Technology is a very interesting thing, and since a very young age it’s an aspect I’ve paid close attention to. Shocking, I know. A nerd who’s interested in the latest and greatest tech on the market is just a mind-blowing revelation. As such, and seeinga s my current life and work here on Cinelinx revolves around being a nerd professionally, it’s important for me to keep up with these things even now. Basically, I have a great excuse to try out the newest gadgets…
Today’s comic comes from my own silly thoughts on the matter of new technology and the advent of the “smart home”. With each new piece of technology I bring into the house to do something new (or in a different way than gadgets I already have), I wonder if there’s some inherent jealousy amongst them. I know, it’s an odd thought considering they are still, technically, inanimate objects. But such are the ideas that run through my head.
My most recent gadget came courtesy of Amazon, with their new Echo device. You can check out my full review, but suffice it to say, I’m digging it. The issue, however, and something my girlfriend initially brought up, is that it doesn’t do much different than Siri on our smartphones. It’s a similar mechanic, but incorporates the household rather than your pockets. With both of them filling such similar roles, this got me to thinking about competition among our own devices and what they must be like.
Let’s face it, the race towards having homes smarter than the people who occupy them is coming closer and closer. You can update your lights, swtiches, and plug-ins to be “smart” and controllable through a number of devices. There are smart kitchen appliances that can virtually operate on their own, and of course these new devices like the Echo which can CONTROL all of those other things, while feeding us news and information on the spot. Frankly, while I think it’s cool from a “neato” standpoint, it also kind of scares the crap out of me.
As devices become even smarter, and continues to improve (as they have every year), how long will it be before our gadgets have the ability to recognize a new appliance as a potential rival to their own relevance? Maybe I’m just crazy and veering off into strange Terminator territory. To be fair, however, even a decade ago the technology we have now was considered science fiction.
Moving beyond the esoteric, Cinelinx is doing pretty awesome. If you missed it last night, we announced that our card game will be officially featured at PAX Prime this year at the Indie Mega Booth, and we couldn’t be happier. We have some other great things coming up for that game…and a few secrets I’m not at liberty to share right now. In terms of Focal Point, I’ve managed to stay on track! I’m just as surprised. If you missed the last strip, make sure you check it out, and of course, be sure to hit up the Etsy Store where you can buy some cool prints.
Before I leave off, what’s the smartest device you have in your possession/house?
-Jordan
