10 Unique Pieces of Technology You Can’t Live Without

It's often said that we can't live without our phones. Other technology, such as our TVs and radios, have also become a crucial part of our lives. However, what are the more unique pieces of technology we use that we don't even think about? That’s what I wanted to explore here. Those pieces of technology where we have no idea how they work but we’d be lost without them. Let’s check it out.

1. GPS Tracking

It’s odd to think that we rely on thousands of satellites that can pinpoint our position at any given time. Those days where you had to get out a map while on a car journey are long gone. However, we rely on GPS for much more than that. Our phones use our real-time location are a wide range of different apps. They allow us to travel both efficiently and safely to prevent us from getting lost. They’d be economic collapse if these satellites ever failed.

2. Smartwatches

For most millennials and above, it’s easy to remember a time when digital watches were seen as a novelty. At that time, you could never have predicted what watches would become. At first they were just fitness trackers but are now becoming much more. These days, it seems like everyone has one, and with the time available on our phones, watches have become more than just a timepiece. With the recent addition of contactless payments, these watches could well become even more technologically advanced in the future.

3. E-Reader

Books have played a hugely important role in the development of society. While that's still true, we're moving ever further away from traditional books. You can now have an entire library at your fingertips, either on your phone or with an e-reader. While some bemoan the loss of physical books, they have made reading much more accessible. When you have a few minutes to spare, you can pull out your device and read a few chapters without needing a physical copy.

4. Streaming Services

Many of us will remember a time when we used to huddle around a TV, waiting for the next weekly episode of our favorite TV show to come out. However, with a huge range of services available, that has become a relic of the past. As a viewer, it gives you more freedom than you could have ever expected. If you wanted to catch up on a great TV show in the past, you'd have to either buy or rent a physical copy. Now, you can binge-watch your favorite content on your terms.

5. Voice-Controlled Home Assistant

If you had told someone 30 years ago that you'd have AI technology in your room and that it would respond to every command, you'd have thought the world had turned into a sci-fi movie. Voice-controlled assistants allow people to have hands-free control over their lives by scheduling reminders, answering questions, and much, much more. These little robots have become scarily ingrained in our lives and are only going to get more intelligent.

6. Bluetooth Earbuds

How do Bluetooth earbuds work? How is it that a full train carriage can be using them without any interference? The answer is very complicated, but Bluetooth's technology for transmitting data has become vital to how we consume sound. These compact devices can make commuting, working out, or relaxing at home much easier. Gone are the days where you’d have to pull out a tangled mess of wires out of your pocket. They are a unique piece of technology, only a few people know how they work, but they have become indispensable.

7. Microwaves

One of the older pieces of technology on this list is the humble microwave. You put your food into a unique device, close the door, and then, for some reason, it comes out extremely hot. The reason is that microwaves use electromagnetic radiation that agitates water molecules extremely quickly, causing immense friction. It’s for that reason that solid objects don’t get hot in the microwaves without water. Microwaves have become a kitchen essential, and we all seemingly have a little radiation-emitting box in our kitchens. It’s another one of those technologies that people of the past could never have imagined.

8. Your Car’s Computer

There were days when vehicles were purely mechanical. However, for a long time now they have contained a computer that is able to interpret and display a whole lot of information. In the last few years, the complexity of these displays has risen sharply. In some modern electric cars, all you’ll have is a display. These not only allow you to see all of the performance and diagnostical issues with the car but have also become entertainment centers. Even older cars contain a more basic computer and we couldn’t imagine driving a car without one now.

9. Smart Home Technology

We have mentioned smartphones before, but the huge advancement of smart home technology is a unique change in our lives. It allows you to make your home a futuristic oasis, and it's intriguing to think about how this type of technology will improve in years to come. Today, you can now remotely or sound-control your doorbell, thermostat, lighting systems, and almost any other piece of technology in your home. These devices can not only increase of comfort but also our security. It’s surely going to be the case that we become even more reliant on this technology. It will become much easier for all of these devices to be interconnected and for our homes to become an extension of our own brains.

10. Robot Vacuum

Robots are going to have an ever-increasing role in our lives. At the moment, robot vacuums are quite basic but can do a great job of doing the hard work for you. Their navigation systems are improving, and for those using them, it would be much harder to live without them. You can imagine that these robots will only become more advanced. In a few years, we could have robots that are able to clean your entire home. Household chores could eventually become a thing of the past.