I recently received an SMS. Since that rarely happens ever since my parents entered the "messenger age" it was either my phone carrier who was trying to foist off entirely useless services on me (Buy smileys? Why don't you have a look at your database to find out how old I am!) or - the last Internet refusenik. There's one in my circle of friends who decided not to go online, who doesn't own a smartphone and whose computer (an old Amiga) has been collecting dust in the attic for the past 30 years. We met over dinner at his place and, as always, that evening gave me a lot to think about.
We're all familiar with the Internet (otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this blog) yet some of its users are no longer human but robot vacuum cleaners, refrigerators or window blinds. And there's even more devices connected via Bluetooth! What sounded rather futuristic 5 years ago, has become more and more of a standard among current products. The idea is that intelligent devices can better assist their human owners. As with all new developments, products range from useful to ludicrous. Here's a brief outline.
Once you're known as computer-literate to your friends and acquaintances, inevitable questions arise, along with true confessions. Do I know how to clear the browsing history? Someone accidentally opened the wrong sites. What's the age group targeted by the dating service Tinder? Recently, I suddenly became all ears: an ex-colleague, who's been enjoying his retirement for quite some time, was looking for a potent graphics card. What he wanted it for? "I want to play Battlefield." I didn't expect that. And it got even more interesting.
You know the situation: you're searching for a product and online reviews are staggering. "Wonderful device, works without a hitch, very sturdy even - I ordered another one for my kids! They were thrilled!" And so were their children's children, I guess. This and similar adulation pushed the product rating up to 4.8 out of 5 stars and now strongly motivates others to make the purchase. The system works because these are the opinions of real customers, real people like you and me. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
Wouldn't it be great to always be right? Errors feel unpleasant and embarrassing at times, you might even be forced to reconsider your actions. Way too much stress! That burden has been lifted thanks to social networks and a wide selection of other media outlets. Even for those who believe that the earth is flat.
