So with my last write-up about Google Drive, I thought I would take a little bit and look at how Science Fiction has affected our concept of privacy and what’s considered “normal” and “off-limits”. This has been all over the news lately, if you know where to look, at least. Between Google trying to steal everyone’s data rights, and The House of Representatives passing CISPA, things are little closer to 1984 than I think I like.
Big Brother is Watching
All right, I’ll admit that the title is a little exaggeratory, but it’s not as far from reality as we might hope. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan. I use Google all the time. I have a Gmail account; I’ve had one since they required an invitation. I even convinced the place where I work to buy into Google Apps, which has been a wonderful transition for us. I’m afraid, though, of any business that overextends its reach, and I’m more afraid of companies that don’t know what’s there property and what isn’t. Let me explain.
So I watching Tron tonight. Not the new one, but the original 1982 release. In the past, I’ve given a lot of credit to Star Trek for being the inspiration for much of the technology we use today. In watching this classic piece of science fiction, I realize that I don’t give enough credit where it’s due. Considering the heavy role computers play in today’s movie productions, Tron holds up surprisingly well, considering its age. Tron was cutting edge in 1982, using computer animations to fill green screen backdrops. But even if you ignore the animations, the concepts behind the story were even more ahead of their time.
Hello friends. I know it’s been a while, and I’m sorry I haven’t posted more. I have many more responsibilities with my job now, and we’ve experienced a great deal of growth over the last 18 months. Good for me, bad for the writing. However, I felt that the time to return was now, and I have some thoughts I’d like to share with you all.
As the title alludes, I’ve been thinking about one of my favorite movie franchises of late (mostly due to a marathon session a couple weeks back). I was the tender age of 10 when the original Back to the Future was released in theaters, and I was immediately hooked. That following Christmas, I asked for a skateboard (I never got very good… this was in the days before skate parks and Tony Hawk’s prominence) and I kept my eyes peeled for any stainless steel cars I might find. One of my closest friends actually made his own model version of the Delorian Time Machine out of parts from other models (yes… a truly dedicated fan who even went on to name his company after his favorite line – Check his site out).
It was wonderful traveling back to the past with Marty and Doc Brown, and it surely had to be pretty easy for Robert Zimeckis to represent a time in which he grew up (he was born in 1951). For four long years, we waited breathlessly for the sequel; the original movie having ended with the prophetic “To Be Continued”. Finally in 1989, Back to the Future Part II was released and we got our first glimpses at Marty’s future and the Hill Valley of tomorrow. Looking back at the movie now, there’s so much wrong with it, it’s difficult for me to relate, without ruining a cherished memory, but there were a few things I thought would fit into the mold of “How Science Fiction Failed Us”.
Today, the world lost a great man. Steve Jobs was a brilliant businessman. He was a natural salesman. Beneath it all, though, Steve was a geek.
He knew what we, as geeks, wanted. He knew what would get our brains moving and hearts pumping. He understood that power, speed and functionality could be beautifully packaged in such a way that all the world would want to have it as their own. He knew and understood because he was one of us.
It’s official. The next generation iPhone is the iPhone 4S. Though Steve Jobs and his trademark, black turtleneck were noticeably absent, Apple new CEO, Tim Cook took the stage and delivered the much-anticipated details regarding what will undoubtedly become the company’s next big money-maker.
Much to the chagrin of many, the iPhone 5 didn’t appear. That doesn’t mean the iPhone 4S doesn’t come with noticeable improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone 4. Of course, the show included reports on Apple’s recent financial successes, store openings, etc. That said, we know that’s why you’re here, so we’ll get straight to the list of specifications and features that were unveiled during the big Apple event.
October 4, 2011 is finally here. As any respectable tech geek knows, today Apple is set to unveil the next-generation iPhone. Will it be called the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 or, perhaps, the iMegaPhone. Okay, that last one is a stretch, but it has to be something exciting, right? While you may not have received a personal invitation from Apple to attend the event, you can join the connected masses who will be among the first to know its specs and features, through the techno-magic that is live-blogging.
For whatever reason, Apple decided against live-streaming the event, via its own website. There’s no need to worry, though, since there is no shortage of tech sites who will be live-blogging for your bandwidth-consuming pleasure. As in the past, we’ve put posted the schedule for various time zones, as well as a list of sites on which you can watch. It’s always advisable to get in early, turn on the auto-refresh, so you don’t miss a moment. It also doesn’t hurt to open up a few different live-blogs at the same time because…lets face it…some of the live-bloggers don’t post as quickly as others.
These days, it seems there is a mobile phone to fit everyone’s unique needs, tastes, and budget. A yet-to-be-released device from Denmark-based Aesir is pushing that idea to the limit. The Æ+Y Phone comes in two models. Typically, the difference in pricing has to do with a mobile phone’s storage capacity, features, etc. In the case of the Æ+Y Phone, the difference has to do with the materials of which it’s made.
This work of mobile phone art comes in an 18-carat, yellow gold model and a stainless steel model. Yes, you read that correctly. After reviewing the image gallery on Aesir’s website, it truly is an impressive device. How much will the Æ+Y Phone set you back? The term “sticker shock” is taken to an entirely new level, when speaking of the device. That’s because the gold model will set you back approximately $57,300. If that’s a bit of a stretch for your budget, you can always settle for the stainless steel model, which can be yours for a mere $9,900.
Yesterday, Nintendo announced, via press release, that the next update for the Nintendo 3DS will include the ability to record video in 3D. Additionally, the company also touted the upcoming release of a new slidepad accessory for the device and new games like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
In a separate press release from a few days earlier, Nintendo lauded the fact that sales of its first 3D gaming device increased by 260 percent, since August 12, 2011, over the previous month’s sales. With the new accessory, games, device features, and sales increase, one would assume that things were great for Nintendo. Upon closer inspection, though, this might not actually be the case.
An exhibition currently on display at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art seeks to show people how technological objects, such as cell phones, computers and automated kiosks, have become an integral and artistic part of our daily lives. Entitled Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects, the exhibit focuses on the evolution of technology towards direct interaction. The art aspect of direct interaction can be seen in how developers and engineers create the visual design and communication interfaces of the object.
In an interview with Reuters reporter Anthony De Rosa, Paola Antonelli, the exhibit’s curator, says that while people have always formed relationships with objects, the ones being formed with technological objects are much more complex. Antonelli explains, “The relationship used to be emotional, but now, because of digital technology, we expect that communication to be much more explicit.” Based on these increased expectations, technological design includes previously expected aspects of form and function but has also added an additional aspect of a script through which people interface with the technology. You can see the complete Reuters video below (requires Adobe Flash), and more information on the exhibit is included after the break.
