I personally think this is taking technology a little too far. It's a mirror that talks back to you. Like you're out shopping and then you try something on and then the mirror says, "Your ass looks fat," or, "Nice rack in that dress." Actually, I don't know what it says or how it says it. All I know is that if you're at Bloomingdale's in New York, there are people out in cyberspace who can see you try on outfits and then they give you advice about your choices. And then they suggest outfits for you to try on and those outfits appear in the mirror like holograms. So Star Trek! This is dumb. Maybe this is why:“The idea of being able to take your whole social network with you when you shop is a concept that any kid who leaves their house every day with their social network in their phone will understand,” said Tom Nicholson, the chief executive of IconNicholson. “They are already sharing everything with 500 contacts on Friendster, so if five of them happen to be online, why not ask them whether you look good in green?”
When did our society become that co-dependent? Have we always been? And is the convenience that services like these supposedly offer worth the sacrifice of one's privacy? IconNicholson, the manufacturer, explains on its Web site that the mirror also "further serves to help retailers monitor inventory in real time and collect data that provides valuable insight into customer mindsets, behaviors and evolving needs." Once again, it's a clever way for big business to assess consumer wants in order to sell them more. Like those grocery store discount cards that chronicle everything you've ever bought.
But more importantly, I'm dying to go to the Web site and make fun of people trying stuff on. But the Times article doesn't link to the site, and neither does IconNicholson. Boo.
If the Mirror Could Talk (It Can)
IconNicholson
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