Authoritarian and Democratic Technics, revisited
“The viability of technology, like democracy, depends in the end on the practice of justice and on the enforcement of limits to power.” – Ursula Franklin I. Is technology a … Continue reading
The future looks expensive
When times are grim, and menacing clouds literally gather on the horizon, it can be immensely reassuring to have some event that restores faith in the future. All that is … Continue reading
Apple is all ears
Once upon a time, if somebody claimed that there were microphones installed in their home that were listening in on their every word they would be dismissed as a paranoid … Continue reading
Planned obsolescence comes for the headphone jack
Surprises are overrated. Well, probably not really, but such a shrugging sentiment seems warranted when it comes to the glitzy launch “events” held by tech companies. Lately, the things which … Continue reading
Apple Is Not the Messiah
There is a lot of money to be made in crafting carefully manicured public relations campaigns for major corporations. Numerous large firms exist solely for the purposes of selling their … Continue reading
Who Harvests the Apples?
If only they could do so, Apple would likely take out a patent on anticipation. For, credit where it is due, Apple is quite masterful at milking anticipation and putting … Continue reading
Yosemite as an OS? The Planet is the Operating System
With its picturesque cliffs, mountains, waterfalls, canyons, and wooded groves – Yosemite National Park is an iconic place. A preserved and protected enclave to which visitors can come to experience … Continue reading
Rotten to the Core
The new Apple product never falls too far from the technical tree; and the digital fruit that is picked from the orchard this season is rarely significantly different from the … Continue reading
What a Tragedy! The Appleonian Drama of Tim Cook and our Dionysian Distraction
There’s something theatrical about seeing fabulously wealthy CEOs pulled before a government panel and grilled about tax avoidance. Granted, the “grilling” is frequently more befitting a bunch of chums gathered … Continue reading
The Used Book Store in the Cloud (probably isn’t heaven)
Do you “own” any of the albums, books, or movies that you have downloaded? You hit the “buy” button, didn’t you? Your bank statement provides you with evidence that you … Continue reading
The Stasi Agent in Your Pocket
Begin overly simplistic plot summary: in the film The Lives of Others a playwright in East Berlin is monitored by Stasi agents (the Stasi were the secret police in the … Continue reading
7 Questions for New Technology (Part 1)
Our hands have become very full of late. I mean this in a very literal sense. When I ride the subway in the morning it seems that almost every person … Continue reading
An Obituary for the E-Reader
Do you remember MiniDiscs? If so, kudos to you. But if not, know that you are far from alone. For a brief moment in the 90s MiniDiscs seemed like they … Continue reading
“Why elites” don’t care if you “fear the robot.”
Are fears of robots being peddled to the delight of the “elite?” No. They are not. Okay, maybe. But let me rephrase this: “elites” trying to make people “fear the … Continue reading
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