Technology

 I have a hard time with technology! I'm talking about things like computers, kindles, iPads, and my phone. My excuse is that all the operating systems are in Japanese and I have no idea what I'm doing when I click or tap on something!  I watch my kids with their phones and am amazed at how easily they use them for almost everything, from finding places on maps, to paying for things with different apps and of course, using different apps for messages. my attempt at that usually ends up with me asking someone to help me out as things have gone wrong!

At home if I mess up one of my devices it's okay, the kids get a good laugh but when I'm out shopping it's another story. I shy away from using self-checkouts at stores, I get one of the kids to come in with me. Recently I've found that some places have an English alternative on the menu so I try to use that but it doesn't always go smoothly for me! The other week I was using a self-checkout in English when the voice started to shout at me! I had picked up four of the same item, and as I scanned it the second, third, and fourth time the voice kept saying "You've already scanned that item" in a rather patronizing way I responded by telling the machine to shut up, which had the staff coming over to see if I needed help!

One kind of technology that both fascinates and terrifies me (and the reason for this post) are voice-activated devices. Things like Alexa, Siri, and Google.

As a child, I loved Star Trek and the computer on the ship. A crew member would say "Computer" and the ship would respond and give a clear answer. As somebody who had to spend hours in libraries looking up things for homework that kind of computer was a dream!

I use voice-activated Google Search a lot when I'm teaching. Asking "What's technology in Japanese?"  is faster than typing it out, especially on my phone! Sometimes, however, it doesn't work! The other day I was talking about chilblains to David. He didn't know this word so I asked Google, the result was "kodmo" children, so I ended up having to type it out!

I didn't realize that these devices are always listening. I have a Kindle that has Alexa on. I saw the icon for Alexa but as I never use it I assumed it was turned off. Last night I was watching a video from GBN news talking about these devices listening in. The reporter was talking about Echo and Alexa, as the report was going on I noticed a voice coming from my Kindle.  At first, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Was my Kindle possessed by some spirit? Why was it talking to me? I opened it up to find that it had connected to GBN radio! I didn't even know there was such a channel and that I could listen to it live in Japan. I stopped the video and spent the next 20 minutes trying to figure out how to turn it off. I couldn't activate Alexa to turn it off.  

Lesson learned, be careful what you are listening to when other devices are listening in!

Mikey found a way to use Fred as a phone stand. Fred was crying so Mikey picked him up and put his phone on him. Fred became quiet and Mikey could use his phone, win win!

Fred as a phone stand!