Switches

2012-11-06

Yesterday was the first time I used the new voice feature that google.com offers in Chrome. You can just click the microphone on the right side of the search text box and speak what you want to search for.

I am probably the worst english speaking person I know of, but nevertheless, Google did a great job in recognizing my search phrases.

But then I recognized something disturbing. When it is so simple to access the microphone on my webcam without any sign that voice is recorded, and without asking me, then every app could do that.

Giving in to my paranoia, I've ordered a USB hub with physical switches for the individual ports.

I personally love these physical on / off switches. They give you the power to control any hardware and software, even though you don't understand even the slightest thing what's going on in there.

I don't want to give any advice, but the sheer number of internet connnected PCs that are supposedly infected with viruses and trojans should make you think twice about the devices that need to be always connected to your PC.

I hope that physical switches will have a future.