This past Tuesday, the world watched, salivating, as Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the newest version of what will surely become the trendiest, most popular device around the globe. Within weeks, the iPhone 6 will undoubtedly make its way into the hands of people who will extol its shiny, curved, innovative new features.
Among the new features being released with the latest iPhone, and available on iOS 8, is the ability to “write entire sentences with a few taps.” The Apple website goes on to claim that “typing as you know it might soon be a thing of the past.”
Predictive typing, which has been a feature on competitor’s phones for a long time, is just one of the many ways in which new technology promises to erase the drudgery of everyday chores, such as tapping a screen multiple times or talking to people face to face.
One of the most innovative devices set to hit the market within the next year is Jibo, advertised on its website as “the world’s first family robot.” A promotional video shows Jibo automatically turning on the lights when its user walks in the door after a long day of work. “Welcome home, Eric,” Jibo welcomes him. A quick “can you order some takeout for me?” elicits an automatic order for Eric’s favorite Chinese food meal. “You know me so well,” Eric compliments Jibo.
And Jibo does indeed know Eric well. After all, the robot has been storing Eric’s personal information inside of his 11-inch frame for the entirety of the pair’s relationship. Jibo knows the face of not only Eric, but his closest friends and family, as well. Jibo knows their preferences, too, making him truly a robot the whole family can love.
These innovations, such as personal assistant robots and predictive text, are sold to the public as time-savers, ways to create extra time to spend with those who are closest to you. But what happens when technology takes over that time, too?
Another feature that Jibo boasts is the ability to read a bedtime story to young kids, complete with animations flashing across his screen (which also doubles as a face, camera, and message board).
If Jibo truly clears up time for you to be able to spend with the ones you love, why is one of his features the ability to bond with your children?
As technology becomes more ubiquitous, it’s worth considering the effects of outsourcing every human task, from typing a sentence to spending time with family, to screens and hard drives.