#hands-freecomputing

[digimediadomain-blog]

hands-free computing

  Tech geeks, like me (yeah, you know who you are....those of you, like me, who consider reading Best Buy's flyers religiously, or nearly salivating over what's new in the consumer tech market, a pastime...LOL), have been abuzz with excited chat over the release of Google Glass. 

This device could literally revolutionize mobile computing and bring it to a whole new level many of us thought would remain a mere fantasy, or a creation set for generations from now: Hands-free computing!

Apparently, it ain't so far away.

Google has already released beta testers of the device. So far reviews have been pretty good.

It's been said to allow you to browse websites, like Gmail, hands-free, because it's voice command operated! How amazing is that! It's like pseudo-Star Trek tech come to life! I'm so excited for this.

It also supposedly allows users to activate a button on the right side of its frame to enable discrete photo and video capture capabilities. 

Needless to say, as can be expected, it hit a snag on account of concerns for privacy, in particular with its video and photo capturing abilities.

Some are concerned the discreteness of these functions might encourage some people to take unauthorized, violative photos of friends, family, and children.

It's become so acute that there's a White House petition circulating to have the glasses banned in the U.S., until the government passes specific regulations tailored to addressing the glasses' privacy and security concerns.

Even some businesses, like Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, have decided to ban the use of the device on their premises.

Chris Nerney of Cite World, the main info source for this post, states that the glasses will inevitably be banned in other businesses, like Victoria's Secret.

He believes it's possible for a man to come waltzing in wearing them, with the possible intent to take discrete, unauthorized photos or video of women getting bra fitted, changing, or trying on lingerie, for his own perverse enjoyment. 

The thought of this possibility is a fair prediction, and makes me shudder with disgust at the possibility that some may use this fantastic technology for negative and exploitative reasons. 

The technology has not been released commercially to the public yet, so it remains to be seen how this new tech trend will shape human behaviour.

Hopefully, Google will collaborate will governments soon to find ways to regulate this technology before it is released, to help avoid the propensity for this technology to be taken advantage of. 

Tech innovation is important, but so are laws that keep them in check. I'd hate to see Google (and governments) fail us on that front.

            Sources:

"Privacy Concerns Prompt Google Glass Bans, White House Petition" - Cite World

"Google Glass @ 1776dc 23296" © 2013 Ted Eytan, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.