It seems there is no reason for any of us not to get in touch with people in our lives with all the communication channels that are at our disposal. Don’t have a mobile phone? No problem. There are web-based applications that allow you to place a call anywhere in the world free of charge. The next option is by subscribing to paid services such as RingCentral VoIP providers for practical and cheap calls, or you may opt for free services such as Skype, Tango, or Yahoo! Messenger.
With the use of computers, smartphones and tablets, and social networking sites at that, communication has bridged cultural and physical gaps. It has made the world smaller on the social level but opened up a whole genre of possibilities.
Has the convenience of such applications influenced the increase in the sale of smartphones and tablets or is it the other way around? Social media networks have also added to this modern lifestyle. People can instantly keep their families and friends up-to-date on whatever is going on in their lives, even to the point of announcing to the world what one has had for breakfast.
Apps and Gadgets
To look at things from one perspective, the continuous development of applications has pushed manufacturers of mobile phones and other tech gadgets to think farther outside the box. Accommodating all these new apps and enabling them to run onto non-PC devices has become the challenge.
On the other hand, application developers also take on the challenge of coming up with new programs to entice users and influence their preferences for personal devices. And in most cases, buyers take this into consideration when shopping for a gadget that will answer their need.
The symbiotic relationship between gadgets and apps, in turn, opened up a thriving market that defined a culture that puts convenience above all. It may seem practical at best but at the rate gadgets are flying off the shelf, materialism is bred.
Materialism vs. Convenience
People who depend on their gadgets to almost run their lives will beg to differ. It is not materialism if the device is a vital tool in operating a business or for protection. Keep in mind that in most emergency cases, it is human instinct to always call for help.
When does a person become materialistic? It is not easy to judge a person who bases his or her purchases on wants. But simply put, if the need is not there, the reason for replacing an old gadget in favor of a new one becomes impractical.
But wanting a new tech gadget cannot be held against a person. It is very unlikely that people will stay unaffected by the overwhelming breakthroughs in these modern devices. There will always be that instinct to desire something which is new.
Communication
What stays constant is the need to communicate often overrides all other preferences in gadgets. Inexpensive or otherwise, price becomes irrelevant when a strong desire to reach out to others kicks in. But if the unit offers a cheaper alternative and a more convenient way, then it stays at the top of the list.
Man’s incessant need to be in physical (or virtual) affinity with others dictates subconsciously the train of thought of application developers and gadget manufacturers. It is a cycle, one which today’s generation may yet find an end to.
