Computer

It's hard to imagine what your life would be like without a computer. We can barely remember having to look at an actual paper map, consult a phone book, rummage through a drawer for takeout menus, or pick up the phone and call a friend, or even crazier, write them a letter. A computer is a must in this fast-paced world we live in, and computers have made the world smaller and smaller. Go shopping in England, Skype a friend in New York, and check the weather in China, all with a few clicks. Isn't it funny that computers used to be the size of a room, and now computers are so small we carry them in our pockets and call them tablets and mobile phones? When you try to tell your kids about life before the computer, their eyes glaze over. No email? No Facebook? It was a primitive existence you led. The first home computer was the IBM, and they were so expensive, most people couldn't afford them. Apple started out in the early '80s, and now they have become the gold standard for computers as well as tablets, MP3 players, and many other fun gadgets you swear you can't live without. Microsoft and Apple are the two computer companies that engage in battle for users' money, attention, and love, and PCs and Macs are a personal choice about which most every techie has an opinion. Next time you are talking to your kids about what life was like before high technology, remind them that a computer used to be called a notepad, or a Walkman, or a handheld calculator. Then, they will really appreciate their computer even more.

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