Outlook For Technology In 2018

[Jimbo357mag]

I found this article in the WP kinda interesting. I guess I don't like Technology.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/12/28/10-ways-tech-will-shape-your-life-in-2018-for-better-and-worse/?utm_term=.78de530fb6b1&wpisrc=nl_az_most&wpmk=1

10 ways tech will shape your life in 2018, for better and worse
 
Is the outlook for technology in 2018 exciting — or slightly terrifying? Flip a coin. You'd be right either way.

 5 reasons to be excited
 
1) Tesla moves the car forward
 
2) The HomePod gets Apple talking
 
3) Augmented reality is going places
 
4) Wireless charging gets a much-needed jolt
 
5) Digital subscriptions as the new norm
 
 5 reasons to worry

1) Online political ads get more devious

2) The cybersecurity menace keeps growing

3) Dongles stick around

4) Artificial intelligence judges you

5) Big tech keeps getting bigger

 

[wwb]

Jimbo -

A minor point, but in your signature line, "Wooden Ships" was from their first album.... C,S,&N. Neil Young joined after that, and was not on the first album.

As to the original subject..... Technology is not to be feared, but is to be constrained by virtue of intelligence and common sense...... we're in trouble!!!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Jimbo -
A minor point, but in your signature line, "Wooden Ships" was from their first album.... C,S,&N. Neil Young joined after that, and was not on the first album.

You are correct that the album only had Crosby, Stills and Nash on it. Thanks, I have corrected my signature line.
Wana take a guess at the gun I use for my avatar?

Concerning the article I was amazed that on one side they are saying that devices will be cordlessly charged and on the other side they say that charge cords will be around for us to hassle with. huh?

 

[Conservative]

Am I the only one here that isn't interested in electrically powered cars?

Hybrids don't interest me either. Or flex fuelers types.

I like sound of an internal combustion engine.

I probably sound like a guy who had ridden horse propelled all his life and then Henry Ford came along with his infernal model T and guys like like me probably sounded off like me and were dismayed at the future...

 

[gramps]

The iPhone has evolved to the point, I will not get another. I am fine with fingerprint recognition, but in NO WAY will I use facial recognition! Apple is a very Orwellian organization IMO.
gramps

 

[Conservative]

gramps,

As I have no knowledge about IPhones (I guess it's a type of what's called a smart phone, I think) but you would elaborate about fingerprint recognition or facial as I'm sort of a cave man when it comes to tech stuff. In other words, I don't know what your talking about.

Plus, and I'm not disagreeing with you, how is Apple Orwellian?

I don't own anything Apple, so my knowledge about them is non-existent.

Thank you Sir!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I appreciate the fact that many commercial trucks and buses are going electric or hybrid as I really don't like their pollution.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Plus, and I'm not disagreeing with you, how is Apple Orwellian?

Hi,

You might want to check out the latest dust up about one of the slightly older (yet still quite serviceable) iPhones that Apple "slowed down" with a recent update.

Company line is something like this: "Older batteries don't take a full charge and performance may suffer as they discharge, so we're helping you out by not draining your old battery as quickly."

Word on the street is kinda like this: "It's been more than a year since they sold me a $49.95 phone for $700.00 and they're jonesin' for their next 'cash fix' from me, so they plan to irritate me into buying a new one."

Temporary solution while the lawyers on both sides warm up to go to war is for Apple to offer owners of the affected phones new batteries for about $29.95... which probably cost Apple all of about $5.00, so they're still getting a good return on their money. Dunno if one gets another update to return the phone to normal speed if a battery is purchased. News reports have it Samsung is rubbing their hands together in glee. Guess we'll see soon enough how strong the Apple flavored Kool-Aid is!

Or we can go back a couple of years to the encrypted iPhones Apple wouldn't crack for the Feds after the San Bernardino terrorist shootings. "Can't be done" claimed Tim Cook, Apple CEO, trying to get some traction from the "customer privacy" argument. FBI had 'em opened up almost as soon as he finished his sentence...

FWIW, Cook is reputed to have made $102 mil after cash and stock bonuses on a $3 mil base salary in 2017. Hmmm...

Rick C

 

[Conservative]

Rick,

Learn to live without these gadgets.

Yes, I know, they can turn water into wine, but honestly we did just fine before their ubiquity.

Or, and I'll bet there are 12 step programs out there to teach the phone addicted how to wean off them.

So called smart phones are one of Satans's tools and I'm not even a believer of heaven or hell, but I do believe that evil exists and smart phones are evil.

 

[gunman42782]

Jimbo -

Wana take a guess at the gun I use for my avatar?

It looks like a Blackhawk with a Redhawk grip?!?!?!

 

[bobski]

I don't like to be force fed improvements and technology does that, by making everything before it obsolete.
im an American. I like choices.
let technology improve the medical profession and aviation etc....but if you think im going to pay thousands of dollars to see what someone ate last night, or suffer someones selfy in front of a taco bell, forget it.
God bless my land line...until they strip the wires off telephone poles. (note...they are still called telephone poles)

 

[Rei40c]

I don't like to be force fed improvements and technology does that, by making everything before it obsolete.
im an American. I like choices.
let technology improve the medical profession and aviation etc....but if you think im going to pay thousands of dollars to see what someone ate last night, or suffer someones selfy in front of a taco bell, forget it.
God bless my land line...until they strip the wires off telephone poles. (note...they are still called telephone poles)

I guess you heard what Apple was caught doing recently along those lines. Intentionally slowing down older Iphones via the software updates with the hopes it would send people running to buy new ones. Essentially as I see it- breaking your stuff and sending you to the apple store to buy more.

I know there's a big lawsuit over it but I don't know the details.

 

[Conservative]

Apple's perfidy can only exist because people are addicted to this bizarre technology all the while claiming 'hey, the latest incarnation will hasten the appearance of Jesus, pronto, honest....man oh man, drop this as if it;s a meth pipe or a crack pipe, it's bad and bad for everyone.

 

[toysoldier]

Due to a change in my personal circumstances (divorce) I'm having to deal with utilities, cable supplier, etc. as I update my accounts. All use computerized systems; none of the systems are "user-friendly"; employees aren't any better at getting through them. As programmers "update" websites, they are becoming harder to deal with. I am becoming a computer Luddite. Things will not go well when something takes down the system.

 

[Captain America]

I appreciate the fact that many commercial trucks and buses are going electric or hybrid as I really don't like their pollution.

Electric...no, Hybrid...yes. The math doesn't work for electric only vehicles but a diesel or natural gas/electric bus or tractor trailer has merit. In most areas electric only vehicles have very limited capabilities and run on coal.