From post-box to inbox, from calls to chats – the changing trend of communication!
Want to say ‘Hello’ to your friend seated at the other end of globe?
Send a text message
Want to look at your cute little nephew/niece residing at a far-away city?
Start a video chat
Want to wish your mom on her birthday, while you travel all around the world for work?
Make a phone call
From letters, calls, chats and videos we have indeed come a long way in this domain of communication. As a mode to convey our messages and express our thoughts, communication and its changing trends have changed the entire experience for each one alike. With advanced technology and innovative ways, this experience only keeps upgrading day-by-day. Shrinking the world into a small entity, these inventions have certainly made life much easier and accessible to all.
While these means have witnessed transformations over the years, every way was appropriate, convenient, useful and essential for the dwellers of that decade. As they get more and more polished, refined, updated with new additions in the industry, these methods have enjoyed loyal patrons all through their peak period.
It all started with letters….
Sight of pigeons with letters as depicted in movies of olden times seemed totally interesting as they passed on messages with perfection! While those means were limited to reel life and appeared exciting on the big screen, arrangement of postal letters and mail boxes in reality were undoubtedly the best means to communicate. Writing down long letters, sending it across to loved ones, while eagerly waiting for their reply must have demanded a lot of patience as time was indeed a dominating ruler.
Postal offices and postmen working hard in this job, toiled to serve people as they were the only means of communication back then. While hoping to hear about the well-being of grandchildren or peaceful work of husband in a far-away city, when grandparents or a wife received these letters, they formed precious assets. Coming to life, the words in such letters brought the sender and reader close to one another. Handwriting and ink added personalized touch to the text conveying these messages in a wonderful way.
From personal messages to official correspondence, from business matters to casual conversations, postal letters were all-in-one solution for everything. Besides the facility to send letters within a town or a city, when countries opened ways for national and international communication, it worked wonders for all the loved ones residing far and wide. Though the trend of letters has reduced to a great extent today, one can never forget its significance in the world of communication.
Besides postal letters, transmission of emergency message was made possible with telegram service. As closest friend to letters, this service was used for quite a long time for quick transfer of information.
Fading of letters, ringing of telephones…
With the great invention of telephone, Alexander Graham Bell brought a new wonder in this field. Speaking to a person in real time, listening to voice and conveying messages instantly were nothing less than surprises as it changed the entire concept of communication. Though telephones were expensive when they first entered into the market, their benefits and usefulness grabbed each one’s attention quickly.
What started off as a luxury for a few, soon donned the hat of a basic necessity as every office, household, shop and public place accepted this box of communication. Reaching to remote places far and wide, telecommunication companies worked to ring these phones everywhere! With little resistance and fear, as people communicated through these landlines telephones, it started to offer endless benefits. While high cost of these calls forced the talk to be short and precise, increasing competition among telecom companies and service providers paved way for affordable prices. Soon, landline phones offered the taste of long speeches as chats and gossips were possible within its scope!
From landline to free line – the birth of mobile communication
Once the trend of landline phones reached every possible village, town, city and country, another guest was waiting right at the door, hoping to receive a warm welcome! Mobile devices, wireless communication, cellular phones, network providers joined hands as they introduced the beneficial feature of ‘talk while on the walk’. Allowing people to convey messages from wherever they are, calls and text messages made life easy.
Though it encountered initial hick ups of high cost, resistance by people due to invasion of privacy and disturbance, it soon became a necessity for all. Keeping one connected while on the go, it provided safety and confidence for the loved ones. Opening channels of free communication, this mobile trend brought development and progress. As an indispensable part of life, it has become impossible to imagine a day without this mobile friend now.
Accessories to the mobile trend- instant messengers
After exploring the text messaging option on our mobile phone and using it to our heart’s content, internet entered our lives and phones to make it much smarter! Instant chat messengers offered us benefits of text, audio and video calls besides talking to all in a group at the same time.
Internet has truly changed the experience of communication as live video calls are icing on the cake. Bringing us closer to our family and friends located far away, they offer us convenience by all means.
These trends have introduced variation and progress at every step so far. If we ponder about the journey of man and his thirst for innovation, these changing forms leave us totally amazed. Though we have made advances in communication, we should remember to use them only as a means and not a complete solution for everything in life. Keeping in mind their hazards and troubles, we must refrain from using cellular phones while driving or tasks that demand absolute concentration.