The …Ring

            The Ring internet enabled doorbell seems to be this year’s “darling”; The Item that is most talked about and most desired. The internet seems to be abuzz over this new “advancement”. Remember last year’s must have item…the air fryer? How many of you got one…is it collecting dust now? I thought so.

            Well, The Ring, and other similar devices are now available for those of you who feel that there is just never enough surveillance …

            It wasn’t very long ago that what this little device has accomplished was expensive and time consuming. To be fair, the ones that my boss and I installed in millionaires’ homes did also activate a servo that unlocked and opened the door, still.

            But, can that feature be far behind?
            If you’re simply too lazy to get up and answer the door, who are “we” to deny or ctritcize you your lethargy?

            My interest in this device now is twofold.

            While, where I live I’m not so worried about “porch pirates”- people stealing packages that have been left at my door- as seeing – perhaps a raccoon -take a dump on my front steps. And as undeniably entertaining as that might be, I doubt that if I chivvie him from wherever I am at that moment, perhaps driving or attending an important and solemn function, I doubt he’ll look up apologetically or even pause.

            So, is this just another device to hack into your life and glean even more info about not only your comings and goings, but what you buy, where you buy it, and even other bits of intel that might be presumed from facts that you will undoubtedly need to supply if the device is to work properly?

            Probably.

            This will all undoubtedly be “discovered” in about 18 months when some 14 year old in Bulgaria will cause yet another international incident when he steals all of everyone’s money through a “chink” in Ring’s software, and buys a yacht just a tiny bit smaller than Connecticut and sails away on the Black Sea.

            Also- and here’s is where the entire idea gets a bit dicey- I have an opportunity for those of you with a bit of bravado and very little conscience: In all the old houses that install these, they will not be connected by anything but a couple screws- they won’t be hard wired. Only the newest of homes will have enough and proper wiring to perform the wonders promised. Everyone else will rely on batteries and, will “come right off”.

            What if someone started a crime ring to steal the “rings”? That’d be something. You just walk up to the house, pop the device off and drive away, long before the police could arrive.

            That certain someone, could then begin re selling them on the black market.

            If this is you, I may be able to put you in touch with a 14 year old living overseas who might buy them for ten cents on the dollar and re use them in Russia.

Just a thought…

About Zaslow Crane

Zaslow Crane wrote his first Science fiction story when he was 11 This was after an uncle had given him a Charmin case full of sci fi paperbacks- all the old masters: A.E.Van Vogt, Cordwainer Smith, Heinlen, Bradbury, and dozens more. After that, he never looked back. Zaslow Crane has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers over many years, and has been a contributing editor for a national magazine. He has been published a couple hundred times for non fiction. Regarding fiction, he writes primarily SciFi and was one of the creative talents behind Smoke and Mirrors, a parsec nominated podcast that "re-imagined" the Twilight Zone and, which ran for 2 1/2 years. He has written over two hundred short stories, 7 or 8 novellas and two novels, one of which "explains" a great many advancements in human technology. He likes mindless sort of work, because it frees that other part of his brain to work on story ideas, so if you see him, say, digging a ditch, you'll know that he’s really writing. He lives in a tiny house on a hill in Central California. His home overlooks the ocean - IF you're willing to stand on tip toes and crane your neck. Just a bit.