Over the last year, I have become increasingly interested in low-cost technologies. I have explored the potential of $50 smartphones and am currently researching sub-$200 computers. The capabilities of these devices amaze me. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on phones or laptops anymore. In fact, you can get similar functionality from thousand dollar technologies for fractions of the cost. This is how my sister’s technology footprint has inspired me
Currently my youngest sister is using a smartphone and laptop that cost her less than $300…combined! Specifically, she has a Blu Vivo XL that she got for $99 on its release weekend sale and her laptop is an Asus C300 Chromebook that she got for $199 from Amazon. So, $298 covers all of her technology needs as a college student. This blows my mind! When I think about all of the students who spend $2000+ on Macs or windows PCs and $700+ on iPhones or Android phones. (Not to mention if said student owns a $300+ iPad or Android tablet.) Combined, this technology bill easily approaches $3000, ten times what my sister is currently using. Thinking about this reminded me about what Jessie J & B.o.B would say about the money:
Now, I understand my sister is a special case. Some students require expensive laptops to run specialty software such as AutoCAD, Photoshop, or Final Cut Pro X for their coursework. And studying programmers need to setup virtual machines or use their iPhones to test apps they are creating. But, how much longer will costly computers be required to complete these tasks?
When thinking about this question, I am reminded how we are moving toward a cloud computing world. Company’s like Amazon, Google, & Microsoft are aware of this and investing in cloud-enabled futures where users do not necessarily need the most powerful equipment to be productive. In this world, individuals only require devices that can communicate with (and are assisted by) other computers across the web. Chromebooks are increasingly common examples of these technologies at work; and they are opening new possibilities for what users can accomplish on a budget—more people doing more!
This is why I am jealous of my sister. Not only is she operating on under $300 worth of equipment, but her technology footprint is more aligned with what I believe to be the next era of computing. Her familiarity with future productivity tools and workflows keeps inspiring me to reconsider what technologies I use in my own life. So, thank you Bee for keeping technology in perspective for me!
The featured image is provided CC0 by Vadim Sherbakov via Unsplash.