Pros and Cons Advanced Technology.

Today, we can’t imagine ourselves without technological advances such as cars, microwaves, cell phones, computers, and televisions. However, technology won’t stop here, but develop further. As technology develops, there are not only advantages, but disadvantages from them. A few advantages of upgraded technology are that one can save time and money and life will be made easier as a result of not having to do all the hard labor. In contrast, the disadvantages of upgraded technology are that people will lose their jobs to machines that will do the work for them. In addition, machines and robots are too complex for most people to use.

I personally would want a developed world with advanced technologies. The following are the reasons why I do want a more advanced world with advanced technologies. My major reason is because when you have advanced technologies, life is much easier as robots and machines would take over your daily life chores. For example, daily life chores might be serving your breakfast, cutting your lawn, or cleaning your room. With robots and machines doing one’s chores one has time to relax. Another reason is because unlike humans, robots and machines do not make mistakes when programmed correctly. They always accomplish tasks perfectly so you won’t have to worry about making a mistake and getting trouble.

Other reasons why I want advanced technologies are because they save a great deal of time and money. For example, if you are a wealthy man who always had trouble employing talented maids, you can buy a cleaning robot and use it for the rest of your life. Therefore, you won’t have to use all your time employing talented maids. Also, you will save a lot of money from not having to pay servants. Another example of benefits from advanced technology is that if there are new, developed vehicles that will transport people to anywhere rapidly, so that one would not need to spend all those boring, long hours in an airplane to try to get to another country, which will save much time not only on long travels but also on daily commutes.

As there are so many advantages from highly developed technology, there also is a great deal of disadvantages from them. One disadvantage is that as technology develops, robots and machines will take over many jobs and people will lose their jobs by contrast. As people lose their jobs, they will have hard time getting money which would make it hard for them to continue to meet living expenses. Moreover, as people use less money the economy would be difficult to control and especially if it is a country as large as the United States, the problem will influence the world greatly.

Another disadvantage of highly developed technology is that machines and robots are complex. It is hard to activate all the machines you have unless you can multitask. Think about it, if most people have trouble on computers and almost all of us don’t know the actual limit of computers’ abilities, how will us, normal people, work with all the robots and machines? Moreover, just like computers, robots and machines will easily break and most time you won’t know how to fix them and one will have to call someone to fix them. People will lose their temper over this and it will create a large expense to repair them.

Even as there are as many advantages ad disadvantages of technology, I personally wish a more advanced world with great technologies. It would be so cool to work out all the complicated machines and robots. Don’t you think it will be awesome to press just a few complicated buttons than do the labor yourself? In the future it would be more about using your brain and being intelligent than doing the hard labor yourself. I hope these days come within my lifetime.

http://www.teenink.com/opinion/all/article/48465/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Advanced-Technology/

by Oorvashi Panchoo

Technology has always flourished for the gain of mankind. The major achievements of technology have left man spell-bound and every part of the world today is enjoying the comforts provided by technology. Thanks to technology, all the countries are interlinked and we are now living in a global village. Modern technology has greatly improved people's lives through different fields such as medicine, work, education, industry as well as warfare. However, we cannot say that technology is all good in itself. It is a two-edged sword and we have to see to what extent it has really helped improved people's standard of living.

Technology based on life science has been of a great help in the field of medicine. This technology has led to many useful applications such as X-rays and shots among others. X-rays help in showing cavities and shots may prevent mumps and measles. With modern technology, it is possible to keep looking for new drugs and even organ transplant has been facilitated through technology. Pasteurization, vaccination and many more life-saving discoveries are all thanks to modern technology.

With modern technology, we are living in an era of industrialization and modernization. This has shown man the labor-saving machines which can work better and more efficiently than man. Machines are now doing the job of man and the labor force has been considerably reduced since a machine can do the job of several people at a time. This has given man more leisure time and has freed him of working continuously for several hours. Man now has more time for his family and for relaxing himself. Mechanization, which has been due to technology, has improved man's life by giving him more time to recognize himself in this modern world.

Technology has always influenced people's lives. Mass media, which are the offspring of technology, have greatly affected people's lives and will always have an influence on man. Mass media comprise the television (TV), radio, cinema, satellite transmission among others. The TV, as we all know, is a major source of information as well as entertainment. It plays a very important role in our lives by bringing the world news into our homes and by making us participate in almost every world event. We cannot deny the fact that the radio is an important tool for man and cinema is the most common means of a family outing or a date.

Another technology which is under constant debate is that of genetic engineering and its application to food. This technology is known to have existed for thousands of years and has improved food yield, production of milk, quantity of meat and others over the years. Without this technology, modern life as we know it now would have been very different. Thanks to the increased food production, we can sustain the ever-growing population of the world and can fight famine in certain parts of the world.

Nuclear technology and sophisticated gadgets are also parts of the modern technology that have improved man's life to a certain extent. With nuclear weapons and sophisticated guns, criminals and terrorists are easily punished and crime can be reduced. Other sophisticated gadgets such as mobile phones facilitate communication and computers allow distances between countries to be overcome. Sophisticated gadgets have seen the lives of people improve and we are now living in a better world.

Although technology has improved people's lives, we cannot say that it is only good. There is a limit to everything and even man has to respect this fact. But man is always bent on doing something new and ends up spoiling all. Mechanization has robbed man of his daily bread and has left him jobless. He now has no way of supporting his family.

Mass media have their bad effects too. TV causes addiction and everybody seems to be much interested in watching the big box' rather than having a stroll around. Sitting in front of the TV for long hours can cause obesity and the violent scenes shown on the TV greatly influence a person..

Nuclear technology has also seen major death rates whereas sophisticated gadgets have their own disadvantages such as exposure to pornography and the misuse of mobile phones among others.

After considering the various aspects of modern technology, we cannot say that it is all good or bad. Man has to know how to use it for his benefit and should not abuse its use. On the overall, technology HAS improved man's lives but man should not be a slave of it!

http://www.helium.com/items/1074440-has-modern-technology-improved-peoples-lives

by Elle Kamino

Where are we really? Are we advancing, or are we hiding?

Although we live in a thriving age of technology, it seems to me that we are somehow losing just about everything that has ever really mattered all along. Have we allowed ease of communication through the Internet to overtake the importance of actually appearing personally in our relationships as humans?

E-mail along with instant messaging overtook telephone calls just as the telephone had overtaken hand-written letters and personal house calls of a not so long ago past that now seems almost unbearably obsolete. In many ways, of course, technology has made our lives simpler but I ask you now, has life become too simple? I also have to ask why in the simplicity then, do things tend to seem even more complex?

I recently, well, almost a year ago actually, had a falling-out with a family member I'd always been close to. It's because of this falling-out that I've come to realize just how much technology can but perhaps shouldn't be able to do for us. I'm sure that most people know about Facebook, it's the place to keep up with friends old and new as well as far and wide. Yes, I am a fan of the site. I have reconnected with school friends I otherwise might not have, I've even made a few new friends across the globe as well and it's been great. The problem? I've also been avoiding personal issues by keeping in touch via Facebook. By taking turns in playing a simple game of Scrabble my brother and I are each telling the other that we are still here for one another but, is it enough? I have spoken to my brother twice since our major miscommunication. We spoke once on Christmas Day and the second time was on his birthday when I called to wish him a happy one, fleeting though the phone call was. The one line we do keep open between us is the one of Facebook gaming.

I am beginning to believe that the simplicity of technology has come to overshadow what is right for my own world and can't help but to wonder if it isn't true for others as well. Because of how easy it is to hide behind a few typed alphabet letter blocks, my brother and I have settled into a far too comfortable silence. Before this Internet Age we would have had to actually work things out rather than just skim along the surface of the hurt. What I do believe for certain is that had I just picked up the phone and called him in the first place we would be far better off than we are right now. If I had just spoken my upsets to him and listened to his own instead of merely continuing to place those aforementioned letter blocks into squares on a game board we might already be back to where we had been as siblings; perhaps even a little farther along.

I know that I am not the only person who has leaned on the all-too-accessible Internet Crutch but I've come to learn that I also need to be able to stand on my own. There's a phone call that I need to go and make right now and I hope that some of you who are reading this now might see that there may just be one that you need to make, too.

http://www.helium.com/items/1082943-internet-communication-lines-too-simple

by Terra L. Fletcher

Technology:  Blessing or Curse

The Increase of Technology

In the 1930s Professor Julian Huxley predicted that in the future we would not have to work more than two days a week.  Other scholars and businessmen foretold that we would be living in an unprecedented time of leisure, liberated from the drudgery of work.

According to a report in the Washington Post, “There is now one cellphone for every two humans on Earth.”  At least 30 nations have more cellphones than people.  Technology is more than just phones; Internet, GPS, TV, cameras, and computers have changed the way we work and live. 

Blessings of Technology

Computers save us from many menial, tedious tasks.  We can perform many errands, even shopping, from home.  With all the modes of communication from email, voicemail, video link, and text messaging we can easily keep in touch with others.

We can microwave a potato in five minutes.  Otherwise we wait about 60 minutes for it to bake at 350 degrees.  If you’ve ever read the memoirs of an older generation you appreciate the convenience of a refrigerator, clothes washer, and calculator.

The Curse of Technology

Economic growth since Huxley’s prediction theoretically should have reduced the workload significantly.  Why then is one in three U.S. employees chronically overworked?  “Globalization, new technology, and a high-pressure, 24/7 economy have blurred the traditional line between home and work,” according to one source.

John de Graaf says people “have taken all their productivity gains in the form of more money-more stuff, if you will-and none of them in the form of more time.  Simply put, we as a society have chosen money over time.”

Downsides of all these technological advances include the potential distraction, interruption, and even addictive characteristics - and it’s not just teenagers. The USA Today reports that 70% of couples with cell phones contact each other during the day just to say hello.  Forty-two percent of parents contact their children via cell each day.

Statistics show children today spend an average of six hours a day in front of a TV, on the phone, or listening to music. If your child is using a cell phone, computer, video games, and/or entertainment media are they doing so wisely?  Too much visual and auditory stimulation hinders creativity and social skills.  Excess TV fosters disinterest in physical activity, emotional problems, inattentiveness, and the reduced ability to distinguish between fiction and reality.  More dangerous is the risk of sexual predators that pray on the inexperience of youth.   

For many people it is difficult to cope without their cell phone, a classic sign of addiction.  It is unbearable for addicts to “disconnect.”  Do you need to constantly check your email, be on the Internet, or text and instant message your friends?  Does being connected take up more and more of your time?  Are you excluding other activities? 

Excessive reliance on and use of technology can lead to a lack of exercise.  Those that spend hours on end with their gadgets are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

A train wreck in 2008 that resulted in 25 fatalities was shown to be the result of a distracted engineer.  Moments before the crash he sent a text message.  It was shown that the engineer never even applied the brakes.

Cellphone users that talk or text while driving have been shown to be as impaired as drunk drivers.  Visit caranddriver.com for a sobering demonstration. 

Forty percent of drivers aged 16 to 27 text while driving.  Some insurance companies are now checking their customer’s cell phone records for usage that corresponds with the time of an accident.

You tell me- is technology a blessing or a curse?

http://www.helium.com/items/1818134-technology-blessing-or-curse

by Lulu

I will mostly be expunging on the pros and cons with regards to computers, the list of gadgets that are out there and that impact on our lives are just too great to mention all of them.

Pros of advancing technology in the work environment:

1) Increased productivityRegardless of what business you are in, there will usually be some software program that will help employees to get the job done faster and possibly more efficiently. Examples include Accounting and Payroll packages, Customer Relationship Management software, On line banking, General or Customised databases, Point of Sale. At work we use MS Outlook as our company's global contact list. It takes seconds to find a contact. In the later versions of Outlook, if you've sent someone an email all you do is start to type the name in the To: box and Outlook will give you a list of names that match the criteria and you just select it - no more having to find that person's email address.

The Accounting and Payroll packages come with updates that include the latest tax/paye etc information so that the computer works everything out for you, you no longer need to keep abreast of what is happening and then apply it to your work. Just click the update, install and you're set.

CRM packages can help to group your correspondence with your customers, allowing you to make notes on the status of that customer, some of them are also able to let you know who else within the organisation has had contact with that customer, and show what the details and outcome are.

On-line banking means no more hours in the bank, it is certainly cheaper than using a cheque book. These days you can even choose to have the banking website send the proof of payment by email or sms to the recipient, this means you don't have to take the time to print and fax it off.

And, let us not forget, Spell-Check.

2) Space savingMuch of the information that we work with can be stored electronically, particularly since much of it is done electronically anyway.

Although we still have quite a long way to go before we reach the point of a paperless work environment but with the use of email, we are able to keep a trail of correspondence on our computers rather than having to have everything in a file somewhere.

Gone are the days of volumes of accounting books... journals, cash books etc... in cupboards everywhere. It's all on the PC, Catalogues, brochures etc can all be kept on the computer, and can be distributed electronically.

Many companies have new billing systems whereby they send out customer statements via email, these can all be saved to a folder on the PC.

The real awareness of how much space you are saving come into effect when you realise that that one little box is housing so much diverse information that, if printed and filed, would probably fill tens or hundreds of files.

3) Data protectionViruses and disk corruption notwithstanding.... If you backup your data and keep it off site, if the building burns down you will still have critical information that could stop your business from going under as well as up in flames.

The cons of advancing technology in the work environment:

1) Hardware upgradesOne thing you will discover is that as the software advances, it starts to become incompatible with the older hardware, thereby forcing you to purchase new hardware simply to keep your business running.

2) Training costsIt is all great having the software that makes your life easier and lets your business run smoothly, but the staff have to be able to work on the programs or be able to use the hardware. As software and hardware advances, the staff will need to be re-trained. This is a cycle that could challenge many peoples' budgets.

3) Licencing feesMany programs require an initial purchase fee, and then an annual licencing fee. As inflation rises, so these annual fees go up. The biggest frustration is that you often have pay an annual licence per user.

4) Maintenance and repair costsIT is very expensive to install, after the installation is done and the staff are trained.... something goes wrong and you have to pay for call outs and per-hour-labour fees.

One lightning strike to your server could result in the purchase of whole new server, which is probably a bit easier to take if you are insured against it - but then your insurance premiums go up.

Pros of advancing technology in the personal environment:

1) CellphonesNot only can I talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime, I can also have my photos, music and email everywhere I go.

2) On line chattingI am completely bypassing emails in this section because we have moved beyond that. Got a friend in England/Brazil/Australia? If you both have chat programs on your PC's, a microphone or web-cam and you can chat live with each other and possibly see/watch each other. Why send an email and then wait for a reply?

3) On-line bankingYes, I've already covered this in the work environment but it saves as much time and money in our personal lives as it does our work lives.

Set your beneficiaries

and all you do is select them, type in the amount and click 'pay'. We no longer have to keep the bill or keep a list of banking details. It also gives us freedom from debit orders.

4) On-line shoppingOh the joy! I can sit at home and buy my groceries, and have them delivered to my door.

The cons of advancing technology in the personal environment:

1) Over confidenceWe become too confident in our use of computers - on-line banking and on-line shopping. Sometimes we forget the dangers of giving out our credit card details on-line. Despite all the warnings, we get the email with the bank logo and we foolishly click on that link and willingly enter our details.

I'm not sure if I am paranoid but I have been on sites where people happily display pictures of their families on websites. Often with children, and on some of these websites I have even seen physical addresses. Now that is just inviting trouble.

2) InsulationWe can become too grafted to our computers and loose touch with other people. Instead of calling a friend, we send an email.

On-line dating is taking off so well, we are 'dating' people online. People can be 'dating' someone online for months without ever meeting. I don't know when the term cyber-sex was created but surely it can't beat the real thing, yet there are thousands or millions of people who are settling for it.

We have already reached a point where we could probably survive without ever leaving the house. If someone has a job that allows them to work from home, they need never go out.

http://www.helium.com/items/959067-the-pros-and-cons-of-advancing-technology

by Shenaya C. Mehta

TechnologyFriend or Foe?

Welcome to the 21st Century! Here you will find that you no longer have to dial a ten digit number to call someone. It takes 2 minutes rather than 2 weeks to send a letter and you can turn your lights off without getting up from your chair. That's right folks; here in the 21st Century we have vastly advanced that crazy concept called technology. No more video cassettes or tape recorders. No more wasting your money on music or movies. With just a click of a button you can have anything your little heart desires. You have to ask yourself though, as technology advances, do we slow down? Have we become victims of laziness and potential danger because of computers and cell phones? Are machines running or possibly ruining our lives? Just like everything else there are pros and cons to technology.

There's a CD you really want for your collection but you can't afford it. No problem, you can download it off the internet free of charge. You're in the car and you witness a huge accident on the highway, tons of people are hurt and the tragedy is holding up traffic. All you need to do is pull out your cell phone and call for help. Technology is great when you need things done fast. Cell phones, computers, even coffee makers are now so much more efficient, quick and easy to use for most people. Let's face it; they are also tons of fun. Think about it, we've got robots vacuuming our carpets and scrubbing our floors. These are things we always dreamed of but never though would ever be possible. Day after day we are entertained by all our gadgets, we are conversing with people all over the world and we are using this power to benefit many people and organizations. This energy has helped medical equipment advance and has benefited scientists and research programs all over the world. It's really amazing how quickly technology is developing and how far it has come. It was not even 20 years ago that people were laughing at the idea of e-mail and now most people live by it. It's just pretty amazing when you think of all the things you can do. I mean I've actually heard of a coffee machine that tells you the weather and checks you e-mail for you. It's all so amazing, there are no words left to describe it.

You haven't seen your friends in a longtime and they invite you out to dinner and a movie. You tell then you can't because you are busy that night. What are you doing? You're chatting and playing o

the internet with some guy from Denmark. You're sitting at a traffic light and people are honking at you and you have no idea why. All of a sudden you get in to this huge accident. What happened? You were talking on your cell phone. Your mother asks you to clean up the house, so you turn on the robotic vacuum and floor scrubber. All of a sudden you become this lazy person who doesn't do anything for himself and you grow up as a selfish and useless human being. As you can see, there is a downside to technology. It seems to be taking up so much of our time that we don't want to do anything else. Students don't focus on their school work because they are so wrapped up in their music, movies and video games. Technology can also potentially be very dangerous. You stop paying attention to your surroundings and can cause accidents and other problems. It spoils us and makes us lazy and inattentive to the world. Machines are running our lives. How far will it go?

So there are good things and bad when it comes to technology. I think what we need to learn to do is not take such advantage of it. It is there for our entertainment and practical use; but we have to remember that we can't rely on it for everything. We have to be able to live for 5 minutes without our iPods and our blackberries. Sometimes you just have to get up and turn the lights off yourself.

http://www.helium.com/items/259628-the-pros-and-cons-of-advancing-technology