On December 9, 2024, I strolled into the Apple Store in Madison to buy yet another Apple computer, the only brand I’ve ever used. Walking in, I was struck by the variety of products—laptops, desktops, iPads, iPhones, and even smartwatches. It’s hard to believe how much technology has advanced since 60 years ago. I also noticed something fascinating: there were no visible cash registers. Instead, employees used their iPhones to manage everything—bringing out items and processing payments. Customers didn’t even need to sign anything; the process was quick, and receipts were sent via email.
Once I got my new computer home, I decided to set it up the next day. The store technician had assured me that transferring my data from the old computer would be straightforward, although it might take up to four hours. I turned to YouTube for guidance and read through the included instructions. Unfortunately, I ran into some trouble and ended up calling the support line, where a technician in Mississippi helped me out. She pointed out that my old computer needed some preparation for the transfer, which wasn’t included in the instructions. When I explained my screen issues to her, she struggled to understand. So, I thought of a workaround—I could take pictures with my iPhone and send them to her. In no time, she connected to my screen and guided me through the setup.
When it was finally time to transfer my data, I followed the prompts and ended the call. Knowing it would take a while, I decided to take a quick walk to Walgreens. By the time I returned home 25 minutes later, more than 100,000 documents, photos, and scanned images had been successfully transferred.
A friend’s email reminded me of another feature I hadn’t been using. He mentioned that he dictated his message to his computer. Inspired, I’ve started using dictation to help write these columns more quickly. While I hope this might increase my writing frequency, I can’t make any guarantees!
For someone like me, who once walked or biked to a one-room schoolhouse, it’s remarkable to see how much has changed in the last 60 years. When I first taught computer programming at a high school in Indiana back in 1974, we used punch cards and a large mainframe in a different building. It’s hard to fathom how technology will evolve in the coming decades—much like we couldn’t envision today’s devices back in the 1960s.
— Matt Figi is a Monroe resident and local historian. He shares his insights periodically in the Times.
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