It's amazing how much changes in the technology world in just a few years. My last cell phone was a Samsung Black Jack II running Windows Mobile 6. I bought this phone in 2007, the same year the first iPhone was released. The reason why I bought the Samsung is because I was interested in running medical reference software on my phone and at that time shortly after iPhone 1 was released there really was very little software available for the Apple phone. Fast forward just a few short years and the iPhone is everywhere and has just about any kind of software you can think available to it.
My old Samsung was starting to act goofy so I decided it was time for an upgrade and I decided to get the new iPhone 4s. I'm not going to spend any time talking about the iPhone itself because by now everyone has seen one and pretty much knows that they are great products. I do want to spend a brief moment mentioning Siri, the digital assistant on the iPhone 4s. Siri is an assistant that can look up info for you and schedule meetings and reminders. She is activated by voice commands. There are two things that I find truly amazing about Siri. First off, you can talk to her like she's a human. You don't have to use a pre-determined vocabulary or read commands off a list. You can just ask her a question like you would your neighbor and most times she understands what you are saying and can answer the question or perform the command without trouble. The second thing that amazes me about her is that she has a personality. When I asked her if she had a sister she told me to "Get back to work." It's really one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, and I'm hard to impress. After seeing this I really think that talking robot maids, as seen in the Jetsons, will be in my lifetime. For those of you who haven't seen Siri yet, below is an official Apple commercial for the iPhone 4s. How it is being used in the commercial is exactly how it works in reality. There is no exaggeration here.
After the sad passing of Apple CEO Steve Jobs a few weeks ago from complications of pancreatic cancer, there was a ton of press about him referring to him as an icon and a genius. At first I thought all of this was a bit exaggerated, but after doing some reading and research about him I discovered he truly was an amazing man. Technology moves so fast and has become so affordable that sometimes it is easy to forget how amazing our gadgets really are. People take iPhones for granted but just four and a half years ago nothing like the iPhone existed for consumers. During Jobs' press conference for the first iPhone, he said that his company was going to change how people talked on and used phones, and that is exactly what he did. For the first time in history a communication device that could take pictures and share data in such an easy to use and intuitive way was available. Jobs didn't invent the smart phone, he perfected it. After owning one for just a few weeks, I can honestly say it is one of the most amazing things I've ever used. It is nearly perfect.
Perfection was definitely Jobs' best attribute. He didn't so much invent his successes as perfect them. From the first personal computer with a graphical user interface and use of the mouse, to Pixar animation studio, to the iPod (and the digital music download revolution), and finally the iPhone. Jobs was a genius at human-computer interaction. Obviously life will go on without him but I think he will be missed. Only very rarely does someone come along who has an impact on such a large array of people. For people in my generation, Steve Jobs very well could have been that person.
Setting any personality stuff aside, Jobs was an incredible technological visionary. You're right, things were exaggerated when he died, but it had nothing to do with anything on that specific front being overstated whatsoever. It was the uber dork, Apple fanboys who felt they had an emotional bond with him just because they really enjoyed his products. The man may well have been a modern day Thomas Edison, but he was not the second coming of Jesus Christ like some of these twits wanted to believe.
ReplyDeleteThe iPhone is an incredible device. Even if an individual has a different taste in hardware, it is unquestionably the Apple iPhone that sparked this massive revolution in communication and entertainment that is the smartphone.
I also agree about people just taking things for granted that were practically inconceivable to the masses just a few years, or even months ago. We're quickly approaching the point where the technological advancements we see are so frequent and exponential in their occurrence(s) that it's becoming difficult for the capacity of the human mind to grasp what it all means.
To that end, the Siri concept is fascinating. It's man / machine interaction the likes of which we might not have ever seen on such a mass availability scale. Your Jetsons comment was funny. I always joke with our friends about "The Singularity" ever since reading that article in TIME Magazine, but with every passing advancement I laugh a little less, and ponder a little more with an anxious curiosity if I can even begin to imagine the things everyday life will entail if I am fortunate enough to remain sound of mind and body to a ripe old age.
Well, I feel pretty versatile with my commentary in The Cave this evening. I've covered one end of the spectrum to the other, going from a meathead sports breakdown, to nerdy science talk. LOL. Variety is the spice of life!
You know, I've never heard of the technological singularity until you brought it up. It is an interesting topic for sure. Sarah always jokes that right now Siri is like the beginning of the scary movie. Everything is nice and fine, but 40 minutes from now (in movie time) Siri is going to be lurking around corners ready to strike.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite area of computer science is artificial intelligence, and Siri is a great example of what computers and machines are capable of. As I said, Jobs didn't invent most of his famous products per se, but he was amazing at marketing and bringing the products to the masses. In addition, he had a great mind for developing human-computer interaction. I think because these gadgets are so easy to interact with and use it is easy to become particularly attached to them. Jobs and Apple revolutionized how we acquire and listen to music, and how we use phones and share data. His gadgets use physical contact and voice to interact. There is no stylus or buttons or mouse. It's just you and the machine. The singularity or something similar might be closer than we think, especially if Moore's law continues to hold.
Will it change your clocks for you?
ReplyDeleteIt changes its own clock. I don't know about the clocks around the house. My car clock changes on its own too.
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