Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 2816 HTCinc.net | Summer 2016 Technology A Whole New World: How Technology Affects Our Daily Lives Stomach drop. Instant panic. You feel lost and exposed. The cause? Your smartphone is on the kitchen table and not in your hand. Admit it: You can’t go anywhere without that requisite rectangle protruding from your pocket. But don’t worry — you’re not the only one. Today’s advanced technology opens up a world of connectivity that affects — no, transforms — our day-to-day lives like never before. Internet access touches everything from our restaurant choices to our political leanings, from what shows we watch to how we stay in touch with friends. Would you even consider going on a road trip today without your smartphone and its handy-dandy GPS system? It’s almost surreal to think about how much information is available to us through the World Wide Web. Plus, with our tablets, smartphones, PCs and the like, we literally have the world at our fingertips. That’s why the need for speed is so important. If you’re like most families, connecting multiple devices for a variety of purposes at once is common in your household. You simultaneously download music and catch up on those wedding pictures Aunt Susan posted, while the kids stream a TV show — all activities that require an Internet connection. Connecting everyone at once may slow things down if you don’t have the bandwidth to match your family’s needs. Clearly, we rely heavily on the Internet, so make sure you know what size bandwidth is appropriate for the number of devices in your home. Having Internet bandwidth that matches your family’s needs means more speed and less time waiting for the dreaded “buffering” signal to disappear. Higher bandwidths offer efficiency in a world where time is limited and precious. What more could you ask for? Indeed, an impressive amount of connectivity is available to us. But remember, with great Internet connection comes great responsibility. Constant access to work files, emails, social media, your bank account, the news, etc. can be overwhelming. It’s important to control your Internet consumption so that it doesn’t control you.