Smart devices have been a revolutionary change in our lives. They organise our day-to-day, find the way when we get lost, allow us to be s...

Smart everything - When machines takeover

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Smart devices have been a revolutionary change in our lives. They organise our day-to-day, find the way when we get lost, allow us to be socially connected 24/7, and make shopping from our couch a dream come true. They enable us to be so much more in control of our lives and environment. But will they take over? In the not-so-distant future, our smart devices will tell us when to spend and what to buy. And we will listen. There is already a favourable habitat for this evolution to happen. There are 4 main factors influencing this.
1. Zombification 
We are already giving our undivided attention to our devices. According to Business Insider, in a day the average American spends 144 minutes on their smartphones, 96 minutes on their desktop and 34 minutes on their tablets. That is approximately a quarter of their conscious day. And 59% of the poll claims that mobile devices have the biggest impact on their purchasing decisions. This is an infectious phenomenon, spreading rapidly.
2. Data Addiction
Believe it or not, we are hooked on data. We measure everything and anything that produces force, movement, light, audio, weight, smell, shape, temperature, etc. The weather forecast, we Londoners are so dependent on, is based on collated data of wind movement, humidity, temperature, atmospheric pressure and so on. Million dollar machines are used just for you to decide whether or not you need an umbrella today. That example is just a pixel from an infinite screen of obsession but you get the point - we can’t get enough of it.
 David Carr and John Kestner, graduates from MIT Media Lab, invented a device that translates changes in the physical world into useful data for us to action through a cloud based application. It is called Twine. It reminds you when it is time to water your plant based on soil moisture. It can tell you when your laundry is done, or to drink water if the climate becomes too dry. Twine has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and wired, to name a few. The Fast Company called it, “Twine, A Tiny Gizmo That Holds The Internet’s Future” http://supermechanical.com/twine/
3. The Cloud and The Expanding Internet 
The cloud has made it possible for multiple devices to talk to and sync with each other and us. This creates the opportunity for our smartphones and tablets to move up the ranks to become interpreters for all other devices to communicate with us. The cloud is getting increasingly popular for data storage and sharing, and the ability for different platforms to understand each other. We have already been introduced to .mobi, .org, .edu, etc. Recently, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) met in Singapore to discuss adding more domain names. Will we see a .car, .refrigerator, .washmachine or even .sex?
4. Brands’ Master Plan 
Brands have a relentless mission of constantly communicating to their consumers with the sole purpose of selling you more products or services. Like it or not, that is the primary objective of any business. “I have never worked in a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard.” – Estée Lauder Brands seek new technology and methods to engage their consumers and to create loyalty. Successful brands appear before their consumers when they are needed most. They used to do this by buying as much media space as they can afford. They now do it by appearing to be your BFF on social media. Sneaky.

One Saturday morning, you will be awakened by a notification buzz from your phone. You have been sent a message that you are running out of milk, juice and eggs. The message reminds you that you are free between 11am and 3pm, sympathetic to your big Friday night and a late Saturday lunch date with your mother. Perfect time to head down to the supermarket 1.2 miles from where you are. “Oh, by the way, there is a 2 for the price of 1 promotion on your favourite juice brand. Have a good day.” Sent by your refrigerator. As you lock away your winter jacket in preparation for spring, your phone relays a greeting from your wardrobe. She said, “Hi and welcome to warmer times. Since we are already talking, I might as well tell you that your pair of skinny jeans is so 3 years ago. But fret not, Selfridges is having an end-of-winter sale today! And you have 3 hours between work and meeting your boyfriend for a movie. It is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this sale. It will be our little secret. 4 of your friends are already heading there as we speak! Lots of love from your loyal wardrobe. BFF!”
Be prepared for SmartEverything. Sent from the near future.

Edardy Sukayman


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