X

Everyday tech that could be awesome...or insanely dangerous (pictures)

Technology can be a blessing or a curse. Sometimes it's both.

Lisa Bernier
Lisa is a writer at large for sites like Mashable, Mic, and Huffington Post. Dog wrangler extraordinaire at BarkPost. Things requiring only140 characters @pilrimkim, IG @weirdwiener.
Lisa Bernier
hellobarbiecnet.jpg
1 of 16 CNET

The price you pay for awesome new tech

Tech is great. Tech is fascinating. But in the wrong hands, even the most human-friendly advancements can suddenly look all kinds of dangerous.

An interactive doll, Hello Barbie, has voice recognition software that allows your child to talk to Barbie, and for Barbie to talk back. According to maker Mattel in a Washington Post article, "Hello Barbie will offer children a highly engaging play experience, in part because the doll will learn about its users over time."

hellobarbie2cnet.jpg
2 of 16 CNET

Hello Barbie: The cons

But then there's that whole potential-privacy-violation thing.

As Angela Campbell, faculty adviser at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, told the Post, "If I had a young child, I would be very concerned that my child's intimate conversations with her doll were being recorded and analyzed." Jezebel in its reporting of the new toy called it "creepy as hell."

thecloudpros.jpg
3 of 16 CNET/The Fix

Cloud storage devices: The pros

As CNET has pointed out, the cloud pretty much solves any storage space problems you may have with your phone or computer. Then again...

istockjenniferlawrencecloudcons.jpg
4 of 16 iStock/Dan Kitwood, Getty Images

Cloud storage devices: The cons

...as various hacking scandals involving celebrities and iCloud have pointed out, the cloud isn't exactly safe when it comes to personal security; just ask Jennifer Lawrence. And when one network security loophole closes, others open; a recent headline from Information Week reads, "Smartphones On Drones Can Hack Your Wireless Printer."

trackingpointpros.jpg
5 of 16 TrackingPoint

High-precison smart guns: The pros

Talk about precision: The TrackingPoint rifle and the Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter are using lasers, wifi and other technologies to turn anybody into a deadly sniper. As an overview video brags, "[It's] the world's first precision-guided firearm -- the revolutionary new long-range shooting system that puts jet-fighter lock-and-launch technology in a rifle, enabling anyone to hit moving targets at extended ranges."

Meanwhile, the Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter lets users attach smart phones to the gun, and then uses an app to help the shooter to improve. Sounds great, if you like venison but have terrible aim. Then again ...

intelliscopesmartgunscons.jpg
6 of 16 Inteliscope

High-precison 'smart' guns: The cons

... anything that employs Wi-Fi can be hacked. And that includes TrackingPoint guns.

Additionally, as Wedbush Securities analyst Rommel Dionisio told CNN Money, "There are a handful of snipers who can hit a target at 1,000 yards. But now, anybody can do it. You can put some tremendous capability in the hands of just about anybody, even an untrained shooter."

selfdrivingcarspros.jpg
7 of 16 CNET

Self-driving cars: The pros

Other than the obvious benefits of being able to say, play Angry Birds on your phone while driving, proponents of driverless cars argue that it will be much safer, taking the human error quotient into consideration.

A 2014 study done by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University notes that "you still might have accidents on the margin in rare situations, [but] you're basically looking at anywhere from a 95 to 99.99 percent reduction in total fatalities and injuries on the road."

istock000035234578small.jpg
8 of 16 iStock

Self-driving cars: The cons

Then again, not everybody is comfortable with putting autonomous cars on the roads just yet. Consumer advocate John Simpson told Tech Times that potential abuses abound, from "safety issues" to "issues surrounding the data they gather, and the privacy of the data they gather."

Inclement weather, hand signals of traffic officers, and left-hand turns into oncoming traffic -- self-driving cars just can't deal with those nuances yet. Additionally, the data gathered by such cars is not necessarily limited to their navigation, leading to concerns about individuals' privacy.

pacemakeryoutubemedtronic.jpg
9 of 16 Medtronic Cardiac

Wireless pacemakers: The pros

Pacemakers save lives. And wireless pacemakers are said to be the lifesavers of the future; they use focused acoustic waves that are picked up by a permanently implanted receiver, converting the energy into electricity. Then again ...

pacemakercbs.jpg
10 of 16 CBS

Wireless pacemakers: The cons

... TV shows such as "Homeland" and "Elementary"have suggested that pacemakers can be hacked, and they're right. In 2008 a team of researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the University of Washington, Harvard Medical School and the University of Massachusetts Amherst proved that a combination pacemaker and defibrillator with wireless capabilities could be be vulnerable to such attacks.

amazondrone.jpg
11 of 16 Amazon

Drones: The pros

Big retailers such as Amazon and Walmart, as well as tech companies like Google, are racing to be first to roll out a drone delivery system for the general public. The benefits seem obvious. But ...

screen-shot-2015-10-28-at-3-29-55-pm.png
12 of 16 CNET

Drones: The cons

... hacking, theft, packages falling from the sky, airspace restrictions: All of these are dangers. And as Forbes wrote in commentary about Amazon's drone plans: "If the FAA approves such a massively-scaled commercial delivery network -- a big if -- it would require extensive safety measures ... system failure, pilot error and malicious or intentional efforts to bring down drones will mean some potential serious dangers to the public."

smarttvpros.jpg
13 of 16 CNET

Smart TVs: The pros

Sensors that allow you to control a TV with hand motions. Interactive interfaces. Tons of apps. What's there not to like about smart TVs? Hey, glad you asked ...

samsungtvsmarttvscons.jpg
14 of 16 Samsung TV

Smart TVs: The cons

There are definite privacy risks that come along with your seamless Netflix integration.

Electronics maker LG has admitted to gathering info on customer viewing habits ... and selling that data to advertisers. Meanwhile, Samsung has gone so far as to record and share viewer conversations.

gpspros.jpg
15 of 16 Google Maps

Smart mapping apps: The pros

Sure, it helps you to get where you're going, but GPS also has other uses. As Fox News reported, using GPS tracking, police were able to track victim Laci Peterson's husband Scott's whereabouts when he was a suspect in her murder.

gpscons.jpg
16 of 16 Waze App

Smart mapping apps: The cons

Of course when GPS has faulty information, the consequences can be less than pleasant.

CNET reported on the murder of a woman who was misdirected by the Waze App down the wrong street. Maps apps also are extremely vulnerable to manipulation, as security consultant Don Bailey proved when he hacked into personal GPS system Zoombak. He subsequently tracked movements of the device; found other devices in his vicinity; and impersonated the system.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos