Downsides to Being a Doctor

On paper it looks good, being a doctor or a surgeon. In reality, it can be an utter nightmare. First of all, did you know that the suicide rate for doctors is about twice the national average. This is one of the issues that is never addressed in med school. This may or may not lead to abuse of alcohol. In a recent study of the College of Surgeons, about a third admitted to abusing alcohol. This probably means that there are more. Another scary part about doctors is that they all seem to go on vacation around July and August. That means interns become residents and residents pretend to be the real doctors. This is where even internet phone services and video chats will not cut it. Deaths from surgery and malpractice skyrocket in July, so as long as you can avoid getting sick or injured in the summertime, you should be fine. Or better yet, make sure you only get sick in areas where doctors might be vacationing. Hawaii is a great place to get the plague in July.

Sleep Texting?

I think I have officially heard it all. Using mobile applications or texting in the middle of the night is really pushing it though. Are we that connected and attached to our devices that there is even a chance that we will use them in the middle of the night? Sleep-disorder specialists are reporting that sleep-texting, which a person may perform several times over the course of a single night, is an alarming trend. Apparently this happens more than I thought. And it can definitely be more embarrassing than anyone can imagine. Modern technologies like smartphones have a pervasive influence on modern life, especially among younger users, who may be particularly susceptible to "smartphone addiction." And use of smartphones, computers, video games and other technologies has been linked to pervasive sleep disorders, including insomnia. To ward off sleep-texting, experts recommend shutting devices down completely before going to bed or, in extreme cases, moving the cellphone out of the bedroom entirely. But you might say that we live in a 24/7 world and that is just not a reality. Would you be able to completely turn your phone off?

Video Conferencing

Experts say the video “transition is presenting huge opportunities for businesses to interact with customers, partners and employees in rich new ways.” Video conferencing can really change customer service and even help the agent and customer literally see eye-to-eye faster. There are definitely some drawbacks to making the transition from voice to video calling. If not deployed correctly, video technologies can be much more complicated than voice. If not in perfect synchronization, video and audio can prove to be a terrific distraction instead of adding collaborative value. Just as the native client version of Outlook offers more robust features than its lighter Web version, a thick video client can deliver more functionality than a lighter Web-based client. The Web-based client has advantages that might minimize some customer access issues. These are the problems that a business can run into if you plan on investing in video calling. There are other question that need addressing. In the voice world call recording is pretty standard, but do the same privacy laws across all the global legal regimes apply to video? Broadcasting and recording an image, with live audio/video streaming, across country boundaries can lead to jurisdictional issues.

The EBook Revolution and Bookstores

With ebooks taking charge of the reading market, it might be hard for a bookstore to stay in the business. And even before e-books came along, local bookstores were plenty challenged by competition from Amazon, whose deep discounts on printed books are impossible to match. Headquarted in Toronto and owned by Japanese e-commerce behemoth Rakuten, Kobo doesn’t rival the high profile of Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook in the U.S. But as a major e-book power that isn’t controlled by a giant book seller — with devices, apps and e-books to compete with the Kindle and Nook — it’s a logical ally for a local bookstore, which is why the American Bookseller Association partnered with it to help independent stores such as Green Apple in San Francisco delve into e-books. So one of the best ways for bookstore to stay in business is to be able to also offer ebooks and readers. Personally, I still purchase books in print form. There are certain things that all that application development and technology cannot replace.

More Amber Alerts

Have you ever gotten that Amber Alert that is usually accompanied by a loud squelching sound? Cell phones have been receiving Amber Alerts since 2005 under a partnership between the wireless industry, the U.S. Justice Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. But people had to sign up to receive the alerts -- only about 700,000 did -- and then designate the areas they wanted to get alerts for. In 2012, that system was replaced by one that send free messages to all the cell phones in the proximity of the emergency and people have to opt out if they do not want to receive them. Although, I do not understand why anyone would want to opt out of the phone service that is bound to save lives. I just wish the messages were not so cryptic.

Samsung's New Phablet

It's becoming an annual tradition: Samsung will unveil the next generation of its Galaxy Note smartphone in advance of the IFA technology conference in Berlin. Like previous device unveilings, Samsung is calling the event "Samsung Unpacked 2013." The event will be live streamed via the web, and Samsung will host a press event at the same time in New York City's Times Square for people to watch and get hands-on time with the devices. Application development has had to keep up with the different sizes of the tablets, phones, and the so called phablets. Another spec to watch for is the wireless charging feature. Though Verizon didn't allow the wireless charging system. What do you think Samsung has in store at the unveiling event?

Wearable Tech

With mostly everything being touched by the digital revolution, it is no surprise that it has got into the fashion industry. There is a sweater that takes the expression wearing your heart on your sleeve to a new level. It is called the GER Mood Sweater. Based on the technology of a classic lie detector test, it interprets emotions and displays mood instantly as an interactive light display. Blue means relaxed and red is nervous or angry. If you are into cycling but find the helmets not to be to your tastes, the inflatable helmet might by for you. A Swedish creation, the Hövding is an "airbag for cyclists". It's worn as a collar and only expands into a full helmet if you have an accident. And of course, there is the Google Glass which has the display as well as the internet phone services.