During the weekend, I attended a Fuerza Regida concert, which was a delightful moment that reminded me how much technology has become embedded in my everyday activities. For everything from purchasing my tickets to arranging where to eat, my smartphone acted almost like a life helper for that occasion. It is however thought provoking to think how these little gadgets that are nothing but IoT devices, have made such experiences easier.
4:00 PM: The concert event was to commence late in the day, but the first order of business for me was to confirm my tickets which I had purchased earlier. Rather than having to print them out or go queue for them, I simply opened a ticketing app on my phone. I was delighted to arrive at the site and find my digital tickets waiting for me, complete with a QR code for easy scanning. Thanks to this seamless approach, I did not have to bother about a thick ticket stub to plan for the event.
5:30 PM: On my mobile device’s restaurant application, I made a dinner reservation before leaving for the venue. In this regard, I chose the restaurant to be close to the concert hall and checked its menu online before going there. With just a few taps on the screen, I managed to book a table for two without having to go through the trouble of placing a phone call and waiting to get the confirmation.
7:00 PM: In the course of that evening, my phone was also in use because I was informing my friends about where I was and where we would meet. Text messaging is one of the many ways in which IoT devices help keep us on schedule.8:30 PM: Once I got to the venue, I opened my tickets on the phone. After a very short wait at the entrance, I breezed past the gate. Looking back, it was an illustrative moment as to how technology can just take away, the need to deal with physical tickets in order to access services that are otherwise physical in nature.
10:00 PM: Yes, when I attended the concert, I snapped a few pictures and video clips of the show as well. These can be troublesome because they tend to take up space. People who are not present and with whom the images and videos were shared and shown enhanced the experience as well.
Now that I think about it, my phone contributed a great deal toward making this night. From making reservations and buying tickets to meeting with people and taking pictures, IoT gadgets are no longer just appliances. They are tools that I use to prepare for, take part in, and share experiences with other people. However, what struck me most was how seamlessly everything was working, without me even thinking about it.
My Fuerza Regida concert experience further put into context how essential IoT devices are in contemporary events and day to day activities. They make life tasks easier and allow us to be spontaneous but also remind me that I am quite reliant on these devices. There is a sure ease that one gets but this form a caution of the cost of ease such as all forms of data privacy and dependence on technology.