Abelado, John Dave R.

BSBA – HRM 2 – 1N
Living in the IT Era

Convergence of Technology
The Power of Ideas, Combined!

Technology has been a vital part of the existence of man long before the digitalize
generations. During the paleolithic period itself, early humans devised inventions using
only stones, and believe it or not, those stone tools are like the technological ancestors
of what we have today.
But going back to our current time where stones are no longer a vital resource in
creating the iPhones and laptops we now hold. Technology has truly thrived from the
start of the technological revolutions back in the past. What made this transition of
technology possible? How did the gadgets we hold in our hands today reach to this
point of advancement?
It is made possible by Technological Convergence

- Technological Convergence in simpler definition, is the process of combining

multiple types of technology from either the same or different fields of
technological advancements to create a new piece of technology that is
innovative, new or more efficient than the previous renowned technologies.

- Major affected industries under technological convergence

o Information technology
o Telecommunications
o Consumer electronics
o Integrated systems
 Listed below are some examples of how technological convergence made the
new technology we have on this day possible.

Technological Convergence in Information Technology

- Cloud Services
o Bulky hard drives and inconvenient and data centers of
businesses around to world are trying to find a solution to
lessen the wasted office space and overwhelming work
of creating a secure place for their confidential files.
There is where cloud services come in, they store your
data “in the cloud”, but not literally. Image 1: Google Drive
o Cloud Services like in simplest form, Google Drive Retrieved from: stickpng.com
and OneDrive, create data centers that make servers
with capacities reaching exabytes, for you to store
your data in, with proper encryption to create a secure solution for backing
up your personal or important business data.
o Artificial Intelligence also made cloud services beyond secure with secure
methods of securing your data without continuous supervision of its
user.
o Entertainment industries such as video platforms like YouTube and Tiktok
also has taken advantage of this milestone in data services, extending
their reach around the globe without affecting consumer overall streaming
experience.

Technological Convergence in Telecommunication:

- 5G and LTE
o Telecommunication has gone a long journey
from the telegraph that reads binary beeps
of morse codes, to the lined telephone
services of the earlier generations, to the
powerful telecom systems made possible
by high frequency towers and underwater fiber
lines around the world.
o With speeds reaching 10Gbps, Image 2: DITO TeleCommunity
telecommunication has went far beyond just Retrieved from: dito.ph
calls and text, it has also provided
opportunities to connect to the internet in the
 most accessible way possible, by just buying a nearly one dollar SIM card
to authenticate a user as a receiver of fast – delivered data from across
the globe

Technological Convergence in Consumer Electronics

Ease of Access and Use

o Automation is no longer just found in manufacturing
factories with there high tech automation robots, it
could also be found in modern homes and office
workspaces with the power of technological
convergence making it possible for everyone to use,
or in some cases even do it for themselves
o Smart homes, especially in first world countries and
nations has been an excellent example of this
progress in automation. Combining software design
and hardware integration to create a better means of
managing daily human tasks with ease.
o Artificial Intelligence
Image 3. Amazon Echo Devices also made this user to
Retrieved from: pngaaa.com technology process
beyond easier with
just saying a prompt command like “Hey, Alexa”,
“Hey Google” and the task you want to complete.
May it be a simple internet search through online
search engines, or making your vacuum cleaner,
washing machine and dishwasher do the work for you
without having to stand up in the comforts of your
couch

Technological Convergence in Integrated Systems

o Software and Hardware Integration

 Back in the days before the modern computer were invented
by Microsoft and Macintosh. Computers didn’t have a
mainstream operating system to launch the applications it
was created for, making computer maintenance a tough job
for everyone who has one.
 To this day, numerous operating systems for multiple cross
platform devices such as Windows, iOS, Android and Linux

Image 4. Windows Logo

Retrieved from: freebiesupply.com
 have been prominent in most modern machines which
makes software and hardware compatibility and system
tasks more efficient according to the workload needed.

What are some of the Pros and Cons of technological

convergence?
Pros
1. Service Design – this is the process integrating technologies into one seamless
system, ensuring that the technology created ensures quality performance
without sacrificing efficiency in terms of the resources used.

a. One great example of this is the integration of online selling platforms

such as Lazada and Shopee. This e commerce brands had combined
sophisticated software algorithms, along with hardware like servers, and
real-life logistics as seamless as tapping a few on screen buttons on your
smartphone.

2. Dematerialization and simplification – taking advantage of using lesser raw

materials, lower energy consumption and less manpower demanding tasks
makes the products created by technological convergence a better choice than
the traditional ways from the past.

Cons
1. Complex designing – converging two ideas isn’t as easy as mixing powdered
juice into water to create juice. It takes time to combine not only the hardware,
but the processes, codes and other necessary items needed to ensure
compatibility and efficiency overall
2. Ensuring functionality – the continuous process of trial and error has been
prominent in creating these new technologies, ensuring that it works as intended
References
BTTComms. (n.d.). Retrieved from What is Technological Convergence?:
https://www.bttcomms.com/what-is-technological-convergence/

Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved from Our earliest technology?:

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-prehistory-ap/paleolithic-mesolithic-
neolithic-apah/a/our-earliest-technology

Roland, C. (2018, November 20). att.com. Retrieved from The complete and modern guide to technology
convergence: https://shape.att.com/blog/technology-convergence

Rouse, M. (2018, July). TechTarget. Retrieved from Definition Technological Convergence:

https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/definition/convergence

youtube.com. (2015, September 18). Retrieved from Technology Convergence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMQfz-3coU