Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1119412
6 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JUNE 2019 The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly By Theresa Rossetti, Resident When I was in college, we used slide rulers in Math and Chemistry. I got pretty good at it, zipping through formulas and computations effortlessly. Now, I remember what they look like, but have no idea how they work. These days, kids use calculators and computers for almost everything, including homework online. Interesting how much has changed in 50 years. The new technology available to us (smart phones, smart TVs, connective devices in the home) is amazing but can be overwhelming. Before we discuss the good, let's look at the bad. The new devices can be difficult to begin using. There are no instruction manuals anymore, just websites and YouTube videos to show us how to work them. There are privacy concerns, dreaded passwords to remember, constant charging needs (where did I leave the cord?), pairing this to that, what the heck is Bluetooth anyway and do I need Wi-Fi to use it? How do I watch Netflix on my new TV?! The list is almost endless. So, what's the ugly? Cords, multiple remote controls (most of which hide in the couch cushions), misplaced phones, Robocalls on said phones, too many programs to remember, streaming services cost money! Okay, so what's the good? I'll bet most of us like the fob we use to start our cars, the navigation systems that direct us to far-flung places, the advanced safety features in the newer cars, the ability to instantly look up the name of that song or who starred in that movie we saw last night. On my phone I have all my contacts available, music and photos at my fingertips, weather apps, an app that saves all those pesky store cards, the ability to see who's at my door, and many other things. Yes, it took time to figure them out, but the convenience and the safety features made it worthwhile to me. But the thing I love best, even if it happens during my peak soap opera watching time in the afternoon, is the song that FaceTime plays on my iPad when my grandson calls and wants to chat. Days of Our Lives can wait, I've got a seven-year-old living 2,700 miles away to talk to!