TED Talk Outline

 

This is a rough outline of the topics I plan to cover in my TED talk–at this stage I think it’s more of a mental note sheet for me, so my apologies if it doesn’t make as much logical sense as it should.

The general theme of my paradigm shift essay was that the perception of the computer has changed, along with its role–in the mid 20th century, computers were machines of great power, used for science and military research as well as other important tasks. The personal computer became available to the consumer in the 70s and 80s, and although the PC still retains the “personal” moniker, I argue that the smartphone is more deserving of the “personal” title–it has changed the way humans interact with technology. At the same time, as the smartphone has risen to dominance, the PC is slowly fading in importance. With the rise of the post-PC era, what will become of the PC, and will the average consumer even need to own one in ten years?TED Talk Outline

Thoughts on my TED Talk

My topic for the Paradigm Shift essay was how the smartphone, led by Apple’s original iPhone in 2007, has become the true personal computer of our era. It has transformed the role technology plays in our lives and the way consumers think of technology, bringing us into constant contact with all the resources of the Internet, regardless of where we are.

For my TED talk, I’d be interested in explaining and documenting that shift, arguing that so-called “personal computers” (PCs) are no longer viewed as personal at all. The computer has changed from a revered but not personal (as in not for the typical consumer) piece of technology in the 1940s to more of a commonplace towards the start of the new millenium, while today it is beginning to become de-emphasized an less personal again. Ten years ago, the PC was how people accessed the Internet, but now the smartphone can assume many of the same capabilities and fit in your pocket. The role of the PC is changing in our society today, subjugated by the ever-popular smartphone and tablet, and further in the future, what will become of the PC as we know it today?

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