Have we not learned we can't trust robots?

Spent some time in a Sprint store the other day, way too much time, actually - the people behind the glass wall who are in charge of repairing phones screwed way up - which is another story, yet related, so while they worked on a problem that wasn't the problem - I was monkeying around with one of them there new fangled Android phones - I was completely amazed - like the fist time I played Frogger - "Wow, I'm playing a video game and I'm not even in an arcade, rad!" - and man - this thing could do virtually, no, it could do everything.

Surf, turf, browse, buy, look, spy, download, upload, upgrade, tweet, text, reply, ask, check email, voicemail, check the news in Canada, (gotta keep on eye on those people), take pictures, shoot video, update me on Charlie Sheen's rehab stint, EVERYTHING, it was surely a smart phone.

Maybe too smart...

Not in the technologically-advanced-NASA smart way - more like the one-night-while-I-slept-the-thing-would-gain-consciousness-and-kill-me-in-my-sleep smart way. Oh, sure, they call it an Android - but make no mistake - it's a robot.

Back in the day, robots serve as a trusted, loyal companion to humans - executing complicated tasks our puny brains couldn't handle like: mathematical calculations, distance of time and space - but as you can see, humans still didn't trust them a lick.


The Android phone has Artificial Intelligence...uh-huh...

...one of its main functions...uh-huh...

...is to anticipate your every move...uh-huh...

...and help make your life easier...uh-huh...

There's been a lot of robots - here are just a few I could think of:

Here's a helpful robot - she was a pain in the ass

but wouldn't smother you in your sleep

Not a robot, but psychotic nonetheless

Helpful, in the closet but helpful

Really not helpful at all

Mr. Roboto - thank you very much, but no thank you

Look it, I'm all for making life easy - believe me, if there's an easy way out - I'd run-over an elderly man using a walker to be the first one through the door - but there's something to be said for thinking for oneself - making decisions and living with the outcome. OK, maybe robots would have stopped me from wearing those parachute pants back in the day - but then I wouldn't have been able to make that really neat "swishing" sound as I walked - and have enough pockets to even keep my 8-track close at hand - but as far as a phone that tells me what to do? Sorry, that position is filled by my 10-year old.

So - in the end I opted for a simple phone, basic - you know, texting, surfing, email - one that I could boss around. Oops, gotta run - the dryer is telling me my clothes are dry. Or are they?