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Communication is the exchange of ideas, feelings, information, and values. If you take a walk down the memory lane, you will see that the channels and means of communication have evolved remarkably over time. At first, people interacted with one another only through physical face-to-face meetings. Then, the art of letter writing came into existence, and people found a way to stay in touch with each other from the comfort of their homes. After that, the telegraph closed the gap between continents, making instant communication possible. So on and so forth. With each new technological development, communication saw a boost, societies came together and the world moved towards being a single, connected village that it is today. This post shows you exactly how technology has reformed and changed communication in the present decade.

 

 

The invention of landline phones at the start of the 20^th century marked a new phase in human communication. Through these technological devices, it became possible to speak with another person in real-time, no matter how long the distance between the parties, which was the issue with letter posting. Today’s landline phones are not only cordless but also allow easier integration with the internet. They host multiple features, such as call forwarding, caller ID, simultaneous ring, voicemail, and whatnot, bringing even greater flexibility and control in the hands of the callers. Charter, for instance, is a top-of-the-line phone distributor in the market as of now, offering unlimited calling minutes for local and long-distance purposes, and a string of the most popular Spectrum voice features. So, if you want to talk to your friends and family, or even your co-workers, all you need to do is pick up your home phone receiver, dial the number and you’re good to go. No wait time.

 

 

There is no doubt that smartphones have taken over the world by storm. According to research, there are 3.5 billion smartphone users on a global scale, which shows the extent of their popularity. These slim, sleek, and smart (in the name) devices are the successors of landlines, and they come bearing multiple gifts for the modern generation. One of these benefits is the texting platform. Using your phone’s alphanumeric keypad, you can create a text message, no matter how long or short, and send it to others in real-time. You can float texts through the phone directly or via chat-based smartphone applications, such as WhatsApp, which work over the internet and prevent texting costs. The latest smartphones have built-in email apps too. You can craft an email and forward it to whoever you like. Such a textual mode of communication saves time, effort and allows a multi-tasking efficiency when calling isn’t feasible.

 

 

Do you remember hieroglyphs from ancient Egyptian times? Well, they are back now, with a technological twist and a new name, ‘Emoticons.’ Emoticons are representative images of facial expressions, symbolizing emotions. They came around in the 2010s, and since then, they have become an integral part of human communication. Nearly every smartphone device these days has a separate emoticon keyboard, allowing people to convey their messages, tones, and intentions in the form of a simple ‘face character.’ Social media has also propagated the use of emoticons. These social networking platforms encourage extra-textual interactions, whether these be through emojis or memes. This is how people not only get a chance to exchange information but also to express themselves in the most creative manner possible.

 

 

Technology has turned the dream of remote face-to-face communication into reality. Instead of sending still pictures of emoticons – representing your facial expressions – you can hop on a quick video call and convey your feeling to the other person directly. Applications like FaceTime utilize your phone’s camera to power two-way video communication. Then, there is Skype, which enables multiple callers to get on board a video conference in HD, and is the perfect product for professional collaboration. Video calls also give you the freedom to be in two places at one time. You can stay at home, while also enjoying a concert with your friends on a joint video call.

 

Face-to-face video calls may be revolutionary in some aspects, but they have their limitations. These are further answered by another technological advancement of the decade, known as Virtual Reality. Virtual Reality or VR brings people together in a three-dimensional computer-generated simulated environment. In other words, by donning specialized helmets and optical equipment, you can jump to a new model of reality, created on a computer. Communication becomes immersive through VR. You can create any form of environment, whether a picnic on the Everest or a fantastical replica of your favorite video game, and invite your friends for a breathtaking life-like experience.

 

 

Technology improves itself with every decade and by doing so, changes the scope of human communication, as evident from this post.