Journal Entry #4

BBC's Click

This episode I watched taught me many new and interesting things I didn't know before. This episode talks about how everytime a new device comes out to the public people want to make it smaller and portable. It talks about how they are making devices that can access your computer wirelessly so you don't have to worry about being at a computer. They tell you that all you have to do is download a free program onto your main comupter and it can become a broadcasting device so that you can access your computer on anything with a browser. I also found it interesting that you can also do the same thing with your television. With a certain product that you attach to your T.V. you can access your television on your phone or P.D.A or any wireless device connected to the internet. I also learned that they have come up with picture frames that you can load your pictures onto it and it displays it as if it were a regular photo. Another intresting fact I learned in this episode is that they have even come up with shoes that left you jump 6 inches higher and a machine that makes your mucles contract thus making you loose weight by doing nothing. They also covered all this new technology from downloading music at the gas pumps from wirelessly transmitting your iPod music to your shower. They also deveolped T.V. screens for your car to watch as you wait for a parking spot. Its amazing to look at all these new technologies that exist and that are coming out but does technology know when to stop? Although all these new devices are coming out to make our lives 'easier' or more 'enjoyable' I think that all these new advances bring thier own disadvantages.

Although transmitting our personal computer data wirelessly to our hand held devices can be intresting and revolutionize how we work, this can also cause a safety hazard. Hackers can probably find a way to 'intercept' or access your wireless transmission, thus giving them access to your home computer. Also, people could also do the same thing with the T.V. wireless broadcast. People could access your T.V. for free and can just abuse your transmission. Having a T.V. in your car maybe be usefull so that you have something to do while you wait for a parking spot but because of the temptation of a T.V. in your car, more car accidents will be happening because of them. All this technology can be good but it also runs the risk of furthering out connection with the real world with the cyber world.

It also comes down to what's really neccessary. For example, do you really need to watch T.V. while waiting for a parking spot? Do you really need to access your home computer while waiting for the bus? Do you really need to listen to your iPod while you take a shower? Of course you don't have to, but many people want to. Although most of this is really neat, it's unnecessary.