Technology

Updated: 10/01/2023 by Computer Hope

Sometimes abbreviated as tech, technology is knowledge or a set of tools that helps make things easier or resolve problems.

An example evolution of technology

The pen is one of the first technologies that made it easier for humans to record and reference their previous thoughts and actions. That technology was later improved upon with the printing press. This device made it easier to mass produce the written word, allowing broader access to information. Later, typewriters were created, which made it easier and faster for anyone to create documents. Finally, the computer came along, and, over time, has dramatically improved on all previous technologies in the context of editing, writing, and sharing.

Note

The smartphone could also be considered a further evolution of technology. It gives us the ability to have a computer in our pocket allowing us to write and share from anywhere in the world.

Why should I use the latest technology?

As an individual, you want to utilize the latest technology because it lets you use new products and services that older technologies do not support. For example, if you had a computer that was 20 years old, it would not be able to run the latest operating system, software, or games. Most companies also stop supporting older products in favor of newer products, which may leave you more vulnerable to attacks or unable to find fixes to problems.

As a company, you want your organization to be running the latest technologies because it can provide a competitive advantage. Newer technologies allow your employees, and the overall company, to operate more efficiently and saves resources. For example, a company using computers would be better off than a company only using typewriters.

Why wouldn't you want to use the latest technology?

Always trying to have the latest technology can be expensive, especially for any technology with a short life cycle. For example, always trying to have the latest smartphone is very expensive and impossible for most people.

Also, with some technologies, when moving or upgrading from older technology, it can be difficult, time-consuming, and could introduce new problems. For example, upgrading an older computer's operating system to a new operating system may cause new problems and require you to relearn a new operating system.

When should I move to a later technology?

With the disadvantages mentioned above, we always recommend you never immediately move to the latest technology. With most hardware, you can save a lot of money by either waiting a few months for the price to drop or save even more money by buying an earlier version. For example, you could upgrade an iPhone 6 to an iPhone 8 instead of the iPhone X to save money, while still getting a phone with several new features and significantly faster hardware.

With software, it's not always possible to skip releases because of the lack of features in the older version. However, it's still recommended to wait and not immediately install the latest software. Software is complex and often has problems when it is released. If you can wait a few weeks or months after it comes out, there should be fixes and updates to problems other customers encountered. Applying those fixes and updates means you are less likely to experience these issues.

Other uses of the word "tech."

"Tech" is also used with other computer-related words as a prefix to those with other meanings. Below lists computer-related words that have "tech" in them.

Tip

See our full list of computer-related terms containing tech using our word and letter search.

Computer abbreviations, Computer revolution, Generation, Information technology, Productivity