When comes to technology adoption, I belong to the late majority and even the laggards. That's because new technology is subject to trial and error. Of course, I don't want to pay for the expensive cost of entry.
Most of the time, we don't really need incremental improvements unless there is a technological breakthrough. Then it is a different case. Now we are talking about the quantum leap.
Whatever the case may be, incremental improvement is nice to have. Just like the collision detection and the keyless ignition of my car. I even consider driverless cars as an incremental improvement. So I'm not too hot about it. However, if there is a car that costs cheaper and can go a fair distance using a solar battery, I will highly consider it.
With that in view, I think I will only see quantum leap technology that I will purchase in the next 15 years. This is important because any shift in technology means an investment out of my pocket. I don't want to be spending money on a better mousetrap if the old one can do it at a cheaper price.
A lot of people go for technology for the sake of technology. In my case, I will always look at the application and practicality of the technology. That is the reason why I am using a Bluetooth bone-conducting earphone; because it makes sense. Price is definitely a factor. I will not pay for technology just because it is there. Like for example, I will not ride or let alone buy a jet-powered motorcycle as Jay Leno had even if I have the money.
Technology is relative. Technology will not be considered a new technology if is it already available by the time you were born. To me the internet is technology but to my 21 years old daughter, it is already part of her life, thus it is a necessity. Looking from that perspective, then I say besides the basic technology like WiFi, smartphones, and eBooks; to name a few, most technologies are redundant.
One redundant technology in my opinion is the titanium bracelet that supposed to improve your body's energy flow. What is the science behind it? So are other things like the massaging chairs and the vibrating belly trimmer. To a certain extend, I think smartwatches are a waste of money as well.
Taking the lessons from the various technology junks that surround us on regular basis, I say as consumers, we are better off with the attitude of caveat emptor. Otherwise, we will end up with a neverending spiral of consumerism. I think the height of this madness is cryogenic technology. I cannot imagine people are willing to pay a hefty sum of money to freeze their heads and at times their whole body so that they can be resurrected in the distant future.
As a parting thought, let me conclude that with the introduction of new technology, there tend to be disruptions. In this case, we need to be able to shift seamlessly from the old paradigm to the new. Be mindful that there is a possibility that when we shift, we might just moving from zero to zero. After all, technology if not properly managed is a zero-sum game. Take the case of a computer game. It is not adding to our collective intelligence. In fact, it makes us myopic.
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