Pong Anyone?

Reading tweets from the Consumer electronics show about the latest high tech gadgets gives pause to how far we’ve come, even in my life time.  I get some jabs in the office, by a few, about my ancient Blackberry. But compared to even 10 years ago the capabilities that are now in the palm of my hand still astound me. When I started work at the world’s largest security company in 1999 we did not even have email addresses. My cell phone at the time was the size of a small brick, weighed as much, had battery life of well over an hour, and was a phone...period.

When I was home over Christmas I was tempted to look in the depths of my parent’s basement to see if the original “pong” game was stashed in a box somewhere. I still remember the big white console with the big knobs, and the wire with alligator clamps to attach to the back of the TV, only after disconnecting the Antenna. When I was a kid, Christmas meant playing this with the other kids in the basement on a black and white TV, while the parents proudly listened to the  “reel to reel” hi fi upstairs.  The 8 track player was still to come!  The Christmas that had a Commodore Vic 20 under the tree meant we had arrived! That cassette drive was state of the art. Space Invaders rocked!

This morning’s temperature of about -24C, highlighted how far technology has reached into the automobile world.  I was not concerned about the car starting, with the onboard computer compensating for the cold temperature with the appropriate air to gasoline mixture via the electronic fuel injectors. I just reached in to turn the key and hit the switch for the seat warmer.  Back in the day… with carburetors and zero electronics in a car, a lot more skill was involved in starting a car at sub-zero temperatures… especially with my 1982 Lada, equipped not only with a carburetor but a MANUAL choke!  Starting that car meant paying close attention to every sound, shake and sputter, followed by the well timed in and out of the choke lever and taps on the gas pedal. Timing was everything! One mistake could mean a flooded engine and a few hours removing the sparkplugs, cleaning them and heating them with a torch. A little ether (starting fluid) could be of help to!  Do they still make that stuff?

So I guess I’m still a kid at heart because I still get impressed by how far technology has penetrated into everyday life. My office grinds to a halt when the internet goes down, I feel a little anxiety when I’m half way to work in the morning and I can’t find the Blackberry in the car.  So for better or worse technology is here and continues to be a bigger part of our lives. I am looking at replacing said Blackberry and am overwhelmed by the choice, and also the rate of obsolescence. What do I buy today that won’t be a boat anchor within 2 years?

I was home this afternoon with my 5 year old because the heat in the school was malfunctioning…probably a computer problem!  So we sparked up the Wii U in the basement. This was under the tree for the family this year. We’re pretty impressed with the complexity and capabilities of this apparatus… But somehow I can’t help but believe that one day my son will be telling a story, or writing a blog about this quaint toy of his youth, similar to my memories with the original “Pong” game that started it all…  Anybody want to make me an offer? That Commodore Vic 20 is probably buried in the parental archives too!