The past year has been all about how to work more efficiently away from the office, primarily at home. Faster internet is more commonly available, and people are springing for better equipment for their new home office. Here’s our take on the 2021 Tech Year in Review.
Contents
Supply Chain
But, this has contributed to the supply chain crisis. Each year, companies will look at the upcoming year, looking at forecasts for customer growth and the probability of ordering new equipment. Then they’ll go to their suppliers and place orders for the upcoming year so that they can manufacture the proper amount of their products. In 2020, many companies felt that by early in 2021, the Covid crisis would be well behind us and purchasing patterns would be “back to normal”. As a result, manufacturers either ordered too much or not enough. Luckily, Geek For Hire is seeing a slight delay of a few months for our customers ordering new equipment.
Electric Vehicles
2021 also saw an increased acceptance of electric vehicles. More EVs are being ordered and delivered. But, again, the supply chain crisis is hitting EV manufacturing as well. Both Ford and Tesla are experiencing delays in delivering their EVs due to supply chain issues.
More EVs mean more families upgrading the electrical service to their homes. So look for local electricians getting busier than ever. It also means that more rest areas along major highways are installing EV recharging stations. If you’re a road warrior like me, you’ll see more Service Areas temporarily closed for construction while they install new charging stations.
New Year, new Operating System
Microsoft Windows 11 was released on October 5th. Apple released MacOS12 (Monterey) on October 25th. Before you upgrade to either of these new operating systems, give Chris a call to see if your current machine is compatible.
Zoom Fatigue
It’s a thing. A recognized disorder. (Check out articles on Healthline.com, Psychiatrictimes.com, or even NationalGeographic.com.) Working from home so much and participating in online calls is stressful and exhausting. Some common recommendations are to:
- Limit the number of Zoom calls
- Turn off the video and just participate via audio
- If you can, schedule the calls for times that work best for you.
The Space Race
This year not one, not two, but three billionaires went up to space in their own rockets. Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk. For anyone keeping track, that would be Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX.
Less well-known is the Breakthrough Starshot project. Its goal is to gain first-hand information about the Alpha Centauri system which is 4.4 light-years away.
“In the last decade and a half, rapid technological advances have opened up the possibility of light-powered space travel at a significant fraction of light speed. This involves a ground-based light beamer pushing ultra-light nanocrafts – miniature space probes attached to light sails – to speeds of up to 100 million miles an hour. Such a system would allow a flyby mission to reach Alpha Centauri in just over 20 years from launch, beaming home images of its recently-discovered planet Proxima b …..”
Contactless Payments
This has always been an option. In fact, every time you make an online purchase you are using a form of contactless payment. But, I have a lot of friends that live a cash-based life. The last year and a half has been hard on them. More and more businesses don’t take cash at all. On a recent road trip, I noticed that most of the toll plazas are “interaction-free”! Most highways have installed overhead toll readers to capture your info as you drive by.
Robotic Food Delivery
One fun thing that’s expanded this year is robots delivering take-out. Since the pandemic, more robots are showing up on college campuses and city streets. They show up at their destination with a single order. The person enters a code and the robot heads back to home base for a charge before heading out again for its next delivery. While the robots seem to be proliferating on college campuses, several cities (including New York and San Francisco) have moved to ban them from sidewalks and bike lanes.
2021 Tech Year in Review Conclusion
Lots happened in the Tech World in 2021. What did I miss? Let me know in the comments below.
Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.
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Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. He’s the geek for you! Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly. You can find more on our website, or give us a call at 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.
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