Thursday, January 17, 2008

Next-generation shopping is overrated

My cute father-in-law is always up to speed on the latest advances in technology. He sent me this article about a grocery cart-mounted computer that scans items you put in your cart so you don't have to wait in a check-out line. It's so smart, arguably, that it will find items in the store for you while it tracks your location, all the while popping up advertisements and coupons depending on which isle you are on. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't like it (and neither did Lee). All you uber busy mommies might though...

  • Just another avenue to be bombarded with unwanted advertising
  • Just another way for a computer to track everything we buy
  • Just another reason not to interact with other humans (heaven forbid!)
  • Just another excuse for poor customer service that we pay more for

4 comments:

cathy said...

Don't you love it? It's like New York, the most crowded city in the nation, people are constantly rubbing with other people, and there isn't even eye contact-somehow they've learned to isolate themselves from all the people around them with their cell phones, ipods, and all other forms of isolation technology, so they don't have to talk and deal with anyone sitting by them, or walking by them. Don't get me wrong, I do love the these isolation technologies that I listed, but what is going on when you think the person is either crazy or asking for money on the subway when they make eye contact or smile at you? (my brother who lives in New York would tell me I'm wrong, he's sees it all differently-but this is my experience on my visits to the city)

{lizzythebotanist} said...

Just another "thing" that won't work and will have glitches and will leave me standing in an aisle screaming, crying, and pulling my hair out.

Tuttles said...

Gina, I tagged you. Look at my blog and follow the directions.

Chad and Margaret Olson said...

GINA!!!
this is your long lost friend Margaret! Ok so i didn't write down your info last time and I haven't been able to find you, but now I have- hallalujah! so I'm gonna put you as one of my friends so we can definitely keep up on eachother. I miss you!!