Best technology of 2010-2011

Sophomore Jonathan Boldt’s room, cluttered with a variety of gadgets, is a perfect example of technology’s role in today’s society. An iPhone lies on his desk, an iPod plugged into a speaker system in the corner, a Macbook Pro is charging by his bed.

Just like Boldt’s room, technology has pervaded the modern world.

The 2010-2011 school year can be seen as a great period of technological advancements. Apple led the charge with the unveiling of its iPad 2 and opening up the iPhone 4 to Verizon. Other notable technology pushed this year include 3D TVs and 4G networks.

Mobile Phones

The iPhone 4 was originally released in June 2010, and became available to Verizon users in early February. A white model recently hit the market on April 28, 2011.

“This is the greatest piece of technology I own,” Boldt said. Boldt first got his iPhone last December.

The iPhone has revolutionized the mobile industry, with the capabilities of a mini computer in a more convenient size. It is making advancements everyday, with its dynamic Appstore, allowing companies to distribute useful programs to iPhone owners.

Sophomore Tyler Bakke enjoys how easy the iPhone is to use. “It’s really user friendly,” Bakke said. “Even though I don’t have one myself, I know how to use it from playing around with other people’s.”

The iPhone 4 has brought about more innovation in video, with the addition of FaceTime and higher resolution screens.

Facetime allows users to communicate while seeing their contact via the front-facing camera. “Facetime was a fun addition,” Boldt said. “It feels more personal than just listening to them or looking at words on the screen.”

Tablet computers

New features that set the iPad 2 apart from its predecessor include a slimmer design and some of the best features of the iPhone. The front and back camera set up from the iPhone 4 was added to the iPad 2 to allow it to make use of features such as Facetime.

Senior Chris Chung was skeptical when the iPad was first released, seeing it as “impractical due to its size.” However, Chung has discovered the iPad’s size allows it to excel in areas an iPhone may have lacked in. “It’s actually pretty convenient,” Chung said, “especially if you want to take notes with it in class.”

New dimensions

Another field being given another look is 3D technology. Many companies such as Toshiba, Panasonic and evProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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Nintendo, are exploring the capabilities of this technology. Nintendo released the 3DS, a 3D portable gaming platform, in March.

“3D TVs are pretty interesting” Boldt said. ”I’m only concerned whether it will be fully utilized if not all shows are 3D compatible.”

Others are not convinced going forward is always better, especially into the field of 3D television. “I think they are a little too much,” Chung said. “Sometimes I just want to watch my TV shows and sports without everything popping out at me.”

Mobile Networks

Verizon wireless launched its 4G network in December; however, this was limited to laptop use. The first 4G phone to be released was the HTC Thunderbolt, in March. The 4G network is roughly 10 times faster than its 3G predecessor. Although it is currently much faster to watch videos on a computer than on a phone, in the future, a phone may become more convenient even when a computer is available.

“It’s pretty amazing what they have been able to do with gadgets,” Chung said. “It will be interesting to see how much faster it can actually get.”

With the speed increase that will come with 4G technology, possibilities such as turning in worksheets and handouts using a cell phone may become a reality.

Recap

The first half of the year has been a great step for electronic gadgets. Even if many of the releases this year seem insignificant, they are all showing how the field of technology is nowhere near its end. “It’s a scary thing when computers can get this close to actually thinking,“ Bakke said. “At the rate Apple is developing its products, there are going to be iRobots walking among us in the near future.”