Opinion: Don’t Run From Technology, It Will Just Pass You By

Paul Rusnak

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Planet Earth is shrinking! No, not in physical size, but certainly in scope. When you can share thoughts, photos, videos, etc. with the world via a few swipes and pokes on a device small enough fit in your pocket, the great wide open feels quite cozy. We’re all pretty well connected — most of us anyway.

Of course, just when you think everyone is adequately equipped with mobile communication, Apple proves pundits wrong. A mere three days following the launch of its iPhone 5s and 5c models in late September, the company set a new record by selling more than 9 million units. I’m still completely happy with my iPhone 4, thank you very much. However, the time will come when I upgrade either out of desire or because I’ll be forced to due to feature phase-outs. Like it or not, this is the reality we all live in now. There is no turning back. There is no downgrading.

Concerning Disconnect

Mobile devices, which may seem like child’s play to some, have become vital tools a vast majority of people use every day to conduct business. It’s not just for fun, but I know not everyone feels this way. That’s troubling. Recently, we polled readers on what kind of smartphone device they had. Not surprisingly, iPhone and Android platforms took the biggest byte out of the responses. What was surprising is that nearly 11% of respondents admitted they didn’t have a smartphone. What? I didn’t quite hear you … You’re breaking up. Seriously?

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The smartphone and tablet market has grown exponentially over the last few years. As with increased competition, price points have become more reasonable for the consumer. So, cost should no longer be a viable excuse not to have one of these devices. The same goes for lack of variety. Go ahead: Pick your make, model, size, color, flavor (oops, probably not far off though), and explore.

Beam Me Up

Recently, one of our associate publications, CropLife magazine, launched an iPad app. It’s their first and the first of its kind for our company. I have a feeling it won’t be the last. The technology is pretty cool. Imagine looking at a magazine in a whole new way and having the ability to consume, extract, and share the information in it from anywhere, at any time, in an instant.

These are exciting times for media companies like ours. The options are becoming almost endless in quicker, more efficient ways to connect with readers. These also are heady times for growers. A virtual smorgasbord of ways to send and receive content crucial to you and your business is for the taking. The new “My Florida Farm Weather App” is another prime example of this. What’s next, getting in-the-field feedback from an all-knowing strawberry picking droid? This stuff is not science fiction, it’s fact. The digital waves keep coming. Catch one now or you might miss out.

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