Digital transformation in my life

Red Hat's all about digital transformation at the moment. You do hear a bit of harrumphing from some people that this is nothing new, but it's the pace of change at the moment that really impresses. I thought I'd list ten simple ways digital transformation has affected my life over the last couple of years. Anything obvious I've missed out?

1. I almost never use cash. Everything goes on a card and cash is rarely needed when travelling thanks to the fact that...

2. ...Uber has transformed work travel. How did I manage to get around before Uber, particularly in Lagos and Nairobi? How annoying is it when you arrive somewhere that doesn't have Uber yet (I'm writing this in Algiers, perhaps it will be London next...)

3. Whatsapp rules office communication. And personal communication. I love the fact that I don't spend much time on the phone, although it is getting to stage where I need to manage my Whatsapp alerts better.

4. Emirates have removed all but one of the self-checkin machines in T3. Am I the only business traveller who doesn't check in using their app and store the boarding pass on his phone? I still prefer the paper boarding card. Am I a closet boarding pass Luddite?

5. The Entertainer app rules our social life. The transition of the company from printing voucher books that were sold in the supermarket to a very well put together mobile app would be an interesting topic to read about. The personal data they have must be a very profitable treasure trove.

6. I subscribe to things. Late to the party, I know, but Netflix in the UAE is finally worth having and Kindle Unlimited has great choice.

7. Living in Dubai has got much easier. Apps for everything, including paying for your parking. SMS based payments have been around for ages, but gone are the days when you had to search for ages squinting into the sun trying to read the three digit code for the area you were in.

8. I'm unable to drive anywhere without Google Maps. This affliction is getting a bit silly. My brain appears to be turning to mush when it comes to driving myself around.

9. Email is manageable these days. Mainly due to the ease of Whatsapping simple questions and getting a quick answer.

10. I used to get daily pictures of my daughter when travelling. Now I get regular updates each and every day, wherever I am, which I absolutely love.