If only technology were true to its promise

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New technological know-how usually disappoints, but that does not signify it isn’t great. My initially come upon with a technological innovation was in 1964 when I was supplied the coveted Tressy doll for Xmas.

I was not fond of dolls and rarely played with them, but the Tressy was unique since she came with a essential you could adhere in her again. Turn it and her hair would mature or shrink.

I was fully awed by the adverts for Tressy, so when I opened my current and found a actual Tressy, I was in raptures.

The initial time I performed with the doll, having said that, the keyhole on her again broke, and her hair refused to retreat into her plastic scalp. I was crushed.

Donna Marmorstein

Donna Marmorstein

I’ve been skeptical about innovation ever given that, but I however relish the thoughts behind just about every new creation.

When the Alexa smart speaker was advertised, I was surprised at what it was intended to do. It could give you time and temperature retain a shopping checklist, glance up anything on Wikipedia, set timers and alarms, increase situations to your calendar, perform music and deliver voice messages.

It does most of people points some of the time.

Much more and a lot more frequently, although, it mishears or ignores me completely. When Alexa was new, the ads claimed it was designed to improve itself more than time. Alternatively, it seems to worsen.

Usually, Alexa gives off-the-wall responses to my requests. If I notify it to enjoy a Fargo radio information station, it may participate in a region station in Texas, or an alternate tunes station in Philadelphia. It might incorporate odd items to my searching list or my calendar. Alternatively of “appointment with Dr. Kaiser” it could say “appointment with lock your eye serve.”

GPS technologies also disappoints. The moment, we went a very brief length from an airport to a wedding day location. We need to have checked an possibility for most electrical power successful alternatively of the most direct route, so the GPS took us in a slower — but in some way more ecological — mode of journey.

One more time, I inadvertently applied pedestrian instead than automobile mode, and I was routed in a pretty unusual way. These are human error troubles, not engineering problems per se, but they took place so conveniently that I nonetheless blame technological know-how.

Not too long ago, our refrigerator died, and we bought a new “smart” fridge. I was wowed by a lot of new options.

This refrigerator has a digicam inside of so you can see what is in it without the need of opening the door. Supposedly.

Also, you can look at your refrigerator’s contents from your cellular phone so that if you are at Ken’s or Kessler’s and just cannot don’t forget if you still have ketchup, you can use an application and see.

Unfortunately, the camera only reveals what’s right in front of it. You just can’t see what’s in base drawers or the doors. It’s nonetheless amazing, but not very as awesome as it can make out to be.

The refrigerator has a monitor on the doorway, so you can surf the web although deciding what to make for meal. You can hook up your fridge to your wise Television, if you want.

My son says, “Great. Now you can view the inside of your fridge from the comfort of your dwelling home.”

When you see your fridge contents, labels on merchandise surface and make a checklist. This is helpful since it arranges things by expiration day. However, it invariably mislabels merchandise. My yogurt is labeled “beer.” My salsa was termed “cookies.” Pickles have been a sports activities drink.

The guarantee of technologies is normally brighter than the truth, but the fact is at minimum a resource of amusement.

Donna Marmorstein lives and writes in Aberdeen. E-mail [email protected].

This short article initially appeared on Aberdeen News: Soliloquy column If only technology were being correct to its promise

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