Technology and Opportunities

If we look back at the achievements of technology, we would be amazed at the progress that have been made. For example, more than 100 years ago, the big invention was the radio, even it only came with Amplitude Modulation (AM). After that was the Television, even it came in black and white. Of course, telephones was a very big thing, even it has rotary dial and permanently connected to a place. These technologies lasted for many years until recently …

For people who have grown up during the “Technological explosion” (1970 -1990) the impact of technology is normal but to people who were born before that, it is very significant. For example, before 1965, TV had analog signals, came in black and white, and broadcasted in few channels (Two to five channels). Today TV has digital signals, came in color, with flat screen and 3 D, and thousand channels of high-definition images. Few years ago, telephones were fixed in one place but today they are not only just wireless, you can take it anywhere, but you can send photos, videos, and text messages too. Several years ago, a stereo music system was big, occupied a large place of the room. Today a stereo devices can fit in a pocket and hold thousands of songs. Not long ago, computer was as big as a large truck and had about 15 Kilobytes of memory but today computer can be fit in your hand and have several Gigabytes.

For every new innovation, there are also opportunities and people who know how to seized them. Seventy years ago, computer hardware was a major invention, and Thomas Watsons seized the opportunity to make IBM as the dominating force in the market. In 1980s Apple Computer pushed IBM off the market to became the dominant company and of course, people heard of Steve Jobs. Few years later, software replaced hardware to became the important thing, Microsoft took the top position and made Bill Gates the richest man in the world. Not long after that, with the proliferation of the Internet, search engine was the key technology and Google became “The Hottest company” and its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin became the new “Emperors” in the technology world. Soon afterward, Mark Zuckerberg who found and owns Facebook in 2004, is “The new Technology Prince”. According to some estimates, if Facebook starts to sell stocks, Mark will be richer than Steve Jobs and probably be richer than Sergey Brin and even Bill Gates. The technology innovation continues with more products, more opportunities and of course more people who know how to seize them. Even today, before Mark Zuckerberg takes his title as the “Technology Prince”, rumor already spread that Twitter founders, Jack Dorsey could become the next richest man on earth pushing Steve Jobs, Mark Zukerberg, Sergey Brin, and even Bill Gates out.

Of course, who know what technology will happen next, what opportunities will be coming soon, and who will be the next “Richest man” or “Technology Emperor”? Regardless whoever they are, they will probably come from the technology field. Maybe another college student because if we look at all these successful people, they all are college students who study information technology (Except Thomas Watson of IBM who studied business).

Today Information Technology (IT) is opening more opportunities for so many people all over the world, the application of IT is so vast, with so many new things to discover and it is only just the beginning. I am sure there will be much more.

Sources

  • Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University