The robots are getting good! In fact, the person you may be talking to on the other end of the phone might actually be a clever AI program. How clever?

The topic is robot trolling, or trying to determine whether the bright and cheerful person selling you whatever is real. The link (below) contains some audio clips that are quite telling, but also chilling in how real the interaction can be.

You’re seeing the dawn of this type of tool. It will get better. In fact, in a few years (or even months), you may not be able to determine whether the conversation you’re having is with a human being or clever software.

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In some of my books, as a joke, I write about Wi-Fi and cellular signals everywhere, “Don’t duck!” Despite my jocularity, the visual representation presented in this article is pretty stunning.

If we could see the wireless signals, and providing they didn’t look like rainbows, my guess is that environmental groups would protest. And it does make me wonder whether any long-term harmful effects to this radiation exist. Remember, when X-Rays first came out they were considered a harmless novelty. Time will tell.

The grades are in, and they both . . . could stand some improvement.

I really believe voice input is the future of mobile devices, almost to the point that the wrist device won’t see any success until it’s sports a completely audio interface. The two giants Apple and Google are marching in the right direction, but still have quite a ways to go.

Biggest question: Where the heck is Microsoft in all this?

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If technology sales were to look like a delicious pie, then the slice taken by tablets would be pretty much half the pie. Sales of notebooks (laptops) is a third. And the rest, which is about 17 percent, goes to desktop computers.

The tablet revolution is well underway.

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Cheers to Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft for pushing the idea of a smartphone kill switch. Should your phone be lost or stolen, the kill switch software prevents anyone else from using it. Smart idea, right?

Jeers to the Cellular Providers who repeatedly reject the idea. No, for them security takes a back seat to profit.

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Android, which isn’t a brand but an operating system, runs on 81 percent of the smartphones sold today. Even so, Apple is rolling in the cash. The message?

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No, the 12.2 isn’t a version number, it’s the size. As I predicted a while back, larger tablets are coming. The Galaxy Note 12.2, due to arrive early next year, will probably be the first — and definitely not the largest.

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This could be good news, or it could be bad news: Apparently the FAA has lifted is inflight, all-the-time ban on electronic devices.

While you still need to pay attention to the flight crew, it’s soon going to be perfectly okay to mess with your electronic gizmos at all times while you fly. You can clutch them in your hands during take off and landing, but probably won’t have to power them down.

The ban extends on using cellular devices to make phone calls and access the mobile data network. But using Bluetooth or keeping an iPod on while the flight takes off or lands is apparently okee doke.

Various airlines will implement the new rules at different times. Of course, I’ll need to update my books.

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Complaints abound that Apple’s latest mobile operating system is inducing vertigo and nausea in users, specifically its onscreen animations.

I’ve seen the upgrade on an iPad. The home screen icons shimmy left and right as you turn the tablet. It’s an interesting 3D effect, but I can see how it would nauseate people. It’s probably the same sensation I feel with Samsung’s highly-annoying Whistle notification sound. Sheesh, talking about driving people nuts.

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