Google’s Sergei Brin says smartphones are ‘antisocial’

Google are making a lot of money from their Android powered smartphones however the Google co-founder Sergei Brin spoke out about his opinions on the devices saying they were 'emasculating' and saying that Google Glass would be a solution to the societal problems they pose.

Brin was on stage at TED2013 yesterday, wearing his Google Glass unit. He said the rise of the smartphone has caused people to become more antisocial, according to the TED Blog.

He said “The cell phone is a nervous habit. If I smoked, I'd probably smoke instead, it'd look cooler. But I whip this out and look as if I have something important to do.”

The point he is making actually has merit. He says that the smartphone is giving people more access to data, regardless of where they are. The way they access that data however means that people are disconnecting from the world around them and often ignoring people they are with.

He added “Is this the way you're meant to interact with other people? It's kind of emasculating. You're just rubbing this featureless piece of glass. Is this what you're meant to do with your body?”

Google Glass was developed by Brin's Google X Lab team. He said “When we started Google 15 years ago, my vision was that information would come to you as you need it. You wouldn't have to query at all.”

Brin's idea is that people can leave their smartphones in their pockets, calling up information when they need it without the ‘disconnect' from the world around them.

Kitguru says: Google Glass will be compatible with both the Apple iPhone and Android handsets when it is released later this year.

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