When is a spy-pen not a spy-pen? Don't expect a politician to know
Those in positions of power need to have a better grasp of new technology than anybody else. Unfortunately, experience shows the opposite is true.
I, Technology
Exploring the impact of technology on the individual.
Jon Collins
Jon Collins is principal adviser at consultancy Inter Orbis. With over 20 years in the technology industry, he has worked in the roles of IT manager and software consultant, project manager, training manager, IT security expert and industry analyst.
Latest Posts
Surface and Voice – a marriage made in geek heaven?
Microsoft’s launch of its Surface Tablet was bound to whip up a storm of controversy. However good the product was going to be, the cries of “rip-off!
Is using computers to heat houses such a daft idea?
OK, it's cold. Winter has finally come - or come back, given the cold snap of early December.
T-Mobile and my 15 days of Twitter fame
The message came out of the blue. "Why is T-Mobile using your Twitter ID?
Just how much privacy are we prepared to give up?
This should be a short blog, as it asks a simple question, prompted by the announcement that both Visa and Mastercard are looking to sell customer data to advertising companies. However, while the question is simple enough to ask, it is not so straightforward to answer.
Can I be the first to say the 'social network' is dead?
So Facebook has announced a new data centre, the latest in a series of moves to keep on a par with Google, even as the two companies continue to ladle new features into their social collaboration platforms, all the while trying to steer clear of breaking any patents. While the trolls are probably rubbing their hands together in glee, not everybody is quite so thrilled.
Older generations need innovation, not just internet
Today saw the publication of the Times' "50 ways to improve old age" - the link is behind a paywall, but in summary, it did indeed contain 50 snappy ideas of how older generations could be treated with more dignity, helped across the road and so on. From the paper version I picked up in a cafe, I drew the conclusion that it was not based on any particularly exhaustive study or experience, and so should not, perhaps, be subjected to too much scrutiny or comment.
I, Technology: 7 reasons why schools need 3D printers
It is no great disclosure to say I am a governor of a local secondary school, but perhaps I should be honest about my own love of new technology, electronics and gadgetry of all kinds. As a post-modern, dyed in the wool geek, I do sometimes - okay, often - have a habit of getting excited about such shiny things, looking for uses where perhaps none exist.
I, Technology: Can you turn your back on the Web?
You’ve had enough. Facebook, Twitter, targeted ads, unsolicited email, the uneasy, nagging feeling that your computer is doing things beyond your control, talking to other systems without your knowledge, the automatic downloads, the quiet information exchanges – is that your password information crossing the ether, in clear text?