Can't we have a law saying that all devices should be general purpose computing devices, owned by the owner? Then any device can be turned into an "alternative" device, whatever you think that means.
pedalpete · 39m ago
This isn't what I expected from this article, this seems to me less about "alternative devices", and more about devices that are aiming specifically to keep kids safe, which deserves a focus in and of itself.
But also, most of these devices are just implementing software, the device isn't the important part.
There is truly some interesting work happening in device world atm, and I think it is a combination of the desire for a change of behaviors from our phones, as well as new possibilities of what devices can do.
I work in the neurotech/sleeptech space, and we're one of a few companies that are building consumer level EEG devices. The others are trying to sell, "fall asleep faster" tech (with limited scientific backing), we're focused on enhancing the restorative function of sleep (https://affectablesleep.com). Neurotech in general is really interesting right now with a few other use cases around measuring focus and specifically re-training focus (https://www.neurodelabs.com/), depression treatment (https://www.flowneuroscience.com/), and many more.
I also find the augmented reality glasses space really interesting.
To me, these are "Alternative Devices", the article really just points out "different phones".
Part of the reason, I believe, we are seeing these new devices, along with the need, is that it is getting less expensive to develop and prototype small scale devices.
When I started programming, the LAMP stack was new, and people we raving about how easy it was to get started, then came RoR, then node, and with each new change in language, from download to working code got easier and easier.
Hardware is still challenging, but I suspect we may be at the LAMP stack level, and over the next decade, it will also become easier.
drillsteps5 · 5h ago
Not sure why this hasn't triggered a discussion, I thought a lot of readers include parents of young(er) children?
I totally lost my teen to TikTok and deeply regret succumbing to their (and my wife's) pressure to give them an iPhone at 14 (they're 16 now). It's like hours upon hours of mindless scrolling, with occasional gaming sprinkled in.
My youngest is 10 and has a dependency on school iPad (school was giving up iPads during COVID when they were teaching remotely). We have to monitor their usage closely and unfortunately angry outbursts (ie when it's time to stop) are a regular occurrence.
The 10yo does have a lot of extra-curricular activities so having a cellphone would be a big help (to know where they are and give them an option to contact us if anything happens). But there's just no way I'm giving them a smartphone anytime soon.
I think there's sooo many parents in my position and do hope that some of these devices might be able to help.
8note · 1h ago
i cant imagine the effort it takes a parent to drag their kids out of tiktok and into playing video games
spondylosaurus · 7h ago
> Bark places calls to law enforcement when it receives an alert about a kid threatening to harm themselves or others, he told me, but those alerts are reviewed by a human first. “We’re not swatting kids,” he said.
So any messages your kid sends to their friends could get routed to some random employee at this third-party service? Yikes.
mjevans · 9m ago
I'd say the parents should moderate it... but I've seen how busy work and everything else leaves modern parents.
Society really needs to adjust to leave time for people to be humans, to correctly raise and guide the next generation into quality adults. We're really going to regret it when we end up in that cyberpunk dystopia ruled by corporations.
Proofread0592 · 4h ago
I have a very skeptical worldview, and whenever I see any of these companies that offer to "protect your kids" by managing and monitoring their data, I always just assume they are gathering data to sell to advertisers.
And sure maybe they don't go into business with that mentality, but when the company inevitably goes under, the first thing they're going to do is sell off the data to the highest bidder.
drillsteps5 · 3h ago
Worse yet, I guarantee that some of the detection is done by feeding the kids' messages to cloud LLMs. Thanks, no thanks
bdangubic · 3h ago
if you gave your kid a device this is not an issue already. you are skeptical here but not when you allowed a child a device…?
But also, most of these devices are just implementing software, the device isn't the important part.
There is truly some interesting work happening in device world atm, and I think it is a combination of the desire for a change of behaviors from our phones, as well as new possibilities of what devices can do.
I work in the neurotech/sleeptech space, and we're one of a few companies that are building consumer level EEG devices. The others are trying to sell, "fall asleep faster" tech (with limited scientific backing), we're focused on enhancing the restorative function of sleep (https://affectablesleep.com). Neurotech in general is really interesting right now with a few other use cases around measuring focus and specifically re-training focus (https://www.neurodelabs.com/), depression treatment (https://www.flowneuroscience.com/), and many more.
I also find the augmented reality glasses space really interesting.
To me, these are "Alternative Devices", the article really just points out "different phones".
Part of the reason, I believe, we are seeing these new devices, along with the need, is that it is getting less expensive to develop and prototype small scale devices.
When I started programming, the LAMP stack was new, and people we raving about how easy it was to get started, then came RoR, then node, and with each new change in language, from download to working code got easier and easier.
Hardware is still challenging, but I suspect we may be at the LAMP stack level, and over the next decade, it will also become easier.
I totally lost my teen to TikTok and deeply regret succumbing to their (and my wife's) pressure to give them an iPhone at 14 (they're 16 now). It's like hours upon hours of mindless scrolling, with occasional gaming sprinkled in.
My youngest is 10 and has a dependency on school iPad (school was giving up iPads during COVID when they were teaching remotely). We have to monitor their usage closely and unfortunately angry outbursts (ie when it's time to stop) are a regular occurrence.
The 10yo does have a lot of extra-curricular activities so having a cellphone would be a big help (to know where they are and give them an option to contact us if anything happens). But there's just no way I'm giving them a smartphone anytime soon.
I think there's sooo many parents in my position and do hope that some of these devices might be able to help.
So any messages your kid sends to their friends could get routed to some random employee at this third-party service? Yikes.
Society really needs to adjust to leave time for people to be humans, to correctly raise and guide the next generation into quality adults. We're really going to regret it when we end up in that cyberpunk dystopia ruled by corporations.
And sure maybe they don't go into business with that mentality, but when the company inevitably goes under, the first thing they're going to do is sell off the data to the highest bidder.