State-of-the-Art Technology that’s on Its Way OUT

It seems as if, every time you turn around, there’s an amazing new technological breakthrough that promises to revolutionize the practice of communications and public relations. As new tools are born, others are just as rapidly being relegated to the trash heap of history.

The UK-based Telegraph recently printed its list of “50 technological advances [and must-have gadgets] your children will laugh at.” Here are four examples that I’ve picked at random. Definitely food for thought!

1. Laptops. An array of light-weight, high-power devices — including smartphones, subnotebooks, netbooks and tablet computers — are beginning to replace the seven-pound “portable” computers that are the bane of every road warrior.

2. Fax machines. Every now and then a piece of paper can't be emailed and even overnight shipping takes too long. It’s at these times that the venerable fax machine is a blessing. However, it can also be a labor-intensive process. Do we really need to write a memo on the computer, print it, fax it and then phone to make sure it arrived safely?

3. Email. The benefits of email are legion: it saves time, money and trees. But it’s no longer the last word in communications. Teenagers these days prefer instant messaging (IM), social networking and microblogs (like Twitter) for direct communication.

4. CDs, DVDs and Minidiscs. Physical recording media are constantly being replaced. “The path from records to eight track cartridges to cassettes to CDs to minidiscs to MP3 players is littered with defunct stereo equipment,” say reporters Shane Richmond and Ian Douglas. “Along the way are cul-de-sacs such as laser discs, digital audio tapes and HD-DVDs.” It’s probable that, ultimately, they will all be replaced by wireless downloads to a device.

Technorati Tags: Telegraph, Fax machines, Email, Shane Richmond, Ian Douglas, communications, public relations, Makovsky