Welcome to TechNewsDaily: Why We’re Here
For many of us, there is no separating technology and modern life. Technology promises — and often delivers — fun, convenience and efficiency. Yet the pace of change can be a source of constant frustration. Polls show that a majority of U.S. adults feel overwhelmed by technology.
That’s why we launched TechNewsDaily. We aim to be an accessible source of technology news and information for non-geeks seeking to learn about the cool gadgets and unavoidable technologies of everyday life.
America is a nation of gadget lovers, and the numbers confirm this:
A 2009 study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) found that the average American household owns 23 consumer electronic products and spends about $1,300 annually on gadgets. U.S. sales of consumer electronics in 2009 totaled $171 billion — a $50 billion increase from 2004.
High-definition TVs, have doubled in ownership among U.S. households in the past two years — during the worst recession in memory — increasing from 26 percent in 2007 to 52 percent in 2009. Ninety percent of U.S. households own a cellphone; 84 percent own a computer; 77 percent own a digital camera; and nearly half own at least one external hard drive — a likely reflection of our growing libraries of digital file as more of us buy memory hungry digital cameras, smart phones, and other devices.
Today’s technology is truly astounding. A typical smart phone packs more processing power than the desktop computers of yesteryear; GPS devices can pinpoint our locations anywhere on Earth; and the Internet is so pervasive that astronauts use it in space.
However, gadgets are known to break now and then. Some don’t work as advertised. And others become obsolete as soon as they hit the shelves.
A recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project suggests that a majority of American adults — 61 percent — report feeling overwhelmed by modern technology and some actively resist the push toward the hyperactive, hyper-connected mobile lifestyles that today's devices enable.
Gadgets evolve and merge, are hot and then not, so quickly that it's easy to be confused about which trends are worth paying attention to. Choose wrong, and you could end up dropping hundreds of dollars on a universal remote control only to discover that a $2 iPhone app can do the same thing, or spend thousands upgrading your home-theater system to work with 3-D glasses only to learn that next year's HDTVs won't require dorky spectacles for an immersive experience.
TechNewsDaily’s team of experienced reporters and editors get beyond the hype and jargon to provide deep and broad analysis of tech products, basic tech concepts, current trends and futuristic ideas. We’ll help you keep up with innovation so you’ll know what to buy, what not to buy, and how not to sound hopelessly out of touch when the topic of technology comes up at a cocktail party.
We invite you to join us daily, as we bring technology to life. And let us know how we're doing.
