Stress from being too connected

People love their gadgets, and there are tons of gadgets to love, but have we developed this dependency with our technology? Most people can simply use their devices for what they are; a simple way to reach somebody but for others, their cell phones are their lives. With all of the specs that iPhone, android, and google offer such as; appointment calendars, stocks, newsstands, weather widgets, and many more, we are becoming solely dependent on our handheld devices. 

Back in the day if anyone needed to reach us they would leave a message on a machine and it wouldn't be checked until later on in the day. Back in the day text messages used to take several days to reach the other person(back then we called them letters). All of our appointments were noted with pens and now they're noted with stylus's. 

In America where we used to have several separate apparatus's to keep in touch and connected, they have all conformed into one device which is your cell phone. 

I would like to create a poll for our class which will help us interact more in the comment section below. 

1. Is your cell phone within reach? (Y/N)
2. Is your cell phone CHARGER with you? (Y/N)
3. How many texts do you think you send a day?  
4. How many texts do you think you send each month?
5. Can you text blindfolded? (Y/N)

It's obvious that the dependency of our cell phones has increased, but how much do you think it has gone up? The numbers will shock you and according to Griffintechnology, I will share some mind blowing statistics with you. 

DID YOU KNOW:

• 200,000,000,000,000 (two hundred trillion) text messages are received in America each day
• 3,339 text messages are sent by teens each month (which is a 556% increase in two years)
• 42% of teens claim they can text blindly
• 83% use their cell phones to take pictures
• 60% utilize their devices to listen to music
• 46% play games
• 27% surf the web
• 23% use their phones for social media purposes

The amount of voice calls has significantly decreased since text messaging has become unlimited and more useful to teens. Teens 18 and under have lost 631 minutes in average talk time because they are sending 3,339 text messages. Even adults that are 65 and older have a decrease in the utilization of talk time. Their numbers were 398 minutes lost with on average 32 text messages gained. 

Even if we tried to separate ourselves from our mobile devices, we would experience such strong withdrawal symptoms that would consume us before the end of the day. 

How Facebook can ruin your career

With 400 million registered users and more being added to that number every day, Facebook is the most popular social media site out there. You would think by now that in most cases the users would know when to censor themselves. No. Such is not the case. 

We live in this technological world filled with hashtags and filters that sometimes we forget that there is the "real world" to worry about also and what one may feel is appropriate to post on social media, ones boss may not feel the same way. 

Police officers, nurses, flight attendants, prison guards, etc. are some of the jobs to be mindful about what should be shared with their social medias. 

A police officer in Atlanta lost his job over confidential information shared over Facebook with regards to a case he was working on. He expressed several emotional feelings towards the case and although his profile was set to private, the FBI still hacked their way into his social media and gave him the boot. 

Another example I found on the web (found here) was that a prison guard in Nebraska shared on his Facebook in a status that he had beaten an inmates face into the ground and was actually boasting about the situation. The state, in turn, terminated the prison guard along with two followers he had accrued in that time. Although the two followers had nothing to do with the post or the actions that took place, they still commented on his Facebook status feeding into the post and offering their support. 

A flight attendant was termed from her job when she leaked on her Facebook that the air craft she was working on had undergone four engine changes in the last year and that the cabins were filled with cockroaches. Not only did she disclose private information about the airlines maintenance issues but she also began expressing her feelings about some of the passengers and making racial slurs about them. 

So how can we save ourselves from missing out on job opportunities or even simply securing our jobs whilst still enjoying our social media? According to an article read on Moneycrashers  there are a simple few things to keep in mind. 

1. Take A Deep Breathe Before You Post An Update
2. Don’t Take Compromising Photos/Videos
3. Make Your Twitter Account Private
4. Use Your Social Profiles To Further Your Career

#Technologytuesday

Years ago we could only fathom the ideas of having a car that drove itself, a video phone, and robots. These days, all of these concepts are now a reality and we couldn't imagine a world without them (or maybe we could but let's face it, who wants to do that?) Every day there are concepts that will become reality in the next decade, but with such a wide timeline, how likely do you think they are to exist?

The Nokia Morph

The Nokia Morph was the first technological concept that intrigued me. The concept was first proposed in February 2008 by the Finnish company Nokia. Nokia is commonly known for it's TI-83 sized cell phones which were equipped with the best thing since sliced bread, Snake. Nokia proposed that this new product (which does not have an expected release date as the product is non-existential at this time) would have features such as:

* Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving* Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension* Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge* Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices” 

Windowless Planes

A concept that was proposed fairly recently by CPI (Centre for Process Innovation) is illustrating an, essentially, "windowless plane".  To create this effect, CPI suggests lining the inside walls of the plane with "ultralight, ultra thin displays which display images from the outside of the plane". Not only because the idea is awesome was this concept imagined, but because it isn't as costly as what we have flying in the sky now. 

CPI says 80% of an aircraft's weight is due to fuel and the plane itself, so taking the windows out could save airlines on running costs. There's an approximate 0.75% fuel saving for every 1% reduction in weight, it says on its website.

Of course the feeling like you aren't protected by a wall is frightening, the idea sounds pretty rad.

The thought of new technological innovations being proposed every day is exciting for those who take an interest in the future and its gadgets. Technology is revolutionizing and as we continue to grow in our world, it makes the thought of the future that much more exciting. 

AT THE CAR DEALERSHIP:::READ ME

I can't make it to class today because I am at the car dealership and getting my oil changed because everyone and they baby mommas in Tampa Palms thought that it would be a good day to get their oil changed at 1:00pm today. Yes, I have been here since 1:00 but that's besides the point because I had enough time to think about something. I could actually show up to class if I face timed someone because technically I would be there virtually. (Heh, a tech blogger wants to go to class virtually) 

But yeah, wouldn't that be cool if maybe class was interactive like that in the near future? I get we have online classes but with the luxury of having a camera and video chat access on nearly everything, it could actually become plausible one day.

What do you think?! Talk to me because I know you guys have computers in front of you!

Kels

Siri Vs. Google Now Vs. Cortana

Apple's Siri, Google's Google Now, and Windows Phone's Cortana are the three voices of the most popular cell phone services out there right now. Each one is constantly improving and can be deemed extremely helpful at times but what are the differences between them and how do you determine which ones is better than the other? 

In an article I read (here) it states that each of the three devices were given an equal number of voice queries to respond to . Google's Google Now won by a long shot having an 88% success rate of having the answers answered correctly while Apple's Siri was next in line with a surprisingly low 53% and Windows Phone's Cortana was at the bottom of the barrel with a shocking 40%. 

A research study was carried out between two students (location unknown) and they ask a few simple questions for each of the devices. If you would like to see the video of the presentation, please click here. Beginning with Siri, Cortana, and then Google Now, some of the following questions were asked. 

1. What is the tallest mountain in the world?
1. Siri response was that she would "search for that" and provided a link to follow with the accurate response, being Mt. everest. 
2. Cortana responded with the same answer but spoke the answer directly to the consumer so they could utilize the hands free response. 
3. Google Now provided the answer to the question along with more information such as; location, height, and several other larger mountains in the world with the same type of information provided for the initial question. 
2. What does the Fox say?
1. Siri, whom is a smart-ass as we all know, had little to nothing to say about the inquiry the students had. Since I have Siri, I asked her myself to which she responded: 

                      1. A little vague but nevertheless she came up with a more descriptive answer than in   the study.

                      2. Cortana was asked next and her system responds with the same type of answer that I received from my inquiry but also provided some more information like the lyrics. 

                       3. Google Now was the most descriptive in her response by providing the link to the   Youtube video and also singing it to the user. 

         

A few other things to look at are; Voice recognition, and Helpfulness

For voice recognition it appears that Cortana and Google Now will lead in this category because they are built to understand fully what you say, and similar to autocorrect while texting, they will match what you are trying to say as closely as they can. Meanwhile, Siri goes off what she thinks she heard and sticks with it and mosre often than not, it leads to frustration and inaccurate results. 

For helpfulness we will, again, compare the three assistants and see which is more helpful. First, let's clarify the meaning of helpfulness that is trying to be portrayed here. While simple tasks like making an appointment, placing a call, or setting an alarm are useful things for an assistant to be able to do, we want to see helpfulness as being able to go above and beyond and provide us enough information to thoroughly understand what we are asking. 

With the exception of Siri, who is not helpful whatsoever, both Google Now and Cortana provide information that is helpful to us. Although Google Now is a little bit more in depth by providing maps, directions, websites, and phone numbers, Cortana still stands a chance by providing some information.

In conclusion, it's really up to the consumer which helpful assistant benefits their usage needs more. Personally, I have Siri and she's terrible but because I am an avid Apple user who doesn't want to switch to the Android platform, I'll stick it out. 

Animal tech

While having a pet is fun and interesting, the maintenance can somewhat be a hassle. If you have a cat then you are responsible for the well-being of that cat which includes(but not limited to); feeding, watering, and litter scooping. If you have a dog then you face similar responsibilities. How about the daunting task of cleaning a fish tank? For all who know what the upkeep of a fish tank involves, then you will surely understand. Maybe in your sponge bob 5-gallon tank it was no big deal but if you've ever had a larger,  say 55-gallon tank, then you may be able to relate. 

I've always had a particular interest for exotic animals that required a ton of maintenance so when I began my college career I still wanted to be surrounded by animals but knew that many housing options around the USF area would not be too keen on having bearded dragons, chinchillas, and hedgehogs around. With being limited to the types of animals I was permitted to house, I decided it was time to get a fish. So I brought a fair gold fish home and I named him flash. Flash was awesome but Flash turned out to be a pain in the ass. The maintenance alone was very time consuming and irritating, but since I aimed to be the best pet mom I could be, I dealt with it. 

On a daily basis it is required for fish owners to; regulate water temperatures, feed the fish, maintaining the equipment, tending to any plant life that may be used in the tank, and testing the water to ensure a safe habitat for your pet. On a weekly basis it is important to change out the water and determine wether or not you have an algae issue, and if so, take care of it. 

Because technology is improving every single day, it was only a matter of time before they came up with a self-sustaining water environment for fish to live in. So here is, Avo. Avo is the first aquarium to claim to be a "no-clean, self-maintaining" aquarium. 

The no-clean filter is self renewing which uses a biological plant and bacteria filter that keeps the water clean and chemical free. The natural filter system does not require any carbon or chemicals to remove the harmful toxins from the water. Between the fish waste, uneaten food, and dead plant residue filtering through the water, the levels of ammonia in the water (caused by these factors) is harmful to your fish. The Avo hosts a biological filter which turns the high concentrations of ammonia into nitrate, which plants absorb for food, fulfilling the Nitrogen cycle. 

The Avo comes equipped with it own pre-potted plants that are designed and ready to fit perfectly into the habitat and because of the unique LED lighting that the tank features, it contributes to the plants life as well as the fish by creating plenty of nitrifying bacteria and constant clean water. 

Due to the spherical shape of the Avo, the aquarium ensures 100% oxygenation of the water, providing a clean source of living for your animal. 

If you are interested in reading more (or pre-ordering) your unit, you can follow this link.

Technology and your health

It's obvious that i thoroughly enjoy technology and all the new inventions and tech gadgets that are being created in our modern world, but when I was able to incorporate technology AND fitness, my blood began pumping. I thoroughly enjoy running, exercising, and being active so when I was first introduced to tech gadgets that I could use while working out to track my progress, I was thrilled!

To name a few health associated tech gadgets we have; 

Fitbit

Nike FuelBand

Jawbone

Polar watches

Fitbug

Aria

X-box Kinect

Wii

Although many of these devices are similar to one another, each will offer something unique to bring to the table. The Fitbit, Nike Fuelband, Jawbone, and Fitbug all essentially track the amount of steps you take throughout the day with a few extra specs. For example, there are several styles of Fitbit from the; One, Flex, and Zip and while they all have similar jobs, they each differ in their own unique way. Each of the Fitbit styles will track your distance, steps, and calories burned all while syncing to computer or cell phones to allow you to track conveniently. They each are protected from "MINOR" water damages such as sweat, moisture, and simple splashes and they each are available with active food logging, goal setting, and trend tracking specs. Then you have your other devices such as the Nike Fuel Band and Jawbone which, essentially, perform the same tasks as the Fitbit models but differ in style. These are "bracelet" type devices where as opposed to clipping them on you, you wear them around your wrist. Some problems I have found with these models is their accuracy. If I spend my day typing a lot or working (which I am a bartender so my hands are constantly in motion) then is my device accurately tracking my steps?

I mentioned the Aria, which is actually a pretty neat device. Although it is not a pedometer of sorts, it syncs along with the Fibit products and is a scale that tracks weight and body fat percentage to keep you more motivated and breaks the news to you whether or not you are on target and meeting your goals. 

Aside from the step tracking world, we then have the (not so "newest") but neat-o cheeto game consoles that allow the consumer to be more active whilst playing a video game. A few consoles that allow this are Playstation( although only through certain games such as Dance Dance Revolution), X-Box Kinect, and the Ninetndo Wii. While the playstaion only offers very limited activity incorporated games, DDR is probably the most (personally) beneficial "weight loss" game I have ever played. 

**TRUE STORY** Once upon a summer in the year 2004, I was shipped off to Virginia for 6 weeks and I had nothing else to do other than sing frantically to Britney Spears' 'Stronger' album and try on my 21 year old cousins clothes....UNTIL i realized that I felt like a blob and couldn't fit into her size 2 pants and tiny t-shirts. It was a sad day which followed by feeding my emotions with a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream whilst watching Jawbreaker repeatedly. I wanted to find a way that I could slim down (I know, i'm 14 at this time and i'm worried about my weight...'murica) because I wanted to get in those damn jeans of hers so badly. I asked my Aunt to buy me DDR and then I got the ball rolling. Before I get too far off topic, I will conclude that that summer I managed to lose 10 pounds and although I still didn't fit into those jeans, I was able to get it up my thunder thigh for the time being. 

END RANT

The other consoles offer games such as Just Dance, Zumba fitness, UFC personal trainer, etc. and each of these games tack your progress by sensing each of the motions and determining your accuracy to whichever body motion they would like you to achieve. The only thing I have seen wrong with these types of games is that the motion sensor sometimes doesn't always keep up with you and even though it's a game (and you should be having fun) sometimes when you know that you did an EXCELLENT job and it says GOOD as your results, it'll make you want to toss the SOB.

As technology continues to expand, i'm confident that more health related gadgets will come of use in the future. 

Let's chat! Which (if any) devices have you used to optimize your health?

No towel? No problem!

As I'm researching the web trying to find the latest and most innovative technological advancements, I find myself laughing out loud at most of the inventions when I should be (at some point) talking about more "serious" issues like whether or not investing in an iPhone 6 or 6+ is a smart idea. However, because I can't help but share my findings, something "serious" will have to wait for another blog post down the road. (It will happen, I promise ;) ). Until then, in this post, I will be talking about the several methods to dry yourself off after getting out of the; rain, shower, or pool. 

First method: The standard towel dry. 

Second Method: Air dry 

Third Method: Dyson Body Dryer

Dyson is known for it's blade-less fans but have they gone too far as to create a device that allegedly can dry your body in 30 seconds or less? What you are supposed to do is stand on this scale looking device after the shower and it will then dry you using compressed, ionized air in a cylindrical tunnel of air motion. The Dyson Body Dryer can withstand up to 325 lbs (170 kg) and you are provided with the option for cold or hot air. 

Dyson's motive behind the Body Dryer is to reduce the amount of bacteria we place back on our bodies thus eliminating the body towel in its' entirety and replacing it with a device that performs the same duty. So i wonder...

Well, according to an article in Readers Digest,

 "Do bath towels really ever get dirty? Most towels are made of 100 percent cotton. While it’s true that after a shower you have eliminated most of the germs and dirt from your skin, the process of rubbing a towel against the body rubs off dead skin that sticks to the moist towel. Towels become an ideal nesting place for the mildew endemic to humid bathrooms."

So perhaps Dyson is doing us a favor, but I am still skeptical. 

What do you think? I want to be interactive with this post. What are your thoughts, questions, concerns, pros and cons, etc. Let's talk!

Never lose your car keys again....or even your child

I'm going to ask you a rhetorical question, (so clutch your seats and bite your tongue because I already know the answer) but have you ever lost your keys, phone, TV remote, or wallet? Yes, yes you have. It's as if there really is a monster living behind the couch that collects these items when you aren't looking. 

As I was reading the article that our helpful professor uploaded for us regarding "How to do Research" I broadened my search tactics further than I was before to discover a new and interesting topic to write about this week. (If you haven't noticed already, I am writing about technology. Although my thesis may not have been entirely clear at the beginning, allow me to remind you as to what I am offering readers with my specific blog topic. I am introducing to you new technology that I find creative, helpful, hindering, and useful to the current world we live in. ) As I was using twitter as means to discover a new technological creation, I came upon...drum roll please.. the TILE.

YES

NO

According to the credible TILE website itself:

Tile™ is a small device that you can attach to items that you may misplace and using the Tile iOS application, find.

 Tile™ locations are updated using the Bluetooth radio connection between the Tile and the Tile App running on your iOS device. The Tile App "discovers" the Tile using the Bluetooth signal and then uses the services of the iOS device to update the location information for that Tile. The Tile needs to be within the Bluetooth range of approximately 100 feet of the iOS device to be discovered.

 Although this is not the first concept discovered to track your belongings, it does seem like something that will work better than others created such as;  Fetch My Keys, Just Whistle, and Whistle Key Finder. The only reason why I can say that, and be considered a somewhat credible source, is because I have had one and I went from 

TO

which even all the self medication tactics in this world could not cure. Simply, you whistle and the device you attached to your keys, phone, or even cat (please click if you want to "lol"), and an alarm would sound and you could locate said device (or walking fur ball). 

Now that I have completed my "squirrel" moment, let us dive more into TILE. TILE is a device and app found, only at this time, on the iOs network. After purchasing your tiles and setting them up on your chosen devices you can track hidden or lost items from a 50-150 foot range. What happens if you go out of your range you ask? Easy. All the TILE users around you will be notified from their own apps that a missing or lost item is near them and they can then notify the owner via the TILE network. If you've ever had your bike stolen, or maybe even your car, you can simply track your lost dvices using the TILE app and your lost belongings can be discovered and back in your arms again. 

Can we put them on children? Yes we can. 

Tile uses Bluetooth technology which the National Institute of Health has studied. There is a lot of information on the internet, but you can start with this page from the NIH: 

If losing your things is a regular thing then perhaps you should consider investing in some TILES yourself. They are reasonably priced at $20.00 + Free Shipping  online and are available now!

Would you find a tracker device such as this one useful or is a gadget for a gadget too much? Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Introducing Jibo, bound to be my new best friend in the future.

JIBO

Bound to be my new best friend in the future, hands down (heh, pun intended... you will see). I was browsing the book of faces one day and I came across an interesting informative video about the latest home robot to be created. His name, is Jibo. 

Jibo has the ability to:

SEE

HEAR

HELP

LEARN

RELATE

SPEAK

Jibo is bound to be the best home robot thus created (with the exception of Pat from Smart house (a Disney movie for this who do not know)). CLICK ME PLEASE.

This is not going to be like my normal posts where I provide my biased feelings on a certain product and wonder wether technologies such as this will take over the world or not. I would like to inform you of a specific product that has attracted me since the moment I laid eyes on it. 

Cynthia Breazeal is the creator of Jibo and in lamen terms has summarized the purpose of Jibo.

"As a platform for content – Jibo, the world’s first social robot for the family — enters the home bringing high touch engagement to high tech. It’s not just about what it does, it is how it does it.  It plays a role for you, it’s not simply a tool. This enables new use cases and new opportunities for how we experience and incorporate technology in our life — even for apps that we might use on other devices"

Jibo will be far more than just a standard two dimensional device that sits in the home, Jibo will be not only the device that sits on your table at home but he will engage with you. Forget counting calories, Jibo will act as a personal health coach informing you of various nutritional values of the foods you eat. Tired of activating self timers, eliminating one person from the photo to TAKE the photo, using tripods? Jibo is your new photographer. He also serves as an interactive learning tool and not just a computer game to aid in the development of younger children (although that is not his only target in helping learn materials).

Yahoo says that "JIBO'S potential extends far beyond engaging in casual conversation and completing daily tasks".

WIRED says that "This friendly robot could one day be your family's personal assistant"

MASHABLE says that "JIBO isn't an appliance, it's a companion, one that can interact and react with its human owners in ways that delight".

Technological advancement has really done itself this time and I cannot wait until the day that I bring home my own JIBO, because let's face it, he's just so damn cute. 

Robo Stir

If your own two hands aren't enough to stir that pot of boiling noodles, chicken broth, pull apart that chicken then search no more! Finally, a device that will help make some of these tasks a little bit easier has been introduced to the market. His name, is Robo Stir.

  "...In the simplest of terms the RoboStir stirs your food for you and without any assistance...". 

I discovered this crafty invention whilst sitting in bed polluting my brain with infomercials in the middle of the night because my Advil PM had not yet become effective. To some, this technological invention provides great use and can actually be utilized but to most it is a useless tool that actually creates more hardship than rewards. 

Here is an unpleasant review I stumbled upon about a consumer that was less than pleased...

"I don't even give these things "1" star but there is no way to rate it a "0" star. They are cheaply made and do not work! I've been cooking for 47 years so don't tell me I don't know how to work it. I have almost every kitchen gadget imaginable. I would have gotten better use of my $72.00 if I had rolled it up and used the money as a match to light my grill."

My question for products such as these is have we gone too far with our technological advancement power to where we are now inventing gadgets that may appear to make our lives easier, yet hinder us more often than not? For thanksgiving my mother was able to cook the green beans, potatoes, corn casserole, turkey, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, rolls, and mix her gravy alone without the help of such a device that it's claim to fame is to not burn your savory sauce. 

This mom is able to be a #badass and even add two kids to her recipe (not to be mistaken for a Hansel and Gretel reference). Instead of using innovative products we should be teaching ourselves how to manage the ever so dauntless task of becoming to be domesticated because let's face it, there's only so many ways to spice up those ramen noodles and cook those TV dinners. 
I can agree that this product may prove to save some time but as far as the reviews go, I would not be interested in investing one single cent for this Robo Stir. I believe that if I haven't mastered multi-tasking by my age then maybe I just suck at life. 

Time travelers; table for two

Let us take our minds to a place that we were once familiar with but probably don’t recall much about. Our childhood. I’m sure I can speak for most of us undergrads because odds are we are around the same age (give or take a few years). Can any one of you remember when there was a smoking section in restaurants or when they used to manually record a waiting list on paper and call your name when it was time to be seated? It all must seem so ancient to many of is when in fact it wasn’t too long ago that there things were actually protocol for the food industry. How about when the only form of entertainment for us kids was a blue, yellow, green, and red crayon (purple, black, and brown if you were lucky enough) and a dual sided sheet of paper with several activities on it. As time passes, we must learn to advance and grow in the technology industry with relation to the service industry. Each advancement seems promising and rewarding but with every pro, there is a con. 

I work in the industry so I am able to give my personal observation and opinion of the use of technology in a restaurant. As I said before, there will be pros and cons. For example, these days you can make online reservations and can create a well organized reservation and waiting list. (Although my restaurant does not utilize the portable buzzers like Panera Bread, those are pretty neat too,  in my opinion). With creating these systems in restaurants, we are able to seat guests more timely and it actually seems like we have our sh*t together (on the busiest of nights). Another thing I have noticed with regards to technology in the industry is the customers use to keep their kids quiet. !@$*)!@ WHAT? If i even knew what a tablet was as a youngin’ i’m pretty sure my parents would not even allow me to take it past the front door, much less out to dinner. I have had the honor of observing the absolute ridiculousness of children playing on their iPads at dinner. The only thing I can gather from this is that in order for the parents to keep their children from whining and creating an embarrassing scene while waiting for their meals is to shove a 7” interactive screen in their faces. Which brings me to my next point on the new devices that restaurant chains like Chilis and Applebees have adopted. Nowadays when you are seated you are (freely and against your will) given a tablet device which allows you to do multiple things such as play games, order foods, pay your bill, and call your waiter/waitress. I am really trying not to knock these great inventions but I wonder if it is taking away from the whole dining experience. We are wasting so many of our 99 hard earned american cents (in most places that is the standard price for unlimited games) to distract us from the social experience of dining away from home. I ask myself “what more could they think of to put in our faces” but if I speak too soon they will probably come up with something new before I could finish my sentence. 

I promise you I am not a scrooge against technology seeing as how i own a smart phone, smart tv, smart car (not the actual smart car but a car that is smart), and I have donated plenty of my 99 american cents to the empty stomach distraction foundation. I’m simply making obvious observations on how technology has grown and how it is shaping our social lives.

What are you looking at?

Take a moment to yourself. Shut off your brain, close your eyes, take your headphones out of your ears and for the sake of your technologically inclined brain, put your phone down. I know, pretty demanding right?

Heh, pardon me, I'm way kinder than that. Allow me to back up for a second to explain to you why it is that I have seemingly come off as a controlling asshole. Call me crazy but is it just me when I say that our society has become way too dependent on our technologies? I mean, can YOU walk from destination A to destination B without the use of some sort of technology? Take a look around you and you can see that 90% of everyone that passes by is pre-occupied with some type of electronic from headphones to smart phones. Hell, even the guy who I routinely pass by on my way to school who is cruising on his one-tire no handled mode of transportation has his phone in hand. 

Do i think anything is wrong with this? Well, no, as a matter of fact this blog post is brought to you in part by my iPhone with my laptop in front of me with my headphones in my ears listening to some music App I have downloaded from iTunes so I am one to talk huh? Some may argue that it's just the way things are but are we all becoming too dependent on our smart devices? Have we disconnected ourselves so much that from now until the end of time we will have our phones glued in our hands? 

Technology has definitely enhanced since "way back in the day" when snake on your Nokia phones and dial-up was the bees knees. Not knocking our technological advances, i'm all for it, but what I'm afraid of is that we will soon become far too dependent on our devices that it will sooner or later separate us and change the world (I'm a hyperbolist, I know).