0 
0 For those who don't know, I am a techno-phile. Facing new technology, I go all Ga-ga like a little child and point to my new newly wanted toy and go "Me WANNTSSSS", to like, no one in particular but me, since i have to buy my own toys now (damn you adulthood). So naturally I am very positive on new technology and gadgets, and am always finding excuses ways to buy new ones. All you need is find me a cool new feature, and I am sold. The Ultimate consumer in many ways. And one of the areas I am most affected about this is cell-phones. If I am to change cell-phones, I have to get me the newest, coolest, sexiest, most state of the art cell-phone. After all, it has to be worth adding all those numbers I have to the new one, otherwise my lazy ass won't do it. Anyway, this whole introduction was to drive in one major point to you: I LOVE TECHNOLOGY and almost never oppose it. However, there is this new feature in my new phone, that, well, is slightly freaking me out.
My new phone comes with the 2 G video conferencing technology, which means that the cell doesn't only come with one camera phone, but two: One for taking pictures of other things with, and the other to take a picture of your face when talking, in case you want to video-call someone. And it is that feature that concerns me the most. Remember how they used to say that camera Phones will end privacy as we know it? Well, those video-call phones are a harbinger of a different era: it will end lying on the phone as we know it.
This won't happen over-night of course, but the moment the technology starts coming out in newer models, more people will start the use it, which will create a demand for it, make it cheaper to make and easier to install in newer cheaper cell-phones aimed at the greater public's consumption (just like camera-phones. The cheapest phone now has one.). Eventually Video-calling will be the standard way to call people, and therin lies the problem: How will you lie to people over the phone anymore?
For example, when you want to skip work for the day, how are you to lie on the phone to your Boss or co-worker and claim to be sick, when one look at your face in the camera will reveal just how much you are faking it to them? Or, let's say that you are an egyptian girl and you have a curfew, and your parents call you to wonder where you are at and you are at some boy's house. Standard procedure is to go to the balcony, claim you are in a car getting home and there is traffic, while in fact you don't plan to leave for a few more minutes. Well, that procedure will end, cause they will be able to see that you are not in a car, and that you are in some apartment instead and its late at night, and , well, that your ass will be toast when you get home.
Hell, what if you are a guy who hides his political activism from his family, and they call you and you pick up un-noticengly in the middle of a demonstration, well, how ar u to claim that you are just passing next to one, when they will be able to see that you are actually standing and participating in one? Or the friend of yours that you want to ditch on tonight's outing, but can't do it unpolitely, so you claim to be home studieing while you are actually hanging out with the friends already; it used to be enough to tell ur friends to keep quiet till you end the phone call, now you have to leave the entire room out of fear that he might spot one of them in the camera. It goes on and on and on…and I am sure you can add your own examples from your own life and the lives of those around you, the same way I have used one from my life and 3 from my friends' in those past paragraphs.
Just imagine the possibilities here: we are entering an era without lying-or at least, with reduced lying- over cell-phones. Those of you who don't lie will have no problems, but those of you who have jealous or suffocating spouses or significant others, controlling parents, annoying friends and over-demanding bosses will be screwed. There will be no escape and no reprieve. No more excuses! Imagine that! and also imagine how many relationships this will strain or end. I am sure it won't be long until some people will refuse to use the technology ( women who just woke up come to mind strongly on that front) or continue using older models, which will be their only option to retain a semblence of privacy, and, ehh, their ability to lie over the phone. They probably won't have no other choice, because you know the cell phone people will keep making them better and cheaper, and a purer, more honest world will come out of it. A world with less lying! Just imagine what that will be like!
Technology is a dangerous dangerous thing!
English
A world with less lying?
Technology is a dangerous thing! Maybe not so much.
Since you’re a fellow technophile, what do you think of the new Nokia N 95? 5 Megapixel camera, built in GPS, and wireless access!!! I can’t wait for it to come out. Then again, I also can’t wait for the IPhone….
By the way, speaking of getting caught lying, there is this program that you could download on the Nokia 6600 which adds a background soundtrack to your phone conversation. You could choose from street noises (honking and stuff), a garden (brids chirping), a construction site, etc….. I think they’ll probably invent something similar for 3G where you could super-impose your picture on some background video or something. It’s gonna be really difficult though.
Did you check out the new Nokia N 95 phone? It’s unbelievable. Built in GPS, 5 MP camera, Wifi, 3G, and all the rest. I am dying to get one. I’m also dying to get me an I Phone. Too many gadgets, too little money.
GC, do u know if the new nokia’s gps locater is supposed to track other people or just track you?
SM, it’s both depending on your service provider. Some stateside are just doing it where you can get your own location, some are doing it where you can set up a friends network and it tells you where you and the are at.
You know, this reminds me of the people who walk their dogs by my house. Rain or shine, they trot behind their dogs and pick up their feces, all the time thinking that they are the masters. I turn my cell phone on only when I need to call someone. This is the only way to remain the master of my own time.
#6, Eva of Canada, that’s a good one. Everytime my phone rings I’ll think of that. Maybe you should audition for the Cairo Comedy contest.
Oh yes. That phone call from the cheating husband that he’s busy at the office will be interesting.
Not to worry, Sandy. gc says there are downloads that give background sound. Soon there will be masques that provide analogous cover for your video.
yeah, that for your blonds ! cause feminine inuition works much better than cheating technical gadgets so your arguments will need to be in solid beton
I’m sure there will be a video-out cutoff for the bashful, and maybe even faked backgrounds, even running loops of prerecorded stuff behind you, at some point. The need for lying to grease normal social and familial interaction is far too great for supply not to rush to meet that demand. But you may have to wait until enough gadget freaks like yourself get the 2 G stuff. 😉
SM,
As far as I know, the GPS locator is for your own phone only.
the question is what will be the outcome of people stopping to lie, is it gonna be girls flicking off their parents and telling them every time they go to a boys apartment or is it gonna be girls not going no where. Are we gonna be more honest and liberal or more honest and conservative
if your lying, don’t forget to wash with “mascul-out” 😛
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a9ZSXHm_7w