Top 5 Modern Devices We Are Thankful For

Thanksgiving is right around the corner—that special season when we get to fill up on turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. What a wonderful time of year, full of change, quiet reflection, and gratitude.

For so many of us the holidays can be a time where we feel a great deal of stress—both financial and emotional. If you are feeling a little less than enthused for the upcoming holiday season, take a moment to consider how grateful you are to have these 5 modern devices.

#5. DVR

It wasn’t that long ago when there were only a few channels on TV to choose from. Now we have so many channels and shows we had to invent a little box to keep track and record them for us. And no, it’s not a VCR and yes, it is way way better.

If you grew up with a VCR, you really understand the convenience of a DVR. Back in the day, if there was a show or a game you wanted to watch and a social gathering happening at the same time, you were forced to record it manually with a videotape (usually a family-home video that you decided wasn’t all that important) and just hope that nothing went wrong and no one told you the score while you were out.

But that’s not even the best feature of a DVR! Not only does your DVR track and instantly schedule and record your favorite shows . . . it lets you watch it without commercials. With the DVR you control the TV! You can fast-forward, rewind, pause, and instantly replay that last touchdown as many times as you want!

If you own a DVR, I would argue that you are so grateful for it, you will avoid watching TV “the old way” for as long as you live.

#4. Wi-Fi

Second on our list is Wi-Fi. Why? Because everything else on our list just got that much more awesome because of it. Wi-Fi goes hand-in-hand with the term “hotspot” for a reason. It is the place you want to be! Wi-Fi is so in demand now that it is helping companies sell cars and people choose which airline to travel with.

Think of it this way . . . the Internet is like a drug. Once we have had a taste of it, we need it. Some of us need it ALL OF THE TIME. We can’t bear to live for more than a few hours without having the ability to check our emails or update our Facebook statuses. And how can we possibly manage to think or retrieve any information without the assistance of Google? Impossible!

So, whereas before we had to withstand time without being constantly connected to the Internet while driving in our cars and socializing with friends, now we have this little dealer who provides us our Internet fix (sometimes for free) whenever and wherever we need it. Phew.

#3. Tablets

Here is why tablets are awesome (yeah, like you didn’t already know). It really doesn’t matter what you do to kill some time, if you have a tablet, you can probably do it wherever you are.

Been meaning to catch up on your current events? Have some books you’ve been meaning to read? TV shows to watch? Puzzles to complete? Pictures to paint? Letters to send? People to connect with?

If you have a tablet, you can take a huge chunk of the fun things you do to kill time with you and leave the suitcase at home! But wait . . . there’s more. If you have children, a tablet may have just jumped to the top of this list.

What better way to entertain your children on a long road trip than by letting them play games (even educational ones) on your tablet! Woo! Hours pass with ease thanks to this medium-sized modern marvel.

Sure, your smartphone may do many of the same things, but a tablet provides more options, more storage, and a little more real-estate for your eyes—which is nice.

#2. Smartphones

Remember all of that stuff I just said about your tablet? Oh yeah, your smartphone can do that too.

Smartphones are a thing many of us love to hate. I personally miss the days when you came home to the delight of a little flashing red light that meant an unlikely stranger left you a message that was just waiting to be heard. The days when you could escape the constant ties to everyone you knew and screen your calls if you wanted to. The days you could really hang up on someone when you were mad—slamming the phone down just means so much more than touching a little screen. And let’s not forget the little pleasures, like holding the phone by the cord while it spun out of its tangles.

But, now that smartphones have become the new norm, it would be weird to live without them, right? It is the epitome of convenience. You can do almost anything with your phone—usually in a more effective way.

Smartphones have replaced phonebooks, maps, landlines, and revolutionized food delivery services. You can order pizza and have it delivered to your house with nothing more than a text message. You can share face-time with family members and friends from across the world. You can check in to your flight without a boarding pass. You can ask your phone a question and it will answer! Not to mention you can easily document your entire life with messages, notes, photos, videos, and more!

Smartphones are amazing. They do it all and they fit in your pocket! This one invention is mind-blowing when you consider that most of our parents shared the one line in their house with their neighbors! And an operator was an actual person who connected you using a physical phone line.

Yes, selfies are annoying and people are too-often glued to their phones, but hey… all in all, it’s a great thing we all love to have.

#1. The Computer

Well, it should probably go without saying that the #1 modern device we are grateful to have is the computer—and the Internet. Yes, it’s obvious, but really think about all that computers have given us.

Without computer technology, it is likely that none of the other techy stuff we love would exist. Computer technology introduced a whole new way of thinking, along with an entire new market and world culture.

The invention of the computer and the Internet has made the world a smaller place, created a bigger and better global market, opened the doors for social platforms, and continues to foster the ingenuity and creativity of entrepreneurs who continue to make even more awesome stuff we love.

I would argue that whatever business you run, or business you work for, operates better or relies primarily on everything computer technology has given us. So in a way, you can thank computers for making it possible for you to have a job, an income, and food on your table at night. Pretty cool right?

Plus, without computers, you might have gone your entire life without seeing all the funny things that cats do!

So this year, as the tryptophan from the turkey sinks in and the glow of the football game warms your skin, I hope you will smile and feel grateful—after all, you are lucky enough to enjoy the modern marvels of today . . . and there is no telling what tomorrow will bring!