What if there were no such thing as a burrito?

The weird thing about changing technology is that you very quickly take it for granted. Within my lifetime, the three biggest things I can think of that fit into this category are computers, cell phones, and the internet. Aside from those basic pillars, here are ten recent innovations that I have gotten very used to and likely would have trouble living without:

1. Google – This word has become synonymous with (completely replaced?) “internet query” in the English language. Also, it is responsible for Gmail, easy maps, and traffic reports on maps. And Sergey Brin went to Maryland…
2. Youtube – I don’t really remember what pop culture was like before you could just say, “Did you hear about ___? Look it up on youtube.”
3. Broadband internet – My family just switched from dial-up a year ago. Not sure what took them so long. Waiting 30 seconds for a page to load is not really a good use of time.
4. Digital cameras – Have been around for a long time (read: Out west vacation, ’98), but they exploded midway through my sophomore year of college. The instant gratification of being able to check to see if the picture came out is pretty nice.
5. Ipod – I listen to mp3’s on my ipod at work (when it’s functioning). I also have lots of CDs that I still listen to, particularly in the car. But I certainly take the ability to walk around with access to thousands of songs for granted. (To say nothing of cassette tapes).
6. HDTV – I don’t event watch very much TV, but with sporting events alone, this makes a huge, huge difference. On a related note, I wonder if Blu-ray discs will vanquish DVDs as quickly as DVDs conquered VHS tapes? (Not that I don’t still own many old movies on VHS, including Little Giants and several Disney classics).
7. Text messaging – Not sure how I maintained a social life without the ability to send and receive texts. I didn’t have a phone capable of this until 2 ½ years ago, so I must have managed somehow.
8. Chipotle – I would have to find something different to eat for lunch approximately once per week without this deliciousness in my life. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches would not quite do the trick.
9. Facebook – I kind of hate Facebook, but it has really changed the way that people are able to peripherally keep in touch with old friends. And it is addictive.
10. Special effects in movies – Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies, and for being more than a decade old, it still looks pretty good. But the orcs and ghost warriors and undead dragon king things of Lord of the Rings put T-Rex to shame.

Unsurprisingly, most of these things are gadget-y. I think people my age have witnessed a huge, rapid technological swing. With the pace of development in the computer and electronics fields, I’m sure that, within five years there will be a number of new “indispensible” innovations. Iphones seem to be headed that way. Though I don’t have one, I am amazed by their ability to locate nearby restaurants, access email, and make farting noises on cue. Maybe teleportation or human flight could be next on the list of some inventor, far smarter than I.