Keeping up with technology

I work in IT and I have surrounded myself with technie nerds so I undoubtedly hear about new things one way or another. However, I really don't go out of my way to research any new technologies unless it is directly applicable to something in my life.

If I am building a new computer or thinking about suggesting something at work, then I will research deeply which usually leads to tangents in my studies.

 

I have a working knowledge of the most common technologies but there are a few i haven't really used yet such as the iphone, ipod, or my favorite, the Wii. If nothing, i'd like to get a Wii this year, if i can afford it. I don't go out of my way to research technology. But i try to keep updated especially with online communication though. I like to be aware so that if someone mentions, i don't seem too clueless.

 

As an EE, I can say that, once you know the basics, each new thing is just an extrapolation.

 

Agree and applies to me to.

When it comes to technology that is not for commercial use i read a lot of journals like Control engineering and such. Commercial I'm bound to stumble upon because I'm, as somebody previously said, surrounded by people who are into it.

 

Growing up as a wee nerd helps.
If I wasn't already well familiar with the basics, I might suck at keeping up. Sometimes I need to tell myself "goddammit you know these things, toughen up" when I'm being nervous and skittish about adopting new devices or applications.

 

I have a RSS feed to the Journal of the American Chemistry Society, And angewandte chemie. Even though more than half I don't read there are a few interesting things that come across the wire worth reading.

 

At school I was fairly in the know, but these days I'm not so savvy on technology. Well, I am, but I tend to discover things after they've been out for a while. If what I'm using serves my purposes I'm not that fussed with getting the latest things. I have a dented and chipped old ipod nano, a 5 year old sturdy desktop, a mid-range phone with a gummy cover on it which is very touchy-feely. I keep up with technological knowledge fairly well though, so whatever I'm using, I can get the most out of it and I don't see technology as frightening or the skills it involves unattainable.