Tracking Technology

When North Lake opened its doors in 1977, campus life was a bit different than it is today. It is obvious that the times and trends have changed throughout the years. The little handy, pocket-sized gadgets that we recognize today once took a lot of manpower to maneuver and patience to play.

With all the technological advances and upgrades available on a daily basis now, people forget that life hasn’t always been so easy. The generation starting college today, called the Millennia Generation instead of “Generation Y,” would be sure to run out of time if they came face-to-face with one of the gadgets from North Lake’s opening year.

Here’s a glimpse into the “state-of-the-art” technology then, and what it has slimmed down and shaped up to become in 2005.

Radios that students once listened to are nothing like the compact iPods of today. With the invention of iPod’s, the new trend is “podcasting.” You don’t even need the radio anymore.

Podcasting allows you to download any type of music, news broadcast, morning show, or personal recording to your iPod and then listen to it at your leisure. It is such a growing trend that researchers are scrambling to understand the possibilities of podcasting.

Television and its counterparts have also had a makeover. First there was VHS, and now there is TiVo. But who needs TiVo when you can watch TV on the Internet or on the go with the MobiTV available on Samsung’s MM-A700 cell phone.

In ‘77, cell phones were not seen on the streets. Instead, they were only publicly found in Chicago during the testing stage. They were nonexistence to that era’s college student. Personal phone calls on campus were made on pay phones.

The ringing and buzzing of cell phones are now all too familiar nuisances on campus. (Hint: please turn it off when entering a classroom.) Fashion designers are even tapping into the cell phone market by dressing up and accessorizing these handheld devices.

Computers have had a successful diet as well. With their weight loss, they have had a brain gain. The only color you were able to see on a computer in 1977 was on the Apple logo itself. Nothing like the colorful graphics we witness on our screens today. With programs constantly evolving and the Internet always expanding, there is no telling what scientists will think of next. Especially when they can’t keep up with what is already on the market.

Speaking of Internet, Instant Messaging is out and blogging is in.

Everyone can be writers now if they just create their own blogpage. Myspace and Thefacebook are popular friend sites to visit and keep up with daily blogging. Will blogpodding be next?

The technology of North Lake’s debut year in the late Seventies has been sized down and made accessible to the hand.

The variety of devices have been molded down to an all-in-one. Cell phones are available with cameras, Internet services and now TV capabilities. IPods allow you to create your own music play lists and newscasts on the go.

What will they think of next?