Technology helping with COVID-19

It was always going to come. We live in the age of technology. COVID-19 is now forcing us to find new and better uses for all this equipment we have been playing with. There are even ways to use computers to help find a cure for COVID-19.  The video explains a lot about how the world is rallying and using what we have around us by way of devices to help solve real problems.

A lot of people are already working online. More and more will do that. We have to shift ourselves into online workplaces, neighbourhoods and social events. We are going to learn we can build a virtual society and economy. Web conferences will be the go and parliaments ought to be running online. This keeps people safe but it keeps the organisational structures in place. They should not be abandoned.

There are already some good articles being published about how technology and COVID-19 are changing us and our world. There are articles about how technology is being utilised to fight against this virus.

All of this is sudden and baffling but we have each other…online. We need to ensure everyone can be connected so they can get the help and information they need. It has to be a priority that people can access and use devices to connect. Our world is moving online for as long as it takes. There will be adventures, frustrations, failures and muddles but there will be a lot of success and a lot of heart. We can do this. We have been rehearsing for quite some time now.

One minute on the internet

There used to be a saying something along the lines that a successful person knew how to use 5 minutes wisely. If you look at this infographic , then we could well reduce that to one minute. It is mindboggling what happens in one minute on the internet. Since 2017 this has all increased dramatically. We are more connected that ever and, clearly, we want to be. There is no doubt that technology is a part of our daily lives in a big way  and that it is largely to do with connecting with others. Lori Lewis who is very involved with radio broadcasting and its reach has supplied these graphics and discusses them on allaccess. People are using multiple devices and the royal wedding  recently demonstrated that clearly. As device and internet users we are plugged in , constantly connected , commenting, conversing and researching. People can reject this way of being but clearly , with the increase in that behaviour, it is now who we are. It is not doing. It is being. We want o share our thoughts and ideas. We want to engage with others. We want to act and react. We can do that across the planet. How that evolves is up to us and it’s all about collaboration rather than competition.

Technology changes

Image: campaignlive

The world changes. People used to crank cars to start them. They used to put washing through wringers to get rid of the water. There were lamp lighters in the street. Times change and life and things change with it. Apple’s iconic white MacBook is now vintage. Given it was plastic that might be the right way to go. There is speculation , though, that Apple will move away from its Macs altogether and go with tablets and phones. Macs have been popular with artists , musicians and advertisers. If Apple then improves the iPad Pro will that be enough? A lot of people use their phones and tablets in preference to a laptop or desktop. They like the portability of their device now. A year ago Apple had problems with its new OS Sierra which ought to have been dealt with by now. It’s just brought out a new phone with a different look at the mobile world. Apple never stops inventing and pushing the boundaries.

Meanwhile Microsoft has been working really hard on the Surface which is a laptop/tablet hybrid. It has had to improve the tablet functionality but it is now an  extremely successful device and the iPad Pro could line itself alongside and drive change through competition. iPads have a strong following and are familiar, reliable devices.

What then will  happen to those who need the serious capabilities of a computer? If you like MacBooks, then something like Linux Mint is an option. Apple Macs are built on Unix and so the change to Linux is quite easy. It’s not as slick as Unix , though, but it is easier to customise and can be made to be very slick. It really depends on what you want to do and the world is appearing to make device changes so that everyone has the device they need and that it’s a good one. Some mainly want to stream and look things up. Some need business applications and software. Some need high end graphics capabilities . Some need developer options and so on. We are all different and we are all in need of a good device which suits us. It’s also why you can’t be and know everything about technology. You have to share and you have to pursue what appeals to you . That is how we are moving the world forward now. Yes, there is competition , but collaboration has become a  far more important driver of future thinking and development.

Technology thanks

Image: haikudeck

I had some big outages away from technology earier this year because we were changing the copperwire service over to nbn. Since I have been on the nbn my phone and internet service have been uninterrupted and so I have been able to get on with my life where technology plays a significant role. I am grateful for that. There is a lot to be thankful for.

1. I am working with a group of people who can use phones and tablets but who haven’t been able to make the best use of technology to allow their skills, talents and competencies to be shared and showcased. Since we have done that they can see the world really does value them and what they do . It has inspired and encouraged them and that is what blogging and social media can do for people. They can connect , share, get feedback and grow themselves in a really good way.
2. I learn a lot from the internet. I can find out anything I want whenever I want. I can do online courses, belong to online groups , share my own knowledge and views online and learn from others. It is a growth mindset which gets encouraged through lifelong learning and collaboration.
3. I have been pleased to work with various and varied organisations to help resolve online issues, app development and improvement and have valid client input which improves how we go about things online.
4. I’d be lost without Google maps. I have used that a lot to navigate myself around a city which is in a constant state of flux because of infrastructure changes .
5. Technology allows me to connect with anyone anywhere and to grow and develop positive relationships even if I can’t see them personally or see them very often. It safeguards those relationships so they still have a positive input into life and living.

I use technology to grow my ideas, reflect, find things out, improve my skills. It has a key growth function in my life. shawnblanc has written a post about why he thinks it’s worth being thankful to technology.  Gaeltek has also written a thankfulness post.  Mashable has also written a well thought out thankfulness post. Yes, we are thankful.

Blogging isn’t dead

Image: 10 amazing blogs about blogging – Corey Wainwright 

 

The internet can be capricious at times and come up with rumours and thoughts which, if you do not pay attention, will lead you astray or confuse you. Half the time it’s to create a thing and then that thing is discussed , reported, highlighted, memed. It’s artificial content creation stimulation. There has been this thing about blogging being dead. There has been a belief that individual bloggers are a thing of the past. Not if you go by the WordPress reader. That alone is sufficient indication there are plenty of individual bloggers who are confident, successful and clear voices. There are a lot of new individual bloggers because a number of people are connected from home for their own purposes. There are artists, writers, musicians, tech people, UX and UI designers, game creators, cooks, chefs, foodies, fashion followers, sports people and  gadget creators and so on. Etsy has had a big impact and a number of Etsy shops have their owners on Instagram to make that personal connection with their potential clients. They often build their network on Instagram or Facebook and then their blog offers more insight into how they produce their items. It’s the personal touch.  People want to meet and know real people on the internet these days. Blogs can also provide documentation and journaling capacities so that people can trace their personal growth in an area. People want to explore their creativity and ideas more and even Instagram posts are increasingly becoming more like blog posts. It’s the social and emotional involvement which has increased and so blogging offers that way of individual processing of events , creativity and information.

That is not to say group blogs don’t exist and aren’t a vibrant part of the internet. Blogs are part of mainstream  internet content. They are no longer the blogosphere. Group blogs can operate like modern day newsletters. They can allow a group to develop an image and history and allow everyone in that group to participate even if they cannot be at every meeting or activity. They allow a group to have an online presence and image with the group members can tap into but also the wider community.

MotherJones has an interesting look at current blogging practices . Blog Tyrant looks at some of the statistics and analyses some of the trends.  Neal Samudre has an article  on Huffington Post about allowing your blog to prosper.  Blogs have changed and they always will change. These days they tend to document and share information in a way which is connected to our need for information in context.