Google is always pioneering innovation, that has not changed for these upcoming earbuds. The tech company recently introduced a newly developed device: Imagine being at an exhibition selling your business idea in your native language in front of a diversity of nationalities. Not having to change your language in order to get your message across, wouldn’t that be great right? Currently, this is possible and Google is helping you. They recently unveiled their newest secret, Pixel Buds (“Google’s New Earbuds Instantly Translate 40 Languages”, 2018).

This technology is still in a starting phase so it is unclear the sort of results we can expect when skyrocketing towards success and is accepted by the general population. The question that naturally arises is: What are the implications if this technology gets mainstream? You can have a look from two perspectives. Firstly, the positive side; this device enables you to be in touch with a broader and more global audience. When travelling in your 20s around the world, which is common nowadays, the diversity of  people you will meet is extensive. Some help from Google will enable you to make more deep and profound connections with people who are only able to communicate in their native language.

On the other hand, challenges in expressing yourself outside your mother tongue will lessen. Today, we live in a world getting more easy by the day. We just have to open an app and within a couple minutes there is a cab bringing us to wherever we want. We do not have to go out anymore for the groceries, no, no we ask Deliveroo to do our shopping. All the available technologies are making our lives too uncomplicated, that sounds weird isn’t it? What do you think?

In my opinion, day to day life is becoming too easy. While we live in our comfort zone, we are not confronting the scary outer world anymore but live in our safe shell. A new technology, like translatable earbuds, is great but we have to watch ourselves and do not fall in the trap of easiness.

Source:

Google’s New Earbuds Instantly Translate 40 Languages. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/kevin-j-ryan/google-pixel-buds-translator.html

While scrolling through the internet, I came across a beta technology whose purpose it is to perfect online privacy. From my point of view this is an interesting topic due to the fact that I strongly value my own (online) privacy. Which I feel could be of equal interest to others and therefore this blog.

This particular tool, is called zk-SNARK (for “zero-knowledge succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge”). It has been developed by the technological staff within Zcash, a cryptocurrency built upon the blockchain. It is a relatively new coin, founded in 2015, offering total payment confidentiality with the use of this rising technology (ZCash, 2018). This additional feature will enable them to have a unique position in the market.

The question that naturally arises is: What will be the impact of zk-SNARK? This is indeed a key question. One sees more and more the requirement to show proof of identity, i.e. buying spirits and buying medicine. Zk-SNARK functionality is to provide a full proof solution as regard personal privacy; where one can prove possession of certain information, e.g. your age, without revealing that information, and without any interaction between the prover and verifier (“What are zk-SNARKs? | Zcash”, 2018). This zero-knowledge proof technology is making a name for itself in the rising blockchain world but can also be found in other sectors such as the financial world. JPMorgan Chase have expressed an interest to inbed this particular feature in their own blockchain payment system (IO, 2018).

An example occurring in daily life with regards to this technology; is when you are going out with a group of friends and the security guard asks for your identification card; the zk-SNARK proof enables the security guard to run a program checking if you are at least 21 years old.  Possession of this age requirement is proven without any other information further given to the security guard (Forbes, 2018) .
This illustration is only the tip of the iceberg; looking into the future, opportunities to implement this technology seem endless. Not having to worry about your personal information being manipulated and organizations reducing their risk in losing valuable information. The job we have is sharing and providing information streams around the world and not neglecting the privacy we all value.

Sources:

ZCash. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/zcash

IO, C. (2018). Top Breakthrough Technologies For 2018 : Perfect Online Privacy. Retrieved from https://www.citi.io/2018/03/13/top-breakthrough-technologies-for-2018-perfect-online-privacy/

What are zk-SNARKs? | Zcash. (2018). Retrieved from https://z.cash/technology/zksnarks

Forbes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/samantharadocchia/2018/04/24/why-zk-snarks-are-crucial-for-blockchain-data-privacy/#78c4ab6e50f0