subject: Wireless Internet Takes Over Austin [print this page] Wireless Internet has completely revolutionized the United States. Just a few short decades ago, people had to use their phone lines to get online and check their emails. Imagine that! Moreover, connection speeds were so slow that going on sites with graphics was an exercise in patience more than an enjoyable or entertaining experience. But now, in cities, small towns, and rural stretches all across the country, people can simply break out their 4G phones and get on the Internet with no problem at all, as if they were checking the time on a wristwatch (an activity that might take more time than checking your email if your watch uses Roman numerals instead of digits!). This has created an utter revolution in communications, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the great city of Austin, Texas.
This is because Austin is a high-tech town, with a highly diverse population who always remain him to the times, and are willing to incorporate new technology into their lives. Think of all of the resources the city has. First of all, the University of Texas-Austin campus ensures that the city is at all times jam-packed with young students who are hip to the most recent technologies. This includes everyone from the helpless freshman wandering around the quad and venturing off-campus to the local scenes, to the 30-something grad students who are just a semester or two away for their very own PhDs. Regardless of age or field of study, these students adopt technologies faster than most groups. Some of these kids are simply wealthy and come from families that will buy them the latest phone with mobile broadband every time it comes out. Others are gadget nerds, who obsess over the latest technological innovations like 4G phones from an almost theoretical perspective (although they definitely do not mind having one in their possession!). These two groups are often early adopters, who then in turn influence the rest of the populations around them.
But Austin is not a technologically advanced city simply for the fact that thousands of students inhabit the city at all times. The city is also a major centre for computer science and engineering work. Many major firms and corporations are located in the Greater Austin Area, with some of the most brilliant programming and design minds working and living in the region. People who work at technology companies tend to be interested in the most recent technologies to emerge in the market. This is why you see them all with their 4G phones walking around the street, exchanging important information.
And the final group that makes Austin such a technologically transformed city is the sizeable business population. Austin is a growing city, and supports a lot of people who are looking to start their own companies. When you walk down the street of downtown Austin, you will often see people strolling with their brand-new 4G phones conducting important business or chatting with a friend or with a spouse. Just like everyone else, The Internet transformed their lives.
