Tuesday, February 19, 2013

1926 Privateering

The great thing about technology is that as soon as someone comes out with one marvelous innovation, someone else comes out with one to undo it.
That's why it was interesting when a New York fashion designer recently unveiled a new line of veiling clothing called Stealth Wear. It renders wearers invisible to an unmanned drone's infrared cameras. A drone-proof hoodie sells for $473. Or, if you'd prefer the drone not see your lower half also, a full body burqa sells for $2,645.
Obviously, clothing for the rich and famous. Avoiding those paparazzi drones that we all know are right around the corner--- literally, now that the cost has come down.
Then there's the world of communication---and the desire not to be communicated with. It's a sad fact that the old-fashioned among us, with no wish to be tracked by private or public entities or enemies, have resisted the ubiquitous smartphone with all its GPS-enabled spyware. Which then stores all our private data in a hackable cloud.
But it's not like landlines make sense anymore. Even if you have one, you can't go anywhere with it. Enter the MIAMobi Silent Pocket. The MIA is capitalized, apparently to acknowledge the acronym of Missing In Action. Because that's what the silent pocket makes you.
Even switched off, a smartphone emits all kinds of data. In this case---the MIA silent pocket case that is---a nano-silver lining blocks out all incoming and outgoing transmissions. You can't get calls. But even your service provider doesn't know where you are. And yes, I said lined with nano-silver.
Me? I'm just hoping they can build a couple of those pockets into my infrared blocking clothing.
Then every data cloud of smartphone spyware will have a silver lining.
America, ya gotta love it.

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