Clearly, the phone itself isn’t forcing anyone to scroll through Instagram while they’re watching TV with their partner. But it does seem to create unique problems that would not have existed even 15 years ago. And, because most people do use their phones every day, it’s easy for these subtle conflicts to slip under the cracks and cause blow up fights over, well, a Facebook like.

I spoke with Dr. Susan Weinschenk, Chief Behavioral Scientist at The Team W, Inc., an organisation that helps clients gain insights about behavioral science, and Dr. Emma Seppälä, author of The Happiness Track, to find out more about how phones mess with people’s love lives. Here are 6 things to look out for:

1. You feel neglected when your partner has their phone out, even if they’re “totally listening.”

“We’re very sensitive, especially in romantic relationships, about our prioritisation in the person’s life,” says Dr. Weinschenk. “The other person will say ‘I’m listening, I can listen, let me just check one message’ and it really becomes a symbol of how present somebody is at the moment.”

Obviously, even if your partner can repeat everything you just said verbatim, the fact that they were scrolling through their Twitter the whole time definitely drains you of feelings of closeness. “Intimacy comes from being able to share authentically with another person,” says Dr. Seppälä. “If you are looking at your phone rather than in your partner’s eyes, there can be no intimacy.” Or, at the very least, it sends the message that you think actively listening to them is as important as checking your notifications. Not great, either way.

2. Your phone is ALWAYS on your mind, even when you don’t want it to be.

Some of the most private moments couples have are in bed, yet checking your phone first thing when you wake up can definitely feel like an involuntary impulse. “There are actually a few things about smartphones that make it particularly easy for people to learn a conditioned response,” says Dr. Weinschenk. “You put the phone near your bed and you use it as your alarm clock, you pick it up and it’s this automatic reaction to checking your email, checking your texts, Facebook, Instagram, etc. It just becomes a habit that you do, without even realising that you’re doing it.”

On top of this being annoying to your partner who just wanted a morning spoon-fest, it also removes the sense of aloneness when you open up Instagram. According to a study by the University of Chicago, the mere presence of a phone in the room causes a decrease in cognitive capacity and attentional focus, because you subconsciously worry about missed notifications. Which, of course, makes it hard to really be with your S.O.

“The impact is that instead of waking up with just you, you’re waking with 50 other people,” says Dr. Weinschenk. “You feel like you’re always sharing this person.”

3. You can feel genuinely hurt if your partner doesn’t text soon enough.

“There’s a lot of other subtext (no pun intended), like how quickly do they respond, ‘I texted you right away and you didn’t text back, what does that mean?’,” says Dr. Weinschenk. “When people text, to them, it’s very immediate, and if there isn’t an immediate response, you kind of feel like you’re being ignored.”

If you’re at a job where you can’t check your phone, you have an acceptable excuse for not being prompt. But TBH, sometimes you just want to watch Netflix without maintaining an immediate back-and-forth convo with bae. Or honestly, you saw the text and forgot to respond. And vice versa. The immediacy of phones has us all expecting real-time communication, even when it’s not possible. Ultimately, this adds a difficult, specific type of stress that literally no generation of humans has ever dealt with.

4. If you’re a strictly-texting couple, you miss out on higher levels of intimacy.

“As social animals, we get a lot of information, consciously and unconsciously, from being able to see someone’s facial expressions, for instance,” says Dr. Weinschenk. “We also get it from touch – if someone gives you a hug, strokes your arm, that releases a chemical called oxytocin which makes you feel bonded to that person. We get a lot from the tone of voice, the way someone says something. And all of that is lost in a text, and some of that is lost in Skype or the phone, so you have these different levels of information.”

It’s easy to feel like you’re always talking when you text, but actually calling your partner for a nightly recap and hearing their voice feels way more intimate, especially when you can’t be together IRL.

5. You can have a whole fight over a misinterpreted message.

Who among us hasn’t gotten instantly worried at the sight of “…” ending a sentence, or a “can we talk later tonight?” that ended up not being a hint at a break up but really was just your partner wanting a phone convo?

“It makes it easy to misinterpret, when someone says something in a text and you take it a certain way, and if only you have heard their voice, you would know how they meant it,” says Dr. Weinschenk.

6. Your mood around your partner gets worse when you check social media.

“Social media can have a negative impact on our mood and relationships,” says Dr. Seppälä. “The research shows that if you are spending time on scrolling through social media, it can make you feel more depressed.” A recent study published in Clinical Psychological Science states that “adolescents who spent more time on new media (including social media and electronic devices such as smartphones) were more likely to report mental health issues.”

And some of that could be because it’s all too easy to compare yourself to others on social media. Sometimes, all it takes to ruin date night is seeing that your high school nemesis just got engaged on a gorgeous Italian terrace, while you’ve been hoping your boyfriend would propose literally anywhere.

Ok, so you read this post and realise your phone is, indeed, messing with your relationship. What now?

“To cut the habit, you have to create a new habit,” says Dr. Seppälä. “For example, when you’re on a date, turn your phone on airplane mode and put it away. Check it when you have a free moment, like when your partner goes to the bathroom.”

Of course, you need both people to agree to actually work on this. “I think it’d be hard and really unusual for people to say ‘whenever I’m with you, I’ll never check my phone,’” says Dr. Weinschenk. “But I think in order to really do something about it, you need to agree that for certain activities, we don’t use our phones. If it’s in your pocket and you feel it vibrate, that doesn’t count.”

It can be a tough cycle to break, and probably requires you forgiving your partner (and yourself!) for occasionally slipping up and checking Snapchat after toggling off your morning alarm. But if your S.O. can’t commit to putting their phone away for a two-hour dinner, that tells you everything you need to know about the relationship.

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Source: UK Cosmo

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The burning of the phones is to reinforce strict compliance with the ban on the use of mobile phones in all second-cycle schools.

Citifmonline.com gathered that, some of the students ignored the school authorities’ incessant warning that the use of mobile phones in school will not be tolerated.

The affected students today [Thursday], threatened to embark on a demonstration against the decision, but the move was foiled by district police command.

The police rapid response team curtailed any untoward situation there.

The Ghana Education Service is against second-cycle students using mobile phones whilst in school.

This rule has often generated public debate on the use of mobile phones at the basic and second cycle institutions level.

While some education analysts argue that the ban is awkward, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior Schools (CHASS) believes it is the best disciplinary measure, and in the best interest of the students.

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior Schools (CHASS), argued that the use of mobile phones is a distraction to students, hence the ban.

Karaga SHS PTA backs the ban

The School’s Parents Teacher Association (PTA), met and resolved that the ban should be strictly enforced.

The school authorities have remained tight-lipped on the matter.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Bixby voice-powered assistant was unveiled at a special event last month and was meant to debut on the South Korean giant’s new flagship devices.

It promised to help users search and categorise photographs and access detailed information using voice commands.

But the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will now ship without voice control for Bixby.

However, Google’s voice assistant, which is now a standard part of the Android operating system, will be available.

The full Bixby will be made available as an update later this spring, Samsung said.

It did not give a reason why, but early tests – by the BBC and others – suggested the software was lacking in the days ahead of its launch.

“Key features of Bixby, including Vision, Home and Reminder, will be available with the global launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 on 21 April,” the company said.

“Bixby Voice will be available in the US on the Galaxy S8 later this spring.”

The smartphones, which impressed pundits at launch, have been seen as a way for Samsung to come back from the Note 7 exploding battery debacle – 2.5 million devices were recalled.

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Source: BBC

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The two Pixel handsets are the first mobiles to trigger Google Assistant by pressing their home buttons, somewhat like Apple’s Siri.

The Home speaker lets the same artificial intelligence tool be controlled without use of a touchscreen. It rivals Amazon’s Echo.

Google also unveiled new virtual reality kit and a 4K media streamer.

The Assistant has two key advantages over rival systems:

• it can hold a conversation, in which one question or command builds on the last, rather than dealing with each request in isolation
• it draws on Google’s Knowledge Graph database, which links together information about more 70 billion facts, and has been in use for four years

However, the US company will have to overcome privacy concerns and convince users that chatting to a virtual assistant has advantages over using individual apps.

Google already offers the Assistant as part of its chat app Allo – but the software has been installed on only a small minority of phones that support it as yet.

Smarter phones

The decision to brand the phones with the Pixel name, rather than Nexus, marks a break with the past, and is intended to signify that they were designed in house rather than by another manufacturer.

The devices come in two sizes – with either a 5in (12.7cm) or 5.5in (14cm) OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen – but otherwise have similar specs.

Google said the 12.3 megapixel rear camera they share was the best on the market – basing its claim on an independent test by DxO Labs. And as further enticement, it is offering unlimited storage for the photos.

Google also drew attention to the devices’ glass-and-aluminium bodies, and specifically noted they featured a headphone jack – unlike Apple and Motorola’s latest models.

Unlike most Android phones, the Pixel and Pixel XL will automatically install operating-system and security updates as soon as they are released.

But it is their ability to access Assistant as a standalone facility that makes them unique, at least for now.

“It goes one step further than tapping on the microphone in the Google Search app and getting a bunch of responses – it gives a conversational feel to what you are doing,” Google executive Mario Queiroz told the BBC.

Users can, for example, ask for what films are playing at nearby cinemas, and then follow up the reply by saying: “We want to bring the kids,” to narrow down the selection.

“Having a conversation – one where you ask a question and then follow-on questions – is a much more natural way to interact, and you would think that would offer a better user experience,” said Brian Blau, from the consultancy Gartner.

“But we haven’t had that type of system offered at the mass market level before, so it’s hard to say how well it actually do.”

The Pixel will start at £599 and the Pixel XL at £719 when they go on sale on 20 October.

Lighter VR

A month later, Google will launch the Daydream View.

The virtual reality headset and motion-sensing controller make use of Pixel – and other forthcoming compatible phones – as a display.

A near-field communication (NFC) chip automatically puts the handset into VR mode when it is fitted inside.

But the main advantages the £69 package offers a user over the existing Google Cardboard headset is a strap to hold it to their head and its wave-and-click controller.

Home v Echo

Google says it believes smart speakers are about to become a “huge” category.

But Home enters the market nearly two years behind Echo.

The wi-fi speaker is activated by the trigger words “OK Google”, following which, owners can use it to:

• get answers to questions
• control internet-connected lights and other smart home products
• play music via Spotify, YouTube Music, Google Play Music and other services
• set timers and alarms, create shopping lists and get travel updates

Most of this can already be done on the Echo, which benefits from being able to tap into additional third-party products as well as Amazon’s shopping services.

But Google highlighted that Home could link up to its Chromecast media-streaming dongles, including a new higher-resolution 4K model, in addition to TVs and speakers with built-in Cast support.

“It gives you an easy way to distribute music throughout your home,” said Mr Queiroz.

“You can also say, ‘Play videos of John Oliver on my TV.’

“And your TV will power up and launch YouTube and play the clips. You won’t have to reach for a remote and press the microphone button.”

He added that the Assistant would soon be able to control Netflix as well.

The $129 (£101) device is launching in the US only next month, but is due to come to the UK next year.

Unlike most Google services, it will not play ads of its own, at least for now.

Privacy concerns

Some households might be concerned by the idea of Google gaining a further way to track their habits.

But Mr Blau was not convinced Echo offered a better prospect.

“While Amazon does not do advertising like Google, it does have a large base of affiliated businesses that get access to the information about what you do and buy,” he said.

“Anyway, consumers say that they are concerned about privacy but in general they usually don’t act on those concerns.”

Analysis: Rory Cellan-Jones, Technology correspondent

It might seem from today’s announcements that Google is showing it can become a hardware company with the kind of control over the entire user experience that Apple enjoys.

In fact, the key message coming from Mountain View is about software – and in particular artificial intelligence.

Google believes that 17 years of collecting data about its users and the world, coupled with its growing expertise in machine learning, have given it a lead over rivals like Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

That AI capability is now being showcased in Assistant, the conversational helper which will be at the heart of its own devices – and those made by its partners.

But its Achilles’ heel could be customer concerns about privacy. Google may be smarter about anticipating its users every desire – but many may be cautious about handing over even more data to a business which already knows so much about them.

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Source: BBC

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GAKE is alleged to have attacked Nana Akufo Addo after he issued a statement to justify Former President John Agyekum Kuffour’s unflinching support for him throughout the years.

But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Asante expressed displeasure about the group’s comments and further described them as unpleasant.

“My only worry is the fact that, isn’t it below the belt for anybody in the interest of democracy or anybody in his right senses to wish the death of a man like Nana Akufo -Addo” Mr. Asante said.

He also expressed disappointment in Mr. Kyeremanten’s inability to call the group to order.

“The group working for Alan Kyeremanten and being sponsored by Alan Kyeremanten perpetually made disparaging remarks about Nana Addo and we are so disappointed that Alan has not come out to either  dissociate himself from the group’s statements or condemn the very existence of this group purported to be working for him.”

In that regard, Mr. Asante tasked Mr. Kyeremanten to either call the group to order or dissociate himself from the disparaging comments made by the group.

Meanwhile a friend to Mr. Kyeremnaten is also insisting that Alan has dissociated himself from the comments by the group saying “Alan is not for campaign of vilification against anyone.”

According to him, the issues raised by the group has been vehemently opposed and criticized.

He also dismissed claims that Alan Kyeremanten was funding or supporting  the activities of the group.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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