On the current UPStop, I'm taking a break from looking at the coolest and most creative videos on the web to looking at another trend that people should be
cognizant of. I have always been drawn to and marvel at new technology that has been developed during the duration of my lifetime. Perhaps that's why I was born to live in this new millennium rather than learning the best way to milk a cow (I'm not undermining milking a cow). But very recently, I feel that we've been entering a new era of technological advances for the consumer. Surely you've seen it. I mean, c'mon. Here are just a few technological advances that I've witnessed in the past few months that convinces me we're exiting the Digital Age and we're entering the Jetsons Age.
Siri
So hopefully if you're reading an article about technology, surely you've heard of Siri. Siri is the new voice recognition software on the just released iPhone 4S. As Apple terms this new software as still in the beta stage, it seems impressive what Siri is capable of. As you speak, it takes in information from your voice and then is able to then perform an action with that information. Say you're on a stay-cation in Valparaiso (as one of our employees are this next week) and you're in the mood for some authentic Mexican food. Just ask Siri, "What are some authentic Mexican restaurants that I can go to in Valparaiso?" And it will do a search and come up with a list of restaurants. Siri even has a personality of sorts. Ask Siri if it has a joke, and it might just come up with a witty answer. If anyone else is reminded of the Shia LaBeouf film that was released a few years ago, Eagle Eye, you're not alone. Although the software does occasionally go screwy, voice recognition software is now brought to the population at large, and it seems to have improved from my dad's old Windows voice recognition software that he purchased and used once and didn't use again. Here's the latest Apple commercial highlighting the female A.I. in their new phones.
Nissan Leaf
You might be saying, "If it's the age of the Jetsons, where's the flying cars?" Well, it's getting there. The Nissan Leaf is the first, all-electric car that has no emissions whatsoever. You simply plug your car into a 240-volt charger, which you'll have to purchase separately, overnight and take it for a spin around town or to and from work. The range of this revolutionary vehicle is 100 miles, more or less considering your driving style, topography, etc. Early adopters who have taken the risk on this new piece of technology have responded with positive feedback. They've commented and said that it's surprisingly got some get up and go. One owner from Texas of all places mentioned that it has more rapid acceleration than his Lexus. That's a claim. Also, heating and cooling aren't downgraded either but can seriously give you a real cool or warm blast of air. Oh, did I mention that you can pre-program it to start 10 minutes before you leave for work in order to warm up your car? I love that feature. Is this the beginning of the future? In 20 years, will most cars be running solely on electricity? Here's a commercial that gives you a humorous look at how electric cars could be the future.
Coca-Cola Freestyle
As groundbreaking as pop (as Midwesterners like to call it) can be, Coca-Cola has taken a step forward in the distribution of their age-old product. Introducing Coca-Cola Freestyle. These awesome machines can give you over 100 choices of drink straight from one spout. Try Vanilla Coke, Orange Coke, Raspberry Coke, Sprite with Orange, Powerade Cherry, Dasani with Lemon. You name it and they probably have it. They also have a bunch of drinks with zero calories for those who like to watch those. The machine not only helps consumers, but it helps managing the machine easy as ever. When a particular flavor is running low, the machine automatically places a shipment order to make sure that the party don't stop. I highly doubt consuming pop can get any more futuristic than this. Here's a video to prove it. (Ok, maybe the video doesn't prove anything but the breakdancers are fun to watch.)
As so many have said before in referring to future technological changes, only time will tell. So many before have said that common electrical appliances that we use today would never take off. Flying cars? Holographic wrist watches? Time machines? As Justin Bieber likes to say, never say never.