I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THEIR SUMMER, SEE YOU IN THE FALL!

Moore’s Law was made in 1965 by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore. Since then, the law has been in full effect, and the number of transistors placed inexpensively on an circuit board has consistently doubled every two years, or some claim an 18 month cycle. But Moore’s Law won’t be true forever, and theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku thinks he knows how it will collapse. He argues that the collapse isn’t going to happen in some distant future but within the next decade. The problem is finding a replacement for silicon together with the exponential nature of Moore’s Law. Basically, computing power cannot go on doubling every two years forever. Another issue is we are about to reach the limits of silicon. According to Kaku, “once we get done to 5nm processes for chip production, silicon is finished. Any smaller and processors will just overheat. What’s beyond silicon? There have been a number of proposals: protein computers, DNA computers, optical computers, quantum computers, molecular computers.”

Could he be right about the dead-end of our current technology limitations? Could technology ever reach the intelligence of a human brain?

Its been a big week for Google. Their stock is at all time highs of $900.00/ share and with the conclusion of their 2013 I/O we have a better idea of what Google is focused on where they are headed. Rather than looking at what they emphasized for the future, it is interesting to look at what they chose to leave out. Putting it all in one word, hardware. No new phones, no new tablets  no new chromebooks, no new glass news, no new smartwatch, no news on self-driving cars. Their vision is obvious without even mentioning it. Software, Apps and services. Are we at a point where our current hardware has temporarily exceeded our software? If we look at Apple, this week their stock is in the low territory of $400.00/share. Apple’s bread and butter is mainly the hardware business and recent sales have not been too fond. Of course you may say that this industry is cyclical and future launches of new hardware will boost either company as a whole. But might Google be foreseeing something far ahead? Something like a speculation that hardware is approaching physical limits of advancing further do to the still unknown of how to enable morality, creativity and other human characteristics into machines?

I came across this video on Gizmodo today, showing in 1:30 a fast-forward of Google’s timeline from start to finish. In 1 minute 30 seconds you can only squeeze so much content to display, but its a job well done showing how slowly (or quickly) Google has evolved. The video greatly reminded me of our class wiki project of the 25th street plaza, and how each one in the class had a unique way of finding/building/expressing something as well as having unique computer skills to construct a uniform page that appears much more than just the sum of little parts and pieces.

link to video:
http://gizmodo.com/this-is-how-the-web-was-built-according-to-google-506808278

Eli Pariser briefly touches on the possible capabilities, good and bad of Google Glass. In class we we were quite polarized of either being for or against this idea of technology. But it is still early to predict actual outcomes since we are still in the prototype stage of Google Glass.

A ski goggle manufacturer has released onto the market something similar to Google Glass. Oakley Airwave goggles have a built-in display that integrates GPS, Bluetooth and more with a host of on-board sensors to provide a bunch of information in your peripheral vision. Oakley claims “When you are active on the mountain, you will have clear and open vision without obstruction or distraction. When it is time to stop and review your performance or get vital information, you simply move your eye toward the miniature prism lens. The displayed information will appear as though you are looking at a 14-inch display from a distance of five feet, so refocusing your eye is not necessary.”

Features:
-jump analytics that show distance, height and airtime.
-Preloaded maps available for many resorts, you can find your location and even track others in your group.
-Additional sensor information includes altitude, speed and vertical descent data.
-Bluetooth connectivity allows pairing with a compatible smartphone for immediate viewing of incoming calls and text messages, and if your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone has music, your playlists can be accessed and controlled.

For the price of $600 you get a pretty impressive piece of technology, especially since their regular goggles without any electronics embedded average around $200-$300. I am still waiting to experience these goggles in person, but as of now I love the whole idea of it. It seems not too far in the future that the sport of skiing/snowboarding will be like driving a Mercedes with all of the information you need right on your dashboard (or in your goggles).

link to Oakley Airwave webpage:
http://www.oakley.com/products/7094/27029

In an article by Kit Eaton of the NY times, our smartphones are turning into our personal workout trainer. In his article, Turning a Smartphone Into a Workout Buddy, Eaton explains how our devices help us reach our goals of being fit for the summer. I have used one of the apps that he talks about it in this article, and have been amused and encourage by how these applications actually help with personal fitness and health. I used the application called Skimble when it was first getting recognized which was about two to three years ago. This app gives users a variety of workout routines that may actually get you in top-notch shape if you decide to stay consistent with the workouts. It also acts as a social in which you can see other users and what workouts they maybe doing, and you can also talk with these people from different areas about different workouts and what results they have shown. It is very similar to Facebook in the sense that you can upload pictures, and follow other members like Twitter. When i started using skimble, all of the workouts were free. Plus, they actually shielded results. I don’t use it much now because i made my own routines out of the workouts they had. But now when you go on it, they have built up their customer base. With that being said, the addition of workout programs were made but you would now have to subscribe for 99 cents (do not quote me on it) or $1.99 which is not bad but i wouldn’t pay for it. There are many other apps that are just like this, but show less focus of the social networking capabilities.

These kind of apps raise the questions of:

1. Is it really necessary to put this kind of personal information out there?
2. Would you use them if customer feedback said it was definitely worth the time to use?

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/disruptions-even-the-tech-elites-leave-gadgets-behind/?ref=technology

In a past class, we talked about how distractions due to gadgets we have affect our lives. In the video clip , we’ve seen that how our generation think ourselves as good multi-taskers, and unfortunately, it turns our we are terrible at multi-tasking. In reality, our compulsive or addictive checking on Facebook, e-mail and twitter disturbs other activities. Also in YouTube clip, we’ve seen that how these distractions interfere our learning process because they interrupt that our short-term memories of information become long-term knowledge.

The NY Times article illustrates stories of people who try to be apart from their gadgets to concentrate on other important things. And since our final exam is coming, I also try to stay away from my phone and computer to study for the tests. Well, that was impossible. I kept turning my phone off and on. So I wonder if there’s any better ways to control our gadgets effectively, trying to minimize distractions. Simply turning off is not the best solution for everyone. Any tips ?

I have had an iPhone since it was first released. I have been very happy with the service and as a result also become very loyal to AT&T, which was the only carrier at the time. When the iPad was released I purchased one and due to my loyalty to AT&T, I used them for my data plan. I have a separate plan for both of these devices and each of them is unlimited. Many people have been jealous of the unlimited plan on my iPad because they only offered if for two weeks when the iPad was first released. However, I recently learned that my unlimited plan is not actually unlimited. I am only allowed 3GB of 4G data after which it switches to 3G automatically and I cannot do anything about it. Fortunate for me I do not often use any of this 4g data. That being said I am upset that this is even possible for AT&T to do. I will not be changing service providers as it is difficult and expensive because I would also have to purchase new devices. So as a result I am just a little less loyal to AT&T.

http://lifehacker.com/5917843/the-death-of-unlimited-data-what-it-means-and-how-you-can-keep-your-unlimited-data-plan

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/business/global/stern-words-and-pea-size-punishment-for-google.html?pagewanted=all

In this article titled “Stern Words, and a Pea-Size Punishment, for Google” the author writes of the inadequate maximum penalties that are in no way deterring big corporations like Google from violating certain data protection laws in Europe. The current fines are set at a maximum of 150,000 euros or 195,000 dollars. As the article states, that is how much Google makes about every two minutes. With such meager fines these huge corporations will not feel any pressure to abide by the data protection laws. Lawmaker’s in Europe are considering changing the current data protection law to include fines of up to 2% annual earnings. Google was recently charged with violating the law in Germany as well as prompting investigations in several other countries for taking photos for its Street View maps, as well as “collecting data like like e-mail messages and photos over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks, outraging consumers and privacy advocates.” Google has been sued numerous times in America for various privacy violations and settled for millions of dollars, including a 22.5 million dollar settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Do you think greater fines will lead to less violations and more privacy or will the benefits of violating the laws always outway the risk of high fines? Should there be something else done about this problem, such as stricter laws or more transparency?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/technology/updating-an-e-mail-law-from-the-last-century.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I was reading this article by Somini Sengupta in the New York Times about how outdated internet privacy laws are in this country and she stated that “Congress is now set to clarify those rules, bringing that quarter-century-old law, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, or E.C.P.A., in line with the Internet age.” I found the outdated version of the statute very strange in that it allows the government to obtain emails that are over 6 months old or that have already been opened with just a subpoena. Only recent emails required a warrant. There have also been conflicting court rulings on what does and does not constitute “electronic storage” as well as what agencies have access to what content.The growth of cloud computing is said to be a major factor in the recent decisions to update the statute with Congress uploading sensitive information as well. Hopefully this bill will pass and create stricter privacy laws. The bill requiring the government to obtain a search warrant issued by a judge in order to read a person’s email and other online content has since gotten approval of the full Senate. Do you think the current laws will be able to catch up with the high-tech world we live in now?

Reading “The Filter Bubble” made me realize how overexposed we are when we are looking at a certain website and how our information can be so easily obtained by third parties. I came across an interesting article, talking about a new privacy protection law President Obama plans to pitch to Congress. He’s urged Congress to consider privacy protections when debating cybersecurity legislation. What caught my eye was that he was recruiting the help of Twitter legal director Nicole Wong, to join the administration as a top privacy advisor. That news has advocates examining Wong’s record, which includes a stint at Google. Wong has been working at Twitter for less than seven months. She moved there from Google, where she worked with that company’s engineers to review new products for copyright and privacy considerations. I think this is a great recruit to help bring a law that is very much needed and that many American are probably not aware about. Privacy is something that we should all be entitled to even in the world wide web. Thoughts?

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/77986.html

As children we want to rebel. We gain pleasure in disobeying our parents and getting into mischief. At least I was when I was little. We did things that we thought we could get away with. Such things as sneaking sodas, or hiding my greens etc. Children used to use Facebook as their medium to communicate when they believed that they could say whatever they wanted without their parents finding out. However, more and more parents are joining Facebook and the children no longer have a secret medium to communicate so they are shying away from the prying eyes of their parents on Facebook to other more secretive methods of communicates such as WhatsApp.

https://medium.com/adventures-in-consumer-technology/3d1c24176c91

Laughing out loud, or lol is probably one of the most popular texted words. We all use it either to end a sentence or to simply just to sound nice. There’s no doubt that the way we text has affected the way we write, it has become such a norm that we unconsciously do it, good thing we have spell check right? But the meaning of “lol” has changed over the years, the way the majority of people use it today, wouldn’t signify amusement the way it it before. For example, you text someone “where are you?” and they text back “studying at the library lol”, how funny is that, really? That is “lol” doesn’t necessarily mean anything but it does something like convey an attitude, of all things its grammar. Of course when we text we never think of use proper grammar but if you really think about “lol” has become a period or a comma.

Like the experts say all languages evolve over time, in the modern technology world we live in do you think “lol” is going to stand or are we going to eventually discard it and another word will take it’s place.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/30/opinion/mcwhorter-lol/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

As we have been discussion all semester technology has become a part of our everyday lives. We cannot escape technology here in NYC. Are we addicted? Yes, I think that many of us are. I often try to escape and take a break from technology and I find it to be impossible. The problems arise when we cannot get the adequate down time in order for our bodies to keep equilibrium  Constant stare at a computer screen will harm vision. Constant feeling of being connect will harm your ability to rest and cause extreme anxiety when it is not working properly if even for a few moments. Netflix was down several weeks/months ago and I was furious that I couldn’t watch a show that I wanted to watch.

The more addicted we become to Facebook and online games the more money they make. Their goal in this sense to cause addiction on a massive scale. Have they already succeeded? I think they are well on their way. This attached article voices the opinions of several top Internet companies. Mr. Crab of Facebook said his concern was that people should live a balanced life. However, Facebook’s profits will increase the more that we do not live well balanced lives so his job goes against his greatest concern and that concerns me.

Twenty years ago, Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, put up the very first web page. The page has recently been restored to its original state (details in this BBC News story).

Remember when the iPhone 4s came out, one of its innovative attractions was Siri. According to Apple, Siri is the intelligent personal assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. It allows you to use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more. Siri understands your natural speech, and it asks you questions if it needs more information to complete a task. Along with an extensive marketable campaign, Siri became to many an astounding piece of technology to have on your phone at the time, but after using it a few times it kind of became slow and not as accurate as they made it seem on the commercials, it was a dud. Well that was then, now the competition is giving Siri a run for its money, as of today Google is giving Iphone users the option of a new app called Google Now. Google Now would  serve as the primary service that smartphone users rely on to get everything from weather updates to traffic forecasts. Google Now aspires to play an important role by helping users with daily chores such as looking up information on the Web, handling calendar appointments and managing travel plans, pretty much what Siri does but better. According to analysts, Siri posed as a threat to the Google, the information that Siri provides on common topics like nearby restaurants, sports scores and such reduces the need to use Google as a search engine, with that in mind the people at Google created Google Now. How it works is that the technology taps into Google’s various online services, from Web search to personal Gmail email and Google Calendar entries, to deliver relevant information throughout the day in pop-up windows that Google refers to as “cards.” Maybe this will give Apple an incentive to make some changed to improve Siri and come out with something new. Whether this is better option than Siri or not, it’s up to the public to decide, I know that I barely use the Siri on my phone but maybe I’ll give this new app a try. What do you guys think?

Google Glass has been a hot topic lately and many people have shown concern over the privacy and safety issues surrounding Google’s newest product. There is already a proposed amendment  out of West Virginia to ban driver’s from wearing the Glass and many businesses have already planned to ban people from wearing the Glass inside their establishments including casinos, movie theaters, and even some restaurants. There is also a campaign called “Stop The Cyborgs” which warns against using Google Glass because they see it as the end of privacy altogether and they have called on Google to put certain measures in place to make sure some damage control is done, including getting rid of facial recognition software. Google responded to the backlash claiming that people will eventually soften up to the idea and social norms will change to allow the Glass to be better accepted into society. I also recently read this article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=google-glass-smartglass-competition which seems to predict that most people will be wearing the Glass within the next couple of years and that many different companies will be coming out with their take on the smartglasses. The article also mentions new applications for the smartglasses not just as the new cellphone for the average consumer but as a new tool for certain occupations such as the engineering, healthcare, and law enforcement fields. It even gives an example of a surgeon wearing the smartglasses while operating on their patient, which I find pretty frightening. Do you think that smartglasses will become the next big thing and improve the way we do our jobs and live our lives or will the issues of privacy and safety become too problematic?