Jack Slater wrote:

What you guys call awesome, I call nightmare. Not necessarily because of some 1984 paranoia, just because of the destruction of solitude. You will never, ever be able to be alone again. Not like you have much of a right to that now anyway.

This comment struck me as a little funny, actually, because I've always been a bit of a believer that all of this new technology has been breaking down societal groups all over the world and making people more independent/isolated. Most people don't drop by, or even call, to find out how a friend is doing, they just send an email or a text or a Facebook message or post on their Wall or what have you. I'm trying to find the article where Kurt Loder (my idol) talks about the balkanization effect that media and new technology have on music (just to use an example as to how it can isolate/estrange people). I'll find it, give me some time.

lordsathien wrote:

Very cool, ableit disconcerting. Regarding when the Japanese woman walks up to the big display and all the text changes to characters, at first I thought "how the hell would it know to do that? Lady could be Chinese or Korean for all it knows!" then I figured since everything seemed to be keyed to those personal devices that it would have read off hers and shifted accordingly (though i think that in itself, would be fucked in places like New York City when multiple viewers are near).

And that is where the idea of augmented reality really helps out. Glasses or an eyepiece or something similar that would allow the wearer to visually interface with things like ads for things they like or to read important postings in their language of proficiency would be great. They already have AR games out for kids, like one that gives you a 'camera' and you have to find these monsters that are scattered all across the Earth and 'capture' them by taking a picture. Personally, I think it's the next step.