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Anyone remember the book, “Future Shock” years ago?

That book talked in part, of how technology keeps changing and advancing and overwhelms some people.

I feel overwhelmed a bit, with this talk of “Alexa” and talking to a device. I don’t understand what these devices are, or why it makes your life better to have one.

Anyway, so many things have changed in recent decades, that it becomes a task in itself to keep up.

should you get an “I Phone” or a “Droid”, for example? What are the relative merits of each? It takes some work to delve into the different features of each, whereas years ago, you just had a phone, and that was it.

It just seems to me, that not only has technology advanced, but it has gotten more complex.

That book talked in part, of how technology keeps changing and advancing and overwhelms some people.

There was a fantastic show back in the late 1970s called "Connections", which talked about the "Technology Trap", and how things can suddenly be thrown into chaos if a piece of technology we rely suddenly becomes unavailable, because people won't know how to cope. And I believe inevitably the day will come when the Technology Trap will close in on us.

I feel overwhelmed a bit, with this talk of “Alexa” and talking to a device. I don’t understand what these devices are, or why it makes your life better to have one.

They add convenience, safety and flexibility you didn't have before. People have been living fine without them for nearly our entire history, so no one needs them. But the Internet-of-Things, intelligent agents, and voice interaction are all useful tools, same as all of the other tools man has ever created - there are trade-offs and risks, but they can make our lives easier.

I use the Amazon Echo to voice-enable my lights, ceiling fans, thermostat and outdoor cameras. I do not connect it to my security alarm or to my door locks, even though it's possible - not a good idea. I can still control all of these things manually at any time, but for my 78 year old mom, who lives with us, it's a relief to be able to simply "ask Alexa" to turn on her ceiling fan when she needs without having to get up on her arthritic hip.

I get notified on my iPhone at work by my Nest video doorbell whenever anyone comes near my front door - it shows me and records whether it's the mailman, Mormons, or possibly some shady character trying break in, and everyone inside my house can easily see who's at the door without ever opening it from any of the Echo Spot devices connected to the video doorbell. I like that. We're still in the early days of such tools, but so far the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for me - the risk of privacy intrusion is real, though, so buyer beware.