Few things in the world aren't connected to technology. Technology is an ever-evolving, ever-changing force, getting upgraded and upscaled every chance it gets. Everything around you now could be obsolete in just a few years. Some of these upgrades can be expected, and some may be unexpected. The importance, however, is not if it is expected or not, but where it will go.
An important piece of tech over the last decade have been smartphones. Ever since the release of the First IPhone way back in 2007, smartphones have been a mainstay in tech culture, and all culture for that matter. The latest coming evolution for smartphones is 5G. 5G networks are being developed to give their smartphone users speeds 10 times faster than on their current 4G network. Most smartphone providers advertise the newer, faster 5G network. In reality, 5G networks will not be ready until the middle of the next decade. According to Mohanbir Sawhney of CNN Business, 5G networks won't be able to provide 10 times as fast speeds as promised until around 2025. The 5G networks on now are basically still developing. It's basically a waiting game for 5G to develop, or a "Hype fest" as said by Mohanbir Sawhney. It's hard to see if the wait will be worth it, but it seems the wait will be worth it.
There is much more to the future of technology than just 5G. Technology is evolving all around us right now. So what better way to talk about the future than to talk about the present. After reading an article by The National, it made me realize that so much technological advancement took place throughout this year. A.I evolved greatly this year, and Apple released AirPods, which became the most popular headphones on the market. Those two things only scratch the surface on A.I.'s evolution this year. Social Media policies changed also, making the platforms more private after it was revealed that the platforms were selling private information, as well as removing any ties to political manipulation of users.
The main point of the article is technology is not a friend, or a foe, it is in fact both. As technology keeps growing it gets smarter, but will it try to help us or manipulate us? Social media is trying to keep us safe, but will it work? The article asks many questions, though not directly. The government is also brought up many times, from President Donald Trump's tweets, to China's regulation of sharing platform TikTok. The article talks about many things, but the main point is that there is good and bad when it comes to technology, and this will continue into the future as tech becomes more evolved.
Some say the future is uncertain, and some say it's certain. Some say the future will be bad, and some say it won't. All I know is, we've got a lot to look forward to in the future. Maybe not as much in the near future, but in five years it will be interesting to see where the human race will be technologically. Maybe 5G will be fully developed, and maybe robots will kill us all in years of war. Whatever happens in the future will be big, no matter if it's good or bad, and it is definitely something to look forward to.
Marsden, Rhodri. "Future friend or foe: how our relationship with technology
evolved in 2019." The National, 16 Dec. 2019, www.thenational.ae/
arts-culture/comment/
future-friend-or-foe-how-our-relationship-with-technology-evolved-in-2019-1.95206
1. Accessed 16 Dec. 2019.
Sawhney, Mohanbir. "Don't hold your breath for 5G. Most of us won't be using it
until 2025." CNN, 10 Dec. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/12/10/perspectives/
5g-technology-t-mobile-att-verizon/index.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2019.
Monday, December 16, 2019
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Technology: Here and Afar
Technology is big in most places. It is ever-evolving in most places. But issues with technology are different mattering what city, state, or country you live in. Issues can be as big as changing the way of life of an entire country, or as small as changing a portion of a town. No matter how big or small an issue with technology is, it's importance is not lessened in the slightest.
I was born in New Hampshire. I have always resided in New Hampshire. So whatever technological advancement happens in New Hampshire, it is important to me. Recently, the town of Portsmouth added drones to it's police force. According to Govtech, the drones will be used to identify people from 200 feet above. They will also be used to create a vertical view of a crime scene.
This is an important technological advancement, especially in the world of law enforcement, because of the higher viewpoint a drone has. You can move the drone 200 feet in the air and see an entire crime scene, instead of having to look at the crime scene fragmented at ground level. As this tech keeps advancing it will be interesting to see all the perspectives that can be given to a crime scene or building in question.
As well as being a New Hampshire resident, I am also a U.S. citizen. The U.S. works with other countries. They also have some countries that they should work with. According to Fu Ying of the South China Morning Post, America and China should work together to help make A.I. better for our future. After all, the U.S. and China are the two world leaders when it comes to A.I.. This will most likely not happen, at least not in the near future, due to tension between the U.S. and China.
I agree with Fu Ying's opinion about this topic. If the leaders of A.I. worked together in the future, then how could A.I. go wrong in the future. It is unfortunate that the U.S. have tension on more political matters, but that shouldn't affect technological matters. A.I. has issues, and they will be worked out in the future, but they will be worked out much faster if both China and the U.S. were able to work together to create foolproof A.I..
Works Cited
"Drone Flying Floating Camera." Pixabay, pixabay.com/photos/
drone-flying-floating-camera-1245980/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2019.
Ying, Fu. "Why the US should join China in future-proofing AI technology."
South China Morning Post, 5 Dec. 2019, www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/
article/3038888/
west-has-more-gain-allowing-chinese-tech-its-markets-seeking-block.
Accessed 10 Dec. 2019.
 |
| (Pixabay) |
This is an important technological advancement, especially in the world of law enforcement, because of the higher viewpoint a drone has. You can move the drone 200 feet in the air and see an entire crime scene, instead of having to look at the crime scene fragmented at ground level. As this tech keeps advancing it will be interesting to see all the perspectives that can be given to a crime scene or building in question.
As well as being a New Hampshire resident, I am also a U.S. citizen. The U.S. works with other countries. They also have some countries that they should work with. According to Fu Ying of the South China Morning Post, America and China should work together to help make A.I. better for our future. After all, the U.S. and China are the two world leaders when it comes to A.I.. This will most likely not happen, at least not in the near future, due to tension between the U.S. and China.
I agree with Fu Ying's opinion about this topic. If the leaders of A.I. worked together in the future, then how could A.I. go wrong in the future. It is unfortunate that the U.S. have tension on more political matters, but that shouldn't affect technological matters. A.I. has issues, and they will be worked out in the future, but they will be worked out much faster if both China and the U.S. were able to work together to create foolproof A.I..
Works Cited
Dinan, Elizabeth. "New Hampshire Town Launches New Police Drone Squad."
Govtech, 25 Nov. 2019, www.govtech.com/public-safety/
New-Hampshire-Town-Launches-New-Police-Drone-Squad.html. Accessed 10 Dec.
2019.
Govtech, 25 Nov. 2019, www.govtech.com/public-safety/
New-Hampshire-Town-Launches-New-Police-Drone-Squad.html. Accessed 10 Dec.
2019.
drone-flying-floating-camera-1245980/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2019.
Ying, Fu. "Why the US should join China in future-proofing AI technology."
South China Morning Post, 5 Dec. 2019, www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/
article/3038888/
west-has-more-gain-allowing-chinese-tech-its-markets-seeking-block.
Accessed 10 Dec. 2019.
Monday, November 25, 2019
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Social Media
What do you think of when you hear social media? Do you think of online platforms used to keep in touch with others? Do you think of politicians and companies pushing their views? It's possible that you think of both when you picture social media. Social media is a great way to communicate and have fun, but it's also a great way for rich companies and people to push their opinions. Social Media is corrupt in areas, but that doesn't mean you should quit social media.
Different people have different perspectives on the topic of social media. Some think it's an important part of history, others think it's unneeded, and some have a mixed opinion. I recently watched 3 TED talks, each one of them expressing a separate view point.
The first TED talk I watched was by Zeynep Tufekci. She talked about how humans are the reason A.I. is what it is, and A.I. on social media is basically manipulating us into clicking ads and supporting force-fed opinions on the site. She brings up how companies sell private information to other companies, which is how A.I. programs learn about you. When these A.I. programs learn about you, they send you ads and recommendations for things that are similar. An example of this is the recommended section on YouTube. It gives you a bunch of videos vaguely resembling what you are watching. Usually, you'll end up watching a ton of videos instead of just one or two. She goes on to talk about how sometimes that recommended section can divert far from the original topic. Her example was recorded rallies held by Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. Recommended videos for Trump rallies are white supremacist videos, while rallies for Clinton and Sanders lead to conspiracy videos about democrats. Her points are still valid to this day, personal information is still getting sold, most recently by Facebook and YouTube still has a recommended section. Tufekci gives her take on the bad things about social media, but not all things about social media are bad.
The other two TED talks were by Cal Newport and Clay Shirky. Newport's perspective is that social media lowers people's attention span, due to the fact they check their phones every few minutes. Personally, I can somewhat agree with that opinion, but you can't say that all people are like that. He also brings up a point that even though we socialize on social media, we are actually becoming less social. I can agree with this point as well, but not all people only socialize on social media. Shirky's viewpoint is the opposite of Newport's. He believes that the rise of amateur media is a positive for the future. He brings up how "consumers become producers". People that receive media, create media themselves. Social media is the future, and it will make history, whether it's on the good side or the bad side of history remains to be seen.
It's important to bring up the years that each of these TED talks were made. Tufekci's talk was made in 2017, Newport's in 2016, and Shirky's in 2012. Shirky brings up Obama's presidential campaign. while Tufekci brings up the presidential rallies of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. Times have changed, and times will continue to change. The information will remain the same, but the relevance will change. One day, we will look back on Shirky's TED talk and say "Social Media won't make history, it is history." We will look back on all that is said and remember when this was relevant, important, and current. Then, we will look on to find the future talked about in these TED talks is built. There is good, and there is bad, but isn't that always the case. People are greedy, manipulative, and sometimes just plain evil, but they are also nice, sociable, and your friend. There is always good and bad. People will prophesies an all good or an all bad future, but that will never be the case. Social media is a good thing, it's also a bad thing. Some companies sell private information, and some manipulate you into watching videos they think you like. But social media also provides a fun, social experience for people that need it dearly. So remember what people tell you about the future, but take it with a grain of salt. Nothing is perfect, nothing has ever been, and that's fine. The important thing is you enjoy life, and whether that is or isn't with social media, it doesn't matter.
Works Cited
Newport, Cal. "Quit Social Media." 19 Sept. 2016. YouTube, 19 Sept. 2016,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7hkPZ-HTk. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019. Lecture.
Shirky, Clay. "How social media can make history ." 16 Nov. 2012. YouTube, 16
Nov. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZJE15E0SY. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.
Lecture.
Tufekci, Zeynep. "We're Building a Dystopia Just to Make People Click on Ads."
12 Nov. 2017. YouTube, 12 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFTWM7HV2UI.
Accessed 25 Nov. 2019. Lecture.
Different people have different perspectives on the topic of social media. Some think it's an important part of history, others think it's unneeded, and some have a mixed opinion. I recently watched 3 TED talks, each one of them expressing a separate view point.
It's important to bring up the years that each of these TED talks were made. Tufekci's talk was made in 2017, Newport's in 2016, and Shirky's in 2012. Shirky brings up Obama's presidential campaign. while Tufekci brings up the presidential rallies of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. Times have changed, and times will continue to change. The information will remain the same, but the relevance will change. One day, we will look back on Shirky's TED talk and say "Social Media won't make history, it is history." We will look back on all that is said and remember when this was relevant, important, and current. Then, we will look on to find the future talked about in these TED talks is built. There is good, and there is bad, but isn't that always the case. People are greedy, manipulative, and sometimes just plain evil, but they are also nice, sociable, and your friend. There is always good and bad. People will prophesies an all good or an all bad future, but that will never be the case. Social media is a good thing, it's also a bad thing. Some companies sell private information, and some manipulate you into watching videos they think you like. But social media also provides a fun, social experience for people that need it dearly. So remember what people tell you about the future, but take it with a grain of salt. Nothing is perfect, nothing has ever been, and that's fine. The important thing is you enjoy life, and whether that is or isn't with social media, it doesn't matter.
Works Cited
Newport, Cal. "Quit Social Media." 19 Sept. 2016. YouTube, 19 Sept. 2016,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7hkPZ-HTk. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019. Lecture.
Shirky, Clay. "How social media can make history ." 16 Nov. 2012. YouTube, 16
Nov. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZJE15E0SY. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.
Lecture.
Tufekci, Zeynep. "We're Building a Dystopia Just to Make People Click on Ads."
12 Nov. 2017. YouTube, 12 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFTWM7HV2UI.
Accessed 25 Nov. 2019. Lecture.
Friday, November 15, 2019
The Past, Present, and Future of Technology
Technology has been ever advancing since the wheel was chiseled from stone. The human race has come along way since then. We humans are making advancements on virtual reality and artificial intelligence. In case you didn't know, those aren't made out of stone. The world is a hell of a lot advanced than it was just 20 years ago. Cellphones were little plastic rectangles with an antenna 20 years ago. It's incredible how we have gone from cellular blocks to the IPhone 11. In that short span of time, technology evolved into something far greater. Technology is only going to get better and better as time goes on. It may be scary for some, but it might not be as bad as those people think.
(Pixabay) (Calvo)
Technology in the past was much more primitive. The first image features a rotary phone, a far cry from what we have now. The second image is closer to what we have currently. That phone, however, is an IPhone 6, which could be considered a phone dinosaur by some. But phones aren't the only technology that went through evolution. Anything considered technology has probably got an upgrade.
(Dat)
Look at the television in this image, then look at the TV in your house. The TV in your house is much larger, wider, and advanced that it's elder counterpart in the image. All you have to do is look around to see how technology has evolved from the past. In my life, I have seen a mix of the most advanced tech, and the most primitive tech, and the difference is astonishing. You and I will be amazed by what the future has for us.
(Knight)
What we know as modern technology will become past technology as the future of tech approaches. A.I. robots, as seen in the image, are being evolved for use in the near future of the human race. Virtual Reality will be another part of the future. Both robots and V.R. exist in our present, but they are primitive currently. But there are fears of this futuristic, well, future. According to Kevin Dickinson of BigThink, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and Nick Bostrom, a professor at Oxford, have fears of the future. The fact that Elon Musk has fears of the future is suprising, because he is developing the technology. If this negative future with A.I. occurs, it could be called a Frankenstein's Monster situation, where the creator themselves make the evil unknowingly, or knowingly. In my eyes, the only way we can know the future is to get there in time.
Works Cited
Technology in the Past and the Present
(Pixabay) (Calvo)
Technology in the past was much more primitive. The first image features a rotary phone, a far cry from what we have now. The second image is closer to what we have currently. That phone, however, is an IPhone 6, which could be considered a phone dinosaur by some. But phones aren't the only technology that went through evolution. Anything considered technology has probably got an upgrade.
(Dat)
Look at the television in this image, then look at the TV in your house. The TV in your house is much larger, wider, and advanced that it's elder counterpart in the image. All you have to do is look around to see how technology has evolved from the past. In my life, I have seen a mix of the most advanced tech, and the most primitive tech, and the difference is astonishing. You and I will be amazed by what the future has for us.
The Remaining Present and Coming Future of Technology
(Knight)
What we know as modern technology will become past technology as the future of tech approaches. A.I. robots, as seen in the image, are being evolved for use in the near future of the human race. Virtual Reality will be another part of the future. Both robots and V.R. exist in our present, but they are primitive currently. But there are fears of this futuristic, well, future. According to Kevin Dickinson of BigThink, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and Nick Bostrom, a professor at Oxford, have fears of the future. The fact that Elon Musk has fears of the future is suprising, because he is developing the technology. If this negative future with A.I. occurs, it could be called a Frankenstein's Monster situation, where the creator themselves make the evil unknowingly, or knowingly. In my eyes, the only way we can know the future is to get there in time.
Works Cited
Calvo, Adrianna. Person Holding Space Gray Iphone 6. Pexels, www.pexels.com/
photo/iphone-technology-iphone-6-plus-apple-17663/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.
Dat, Huynh. Black CRT TV. Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/black-crt-tv-2251206/.
Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.
Dickinson, Kevin. "Top 6 fears about future technology." BigThink, 18 Sept.
2018, bigthink.com/technology-innovation/fear-future-technology. Accessed
15 Nov. 2019.
Knight, Alex. High-Angle Photo of Robot. Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/
high-angle-photo-of-robot-2599244/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.
Pixabay. Selective Focus Photography of Black Rotary Phone. Pexels,
www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-black-rotary-phone-163007/.
Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.
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