sites for free, by advertising other internet sites on their webpage, that the real internet boom of the 90s occurred.  I would like to call this whole era, "Companies Reaching the Customer."  Companies were doing everything they could to just communicate and reach out to the consumer, so the consumer would know the company.  Well because of all these technologies companies are now easily able to reach out to the consumer.

I believe we are in a "New Age of Technology."  I would like to name this age, "Consumers Informing the Companies."  The consumer knows the industry in which they are shopping very well these days.  I believe the internet is the reason for this new era, because it is the first communication space in which there is two way communication from sender to receiver and back again.  With the advent of amazon and ebay and other online sites which let the consumers voice their opinions and reviews of items.  I believe one of the first companies to listen to the consumer was Apple.  They popularized the new trend of phones with consumer applications on them.  They listened to the consumer and put devices on phones to make life easier for the consumer.  Apple didn't just say I believe each phone should have a GPS.  The consumers wanted a GPS on their phone, and now that is a standard application on the I-Phone.

In the future I think the consumers will have an even greater control over the marketplace.  The telecom industry is booming because of how much input consumers have, such as creating apps and sending in requests to phone companies on how to update their new mobile phone.  I think it is now time for us as consumers to realize our potential and all start reaching out to companies and to governments.  We need to let them know what we want, because we are the ones who they ultimately are working for, and we pay their salaries.  I think it's time we let them know how to earn their money.