In what ways has approaches to learning to use technology changed in the past 5 years? What are the ways it remains the same?
Looking at the product changes that have occurred in the last 5 years have affected what we perceive as the norm in expectations of said products. I think that this has had a great influence on how the general public has learned to use new technology.
For example, large change that has taken place recently was with the introduction of the iPhone. The iPhone took the smart phone / digital phone to a whole new level. Not only did it perfect the touch pad, add new features unavailable on other phones, but it also encouraged others to create new apps. In fact it was the introduction of these new apps made it so powerful and a marketing dynamo. The public now had a small portable technology that was far more than just a cell phone. New applications could be down loaded quickly and start functioning within minutes. Learning to use the iphone was very simple, as it followed simple touch logic. Apple has taken technology and tried to make the interface simple and intuitive. The iphone came out in 2007, just look at the advances in the smart / digital phones who have emulated Apple.
Blogging has certainly taken off in trying to help others understand technologies. Again it is often product or type driven ( ipod, iPad, Droid, Windows 7, and GPS systems for example). Social networking sites, Twitter, forums – these have all blossomed with advice on what to do, how to upgrade, how to hack or root your systems. I have a feeling that more and more people are just Googling to find answers on how to.
YouTube has also exploded in great video that visually step you through the process. Online information and help has, I feel, become the norm for most people. It has a flood of advice (both good and bad) that can be extremely useful.
Still, there is always the: hey I’ll buy it, or install it, and just play with it till I figure it out. There is still the guy on late night TV that is offering courses on CD that walk a person though how to use Office, or Ebay, or Google. Everything comes with instruction manuals and 800 numbers to contact about their product. FAQ’s, Manufactures web sites, friends, family, and co-workers still stand the test of time for asking about new technology.
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