HeresHow Gadget Talk
Would You Rather...: Is Technology Now a ‘Need'?
It's a fairly well-known quiz game. One person poses two fictitious, but often equally horrifying, scenarios to another, then person #2 is to decide which option he'd rather choose. Would you rather get eaten alive by mice, or stranded on a desert island for the next 20 years? As with any word game, puzzle, or quiz, Would You Rather has made its way to the iPhone app world. This weekend, a group of friends were posed with this rather daunting question from someone's iPhone: would you rather give up your mobile phone for good, or your car?
Ironically enough, I quickly selected the mobile phone. My rationale is that I have an office phone, and an easily-transportable computer with e-mail, Internet, and Skype/VoIP access. I could quickly set up a fixed landline at home if needed, and chat using other people's phones; unless I'm alone, in which case I'd be out of luck. It would be difficult, but I'm sure I could manage. But the car? Well, I'm used to commuting long distances, and enjoy the freedom of traveling in my own vehicle versus the frustrations of public transportation. I'm not a morning person as it is. Sticking me on a subway or bus at 8 a.m. to stand up with a bunch of other half-woken strangers before I've even had my coffee just wouldn't be beneficial for anyone.
But more intriguing than my own revelation was that many of my friends said they would easily give up their cars in order to keep their mobile phones. Why is this?
We've been conditioned to view technology as a necessity in life, despite the conversations from your parents or grandparents about how back in the day, they had to trudge 10 miles in the snow to mail a handwritten letter, than return a week later to get their response. E-Mail? Humph. It's just for the lazy. Yet anyone of the Y and X generations, or even some uber-hip Boomers, place their mobile phones or computers or iPods firmly on the "can't-live-without" list instead of the "this-is-just-a-luxury" one. Is it true? Has technology really become needed not just wanted?
If you consider the expectations today, the answer could be interpreted by some as "yes." Living in this digitally-connected world, you're expected to be digitally connected, 24/7. Imagine telling a potential business client that you didn't get his e-mail last night about accepting a deal and wanting to meet for dinner to celebrate because he sent it at 5:15 and you had just left the office. Er, don't you have a BlackBerry? Remote access to your e-mail when you're awaiting such an important call, perhaps? Worse yet, would a businessman ever be found holed up in his office all evening waiting for that important phone call? Of course not! Our always-connected world has made it possible for him to be reachable anywhere; whether it be in the car on his way home, or in front of the TV catching the SuperBowl.
This same concept applies to the academic world: "the dog ate my homework" excuse simply doesn't hold up today (perhaps my dog accidentally erased my hard drive is the new-age version?) But what about when we look at the situation on a personal level? Do we really need World of Warcraft and Grand Theft Auto and high-definition television and an infinite number of time-wasting Websites and apps? Well, no. But it's sort of in the same way that we don't (nor didn't) really need iconic board games like Monopoly and Jenga and Pictionary; or fun toys like Cabbage Patch kids and Barbie dolls and GI Joes; or entertaining shows like Sesame St. and Tom & Jerry. It's all entertainment. And today, entertainment is firmly entwined with that same technology world that brings us information, keeps us connected, and makes us efficient. Arguably in ways that it never was before.
Would you rather live with today's technology or go back to the good ol' days? I'm guessing that for anyone reading this, it's the latter.
Labels: world, connected, phone, mobile, technology, phones, office, really, anyone, person, important, entertainment, perhaps, digitally, needed, friends, iphone, quickly, easily, access, firmly,
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The Horror of Recalls
No one likes recalls. Not the consumer. Not the retailer. Not the public relations personnel that needs to put out the fire. And most certainly not the manufacturer, which will be saddled with the hefty price tag of compensating all those inconvenienced for it. This week' it's Toyota that's in the hot seat with a major recall due to a major problem: the accelerator on various car models could potentially stick and, well, you can guess the outcome. But recalls are no stranger to the consumer electronics industry.
Sometimes the reason for a recall is major: the potential for a product to overheat and catch on fire or cause an electric shock; or an electronic toy including parts that could be harmful to children. Other times, it's something relatively simple, but still necessary to pull the products off shelves. Take the HTC issue most recently, where Rogers Wireless pulled two of the companies smartphones off shelves because a software glitch could prevent 911 phone calls from successfully completing if the GPS function was enabled.
In other instances, a product doesn't require a recall at all, but consumer stupidity results in some really bad press. (Remember the woman who sued McDonald's when her hot coffee spilled, resulting in the "caution: hot!" warning that now appears on the paper cups?) A quick search for the term "recall" on this Website reminded me of a funny story I wrote about back in 2006, just when portable GPS systems were becoming really hot items. An elderly man in Germany took his unit's directions a little too literally and turned into a building, and subsequently right into a toilet shack!
Product recalls are inconvenient and costly, but an unfortunate circumstance of pumping out plenty of products using plenty of different connectors, third-party OEM manufacturers, packaging, electrical units, and technologies. As long as a company deals appropriately and efficiently with them, that's what matters most.
Can You Believe it's Oscars Time Again? Avatar Set for Success
Can you believe that it's time once again for the Academy Awards; the big night for the movie industry? Indeed it is, and the nominees, announced this morning, aren't too surprising.
Of course Avatar is up for Best Picture, which will bring 3D even more into the forefront. The movie, which is still going strong in theatres, keeps company with The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, and Up in the Air. A diverse selection, no doubt, ranging from 3D sci-fi to animation, to a film led by an unknown actress, Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), who is also up for Best Actress.
Avatar is also up for Art Direction and Cinematography (no surprise there) as well as Best Director, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. In total, a whopping nine awards. Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds is up for a handful as well, as is Up in the Air with George Clooney and Precious.
It's safe to predict that Avatar will dominate this year's Academy Awards. Interestingly, you'll notice none of the actors in the movie were nominated for their roles. This isn't a slight regarding their acting prowess: Sigourney Weaver has certainly proven herself a wonderful actor over many decades. But in this film, the actors were overshadowed by fantastic cinematography and visual effects. In many ways, they were ironically overshadowed by their own avatars. Is this a sign of things to come in the acting world? Will technology take over such that the people working on the back end become more recognizable than those on the front? Going even further, will actors be needed more for replicating human movements for on-screen "avatars" rather than their actual acting ability?
Who knows. For now, let's enjoy movie's big night, and the best films of the year. The Academy Awards air Sunday, March 7 at 8 p.m. (EST). A complete list of nominees can be found at www.oscars.org. Also, visit our slideshows on Movie Magic to see a highlight of some past Oscar-winning films; and The Other Oscars for highlights from technology-related awards (like cinematography and sound mixing) from the 2009 event.
What Will They Think of Next?: The Speaker Pillow
Music has been incorporated into almost everything these days, especially thanks to the iPod. But this is the first pillow I've seen that promises comfort through music, not design.
Called the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy pillow, the cushioned pillow comes with a pair of thin speakers smothered inside the filling. Connect an audio device via 3.5 mm plug, than enjoy the immersive tunes (or any audio sounds) as you catch some slumber or relaxation. If you just want to use the pillow as a regular sleep aid, the speakers can be silenced and/or removed. Then, slide your head onto the soft, 20 x 25" surface.
The pillow is machine or hand washable (of course, remove the speakers first!), and sells for US$50.
I'm a bit skeptical about resting my head in the middle of two speakers. The sound will likely be similar to if you were wearing headphones; but the feel as your ear or the back of your head touches the tiny speaker might not exactly spell comfortable therapy. Granted, you can set your noggin dead centre, in between the speakers; just don't roll over onto one! Plus, the pillow's use is likely more for relaxation than it is for getting your nightly eight hours of sleep: who wants to sleep with music going the entire time anyway?
Regardless of what you use it for, the speaker pillow is just evidence of yet another place where we can immerse ourselves in music. Now if only they'd come up with the universal remote control blanket, I'd be in heaven!
Grammys Bring Music Into the 21st Century with 3D Tribute
Last night, the Grammy Awards became the first major TV broadcast to show content in 3D. Viewers excited enough to have picked up a pair of 3D glasses (mega U.S. retailer Target was giving them away) could enjoy the segment in all its 3D glory.
Running about 5-minutes, the segment was a tribute to the late Michael Jackson, and was meant to be part of his This Is It concert series. Sadly, due to his death, the mini-movie was never shown (although it was highlighted in the This Is It movie.) Popular music artists Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson, and Jennifer Hudson performed Jackson's Earth Song while his 3D movie played in the background. Coincidentally, the scenes reminded me a lot of Avatar, and the mini film had a similar underlying theme: people are killing the earth and nature, and forgetting about it's beauty and importance. Content aside, Jackson clearly knew that 3D would be the "next big thing," and it would have been yet another breakthrough for the technology to have seen it incorporated into the London concert series.
If you didn't have a pair of glasses, the broadcast was beautiful to listen to with eyes closed, but slightly headache-inducing with eyes open. Nevertheless, it marks an important step in the evolution of 3D: consumers got a first glimpse at what 3D in the home might be like. Did it get them excited? Annoyed? For those who didn't opt to grab a pair of glasses, did they feel left out, awaking today with 3D on the mind and feeling like they didn't get the most out of the Grammys? Or did they simply not understand, watching the segment and knocking the bezel of the TV wondering what was wrong with the picture quality?
On another note, one thing worth noting is the growing list of Canadian talent being highlighted at the event, like YouTube and tween sensation Justin Bieber; hip hop artist and Toronto native Drake; Celine Dion, who was chosen to be part of the 3D tribute; Michael Buble, who won for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album; and alternative rock band Nickelback (nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance) to name a few.
Another part of the event worth highlighting for the tech enthusiasts: in his speech to kick off the awards, political comedian Stephen Colbert joked about not being able to find the winner's envelope under his jacket, only to pull out a brand new iPad. Surfing through the device, he read the nominees and revealed the first winner of the night. After eyeing rap artist Jay Z and questioning "What? You didn't receive one of these in your gift bag?" Colbert turned to his teenage daughter in the audience and asked "Now am I cool?"
Oh yah, and for those who didn't catch the broadcast, Beyonce and Taylor Swift won a lot of awards, yada, yada, yada...
What Facebook Friend Type Are You?
Any Facebooker has at least 10-20 friends; most are in the couple-hundred range by now. And anyone who's been a member of the social networking Website for some time will agree that there are certain "types" of Facebook users. Which one are you?
The Philosopher: This is the person that starts each morning or ends each day with an inspirational quote. It might be one he swiped from a book, movie, or famous figure; or just something made up based on feelings for the day. It can be a welcome, uplifting gesture. But if you're having a bad day, seeing this person's always cheery missives might just make you rolls your eyes.
The Photo Uploader: This is the person that uploads photos like wildfire; constantly and consistently, chronicling every instance of his life. "Here's me in California"; "Now here's me in this great new Asian restaurant". "Here I am in the toilet washing my hands"; "I just met this person on the street and figured I'd snap a shot with him to upload". Yikes. Uploading photos to share with others who would enjoy them is great; letting your entire list know where you are at every given moment is a bit much.
The Constant Gardener: I have never entered Farmville, nor am I completely familiar with what it is. But I do know that there are people who spend what seems to be crazy amounts of time fertilizing virtual farms and feeding virtual cows. That's fine. What you do on your own time is your own business. But this means that News Feeds are often times almost 50% made up of Farmville updates!
The R.S.V.P: You know who you are. The person who invites people constantly to join groups and causes, to play a game of scrabble. It's the person who pokes and tags you, sends invitations to a variety of third-party apps, or invites you to do every quiz he's done.
The Messenger: You open your private inbox, and it's rife with messages from "friends" who hold parties or events. But the thing is that they feel compelled to send mass messages to their entire contact lists almost on a weekly basis. Spam mail for Facebook? In some cases, it very well could be.
The Human RSS: This person constantly uploads links to news stories, YouTube videos, interesting articles, or blogs. It can be appreciated: these people are your personal content aggregators! But it can be annoying when every time you open up a news feed, that person's updates take over the entire page.
The TMI Guy: "Too Much Information" means a social networking status is not the place to cry the blues, discuss personal aspects of your life, or spill your guts after a big fight or unfortunate situation. Sure, there are exceptions: if you're paying homage to someone who has just passed on, or want to express gratitude to someone, that's certainly acceptable. But don't talk about how terrible life is, or make comments that are obviously directed at someone specific. There's a reason private messaging exists; use it.
Feel free to add your own in the comments section below! (For the record, I'm sure many would peg me as a Human RSS.)
iPad vs. e-readers: Who Will Win This Race?
Now that Apple's latest creation has been officially revealed as the iPad, the media is busy dissecting every feature and function of the device. One of the product sectors that has been arguably most concerned about the pending "tablet" device is e-readers. With an Apple-made, 9.7" tablet that consumers can use to both read and download a selection of electronic books, newspapers, magazines, and articles, why would one need a dedicated ereader? Here are 7 reasons why the e-reader segment has a good chance of surviving against the hyped up new Apple innovation:
The Screen: While the iPad boasts an ample 9.7", IPS and LED backlit screen, it's still not the E-ink, greyscale screen that has become a staple of e-readers. The reason to resort to this almost archaic display is to 1) perfectly emulate the look and feel of an actual paperback book; and 2) be easy on readers' eyes. When I curl up with a good book, I can often be reading for hours on end. After spending 8-9 hours a day in front of a computer screen, the last thing I want to do is lie in bed with a big, bright and colourful screen to read the latest top-selling novel! From a magazine standpoint, I can see the iPad affecting an e-reader's appeal. With magazines, you do want those vibrant and colourful images. But if the e-reader segment is going after the book market first and foremost, then it still reigns supreme.
Single Function: Think of e-readers like basic flip phones. The BlackBerry and iPhone and Google Nexus One and Nokia E72 and the list goes on can all do pretty much everything you'd want a portable device to do on the go. But put one in front of my dad, or my non-technical friend, and they'd have no interest in it. Why would you want a smartphone if you're never going to check e-mail on it or listen to music from it or surf the ‘Net on-the-go? Much in the same way, e-readers can appeal to those who want to read, and nothing else. Chances are these people have no interest in the other functions of the iPad.
Price: Leading from the previous point is price. Consumers are not going to pay for all the bells and whistles of the iPad when all they want is an e-reader. Sure, the iBookstore and e-reading function of the iPad will come in handy, and most certainly be used by those who want the iPad. But no one is going to buy the iPad just for this function. The cheapest iPad will sell for US$500; a great price for everything it does, but a bit hefty if you aren't going to use all those functions! And many e-readers are available for nominal prices that will appeal to the entry-level customer who's just looking for a digital replacement for his paperback book collection or school study materials.
Lightweight: While I haven't physically held one, the iPad is rated at 1.5 lbs. Compare this to a Sony Reader that's just over a half-pound in weight. When I read a book, I don't place it in my lap: I hold it at eye level, or prop it on my knees. At 1.5 lbs., this can get quite heavy after a while, putting a lot of strain on your arms.
Novelty: There's a certain novelty about the product that supersedes function. Anyone I know with an iPhone loves it to death, but admits that the added functions are more time-wasters than anything else. I've noted many times that when I'm traveling on business, I'll take a BlackBerry, not an iPhone. But for every day use, to surf the Web and enjoy apps, the iPhone is the absolute choice. I see the iPad in the same vein: for all of the "fun" it can provide, it's a fantastic choice. But if you're looking to get deeply immersed in the latest paperback, e-readers will be a much more appreciated transition into the digital world.
No Expandable Memory: Most e-readers have SD or microSD memory card slots for adding more storage space. The iPad does not, which means that once you've reached capacity, you've reached capacity. Sure, you can offload certain books to your Mac or iPhone, or to a memory card or USB sticks via a separately-purchased connection kit. But this process is not as seamless as simply being able to store books directly from the device to a memory card.
Size: As ereaders keep hitting the market with 9" and 10" screens, I keep asking myself what's the point? If you're going to go that big, just buy a netbook! As a replacement device for the standard paperback novel, I want it to look like that novel; be as compact as easy-to-hold.
Bottom line: while enthusiast customers want devices to be as small and sleek as possible and/or do as much as humanly possible, there's still a hefty customer segment out there that likes basic-function, simple yet tech-savvy devices. There is still a market that wants a dedicated gadget for every function: a digital camera to take photos, not a phone; a computer to compute, not a ‘Net connected TV; a portable GPS navigation device, not a built-in car deck. If the e-reader segment focuses on the customers that want simple, electronic devices to replace their mountain of paperback novels or school study materials or constant trips to the library, e-readers will continue to hit the nail right on the head. As for Apple, its followers will most certainly set their sights on the iPad, and likely soak up every added feature it has to offer.
Would You Rather...: Is Technology Now a ‘Need'?
The Horror of Recalls
Can You Believe it's Oscars Time Again? Avatar Set for Success
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