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Tensions simmer over wearable tech 0

You spot a person in a restaurant or market wearing Google Glass, the wearable technology that’s hard not to take notice of. Does it leave you impressed? Or offended by this apparent intrusion of mobile technology in your space?

As interest grows in the potential for the device that mounts a computer and camera on a wearer’s face, so is the debate over its acceptance in public, and whether by its presence an apparent boundary of privacy is breached.


Tensions over Google Glass flared recently when a San Francisco social media consultant said she was attacked for wearing the device at a local bar. Sarah Slocum said she was “verbally and physically assaulted” by patrons for using the device, and that one of them yanked the device from her face. Slocum said she was also robbed of other belongings when she pursued her alleged attackers.

San Francisco police believe it is the first incident of outright violence in the city over Google Glass. There have been other reports of friction regarding the device.

We posted one recently about a movie patron who was questioned by federal Homeland Security agents for wearing his Google Glass device inside a Columbus, Ohio, theater. The man was able to convince the agents that he was not using the device to record the film for bootleg sale.

In San Diego, a woman was ticketed last year for wearing Google Glass behind the wheel. The case was dismissed when it could not be proven that the device was activated while she was driving.

Several states appear to be considering legislation regulating the use of Google Glass by drivers.

Google Glass remains in the testing stage – it is available to “Explorers” who act as ambassadors for the device – and is not yet available to the general public.

For its part, the company released a list of dos and don’ts for its Explorer community to follow, like don’t “Wear it and expect to be ignored.”

But as companies invest heavily in wearable consumer technology, from fitness bands and health diagnostic devices to wrist devices that can tell time as well as take and download images, there will be inevitable run-ins between those embracing this technology and others who prefer to keep it at arms’ length.

The viewing habits of millennials 0

Millennials are voracious viewers of video. They’re just not watching videos on TV.

Mobile ContentThe video advertising technology company YuMe tracked the media viewing habits of millennials, defined as the 18-to-34 demographic. This is an age group that makes prolific and sustained use of smartphones and tablets; 18 percent of all millennials were mobile-only users in November 2013.

The study reveals that millennials watch more video content than their predecessors from Generation X and the much older baby boomers. Those movies, TV shows, user generated and sponsored videos, however, are being viewed on devices other than the flat-screen television set.

Smartphones are the most popular device for millennials to view video in most places, though tablets are more popular at home and while on vacation, YuMe’s study finds. Among those who watch, 13 percent say they watch video content at work or while shopping. Another 9 percent say they do while commuting to work or visiting someone’s home.

Also, 94 percent of millennials multitask (and are likely distracted) while viewing content.

YuMe’s downloadable research report is here.

 

 

Apps to make your Valentine’s Day special 0

Just a couple of shopping days left until Valentine’s Day. You didn’t forget, did you?

So, what’s the plan for your beloved? Chocolates. A dozen long-stemmed roses (at a substantial markup). Or maybe one of those big stuffed animals from the convenience store with the corny “Be Mine” stitched in its chest.

How about a virtual card? Or poetry?

There are a number of apps out there for your iPhone or Android smartphone that can help make the occasion special, even unique, for you and your significant other. Here are a few that come to mind:

Flowers

Flowers.com, ProFlowers.com and FTD come to mind first, but there’s also The Bouqs. The online floral delivery startup launched a new app that allows customers to send flowers directly from their smartphone or tablet. The app runs on iOS and Android platforms, and provides “two click” sending of its farm-direct flowers to anyone you want.

Virtual Valentine’s card
valday2You can spend five bucks on a store card that rhymes. Or, you can download the Love Pic Booth app for Instagram and show an image of how you really feel. This camera photo app for iPhone and iPad lets you take photos, add frames, and create a romantic or poetic image for the background.

Romantic dinner

valday4Many restaurants are usually booked in advance for Valentine’s Day. Turn to iOs and Android apps like Open Table, NoWait and Zagat to Go ($9.99) to book a cozy restaurant for a romantic dinner for two.

Poetry
Nothing says romance like a few spoken, or tweeted, words of verse. There’s an app for that, too. “Love Quotes!” is an iTunes app of famous, beautiful and inspirational love quotes and sayings by famous authors.

Music
Valentine Radio is a downloadable app for iOs and Android devices. It’s easy listening mood music from a selection of 40 radio stations that you and your significant other will surely like.

 

 

The possibilities of Google Glass 0

So, you have Google Glass eyewear, probably equipped with prescription lenses. What do you do with it?

The wearable mobile technology has many practical uses, giving the owner the ability to record and share memories from their point of view, or accessing and uploading online information hands free. CNET’s Donald Bell has a few suggestions of his own here:

We see a few more possibilities for Google Glass:

At school: Teachers see huge potential in the classroom, from applications that allow students to take virtual field trips to the ability to document lab work from the student’s perspective. The availability of the devices to students may be limited, however.

In public safety: The New York Police Department is testing the devices as a crime fighting tool, allowing officers to instantly see a suspect’s arrest record, mugshot and other key information. They could also provide a record of an investigation from the officer’s point of view. An app under development could soon help firefighters by providing maps and floor plans of unfamiliar buildings, or diagrams for when firefighters need to safely remove civilians.

In medicine: Imagine a physician accessing your medical records, diagnostic information and potential treatment options without turning away from the patient. Google Glass could also become an essential resource in the operating room, allowing surgeons to transmit live video of the surgery, communicate with others and interact online using only voice commands.

Your hotel room key: There’s an app for that coming 0

The coded plastic key, which replaced metal keys in hotels years ago, could soon be a thing of the past as well.

The Starwood lodging chain is trying out a new lock system in a couple of its hotels that connects via Bluetooth to an iPhone or Android app, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Guests at these properties would receive a message on a Starwood app containing the virtual key, which would unlock the door with a tap or twist of their phone.

Stamford, Conn.-based Starwood is hoping to introduce the virtual key at all its luxury W Hotels and Aloft hotels, which today represents 123 properties.

The benefits are substantial but not without risks, especially when it comes to hackers.

One way to ensure security for guests is to make the app downloadable only while on the premises, mobile security expert Chetan Sharma tells NBC News Digital.

So be prepared, business or vacation traveler, for the latest innovation to your mobile life. You can check it out here.

Just don’t say “Open, sesame.”

 

 

Charge it up: Power Tower, McDonald’s team up in NYC 0

Those living the mobile life at the Super Bowl, you’re in luck.

Chicago-based tech company Power Tower is partnering with McDonald’s to provide free mobile device charging stations at five Manhattan locations in the days leading up to the big game. The Super Bowl is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., this year, and the New York metropolitan area is awash in football festivities.

The charging locations will be only blocks away from the NFL-sponsored Super Bowl Boulevard Engineered by GMC. Ten blocks of Times Square and parts of Broadway will be closed off to offer fans the ultimate football experience.

Now, you’ll have the means to power up the smartphone to document all the fun.

Power Tower markets and manufactures state of the art power charging stations and kiosks compatible with nearly all mobile devices, including iPhones and Blackberry and Android devices. Each station has the ability to charge up to 18 devices at once.

Here’s the company talking about it.

The charging stations will be at the following McDonald’s restaurants from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1:

  • 341 5th Ave.
  • 490 8th Ave.
  • 556 7th Ave.
  • 220 West 42nd St.
  • 1560 Broadway