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Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.
10 Revolutionary Technologies That Have Changed the Face of Business
The face of daily business operations today is extremely different from the way things were a few decades ago. Doing business today requires less time for administrative tasks and gives more time for innovation and creativity. Most of this is a result of incredible technological advances that have been pushing commerce to the next level since the 1970s. Here are 10 of the most revolutionary technologies that have completely changed the face of modern business.
1. Broadband Technology
The most impactful technological advance over the past century for businesses in all industries is probably broadband. The internet was first developed by a group of brilliant researchers in the 1970s for the United States military. Over the years, the network expanded and acquired more capability and eventually went public. By the 1990s, the world wide web had been invented which was the precursor to modern internet browsing. For businesses, access to a worldwide online network has been essential to communication and success.
2. Office Software
The next great technological advance for countless numbers of businesses is office software. Popular office software suites, such as Microsoft Office, started being developed in the 1990s. This made it much easier to type documents on the computer, create spreadsheets, and access databases. Eventually, this trend helped many businesses make the transition from typewriters and loose sheets of paper to an all digital method of document organization.
3. Smartphones
Another great advance in technology was the introduction of the smartphone. In the early 1990s, the personal digital assistant was released by Blackberry and Palm. The real age of the smartphone began in 2007 with the release of the first iPhone. With the iPhone, users could finally achieve optimal productivity with apps helping them make and receive phone calls, text people, email contacts, and organize their calendar.
4. Mobile App Technology
After the smartphone became popular, technology for businesses benefitted from the development of the new mobile app industry. With mobile apps, users could access a whole new world of tasks from their smartphone. It was no longer mandatory to open up a laptop or get to an office to work on a desktop computer to get things done quickly and efficiently. Instead, tasks could be completed anywhere and everywhere. This made doing business and keeping up with daily tasks much easier.
5. Email and Instant Messaging
Technology advances in communication have also been key to keeping businesses productive and working toward profitability. The advent of email and instant messaging have revolutionized the way employees and entrepreneurs communicate. Email was first developed along with the beginning stages of the internet in 1972 by Ray Tomlinson. When the internet started to get more popular in the 1990s, email allowed business to finally retire the interoffice memo and scale back on meetings. The 1990s also saw the invention of instant messaging, which made it even more convenient to communicate at a moment's notice.
6. Portable Document Format
Digital documents were finally possible with the invention of the portable document format, or PDF. Developed in 1991, this technology finally allowed organizations to scan and send documents electronically instead of relying on the post office. Companies could take it even further by choosing to digitize their files for easier access and more secure storage solutions.
7. Voice Over IP
In 2007, voice communication was revolutionized by the introduction of MagicJack by Donald Burns. This allowed companies to use their computers to make phone calls locally or around the world. Instead of racking up expensive long distance phone bills, they could easily and inexpensively reach out anywhere to anyone.
8. E-commerce
Online shopping was first introduced in 1979, during the very early days of the internet. The technology wouldn't be popular until more of the population got online by the 1990s and early 2000s. Today, more businesses than ever rely on revenue from their online shopping portals or e-commerce applications.
9. Media File Compression
Consuming media, such as video, audio, and images, wasn't possible in the early days of the internet. Even in the 1990s, most users experienced a text only environment when surfing the web or reading emails. Through the work of many individuals in the 1990s, media file compression was developed, which allowed videos, images, and audio files to be uploaded online and used by companies everywhere.
10. Social Networking
The latest great technology invention that has helped fuel more business success than ever is social media. Popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have all been introduced in the past decade. These sites have helped companies expand their marketing impact, reach out to customers, and improve their bottom lines. Most organizations couldn't imagine a world without these vital tools.
The role of technology in the success of a business has grown exponentially in recent times. Some technologies have completely changed how companies work and conduct business, and in the future, expect to see even more unique innovations that helpindustry evolve.
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