Wearable technology – the next or almost here future technology  is expected shortly to be pushed as the must-have device for staying in touch, and if you read the posting “the smart-watches are coming” you may already have decided that if it was good enough for Dick Tracy it is good enough for you too.

Apple has a big event scheduled later this month so don’t be surprised if

a smart-watch may be among their new offerings, but they are not alone, what with Google and their smart-glasses and just about every other Tech Company having jumped on the bandwagon with either computing devices or health related devices able to be strapped onto the wrist. Even sports clothing manufacturer have joined the queue with devices monitoring your sports activities, and even sleep patterns.

So not only can you monitor yourself, but as the State can now monitor and record everything everywhere which as we now know includes reading the mail and checking which websites we visit [as can Google and others], and last time you phoned a major bank or supplier or Government department your conversation was recorded ostensibly for ‘training purposes’, or in the case of e.g. Google or Facebook it is to ‘improve your web experience’ by providing adverts most likely to appeal based on your past clicks/usage.

Sony smart watches

However, I digress, the wearables are the new technology making us even more free to roam and yet be connected. We live in a new era with new ways of doing things, the thinking has changed, rules particularly in respect of personal freedoms and civil rights likewise, and we are much more open to  allowing personal information to become public as on Facebook, thus leaving us older citizens a little disturbed with everything open to scrutiny by our benevolent Guardians, but given time the new standards and new technologies may develop to soothe our at times frayed nerves.

Ciccarese design

Google’s Smart-glasses have been tested and updated for a while and Smart-watches from various makers likewise with varying degree of success, but that is to be expected. Dick Tracy had a radio transmitter/receiver, but he would be amazed at being able to connect to the internet, get his emails and his phone bill and still know what day and time it was.

Before long we’ll see the hand on the ear replaced with people talking to their wrists or looking wistfully into space through their smart glasses. Look out for jaywalkers!

Happy computing.