Without a doubt, 99.9% of technology is convenient. Even the most inconvenient technology is still in many ways hard to live without. As a business professional, I deal with new and unique technology on a daily basis. Many new inventions are simply gadgets that can perform incredible functions, yet do not contribute to making our lives a single bit easier. They are fun, overpriced toys for adults. However, there is some technology which, while priced reasonably, meets a purpose, but still has nagging issues that take humanity a step backwards in our evolution.
1. Electric Toothbrush
We have gotten so lazy as a society that we can no longer take five minutes a day brushing the lettuce, peanuts, and steak from between our molars. We can spend an hour a day chewing our food, enjoying each bite, savoring the flavors, but can not take a brush to the plaque. Apparently, we want to taste our food all night. The electric toothbrush solved our problems. All we have to do now is find a way to hold the brush near our mouth for a minute without wanting to chew on the end of it. Any technology that makes us so lazy as to do 100% of the work for us is simply inconvenient.
2. GPS Units
If there is a single GPS user who has not gotten lost one time while using their unit, please comment and leave me the exact brand and model. Despite updates, despite a bevy of satellites, despite user-adjusted corrections, my GPS still manages to leave me wondering why I didn’t instead Mapquest my way. Yes, Mapquest! The day has come when I take my step backwards in evolution. I still carry a state map of NC in my vehicle.
3. Smart Phones
Of course, we can not literally live without our smart phones, for they are our life support. Even if they weren’t, there would be an Iron Lung app for us to download and run. Yes, smart phones (BB Storm user here), provide us with everything we need for work, school, business, parenting, etc….But again, we miss out on life. Not even the Windows phone, as it boasts, can save us from our phone. I have thirteen apps for weather because I can’t decide which I like best. And I still just end up looking outside.
4. Portable Dishwashers
I remember the good old days where portable dishwashers had two hands, two feet, and were my sister and I. Portable dishwashers make you run the wash cycle three times just to get off the original grime that was left on the last time they were washed three times. This convenience is so inconvenient, my daughters can wash the dishes faster. Yes, that is preteen and teenaged girls washing dishes in 2010 faster than an electric dishwasher!
5. Fax Machines
I admit fax machines used to be cool, kind of like beepers/pagers. But, people, move on. I can send a fax conveniently from my Smart Phone(see #3 above). I can send a fax from my e-mail. Wait, I can send an e-mail with an attachment, a .PDF, .XLS, .DOC attachment. It seems a thousand times more convenient to send a fax sitting on my butt, than it is to walk all the way across the office to the fax machine. I don’t have time to wait for my confirmation page, only to receive a call saying the fax got sent upside down. Please throw your fax machines out and join the Smart Ph-, sorry, -the 21st century.
