The Technologies We Once Feared but Ended Up Loving

Humans have the tendency of stalling their own progress because they hate to change especially if that change requires moving out of their comfort zone., history is filled with inventions that aroused controversy before becoming commonplace. Today, some policymakers and consumers are raising concerns about the safety of self-driving cars, the economic impact of automation, and the security of mobile banking.

Did you know there was a time humans used to oppose coffee? Experts believe that people are afraid of innovation not because the technology is new, but because it typically implies losing a bit of their identity or way of life. Innovation can also disconnect people from nature or their sense of purpose, two essential aspects of the human experience. 

Now let’s look at the innovations or gift of technologies we all feared would threaten our identity or push us out of our comfort zones…

1: Laptops

Let’s start with the laptop itself. Back in the 1987s, laptops were considered a dream or an illusion. The New York Times magazine doubted the very potential of this technology! Who would have thought that in present times, a laptop would become a staple item which people would use at their workplaces and even for leisure such as playing games and watching TV via a desktop app (if you have one of the Cox customer service like I do!)

The New York Times was skeptical about laptop technology for good reason: they were heavy, expensive, and had short battery life. The complaint was reasonable but eventually, as the technology improved, so did its usage. However, it took several years for laptops to become lighter, durable, and easier for everyday use. 

2: Fingerprint Scanning

Before Biometric security systems became mainstream, it was something we saw in movies or in high-security buildings. 

When fingerprint login technology first became available to the general public, people had several concerns. They thought it wouldn’t be safe. There were even rumors out that someone could you’re your fingerprints with adhesive tape. The Pantech GI100 was the first consumer gadget to support fingerprint login in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2013 when people finally embraced the technology with the release of the iPhone 5S. Today, every smartphone user has a fingerprint scanner on their phone. It’s a preferred method to keep the device look and safe.

3: Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is only a few years old, and for a long time, it was considered a novelty for techies. People never expected it to become a legitimate currency. They were concerned that digital currency like this might make cash vanish at any time.

Ever since their inception, cryptocurrencies have had their share of ups and downs, but now, some of the world’s largest organizations, including Microsoft, Wikipedia, and AT&T, use them for receiving payments. In some countries, you even shop with crypto and people are willing to trade in crypto with open arms. 

4: Voice Search

With Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple’s Siri, voice search is now a part of many of our daily lives. Back when voice search was new, People were concerned that it would be an open invitation for firms to listen in on everything we do and gather data on us for marketing purposes. 

The problems with voice assistants are two-fold from the consumer’s perspective. First and foremost, the customer is concerned about “who is listening.” They expect the company behind the voice assistant technology to be honest about how the data is used and who hears it.

The second concern is safety. Fortunately, voice assistants only “listen” in the background when you call or activate them. Other than this, they don’t snoop on you, and voice assistant giants have made that clear. Since consumers have started to educate themselves on how technology captures their information and how is that information used, trust has started to be built and so, the use of voice search is expanding. 

5: Autonomous Cars

When the idea of Autonomous or self-driving cars was introduced, it sounded fantastic. Who wouldn’t like to be escorted to work in a car that drives itself while you conveniently sit and sip your morning coffee?

However, the idea of a fully autonomous car driving on the road seemed scary. A car that operates on AI could run into tragic collisions because it can’t be as vigilant as a human eye. This is true to this date as well but now see acceptability. Self-driving cars aren’t quite widespread yet, but some companies have released their models.

Several major automobile companies are testing autonomous cars.  This technology is as safe as we could hope for so far. It has been widespread because of the lack of smart infrastructure and some other complications, which are already been addressed in some parts of the world.

Time has proven repeatedly that every great invention has early doubters. You might have doubted or feared some of the technologies mentioned in this list too. But, as you learned more about and did your research, it changed your mind, didn’t it?