I’ve just had a big order go out to Austria and as we were sticking the German language labels on the Bowtech Ease bottles I was listening to Radio 4. There was an interesting talk from an IT expert on what the next internet phenomenon might be. This, he explained affected us all and was to do with ‘things.’ He called it the ‘Internet of things’ (IoT) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15004063

Yes, he actually used the word ‘things’ – I waited to hear more. He continued to say that tiny sensors, which were a radio-frequency identification device (RFID) could be attached to anything in order to provide information, location and feedback to us. Examples given were road surfaces that needed resealing and even the jeans you are wearing that could tweet back on where you were.

Part of me felt panic as I wondered suddenly if all of our own senses were going to be taken over by technology. What about being human in this world, can we not just sit with our feet up in the garden enjoying nature without worrying if the deckchair or sun-lounger we are on will report back to our internet when it is also defunct? But, then again, thankfully we still have choice whether to participate or not, or do we?

Note: The Austrian order did get completed and was picked up by a courier, all with human effort!