By B.N. Frank
Wearable tech has become very common and oh so fashionable. But like all wireless “smart” devices, these products also collect personal data on owners 24/7. Many companies analyze this personal data so they can try to sell more products to these customers. Sometimes they sell the data to 3rd parties to do God knows what with. This is referred to as “Surveillance Capitalism.”
Even if you don’t care about your privacy, these devices seem to be fairly easy to hack and that has led to some pretty scary situations being reported in the news. Do you ever wonder how many people who wear this stuff realize they are being spied on – let alone fried by all the Electromagnetic Radiation being emitted them (see 1, 2, 3)?
Now there are even more products available for them to buy. From TechCrunch:
The first of these new products is Echo Frames. These are Alexa-enabled glasses, though, unlike Google Glass, there’s no camera and no display, just microphones and a speaker.
The second is the Echo Loop, a rather large Alexa-enabled ring with two built-in microphones and, of course, a tiny speaker. Both of these will be available on an invite-only basis and in limited volumes later this year.
The frames will retail for $179.99 and the Loop will cost $129.99 for the introduction period.
The glasses, which will sell without any prescription lenses (though you can add those if you want), weigh in at 31 grams. They aren’t especially stylish, though they look pretty acceptable.
The ring is maybe the oddest product Amazon demoed at its event today. It’s pretty large and I can’t quite see people talking into their rings and then listening to what Alexa has to say in response, but I could be wrong. Maybe it’s the next big thing.
“Paired with your phone, this ring lets you access information throughout the day,” Amazon writes. “It’s super easy to connect with Alexa without breaking stride or digging out your phone, for those simple things like turning on the lights or calculating the tip on your lunch bill. Simply press a button, talk softly to Alexa, and then the answer comes discretely through a small speaker built into the ring.”
With all things wireless, there’s also the potential for fires and explosions which has happened with some wearable devices already.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Call me square but wearable tech sounds like a lot more trouble than it’s worth. It ain’t cheap either. Of course, fashion usually comes with a price.
Activist Post reports regularly about all issues associated with wireless and “Smart” technology. For more information, visit our archives.
Image credit: Pixabay
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