Future Technology

Today, I got a tour of the home of the future at Microsoft, through the IGNITE program.

I really enjoyed the tour, and was enthralled by all of the technology. I did sign a non-disclosure agreement, so I don't know what I can and can't say. But you can find some information here, here, here, and here. The ideas definitely have a 'wow' factor, and I was imprsessed by my tur gide's answer to my question of how much of the technology in the home was actually technology be implemented and how much was a simulation.

"About 50/50." He said. Wow. That's actually a heck of a lot.

but once you get past the flashy stuff, you see that there is a true lack of innovation or new ideas, just taking our current technology further. There was nothing that actually started the wheels turning. It's just a sci-fi thing, really. Yeah, with a little work we could do x and y and z. They are definitely within the reach of our technology. But they aren't really necessary. I'd rather invent n, a radical new way of doing things that would stretch the limits and change our everyday lives.

But that was all my reaction. I was incredibly surprised by reactions from my classmates, other high school girls. They were a bit creeped out by the way that you were always surrounded by technology, just a spoken word could do anything.

"I think there'd be a point that I'd just want to, like, turn it off." I remember a girl saying.
"I don't want to be totally available and traceable. Teens need to be able to break the rules, sneak away, to teach them consequences." Another said.
"We need to learn to think for ourselves, to get up and walk around and do stuff. If technology does everything for us, we'll be in trouble." Was another reaction.

I think I understand them. I can especially understand the third. We still have to remember our good old-fashioned values (I feel OLD writing this). We can't lose ethics and skills like work, responsibility, organization, and thinking. It'll destroy us as people. I could see a future where 90% of the world lounges around on a couch and watches the additional 10% do stuff as entertainment. I can see a world where it is the exception to the rule to think. And I don't like that world.

...and that's the world that's being portrayed in the home of the future. So please, take note. As we all saw in 2001, we're in trouble when technology gets too smart.