It’s amazing to reflect on how much technology has advanced in the past couple decades. In the 1990s and even the early 2000s, many of the electronic devices that so important to people now were seen as a luxury. There are quite a few items that can improve your quality of life, but only a select few are true essentials that most people will use every day. Here are the top four essential items that define modern living.
A Cell Phone
The convenience of cell phones makes it hard to imagine a time without them, even though it wasn’t actually that long ago. Cell phones, and more specifically smartphones, serve so many functions that they’ve become virtually irreplaceable. You can use yours to stay in contact with people you know via text message, voice calls, emails and messaging apps. When you want to listen to some music or get directions to an address, there are apps for that.
Cell phones can cause some issues. Many people use theirs while driving, putting other people at danger, and of course there are the people who put all their attention on their phones instead of interacting in person. But overall, the cell phone is among the most useful and versatile tools currently available. If you don’t think you can afford a phone plan, look into options like Flash Wireless and other non-name brand providers.
A Computer or Tablet
When it comes to versatility, computers and tablets are right up there with smartphones. They’re certainly not as portable as smartphones are, but to their credit, it’s easier to look things up with a larger screen and keyboard. That larger screen is also nice if you want to stream TV shows, movies or funny cat videos.
Whether you go with a computer or a tablet is all a matter of personal preference. Tablets serve as a sort of middle ground between a laptop and a smartphone, being more portable than the former but also more difficult to use for anything that involves typing. If you need a device for work or school, you’ll typically be better off with a computer.
A Pair of Bluetooth Headphones
You never know when you’ll want to listen to some music or watch a video, and when you have a pair of headphones on hand, you can do either without disturbing the other people in the area.
Now, you may be wondering why Bluetooth headphones were specified here. The reason is that if you’re like most people, you’ll want to listen to music when you work out. Since Bluetooth headphones are wireless, they’re the best choice for a workout, as you don’t need to worry about the cord getting tangled up with anything. Look for Bluetooth headphones that also let you connect a cord when you want, that way you can plug your headphones in to devices that don’t have Bluetooth.
A Smart TV
Sure, you could watch everything you want on your computer or tablet, but that doesn’t really compare to the experience of watching on a TV. To ensure that you’re able to access your streaming services of choice, it’s best to go with a smart TV that comes with those applications installed. That way, it’s not a struggle to switch from cable to Netflix.
If you don’t have a smart TV, you could also make due with a streaming device such as a Chromecast or Roku. Most of these devices won’t cost you much, and they’ll enable you to play streams from the internet on your TV.
You probably already have most or all these essentials already. If you’re missing any, you should try them out, as you may find that you like them quite a bit.
