Modern Technology and Modern Kids

Back in my childhood days, TV was the ultimate source of entertainment, with programs that never fail to capture a kid's attention and inspire creative imagination. Autobots fought the Decepticons in 2D in Transformers, Mask consists of heroes in warmachines disguised as everyday vehicles and not a whacky green man in a bright yellow suit.

Then came the video console. The great Atari, Nintendo and Sega days. I still can remember when I first laid hands on a controller and saw Mario jump whenever I hit a button on it, through my little mind I was thinking that this has got to be the best interactive game on Earth. Well, it was back then... some 20~30 years ago... and I still remember those times when a game cartridge failed to load up, we'd take it out and give the cartridge and console a blow, supposedly blowing away dust and dirt that might have screwed up my otherwise wonderful experience.

Modern day entertainment haven't really changed much in concept, but vastly in delivery. Renzo still likes TV programs the way I did when I was a kid, but instead of having only SBC 5 for English shows, SBC 8 for Mandarin and SBC 12 for sports (SBC is Singapore Broadcast Corporation for you young kids... or ill-informed oldies...=P ), Renzo now has a Starhub Cable Box that delivers international shows and cartoons to a LCD TV screen probably 4 times the size of those in olden days.

Renzo has games too, yes. But instead of lugging around a bulky console that plays games on 16-bits colours and MIDI file audio, he carries an iPad2 from my table to his bed effortlessly and dives into a world of 1024*768 pixel resolution at 132 ppi (pixel per inch). And no longer does he have to deal with the disappointment of a failing game cartridge as all the applications are downloaded wirelessly into the 601 gram device via a wireless network (that were only make-believe Sci-Fi technology in movies during my childhood days).

How technology has evolved and the need for kids to learn and adapt with them. Just like how my parents were amazed when I first opened the TV cabinet to flick a switch to turn on the TV, we were fascinated when Renzo knew how to get his favourite Leapfrog DVD out of its plastic prison, put it into the DVD player and successfully place the previous disc back into its correct cover. How he manage to learn all that is beyond me (though Mummy Chan did tell me that Aye Aye showed Renzo a couple of times already). Anyway, Renzo was again performing the feat when I rushed to video it down.


I can't imagine how things would be by the time Renzo's child runs into the living room seeking entertainment... hmm... I won't be surprised if it was the Entertainment running to the child from the living room... heh...