Technology Update

Technology is changing so fast in our lives that sometimes it’s necessary for an update: a few tidbits that don’t make a whole story but that change our lives in small ways. Sometimes good, sometimes not.

In the news last week an actress married to Canadian pianist and composer David Foster confessed to a serious version of losing your device. Her toddler son who had an ipad – what 2-year-old needs an ipad? – was using it too much. So she did what any distracted mother would do: she hid it in the oven. Then Thanksgiving dinner came along, and you probably guessed the ending already. A metallic-tasting turley.

Our grandson Ben, who is 7 and loves gadgets, got caught by technology recently. On the way to a baseball game with his parents one Saturday, he dropped into a STEM camp and built something electric. You’d have to ask him for a complete explanation, but it had wires and batteries and he was proud of his creation. But, at the entrance to the basebal game, it set off an alarm – not just a tiny beep but an alarm so loud that the security team came running to investigate. They were preparing to call the Bomb Squad when they came upon tiny Ben, who proudly took his little creation out of his backpack to show them. After playing with his gadget, they decided he did not have to go to jail.

Thursday night, on a long walk with Agnes, I had a sudden urge to find a washroom. Dear Agnes, who is pretty savvy about everything, said “Oh Nana, I know where to find one.” Just ahead was a silver shed. I put a quarter into the slot. The doors slid open, music began to serenade me, and a soothing voice whispered, “Welcome!” The door locked behind me and I was treated to a comfy seat which was automatically flushed and sprayed with cleaner after each use. The sink provided water, soap, and towels electronically. With a push of a button, the doors slid open and the voice said “Thank you for visiting.”

If you are not impressed so far, because you would NEVER put an ipad in the oven, you don’t have any tecchie grandkids, and you NEVER intend to visit a public washroom, then here is another option: next time you are waiting for a while in a doctor’s office, take out your phone and browse through the menu. You can do Anything on your phone. Try it: use the flashlight to look inside your purse or man-bag for your next pill, play games to keep your brain from atrophying, check your rising blood pressure, create a music video to entertain the other patients, and, if you wait long enough, write your autobiography.

And the grand finale? Let me introduce Elli*Q. She (or maybe they) is a robot companion for people who are sometimes lonely. She can help with verbal reminders about appointments, financial advice, kids’ birthdays and news updates. Ths amazing non-human can also share conversations, jokes and holiday celebrations. She is known to “provide peace of mind and empathy in a relationship that grows through time.” She could become your best friend! Although there is no mention of her cooking a turkey.

Sue