With the Internet of Things being a hot topic for the last year or so, the term convergence has come up in assessments over and over again and we can expect to see it for quite a while longer.
The word convergence means to come together or join as one.
The best example of convergence is probably the smartphone. This one device has replaced a multitude of devices both physical and functionally:
- Alarm clock
- Atlas
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Card game
- Cellphone
- Compass
- Contact list
- Diary
- Dictaphone (Voice recorder)
- Dictionary
- Digital Camera
- Encyclopaedia
- Fitness Trainer
- GPS device
- Magazine
- Map
- Metronome
- Mirror
- MODEM
- MP3 player
- Newspaper
- Personal Computer
- Photo Album
- Radio
- Stopwatch
- Telephone Directory
- Timer
- Tour guide
- Video game console
- Video recorder
- Watch
What other devices are good examples of convergence?
- A Smart TV which functions as a TV and also allows you to browse the Internet.
- A modern GPS-enabled sports watch tells the time, monitors your heart-rate, records your GPS track in 3 dimensions, speed, G-force, direction and more.