5 Things your parents figured out

Posted on July 22, 2008

Technology is ever changing and as a consultant, I’m often in a position to pitch how a client can benefit by adding or replacing something in their business.

Some clients are open to this and send me questions. They read articles in the mainstream media about technology and bring back ideas on how to apply it to their company.

Some don’t like change. Words like “resistant”, “cautious” and “fearful” come to mind because as I outline the increased sales, growth and productivity their business would experience by making technology changes and I see their faces twist with discomfort.

I’ve compiled a list of 5 items in the last 150 years that we now take for granted but illustrate the impact they had to improve our lives.

Electricity
1837 – commercial use for the telegraph system
Introduction of household appliances including lamps, fans, irons and toasters

For once people could save time by using these new tools. The learning curve wasn’t too steep but the cost of these appliances was high for the average household. Needless to say, people saw the value and demonstrations at department stores, state fairs and advertisements helped to promote electricty as an essential part of life.

Telephone
1876 – American patent issued to Alexander Graham Bell
Ready to make a call in 1912? whistling into the receiver. Now it’s called “Phone Phreaking”

The adoption of the telephone provides a glimpse into the obstacles and opportunities that have always faced new technology. The first transatlantic cable drops didn’t go so well, only lasting a few days. Selling the service and the phone was the part consumers. The real challenge was to create excitement around this device that could connect you to people around the world. Imagine the impact of hearing from active duty servicemen or that a new baby was born into the family by voice rather than telegraph or postal mail.

Indoor Plumbing
1857 – First American patent for “plunger closet”
40% of the world population does not have access to a flushing toilet

The smell and filth of old world America would make it impossible to live in large cities. Everyday we visit our bathrooms and command water in and waste out. Improved sanitation is attributed to the polio outbreaks of the early 20th century. People were so germ conscious that some cities outlawed spitting as a way to stop the spread of airborn disease.

Radio
1887 – First radio transmission by David E. Hughes
6 million listeners tuned in for War of the Worlds in 1938

How amazing to hear news, stories, politics and entertainment from a box! Unfortunately in 1938, it’s estimated that 1.7 million listeners believed there was a actual Martian invasion occuring.

Automobile
1886 – German vehicle patent to Karl Benz
4 months salary would buy a worker at the Ford plant could purchase new a model T

National prosperity would not be possible without the car. There was a shift from moving goods to moving people. Reducing the amount of travel time to a job increased earnings for the worker and profits for the employer leading to leisure time. We are now challenged with drastic environmental changes due to gasoline used to power the internal combustion engine.

Television
1884 – German electrical aparatus patent to 24 year old Paul Gottlieb Nipkow
50% of American households had a color television by 1972

Much like the conflicts of our day with USB vs Firewire, DVD vs Blueray, Macintosh vs Windows and Playstation vs Xbox, consumers lost through delays in production, higher costs and less choices. Today we have specialized channels; cooking to car racing, reality shows to reruns of I Love Lucy.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity

http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/event.php?id=3456874

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/1900house/house/bathroom/plumbing.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toliet

http://aspe.hhs.gov/POVERTY/papers/relabs.htm

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_43306.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_television