Tech is changing everything, from our childhoods to the way we work, spend our time, cook, read and most importantly, how we approach our hobbies. Since childhood, we develop various interests and passions which in return, help us grow as individuals. Hobbies relax us, they help us grow, become happier individuals and bond new relationships with others that have similar interests. Getting involved in a hobby will certainly help you become a more patient individual and will open new perspectives. But what does technology have to do with hobbies? Well, apparently, quite a lot. In today’s time, these are more interconnected than we previously thought. From 3D printing to smart devices that make reading more enjoyable and comfortable, technology is a big aid in accomplishing our hobbies and perfecting those. Some might even become fortunate enough to turn their hobbies into successful businesses, with technology’s help.
How is technology changing our hobbies?
Collectors, content creators, craftsmen and cooks, but also travellers seem to all benefit from the enormous advancements that technology has made in the past few years. While the benefits vary depending on the hobby that you practice, they all have something in common: making the hobby itself more comfortable and approachable. But let’s see which the advantages for each of the previously mentioned categories are.
- Collectors, generally, have a difficult time finding the type of products and items in which they are the most interested. However, since the technological advancements in the industry made the Internet and smart devices widely-used, these enthusiasts can skip nowadays garage sales antique shops. In the online, you can find anything you want. From old appliances to rare stamps, coins, all these from the comfort of your own house. Collectables are now easier to find as certain online communities are specifically targeted at this category of individuals.
- Content creators. Since the dawn of time, people created. They created art, poetry, and even in its incipient forms, this has contributed to opening our horizons and helped us grow as communities. Today, in an era far away from the dawn of time and civilization, we don’t have to scrabble cave walls to make our ideas and creational talents known. Instead, we use other types of walls, digital ones, on social media platforms, blogs and community platforms. From Reddit to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, WordPress or other types of media outlets, a wide Internet access and affordable technological devices have helped content creators perfect and make their creations known to the wide public. And as new technologies emerge, their affordability allows us to keep up with the latest developments in the sector.
- Craftsmen and Cooks can easily turn their hobbies into successful online-based businesses. Blogs and social media open the gates to local notoriety, YouTube helps them reach higher steps in their personal branding journey, and social media outlets allow them to express themselves and put their creativity to work. Learning various skills is also facilitated by an easy access to technological devices and a good Internet connection. Development becomes easier and the incredible volume of educational resources free of any charges, allows even those coming from less-developed backgrounds to proliferate at what they like.
- Alongside a high-performing Internet infrastructure, explorers can also claim that their hobby has been fundamentally changed. Smartphones encompass a wide selection of apps and features that allow them to cut some of the luggage they have to carry around their incursions: maps, compasses, weather apps, power banks and GPS navigation tools. In this day and time, it becomes harder and harder to get lost in the wilderness, travellers say.
E-readers make the hobby more enjoyable and approachable
If you’re a reading enthusiast and want to do it on the go, forget about those heavy books you have to constantly carry around in your backpack. E-readers have become increasingly popular because of their ability to offer one entire library in a single small device. Instead of constantly purchasing physical books, the user can now download their digital equivalent and carry it around without any sort of discomfort. However, according to The WiredShopper, making the right decision when selecting your device is not always a breeze. The vast selection of manufacturers and brands might seem intimidating at some point, and choosing a device that meets your specific demand and needs, even harder.
Fortunately for you, there are some skilled experts that can always make pertinent recommendations and point you in the right direction. The Kindle range is already iconic for the avid reader. And not only; after all, we all heard of this smart device. Initially a read-only format, Kindle is now offering an Audio Bookstore for all their users, allowing them to enjoy the latest selections of audiobooks. More than this, you don’t have to constantly recharge it, since the latest versions have weeks of battery life, unlike their predecessors.
Kobo is one of the direct competitors of Kindle, and rightfully. It offers an incredible line of e-ink e-readers that make the reading experience a significantly comfortable and approachable one. And unlike Amazon’s version of an e-book, this little gem allows you to upload your own selection of books.
3D printing has changed hobbies to the core
3D printing has an immense potential in all life sectors. From medicine to technological advancements, prosthetics and last but not least, hobbies. 3D printing has changed the way people cosplay, the way in which they design clothing articles and how they develop new ways to entertain themselves and others.
The miniature gaming market has sensed the difference already; small, delicate parts are already printed with the help of these printers and allow enthusiasts to assemble and spend hours to figure them out. 3D puzzles have also been changed by 3D printing, and its potential goes far beyond this.
Childish or not, hobbies shape who we are, and technology is significantly re-shaping those. Human preoccupations have been mutated by technology throughout centuries, and we reach a development stage that allows us to freely approach and develop our skills and passions in the comfort of our homes, in safer, easier fashions.
