What technology made the biggest difference for you in 2010?

January 5, 2011 by  

Let me start by wishing you Happy New Year! At the end of each year I take some time to reflect on all the things I’m thankful for and you being a reader of this blog is certainly one of them.

The end of each year also leads me to reflect on the biggest technology changes that the previous year held – not just in technology advancements but also in what technology personally made the biggest difference in my life and work.

It also makes me wonder what 2011 has in store for us.  I’m sure the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) being held in Vegas this week will give us a glimpse into that.

In looking at the biggest tech impacts of 2010 I found a great article from TechCocktail.com:

Best of 2010 Tech, Year In Review

This year has been loaded with innovations both online and off. Many of these innovations were made by the companies we would expect, like Apple, Google, Facebook, etc. But there were also some fresh faces that pushed us to new heights. As Tech Cocktail toured the country looking at new innovations and followed known companies throughout the year, several trends became very clear: 2010 was the year of the iPad, Facebook updates, daily deal services, mobile apps and social geo-location features.  Check out our list and if you think we’ve missed anything, leave a note in the comments.

via Best of 2010 Tech, Year In Review — Tech Cocktail.

Their list hit most of the major advancements of the year.  Beyond what they mentioned in their list I think another big technology step was small businesses and entrepreneurs embracing cloud computing. While cloud computing certainly isn’t new it seems people took greater notice of it and a greater understanding of what it means to live and work in the clouds (watch my video intro on cloud computing). There was certainly no shortage of commercials and articles touting the benefits of the cloud.

But what about you personally?  What technology made the biggest impact in your life or business?  For me it was definitely making the jump from Windows to Mac and buying my MacBook Pro.  This step changed a lot about the way I work and play on my computer. You’ll see that throughout this year as I share a lot more video, audio, and screencasts here on The Anywhere Office to help you learn to choose and use the best technology so you can make your life and work more portable.

Social media was also instrumental for me in 2010.  I connected with some amazing people through Twitter and LinkedIn – many of which have become friends, clients, and partners. In 2011 I will be making a greater effort to connect and partner with like-minded people using these same tools.

What about you? Please share your story and post a comment below letting me know what technology in 2010 made the biggest impact in your life or business? We’d love to hear from you!