The idea of a clock which tells not the time but the location of your family members, as the Weasley family clock does, is something that may not be exclusive to the magical world forever. Discovery News has a most interesting article online which talks of a prototype device from Microsoft researchers which would be able to keep track of the general location of your family members using their wireless cell phone network, and translate that information back to a clock at home. The device works by using a preset location of a persons work, school, or home, and when the person goes back to that area, ‘the software sends a signal through the network back to the Whereabouts Clock at home. The clock interprets the signal and uses it to move an image of the person’s head into the appropriate area. The image moves into “elsewhere” when the person’s mobile phone is in an undesignated area.’ Families would also be able to text a message to the Clock, leaving a note of their activities if they should change.
Abigail Sellen, a Microsoft researcher, is quoted in the article and says of the intent of the prototype device:
“You can buy a service on your phone to keep track of your kids. There is even talk about putting electronic chips into kids, which is not what we want to do at all… We wanted to build a device that was not too intrusive into people’s lives, but at the same time recognized the importance of reassurance in a family.”
The Whereabouts Clock has been tested by a number of families who, the article says, did not have issue with privacy. The article notes, however, that Microsoft has no immediate plans for such a product to come to the market.
OMM I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW!!!! lol that is so cool, I mean when they talk about like invisiblity cloaks your kinda of like awesome but…whoa that could be a bad thing, but this is tottaly cool!
no, no, no. scary. this is too crazy, too big-brother-is-watching kind of technology. we’re moving into a world with zero privacy! i’m only 27, but i seriously miss the days before cell phones… it’s nice to be unreachable now and then… sigh.
Well I mean it’s less creepy than putting some chip in a kid. I mean think about the Weasley’s have one and do they still have privacy? I would say they do!
The thing is, its not about “Big Brother” because its completely voluntary. Its not the government doing this, its your family. I think its cute and fun. Its not a privacy issue, unless youre trying to hide from your family. But I’m not, and I dont know many people who are.
OMG a mother/wife’s dream come true!! This is not “Big Brother” this is Big Momma. Actually, however, while knowing your kids are indeed “at school” or “at home”, it’s not very helpful if they are not where they’re supposed to be. Personally, I won’t be satisfied until they add “keeping undesirable company” and, more importantly, “MORTAL PERIL” to the clock.
I don’t think it’s that creepy. It sort of sucks for the kids (or possibly parents) who are “elsewhere” or with, as mentioned before, “undesirable company,” but come on, the Weasley’s have it, so how creepy could it be? Hahah.
OMM I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW!!!! lol that is so cool, I mean when they talk about like invisiblity cloaks your kinda of like awesome but…whoa that could be a bad thing, but this is tottaly cool!