Communication technology is one of the quickest things to evolve as technological advancements continue to be developed. The youth of the world has always been the first to try and spur the communication industry. In a just a few years, the developments in the communication industry have been staggering. From instant messengers on computers to today’s latest apps for smart phones, communication continues to evolve.
Instant Messengers
Around a decade ago, the concept of the instant messenger was one of the most popular forms of communication among the young. Users could log into their account on the computer and have a conversation with their friends. The youth could surf the internet and have a real-time conversation with their friends, which a few years ago would have been unheard of. While adults were starting to use email as a more common form of communication, teenagers wanted something more instant and made the instant messenger such as AOL and MSN some of the most common sites among young people. While these sites offered email, the instant messenger capacity was what got the kids excited.
Cell phones
Cell phones are a communication tool that has been one of the most successful inventions in communication ever. People can now communicate with others around the world without being restricted by high costs of a landline. Texting has been one of the most popular advancements by youth culture and continues to be extremely popular to this day. Anyone can send a short message to another phone number without the hassle of talking on a phone, which can be difficult if a person is in school. Emoticons and text language have also been developed through the likes of instant messengers and cell phones as the youth have developed a quicker method to get information to the receiver.
Smart phones
Just as cell phones have revolutionized the way people talk to each other, smart phones have developed new ways for young people to keep in almost constant contact. Facebook apps have allowed users to text each other without knowing a traditional cell phone number all while enjoying the same privileges of enjoying the social media site as they would on their computer. Apps like Facebook chat and Viber, which allows users to place calls and text messages to other Viber users free of charge, are completely changing the way that phone companies and their users are looking at the traditional SMS system. Skype is another form of communication made popular today by young people. It allows people to make video calls and call landlines at a fraction of the cost of a traditional landline. While actually seeing the person you are calling would have seemed ridiculous 15 years ago it is commonplace today due to the youth accepting new forms of communication as they are continued to be developed.
Remind101
A new form of technology that is becoming more popular among teachers to communicate with their students is an app called Remind101. Teachers can sign in to this app and send text messages to students and parents without seeing the phone numbers of those they are communicating with. It is a safe way for educators to communicate with their students to ensure that their educational duties are remembered. It is also a one-way conversation between teachers and either their students or their parents, which keeps everyone safe. Due to the fact, that nearly everyone has a cell phone these days it is a great way to remind students of what is coming up in class.
In less than lifetime, the way that technology has changed for the youth in today’s world has been quite dramatic. At the start of the 2000’s instant messengers were the most popular thing and now teenagers can do everything they could do on a computer a decade in the palm of their hand and so much more. It is exciting to think of how communication will change in the next couple of years as today’s youth continue to adopt the latest forms of communication.
