Walk into any meeting with more than a couple of people nowadays and what do you see? That’s right, electronic devices of every kind, laptops, tablets and smartphones. While this may seem foreign or even rude to old-school business folks, the fact of the matter is that this is now standard operating procedure. In fact, advances in technology can greatly improve productivity in such situations.

Certainly, using technology in meetings has been around for many years. Taking notes, adjusting complex spreadsheets or project plans on the fly, or of course the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation have all been done for a while.

Typically, though, this type of usage only required a single computer. So why is it so much more prevalent now? One word: wireless.

With such technology, whether it be CDMA, GSM or wireless Ethernet, folks in meetings have access to the outside world as well as to each other.

For one, Internet access facilitates research, to address any questions that might come up during the meeting. Distribution of information is also made easier; you can just email files to all in the room so everyone has a copy of the latest document or spreadsheet.

Email is not the only form of communication that improves productivity. Texting or instant messaging allows participants to communicate inconspicuously. Perhaps there’s a point you want your colleague to clarify without interrupting the flow of the meeting? Simply text it to him.

Of course, some folks also try to multitask in such meetings, which, if done discreetly, is acceptable. For example, reading and even responding to simple emails typically won’t bother anyone else.

But there are definitely guidelines to follow when taking your gear into a meeting. First, and foremost, make sure you pay attention when needed. Second, do not take phone calls — in fact, your phone should be on silent mode.

Perhaps the most obviously rude thing one can do is randomly surf the Web. It’s one thing to do research relevant to the meeting; it’s entirely another to be updating your Facebook page.

Many folks lament the invasion of technology into once tech-free zones. We see such behavior outside of the office as well. We’ve all walked into family gatherings where you’ve got folks on their phones and tablets.

The fact of the matter, however, is that technology is not changing behavior. Using the family gathering example, how different is that from the old days, when you’d have one reading the newspaper, another couple watching TV and another reading a book? In the office there were often folks working on other tasks, passing notes and updating information. All that’s happened is that we’ve become more efficient at doing what we’ve always done.

John Agsalud is an IT expert with more than 20 years of information technology experience. Reach him at johnagsalud@yahoo.com.