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Technology’s Next Horizon is in the Desert
The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show has once again provided the world with plenty of technological goodies to flash in front of the public’s intrigued eyes. One of the most buzzed about prototypes is a television set that can gently bend toward the viewer.
Bigger question: How far behind is the smart phone/tablet that can gently bend?
Unfortunately, that question will remain frozen in the desert on a CES stage like famed Transformers director Michael Bay.
Sometimes, the mind fills with every thought except the one you need.
Anyways…There always seems to be a laundry list of impressive gadgets at the CES that demonstrate superb advancements in the arena of consumer technology. However, in what year will the public be treated to a lifestyle breakthrough. Perhaps this vision can only be seen by someone like the late Steve Jobs, but where is the iHome? Forget curved televisions for a moment and imagine an entire wall or walls that functions as a television, hanging art or a myriad of other things. When will light switches be turned on and off like the on/off swipe of an iPhone or iPad?
These may not garner the flashiest headlines, but it seems like they could be part of the most practical series of market-ready products for consumers. These types of conveniences may cast the widest net in terms of real, immediate and affordable demand. There were some similar products to this made by LG for appliances, according to “2014 CES: Must-see gadgets of the trade show” by Andrea Domanick of the Las Vegas Sun.
But will these types of products soon extend beyond basic appliances and to the structure/DNA of a home? In 2015, will consumers see another technological breakthrough for eyes only or will they experience a technological breakthrough meant for touching?
Either way, HGTV may need to soon hire its own Geek Squad for its home shows…
What’s Colder Than Bone Chilling?
2. -4. -20.
Bottom line: It is crazy cold outside!
Interestingly, the temperature readings sync perfectly with the approval rating for such cold weather.
Living in the Midwest typically does not conjure up thoughts of Antarctic-caliber winds, negative temperatures (with and without wind chill readings) or cell chilling cold (it’s beyond bone chilling at this point). Even though it’s the Winter season, there’s usually a limit (or floor, actually) to how cold the weather will drop to on any given day. It can be freezing, but tolerable. Or, to put it another way, it can be livable. Life goes on, just with an extra scarf or sweater. There are infinite examples of frigid days and/or seasons in the Midwest, but having to scrape ice from the outside and inside of one’s car just to achieve minimal driving visibility is new, frustrating territory.
Not cool.
Thankfully, this portal into the lifestyle of the paralyzingly cold and miserable is temporary and limited to only a couple days. However, it does provoke a curiosity about the limits of what’s possible. As unbearable as this recent trip through Mother Nature’s anomalous and unforgiving cold spell has been, it makes you think, for a split second anyways, if there is anything to explore extensively or more extensively in the many environments and locations that support this degree of cold weather for long periods of time.
Is there something spectacular and life-altering to explore in below zero terrains that we have yet to even contemplate? Is there any technology that can be developed to somehow capture this ever present cold weather/wind for a personal or societal advantage?
Strangely enough, the beginning of the movie Gravity comes to mind. There is a description on the screen about how literally unlivable Space is without special equipment for humans. And without extraordinary achievements and understanding of scientific principles and technology, protective gear and necessary rope connections, humans would never have the means to explore Space beyond a nightly gaze at an infinite array of stars. But it all has to start with a crazy idea. Incredibly, it’s actually surprisingly difficult to imagine a world where we aren’t actively in Space for various missions.
Unbelievable only until it happens. And from that point on, the sky is literally the limit.
Unfortunately for most everybody, this spirit of inquisitiveness lasts as long as our body heat after walking outside in -7 (or -20 with wind chill) degree weather. One day though, someone daringly insane will show us all what we have been missing all these Winters. There may even be a discovery that could transform how humans act and interact with Mother Nature during the coldest of days and months.
For now, I’m content with my life decision to not live my life as an Eskimo.
However, hopefully someone will be creative enough to see a seemingly impossible vision through the transparent, bone chilling cold.
If so, we would live in a crazy cold world indeed.
The Infinite Possibilities of the Unknown
Two things:
First, Matthew McConaughey has officially transitioned from a charming romantic comedy staple to a character actor that explores deep, complex and sometimes morally conflicting terrain and alleyways. To clarify, his transition is not necessarily permanent and is somewhat representative of a Game Show portfolio. He can pick Door #1 (serious), Door #2 (comedy) or Door #3 (sports/drama).
It’s not a bad hallway to walk through each day as an actor. However, it’s not yet clear which door he’s built or walked into with his most recent adventure with a relatively unknown, independent British filmmaker…
Some of his roles recently (Mud, Dallas Buyer’s Club, The Wolf of Wall Street) surely have taken McConaughey into new levels of the unknown. The same likely goes for some of his longtime fans. Will these more serious character portrayals shine a new light on a before darkened corner in the actor’s study to reveal a gold envelope containing a decorated card stock with his name written on it?
Time will tell…
Speaking of time, the second note today involves the recent release of a trailer for director Christopher Nolan’s latest mind-bender: Interstellar. From Memento (psychological) to Inception (dreaming) to The Dark Knight trilogy (pain, fear, chaos, belief), Nolan and Co. (& Syncopy of course) has now entered the world of science fiction with Interstellar.
Here is the first glimpse:
The question isn’t whether or not Matthew McConaughey can successfully propel himself into a new horizon in the stars that leads him to an Oscar, but rather if Christopher Nolan will have a good reason to invite him on another crazy road trip in the future, as the director tends to do with a select group of actors and actresses.
The better question today is will you take the ultimate journey to explore the unknown with McConaughey one year from now?
Handing Over the Keys
The new iPhone 5S features a futuristic entryway: a fingerprint scanner.
Apple has now successfully enabled us to rest our minds from remembering and typing one more password to access our phone or to make a purchase. Instead, all we need is ourselves and our trusty finger to press on the Home button on our phone. Just like that, everything is accessible. Surely it makes perfect sense since every single person’s fingerprint is different. In essence, it’s the perfect password.
It should be noted that Apple did not invent the fingerprint scanner, but this latest adaptation by the technology giant seems to be the best version for consumer purchase.
Initially, this technology seems like it could be the first spark of a fire for an infinite range of technologies to be invented/adapted in the future. For instance, just add “smart” to any device, car (not those), entertainment product, light switch, etc. Imagine the safety of owning an electric fireplace that is only operational by scanning the parent’s fingerprints…
The benefits seem clear, purposeful and cool.
And yet, it does feel a bit too personal. Our fingerprint is ideally unique. Our fingerprint is one of the undeniable differences we maintain against everybody else we come into contact with in our lives.
My fingerprint belongs to me and only me.
With this recent innovation, Apple is continuing the short-term and long-term discussion in society that is constantly dancing on the delicate line between cool convenience and privacy. After the recent revelations about the NSA, there should certainly be serious concern over the potential and/or likelihood of our fingerprints being turned over to security officials for who knows why. This skepticism is absolutely warranted (the last word seemed appropriate).
Is the fingerprint scanner a good idea?
It’s ultimately an issue of trust.
On the one hand, it’s an intriguingly cool technology seemingly built for the future. On the other hand, it also conjures up gentle thoughts of a world from the past…like around 1984.
Will you scan yourself?
Jimmy's Daily Planet 