[CS/November 13, 2023, Stone News Network]
Admit it, you've thought about a black-Friday Smart Watch but likely backed down when you saw the $700 price tag. And even though Apple leads the smartwatch ecosphere, many competitors such as Garmin, and Google, have their own brands & setups.
"You have to realize the technology and software is designed to be addictive." I once said to a co-worker when trying on his apple watch. He ignored me. That watch would eventually land in the pocket, washed, and utterly destroyed a few years later.
Compared to my G-shock, this watch was heavy and felt really fragile. It was a simple design with a cheap plastic strap.
Manufacturers have placed so many monitors on these watches since their inception almost 20 years ago: Heart rate monitors, walking/pace meters, altimeter, temperature, compass, etc.
I once purchased a 'smart watch' about 5 years ago. It was far simpler and only had a tiny band where a message would show if you received an e-mail or text. It also vibrated your wrist. After wearing this item for a few months I found I was having phantom vibrations. It was called a 'Martian Watch'. It didn't last long. The bezel broke when I accidentally hit it against the wall. I ended up throwing it out a few months later.
Applications on the watches today are made to be addictive: Both in tone, vibration, and notifications. It's about an insidious as a Tinder notification: You hear the bell, your hopes rise up - is she beautiful? But no.
You look at the profile and it's someone from a country 10,000 miles away. Smart Watches are like that. The lie of convenience comes with the heavy cost of addiction.
Don't believe me? Try leaving your house without your smartphone tomorrow. It's impossible. I know - because with 2 Factor authentication, you absolutely NEED a device nearby.
These devices used to be status symbols until China made so many of these little devices, that they're available for everyone. Everything you see comes at a cost: Your attention span.
While walking through an airport recently, I noticed that almost everyone had their eyes glued to a smart phone. Rewind 20 years and this was fairly uncommon. Go back 40 years and it never happened. People used newspapers and magazines to keep themselves occupied. No more.
With technology's advances come significant problems with reliance on it. We become more and more embedded with smart devices and personal artificial intelligence assistance.
The mere thought of having a computer ask me for my thoughts sets me off. This is over-reach on a scale never seen before.
Weaning off technology can be hard to do. It takes dedication and willpower.
And not many people are able to cut it out of their lives.
Due to necessity.
Comments
Post a Comment