Spell It: Discover gadgets you're using today that will likely become obsolete in 10 years
We learn how rapid technological progress is making even house keys a thing of the past
A decade or two ago, you had the ability to make your friend’s phone vibrate with just a single word – ‘Ping’!
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where you can find ‘ping’, and 44 other words.
If you remember owning or using a Blackberry phone, you’ve probably been witness to a host of gadgets and devices that gained popularity and then disappeared into the wind, as technological advances were made.
But what will go obsolete next? Here are a few predictions, based on current technology trends:
1. Home phones
If you still have a landline, you’re keeping an old invention from falling into the waste pile (and the history books). While home phones are still used in most places in the East, according to a 2017 report by the US-based National Centre for Health Statistics, less than half of American households still have a landline. In another 10 years, it’s likely to go out of use completely.
2. House and car keys
It may seem difficult to imagine, but future generations may never have to concern themselves with losing their keys! With keyless entry solutions, like number pads, facial recognition, and fingerprint scanners, becoming more common, both cars and homes will likely stop using mechanical keys in the future. Head over to the Best Buys section to find wireless smart locks that connect to your smartphone and keep your home secure!
3. USB drives
Want to transfer a file to a friend? Gone are the days of passing along a thumb drive. With cloud storage and integrated online storage solutions becoming the norm, all you need to receive a file from a friend today, is a link. It’s why most laptops don’t even include USB-A ports anymore.
4. Credit cards
Imagine walking out of your house without your keys and wallet, and still being able to get around and pay for goods. It’s likely to happen sooner than you think. Contactless and smartphone-based payments are already on the rise in all parts of the world, expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for touchless interactions.
5. Charging cables
Everyone has a drawer in their home, full of tangled cables. That may soon become a thing of the past. With the advent of wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity, the world is already seeing a decline in the need for charging cords. In another decade, plugging your phone into the wall will likely seem bizarre!
What do you think? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.