We are addicted to technology. We depend on technology to do everything for us, like pretend to be our girlfriends, cut down our electricity bills, and keep people from sneaking across our borders. There's even technology that frees up people to be distracted by more technology. So it only seems natural that we would rely on even more technology to help keep us on the straight and narrow.
New tools are popping up left and right to keep us from wasting precious hours online, for example, or from shopping with money we don't have. The Associated Press reports others, including:
- a GPS-enabled smart phone app doesn't allow you to send or receive text messages when you're driving
- a program prevents out-of-control credit card spending
- a device that monitors your workout and offers real-time voice feedback
- a devices developed for convicted drunk drivers that locks or unlocks the ignition depending on the results of an in-car breathalyzer
- an iPhone app that slows down music when the driver speeds up
- another app makes it difficult to make phone calls during times you're likely to be drunk
Like any other addiction, it can be almost impossible to break those technology addiction habits.
Ann Mack, a trend-watcher for JWT Intelligence, told the Associated Press that she sees "outsourcing self-control" and "de-teching" as two top trends for the new year.
As a technology blogger, I'm most susceptible to wasting time online when I should be writing up another blog post. Websites like Twitter and Facebook can make hours disappear, so I set up email and text alerts to let me know when someone has sent me a message on either social media outlet. Otherwise, I usually stay away from them when I am busy. I could use a program to block those websites, but I like knowing that I can choose to abstain from those websites, even if just for a while.
Do you think you are addicted to technology? Is there anything that you have done to try to become more productive, and waste less time with technology? Let us know in the comments section.
Photo: Getty Images/Karl Weatherly
Tags: Apps, Electronics, Smart Phones
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