Machines Controlling Our Lives? Don’T We Have Those Already? (Part 2)
2. Wireless Everything
As nifty as our Wi-Fi- and 4G-enabled gadgets are right now, we're still subject to the whims of signal strengths, forcing us to check every possible corner for the strongest signals in areas with weak receptions. Even worse, there are still places, even in developed countries, where wireless connectivity is nonexistent.
Looking for ways to better this situation (as is their wont), scientists are now hard at work developing technologies that allow free-range wireless connectivity - or at least one with a vastly wider scope - that should also greatly influence the way we do (and see) things. From paying for your daughter's presently-happening shopping spree immediately while you're strolling through the park, to calling for help when you're stranded in the middle of an island, almost everything can be done without being anchored to any one place by wires.
Along with the aforementioned PMCs, this tech will go hand-in-hand with€¦
3. Cloud Computing
Right now, clouds are largely used for file storage more than anything else. Some (like Google Drive) allow for on-the-fly document creation as well, but on the whole, most people turn to clouds as an ethereal place where they can save their documents, program installers, and whatnots.
Computer analysts know that cloud services can be so much more, though. How much more? Try €total hard drive replacement,€ and that includes everything you can do with your present hard drive. That is, you can run your preferred operating system on your personal cloud space; you can install all the programs you need and/or want; you can create your next Photoshop masterpiece there; you can while your time away with your (Steam-provided) copy of Assassin's Call of Evil Honor VII; and yes, you can store all your Justin Bieber music videos there, too.
Best of all, since cloud isn't hindered by the physical limitations of current desktop and laptop parts, you can expand your personal space's capacity to be as big as your budget will allow.
4. Expanded Sensory Controls
By now, we're all used to interacting with our gadgets using - what else? - our hands. It's only natural, of course, since by definition, interaction requires contact before anything else can happen.
The thing is, many of us have this misguided notion that contact is only relevant (or more wrongly, possible) with physical connection.
Voice control begs to differ. As Siri has clearly (and amusingly) demonstrated, you don't always need to press a button when you want certain things done. Just say what you want done out loud, and a voice-activated program will duly oblige.
There's also motion-sensing technology like Microsoft's Kinect that allows you to input your desired actions without ever having to touch anything. All you need to do is wave your hands in the air, and hope that nobody looks at you funny.
And then there's the currently in-development eye-tracking technology. What it does is pinpoint exactly where a user's eyes are looking, and carry out appropriate functions as determined by, say, whether the user blinks twice, winks one eye, or moves his pupils side to side.
With all these sensory controls, we can expect the future to be rife with people doing all sorts of crazy motions everywhere they go.
As nifty as our Wi-Fi- and 4G-enabled gadgets are right now, we're still subject to the whims of signal strengths, forcing us to check every possible corner for the strongest signals in areas with weak receptions. Even worse, there are still places, even in developed countries, where wireless connectivity is nonexistent.
Looking for ways to better this situation (as is their wont), scientists are now hard at work developing technologies that allow free-range wireless connectivity - or at least one with a vastly wider scope - that should also greatly influence the way we do (and see) things. From paying for your daughter's presently-happening shopping spree immediately while you're strolling through the park, to calling for help when you're stranded in the middle of an island, almost everything can be done without being anchored to any one place by wires.
Along with the aforementioned PMCs, this tech will go hand-in-hand with€¦
3. Cloud Computing
Right now, clouds are largely used for file storage more than anything else. Some (like Google Drive) allow for on-the-fly document creation as well, but on the whole, most people turn to clouds as an ethereal place where they can save their documents, program installers, and whatnots.
Computer analysts know that cloud services can be so much more, though. How much more? Try €total hard drive replacement,€ and that includes everything you can do with your present hard drive. That is, you can run your preferred operating system on your personal cloud space; you can install all the programs you need and/or want; you can create your next Photoshop masterpiece there; you can while your time away with your (Steam-provided) copy of Assassin's Call of Evil Honor VII; and yes, you can store all your Justin Bieber music videos there, too.
Best of all, since cloud isn't hindered by the physical limitations of current desktop and laptop parts, you can expand your personal space's capacity to be as big as your budget will allow.
4. Expanded Sensory Controls
By now, we're all used to interacting with our gadgets using - what else? - our hands. It's only natural, of course, since by definition, interaction requires contact before anything else can happen.
The thing is, many of us have this misguided notion that contact is only relevant (or more wrongly, possible) with physical connection.
Voice control begs to differ. As Siri has clearly (and amusingly) demonstrated, you don't always need to press a button when you want certain things done. Just say what you want done out loud, and a voice-activated program will duly oblige.
There's also motion-sensing technology like Microsoft's Kinect that allows you to input your desired actions without ever having to touch anything. All you need to do is wave your hands in the air, and hope that nobody looks at you funny.
And then there's the currently in-development eye-tracking technology. What it does is pinpoint exactly where a user's eyes are looking, and carry out appropriate functions as determined by, say, whether the user blinks twice, winks one eye, or moves his pupils side to side.
With all these sensory controls, we can expect the future to be rife with people doing all sorts of crazy motions everywhere they go.
Source...