back to article Intel contextual awareness: 'We know what your wife is up to'

Intel Labs is working on a technology that uses what it calls "contextual awareness" to advise you of the best method to use when contacting others. "I want to call my wife or text my wife during the workday," Intel research engineer Philip Muse told The Reg during a pre-show technology showcase on Monday at the Intel …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Charles Manning

    If she's using Intel kit

    Don't bother contacting her. Just send her more batteries.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      What a pudding

      "I want to call my wife or text my wife during the workday," Intel research engineer Philip Muse told The Reg during a pre-show technology showcase on Monday at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, "but I don't know what she's doing. She's out and about, she's busy, she's doing something – I never know whether I should call her or text her."

      By the time you get round to it the moment will have passed. Sounds like she gives him hell if he disturbs her.

    2. Anonymous Coward 15
      Paris Hilton

      Re: If she's using Intel kit

      More batteries? Nudge nudge, wink wink.

  2. Mike Flugennock
    Coffee/keyboard

    Creepy

    Creepy, creepy, creepy. Do. Not. WANT.

    That is all.

    1. Arctic fox
      Unhappy

      Re: "Creepy" Yes, it is. I am not entirely certain what it is about this tech that...........

      ...........makes my skin crawl but it does.

      1. Captain DaFt
        Big Brother

        Re: "Creepy" Yes, it is. I am not entirely certain what it is about this tech that...........

        I agree.

        My first thought was, "'I Know What You Did Last Summer' was a horror movie, and now 'I know what you're doing right now' is supposed to be a good thing?" Count me out!

  3. david 12 Silver badge

    Contextual Awareness

    We had contextual Awareness, prior to the widespread adoption of Call Waiting and Voice Messages.

    You called. If the line was busy, you got a busy tone. If she wasn't there, the phone rang out.

    Now, you call, the phone rings, you have no idea what that means, you get the voice messaging service, any message at all that you leave implies that you think it is so important that she should check her messaged and respond. You've lost the contextual awareness but you are making a context-sensitive demand.

    One small reason why people now prefer to SMS rather than to Call. In the modern context, it's just more polite.

    1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

      Re: Contextual Awareness

      The phone company doesn't care either way - an SMS earns them money too. The whole genesis of voicemail was for phone companies to grab that minute that an unanswered or busy call would otherwise have made them miss out on. That's also why the menus are so extensive and.. so.. slow..ly.. spo..ken. - the whole idea is to give you as little opportunity as possible to use the first (usually free) minute.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    No thanks

    Too creepy by half. There's nothing like being alone, if only for a few minutes, knowing that no-one you know has a clue where you are/what you're doing and that they can't contact you. Brief freedom in a complicated world. I'm not paying Intel or anyone else to take that away.

    But anyway, I don't know if it's because my brain is sluggish at this hour, but I don't quite see how it works. If all my devices are technologically equipped to work out what I'm up to, how does that help the caller? Does it depend on them having the same technology (or at least software that understands) and on my tech telling them what it thinks I'm up to?

  5. jungle_jim
    Trollface

    on a plus side

    At least this will stop people calling me when I'm having a shit.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: on a plus side

      It'll probably come with a 'Boss Override' so he can tell you you've been in there long enough.

  6. Great Bu

    Should I call ?

    Before you contact user, the following context information is available:

    Location : Office

    Office Door : Locked

    Desktop PC Activity: Streaming Video

    Desktop PC Input: Alternating between keyboard and mouse (one hand only in use)

    'Phone Location: On Desk

    'Phone Sensor Data: Desk Vibrating at ~ 1 Hz

    Options:

    1) Call

    2) Don't Call

    3) Give it 5 minutes, then call.

    1. Steven Roper

      Re: Should I call ?

      Before you contact user, the following context information is available:

      User Relationship: Spouse

      Location : Western Star Motel, 1175 Interstate Highway 2

      Room Allocated : 3 hours

      'Phone Location: On Dresser

      'Phone Microphone Data: "Oh god oh yes oh god oh god [spouse's name] do it me do it harder YES!..."

      Options:

      1) Call Spouse.

      2) Call Divorce Lawyer.

      3) Explode Spouse's Phone Battery.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Coat

        Re: Should I call ?

        4) auto-unlock door so I can join.

        Can you hold my coat?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmmm...

    This is what happens when companies run out of ideas. Desperate!

  8. John H Woods Silver badge

    Solution

    Text: 'are you free for a call' and call if the answer comes back 'yes'

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sometimes people just need to do things they will regret later but never say a word about :P

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Picture of what's she''s doing" you might wanna rephrase that ;)

  11. Silverburn

    Ignoring the moral question, the practical questions remain:

    - how do you apply logic to the hard sensor data?

    - how do you distinguish between useful soft data and the junk data, given you're actually relying on people using calendars, and in a consistent manner? (tip: only the truly anal will keep a domestic calendar).

    - how do you overlay soft data with hard data?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    forget about the wife.

    I want to know the best time to call the neighbor's wife.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Oops...

      Meant to post that as AC 8-(

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: forget about the wife.

      Listening in on what's going on?? Creepy. But I would like to know the best time NOT to call my elderly parents. Aged != sprightly, if you catch my drift.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: forget about the wife.

      +1

      Mine visits occasionally, with her Mum. God knows how that was allowed to happen!

      And spends a great deal of time bent over gardening downstairs. Just a normal skinny separated brunette ... with an insanely hot accent ... and can drink anyone under the table .... :P

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oh and my wife''s older half-brother's wife''s younger sister (bear with me!) looks and sounds exactly like a youthful Kim or Kelley Deal. OMG.

    I have to occasionally have dinner parties with her and pretend very hard that's she''s definitely not interesting. They must think I''m Mr Stiff Upper Lip or something.

    Even my slightly nerdy (ex-maths teacher) but actually insanely hot blonde ex boss was a problem in that way.... she''s changed surnames twice since we worked together and that wasn't very long ago. At one point she was quizzing the guys in the office "so, would you ever consider a hooker" .... got round to me and what do you say, I guess you think umm "what do you mean exactly, here"? :P

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like