The smartphone revolution - 5 activities that have been changed forever
BY READERS DIGEST
25th Nov 2019 Technology
The rise of technology has created a smartphone revolution whereby activities we used to manually carry out have been transformed by the tech we hold in our hands. From ordering a takeaway, to buying Christmas presents and watching movies, our mobile phones have changed many activities in our lives forever - take a look through our top five below
1. Entertainment
Weekend entertainment used to consist of heading to a video rental shop to take out a new release film for a couple of days. Regular trips to the cinema, or the bowling alley, or playing games on a PC. In recent years, this has all been transformed by the advancement of technology and, in turn, the evolution of the smartphone. Our handheld devices have now come so far that we can watch films on the go on Netflix and play games like William Hill's selection of online slots or Alto's Odyssey. We don't even need to tune into the radio for our music fix anymore. All of our music is stored in one place and we can access streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music from our devices.
2. Shopping
The days of regularly going out to the shops to buy groceries, gifts and everything in between have reduced dramatically in recent years. Shopping in online marketplaces has very much taken over to become the more popular of the two activities, with many opting to shop from their phones rather than in person. Supermarkets made it simple a few years ago to go online and order your groceries to be delivered to your door at a time convenient to you - and now you can do that from your smartphone!
3. Photography
In order to capture memories in the form of photographs, even just 10 years ago, people would need to have a physical camera and charge up the batteries before heading out. The development of smartphones has meant the cameras built into our phones have incredible capabilities and can capture amazing images. While photographers will be sticking to their professional kit, amateurs the world over no longer need to carry a bulky camera in their bag for a night out!
4. Banking and finances
Remember when we had to physically go to a bank to organise our finances, or wait for the postman to deliver our statements? All banks now have apps for you to download to your smartphone to manage your finances from your device. Pay bills, send money to loved ones and transfer between accounts from your smartphone.
5. Travel
From booking your transport and accommodation, to researching the best places to visit, travel has been completely transformed by our smartphones. We used to book with travel agents in a shop, read the brochures and go on an epic journey of discovery once we arrived. Now we research it all in depth from our smartphones from the many articles online and websites such as Lonely Planet and know almost exactly what to expect when we arrive.
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