The tests for tech
Whether you are a technophile or technophobe, Kingsley Hollis says you should consider these five big issues before deciding whether to invest in new technology.
Those people who will queue all night for the launch of the latest must-have gadget have a name – ‘early adopters’.
And they are loved by technology giants because they are willing – and wealthy enough – to try innovative products and spread the word.
The term comes from a 1962 book called Diffusion of Innovations by Everett M Rogers, a US sociologist who was interested in how ideas are spread until they reach critical mass.
According to him, people can be divided into five groups depending on how long they take to adopt new technology:
Innovators;
Early adopters;
Early majority;
Late majority;
Laggards – these are the ones who are the most reluctant to abandon tradition.