In my family on Thanksgiving Day we have a tradition of going around the table and saying what we are most thankful for each and every year. And hey, when you have a big family like mine, by the time everyone has said their piece with some lasting way too long, you can’t help but wish there was a time limit. While typically health and happiness top the list, something everyone can agree on it is that technology has completely revolutionized the way we complete tasks in our daily lives and some are just too good to not show our yearly thanks for.

Here is my list for the most beloved tech-related things.

1.        The Internet

It’s hard to remember a time before we had the Internet and you could simply Google anything you had a question about ranging from the closest Italian restaurant to your new home and the most popular baby names to what that weird rash on your arm is caused by. The Web has changed everything since its inception and when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the East Coast, it was almost comical to see how at a loss residents were without access to their favorite websites.

2.       Smartphones

Lost on a subway headed the complete opposite direction than where you wanted to go in a city you aren’t familiar with? Just open your GPS app, found on almost all smartphones these days including the most widely used iPhone and Android-based devices. These next-generation offerings are the norm nowadays with everyone from young children to grandparents utilizing these phones on  a consistent basis to meet all of their needs and wants such as sending texts, watching movies and instant messaging.

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3.       Tablets

If you love to read but hate carrying around an actual book or enduring the pain caused by holding that 800 page novel for hours at a time, tablets are already or will soon become your best friend. The iPad is one of them and the capabilities powered are virtually unlimited.

4.       Flat Screen Televisions

On a cold blustery day, I love nothing more than cuddling up with hot chocolate and a great move. While I used to have to watch these films on my big box television set that took up a majority of my living room, I can now view them via my flat screen TV that brings my viewer experience to an unparalleled level.

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5.       Flash Drives

Thank goodness that the days of hauling around floppy disks with your important projects have been over for quite some time now. Being replaced by flash drives, the amount of storage you have with these teeny tiny devices is astronomical, with that capacity continuing to grow as the smell of turkey grows stronger.