Everyone concedes that phones are getting smarter, but tech writer and author Brian Chen says you don't have to be a philistine to wonder if they are doing so at our expense.
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"Zero hour" was January 9, 2007, the day Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone, a mobile device that evolved into the app-filled "perfect thing" at a pace that no one, not even Mr Jobs himself, could have predicted. It then set the tempo for a revolution in mobile computing.
Always On illustrates the subsequent highs and lows with a stark set of recent case studies that reveal our dependence on constant connectivity.
On the pro side, an iPhone first-aid app saved the life of a Haitian earthquake victim trapped under rubble, teaching him how to dress a gaping leg wound before he bled out. On the con side, a couple became so addicted to gaming in Korea that they let their infant daughter starve to death.
In between such polar extremes, Chen concisely explores society's projected path after decades of trading privacy for instant access. Even if we never use an off switch, perhaps someone should at least remember where it is.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.