As Dr. Pursel said in class, Apple Watches can be over priced. I agree with his statement about this technology, but that didn’t stop me from becoming a victim of one after I received it as a birthday present. I am shocked that after a short period of time, there is another Apple Watch coming out, the Series 4.

What makes this series different is that Apple is pairing it with companies like Hermes and Nike to further their watches. For example, the Apple Watch Hermes is a partnership between these two companies that offers real leather bands which are beautiful. This is new because Apple has never paired with a leather company before and these new bands are double their normal length. The cost for this watch with a Hermes band ranges from $1,399 to $1,499.

Another new aspect of the Series 4 watch is that Apple is pairing up with Nike + to become the perfect running duo. This watch comes with Nike + which allows people to enter into a new world of working out. The corners of the watch are curved and the actual face of the watch is a little different. You can also add audio to your watch which could be a training coach and you are also provided with new exercises through this partnership. This series ranges from $399 to $499.

The evolution and innovation of Apple is incredible, but I am curious if people will purchase this Series 4 because the prices are much higher. Competing products similar to the Apple Watch do almost the exact same thing. Examples include the Garmin, Fit Bit, and the Samsung Gear S3. Do people prefer the Apple Watch over others because its “name brand?” With more and more technology debuting, I am interested if products are going to die down due to expensive costs and other alternatives or if they will still rise because of the Apple dynasty and name brand products.

Link: https://www.apple.com/watch/

FaceTime is one of the best inventions to date. Millions and millions of people use this iPhone feature a day and I am one to admit that I don’t know where I would be without it. The ease of being able to video chat your friends and family no matter how far away is an amazing aspect of technology.

But recently, Apple’s FaceTime feature took a turn for the worse. This issue was spreading all over social media. The problem was that there was a bug in Group FaceTime that allowed people to hear aka “eavesdrop” on the conversations before picking up the call on either end. No one knew it was occurring or that there were listeners.

There were even directions posted on multiple websites on how to complete this task. This was such shocking news to me that I deactivated my FaceTime feature on my iPhone 7 which doesn’t even have Group FaceTime. I was creeped out by this because it posed as a privacy issue to me.

That is one of the big lash backs with this issue. People are furious with Apple that they are just finding out about this now. This eavesdropping feature invades privacy. The fact that people were able to listen to your conversations without you knowing is extremely threatening and an unsafe feeling.

Apple made a statement that they will be fixing the issue within the week and advise people to turn off their FaceTime feature in their settings for now. This issue relates to IST 110 class because as awesome as FaceTime and technology are, there always seems to be issues surrounding privacy. In class, I always voted on my clicker that I didn’t think there were issues with products we would talk about, but now I definitely think that this problem with FaceTime is invasive, unsafe, and intrusive to all.

I hope that Apple can fix this issue asap because I know people truly rely on FaceTime for human connection and communication.

Link: https://9to5mac.com/2019/01/28/facetime-bug-hear-audio/

Formal Citation:

By now, I bet a handful of us already own either an Amazon Echo or Google Home. I was guilty of buying my parents the Amazon Echo last Christmas and they love it. But do people realize how much more the Amazon Echo can do than Google Home? People should get their money’s worth of these products and know which one to purchase.

The Amazon Echo can do about seven more things that Google Home can’t. To begin, Amazon Echo can track packages. When you buy things on Amazon, you are able to track your package through the Amazon Echo product. This is simple and easy because all one has to do it ask the product when their package will arrive. Secondly, this product can set delivery notifications for packages coming from Amazon and other online stores. The Amazon Echo might be most commonly used to play music. Google Home can also do this, but what makes the Amazon Echo special is that it can play music from all music platforms (Google and Amazon ones). The voice remote for the Amazon Echo is much cheaper than the Google Home one. For example, the remote for Amazon Echo costs $30 and Google’s is $129 (Martin, 2018).

The Amazon Echo also allows people to use third-party apps, donate to charity through the device, and set up routines to be more on schedule. Google has the ability to set schedules, but Amazon Echo’s is more seamless. You don’t have to repeat yourself instead things can automatically start/stop on a planned schedule.

These two products are the future of technology. While they have been around for a few years now, I think they are just beginning to take off. Within a few years. these products may need to be in every school, office, home, or even car. These products are fully connected to the topic of IoT. They can automatically turn off lights, set alarms. set reminders, and allow people to have an easier lifestyle. Soon enough, these devices are going to be able to do even more. With so much connection and “talking” from device to device, there still lies an issue of privacy. Who gets all the data from these things? Is it the government? Where is all this data being stored? Is it dangerous to have these products do basically everything for us? With technology only growing, I am interested to see what the next version of the Amazon Echo (or Google Home) will be.

Formal Citation:

Martin, T. (2018, April 10). 7 things Amazon Echo can do that Google Home can’t.
Retrieved January 29, 2019, from Computers, Networking and Electronics
Technology – CNET website: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/
amazon-echo-things-alexa-can-do-that-google-home-cant/

Link: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/amazon-echo-things-alexa-can-do-that-google-home-cant/

Too lazy to go to the gym? Don’t worry, at home workouts using smart fitness are more popular than ever. Many people have probably heard of these technologies that allow them to access live classes from their own homes in order to get that workout in. Through original down payments and different monthly subscriptions, there are a variety of different options one can take to exercise in the comfort of their own home.

Examples of these smart fitness technologies include Peloton, Mirror, and ClassPass Live to name a few. All of these differ in some way, but they are similar in the fact that have live workout classes for people to watch from home. For example, the Peloton is a stationary bike people can buy and then subscribe monthly for $39 to view live cycling classes in different cities from home. This is an expensive investment though because the bike is priced a little over $2,000 (Wollerton, 2019).

Another example is Mirror, which is a full-length mirror one buys for their home. It comes with a full LCD screen and access to live classes for $39 a month as well (Wollerton, 2019). While working out, people are able to view themselves in the mirror to see how they are doing while fitness levels and heart rate monitors are tracked on the screen. This device connects through bluetooth and a heart rate monitor which is similar to the topic of IoT and everything being connected.

Finally, a third fitness system now in homes is ClassPass Live. This takes on a more traditional setting where people are able to pay near $80 at first, then $39 a month for access to live classes (Wollerton, 2019). This program is displayed mainly on people’s tv’s as they exercise in their living rooms. A heart rate monitor comes with this subscription.

I have not had the chance to try any of these at home devices, but I would certainly like to one day. I am unsure if I would enjoy working out in my home because I like to get outside or go to an actual gym. I think these programs are aimed at audiences who are busy and always on the go, so they don’t have to make excuses not to go to the gym when they have these things at home.

I am curious though if these live classes can see the people at home actually doing the workouts or if its just one way? If they could see, do people think its an invasion of privacy? I also feel that this may seclude people from human interaction because everything is done online, through a screen. Although these fitness technologies are great for the home, I can’t help but think of how much IoT this includes. Connection to your home wifi, tv, heart rate monitor, blue tooth, apps on your phones, etc. are just some examples of what these devices are connected too. They also know your height, weight, and all other vitals.

Formal Citation:

Wollerton, M. (2019, January 19). Peloton, Mirror and other smart fitness tech
brings the gym home. Retrieved January 28, 2019, from Computers, Networking
and Electronics Technology – CNET website: https://www.cnet.com/news/
bring-the-gym-home-with-this-smart-fitness-tech/

Link: https://www.cnet.com/news/bring-the-gym-home-with-this-smart-fitness-tech/

I have never encountered a language barrier myself, but I know there are millions of people that have. Being American and speaking English allows me to communicate very easily pretty much anywhere I go in the United States and perhaps outside the country one day. For those who travel from country to country and experience language barriers, fear no more. Last Tuesday, on January 8, 2019, Google released their “Google Assistant”. This new Google product is a translator. This product was first shown at the check in desk at Caesars Palace for CES. When people check in to the hotel and do not speak English (or the primary language), they are able to effectively communicate with the employees. To do so, people speak into the tablet in their native language which then is translated for the employees. This allows a smooth check in process and a more seamless way to help languages be interpreted.

After reading this article, I was impressed by this product. I was so impressed because I thought of many different ways this product could be used in life. For example, at hotel check in desks like the article wrote about, but also at schools, bus/train stations, airports, hospitals, malls, etc. that would allow people to feel more comfortable in different settings with different primary languages. Google Assistant allows people to travel easier and worry less about barriers.

Google Assistant definitely has a place in the world. With more and more jobs being international, I think this product is going to skyrocket. I hope that people are able to purchase their own versions one day so they can have it with them at all times while traveling instead of it being stationed only at specific spots. This comes with the idea that one day the creator’s hope to incorporate Google Assistant into smartphones.

Another aspect of this product to think about is the comparison to the famous, Amazon Alexa. While the Amazon Alexa is great, it is harder to carry around while the Google Assistant is built more like a tablet and eventually could be in smartphones. I am curious as to what the price difference in these two products would be and how that would impact their sales. This product also serves as a great tool for those who wanting to learn a new language in a different, more technological savvy way. While I loved learning about this project, I hope that it doesn’t become something people rely on too heavily because in the end it is important to learn, connect, experience things face-to-face and hands on.

Source Link: https://www.cnet.com/news/google-assistant-aims-to-get-people-talking-with-new-interpreter-mode/

Formal Citation (APA Style):

Nieva, R. (2019, January 8). Google Assistant adds interpreter mode as war with

Amazon Alexa heats up. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from CNET: Commander

Naval Education and Training website: https://www.cnet.com/news/

google-assistant-aims-to-get-people-talking-with-new-interpreter-mode/

*Image is from the same source*

Twitter, one the main social media platforms millions of people use every day is now being shut down in China. Throughout the country, officials are forcing citizens to delete tweets and are banning the use of the app. These consequences come from the fact that there is an increase in censorship and need for Internet regulations in China. Those who do not follow these rules are being punished through jail time, threats, and cross-questioning sessions.

After reading this article, I was shocked and upset for those who live in China. I think it is crazy how people are being punished for simply tweeting. It takes away from their want to have a freedom of speech and be passionate about worldly causes, while having the app as a source of entertainment. I feel as though the Chinese government is taking too far of a step by hurting those who do use Twitter. One thing that sparked my attention after reading this was also the cost the government endures from doing this? Is it expensive to ban these sites and have such high censorship? I am wondering if it is truly worth China do be doing this.

While social media can impose harm, it is not right to take it away from millions of people who use it as a resource in one country. Policing what people are posting online can be seen as an invasion of privacy. A small amount of people are still able to see tweets in China by using another service to get around what the Chinese government has blocked. While this is dangerous, I find it interesting that some people are taking strides to be able to use the app. Government censorship is clearly an issue that is still being figured out in China, but what is not okay is the punishment and torture of those who simply do tweet, which is causing no harm to others around them.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/business/china-twitter-censorship-online.html

Formal Citation (APA Style):

Mozur, P. (2019, January 10). Twitter Users in China Face Detention and Threats

in New Beijing Crackdown. Retrieved January 11, 2019, from New York Times

website: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/business/

china-twitter-censorship-online.html

As individuals growing up in a more advanced technological age, we have seen almost everything be developed. From smartphones (big and small), lightweight laptops, amazing iPads, screens, AirPods, and more, people never know what’s coming next. This fall, Facebook took its next step after having quite a year. They introduced Portal and Portal +, which are two different sized smart home devices. These devices have larger screens than most and serve a main purpose to make video chatting, what we now call FaceTime, easier and more extreme.

When I first saw a commercial for this product over winter break, I was stunned by it, but not in a good way. I was confused as to why Facebook would take such a chance on making these when almost everyone has an iPhone which includes FaceTime. Similarly, Amazon Echo has a very alike product. Why would people spend more money on something when they already have it at their fingertips or already in their homes? After repeatedly seeing commercials and reading this article, my attitudes about these new products shifted. I think that in the next few years or so, this product will be one a lot of people will have in their houses. The ability to have six users on a call, the wide screen view which makes the video chatting super easy/clear to see, and home assistant qualities, I feel that this product is going to spike soon. Especially for the older generation who will just have to put this on their kitchen counter to video chat with their grandkids. It’s bigger, easier and seems to be more fun than other video chatting products/websites. One possible negative aspect though could be the idea of face recognition and possible identities being stolen that could scare off potential buyers. This is definitely something else to think about. 

Although there may be many different views on the Portal and Portal +, I think Facebook’s decision to develop this product was one of risk, but soon to be reward. Many people might be hesitant to purchase this product after Facebook got caught for collecting and selling people’s personal information/data. Portal and Portal + (which is just a bigger version) can help people with reminders, important dates, and even the daily weather. Many of us know that the data from our smart devices are being tracked and companies have personal information, but that doesn’t stop us from buying these products, does it? I think this product is exciting and going to put Facebook in another light, one of which many may have not seen coming.

Source: http://time.com/5457425/facebook-portal-review/

Austin, P. L. (2018, November 16). Review: Facebook’s Amazon Echo Rival Is Nice,

    But Not Worth the Paranoia. Retrieved January 10, 2019, from Time.com

    website: http://time.com/5457425/facebook-portal-review/

*Image is from the same article.*