I believe the personal computer is in its sixth great age, and is in the midst of entering the seventh great age.
The first great age was one that primarily benefitted businesses, with spreadsheets, word processors, and other great tools that helped businesses become more efficient.
The second great age was the dawn of the internet - and this primarily benefited consumers. It allowed them access to a wealth of information that they had previously not been able to easily. It also allowed the dot-com bubble, and an array of new business models that were purely internet based.
The third great age was that of the digital lifestyle. The personal computer started to become the hub for everything… suddenly you could connect your camera, your mp3 player, and whatever other digital device, and have them all consolidated into the computer. You could edit, save, and store these files all with one tool.
The fourth great age was that of the mobile device revolution. Suddenly, laptops and desktops - while still useful - were being used primarily at home or at the office or coffeeshop. The mobile device, whether it be an iPhone, iPad, or a different device, could be taken with you easily and efficiently. You didn’t need to sit at your desk to have access to the internet or to applications - they were (literally) at the tips of your fingers, anytime and anywhere. Apps became a whole new thing; an incredible new way for people to create value.
The fifth great age was that of social media. With the aid of mobile devices people could share any and everything, at real-time, which opened up whole new lines of businesses and communication. You could update entire groups of people with a few taps of the finger. The idea of print media started to become obsolete, which was pretty evident with the shutdown of so many print magazines, or their shift to either paid subscription models or advertisements on their mobile versions. You didn’t need to get your information from “proper” news outlets. Your friends and family could just tell you, and they could probably tell you quicker. No need to wait for the morning newspaper or the nightly news. This also brought about, either fortunately or unfortunately, the ability for brands to use your personal data to better serve or market to you.
Which brings us to the sixth great age… the age of combining mobile devices and social media, along with the ease of the internet on-the-go, to create people-as-brands. The idea of “social media influencers” was borne, and their promotion of products or services suddenly became more valuable and trustworthy than most traditional paid ads. Brands no longer sought out to buy huge billboards - instead, they created events around people’s personal brands. You could pick and choose the right influencer for the right brand, and have it feel more authentic. This also created an entirely new business model, where people could leverage their own personal brands to either push products, services, or their own things.
So now comes the seventh great age… I’m no Confucius, but I believe it will be what people love to refer to as the “internet of things.” All of the previous ages will be consolidated, and the products we use will be ingrained with all of the useful tools of ages one through six. We can see the seeds of this now, with products that allow you to control your home, or products that are almost like a computer in that if you connect them to the internet they can ratchet up their usefulness exponentially. For example, use a Phillips Hue Lightstrip and without the internet and it’s a cool neat tool. Connect it online, with the proper apps, and suddenly you can control the mood of the lighting, color it to match your personal preferences, or even have it turn on as soon as you walk in the room.
All of these ages happened in around 30 years. It’s incredible how fast this industry is moving, and all the things it is allowing us to do. I hope to contribute to it significantly in my lifetime.
