My Love/Hate Relationship with Technology: Part I

I definitely won’t deny the fact that technology can make life a whole lot easier:

• Looking for an unfamiliar restaurant? Look it up on your smartphone and get directions
• Running late? Text your friend and let them know
• Need to do some research on some intense subject matter? Google it.

Man, it’s hard to remember life before these things were so common. Don’t get me wrong:

• I don’t mind testing (damn straight I went there) my orienteering skills to see if I can get from A to B without relying on 21st-century beauties.
• Punctuality is trés important anyway, shouldn’t be texting someone that I’m running late in the first place.
• And hey, there’s nothing wrong with books. Personally, I find turning pages MUCH more satisfying than scrolling with a mouse.

But I do wonder how far it will go. Some of what we are achieving impresses me. Actually, not too long ago I just did a Google search using my voice. 2 attempts.

“Where is Chocolate Boutique?” resulted in “Where is Chocolate a tick?” in the first time and “Where is Chocolate Botique(sic)” the second time.

So the system is learning, and I like the idea of typing less and talking more (be gone RSI be gone!).

But then some things I am seeing are just plain showing-off.  

Last night I saw an ad for a TV that is controlled by voice and motion (as opposed to a remote control).

My first thought: Oooooh. Faaancy. 

But then again, there are a decent amount of TVs out there, that you need a remote control for- and if you lose it, you’re screwed. So this TV definitely solves that problem.

So, in a few years time, I might look back at remote controls and deem them primitive.