[rokhayakebe]

I do not have a GPS, most of my friends do. I notice something with everyone who has a GPS when I am with them: they cannot find their way back. They have to use the tool again.

Why am I saying this? I do not know whether these technologies are making people smarter or less smart. It certainly helps to have something that can help do the tasks you just would not be able to do on your own without much toiling, however I think a lot about the day when your AI enabled digital assistant makes every single decision for you.

[CmonDev]

It's a perception problem. GPS is an artificial organ that happens to reside outside of your brain at this stage of evolution. Most people have to use vision as well, they cannot just use their old trusty sense of smell to get around. So what it's biological?

[sumitviii]

Saying that we are now controlling the evolution (in biological sense) is incorrect.

[jackgolding]

I find the complete opposite personally, in that GPS has given me a better appreciation for my surroundings and proximity. Maybe I just look at maps too much?

[maaku]

Once you trust the machine to get you back, you can retake those brain cycles previously used to track that information to do something more productive, e.g. think about what you're going to do at the destination, engage in social banter, or plan the rest of your day.

You don't realize it, but you're actually less productive than your friends with GPS.

[colanderman]

Not only do you use a different part of your brain for navigation from most everything else, it grows to accommodate its use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus#Role_in_spatial_mem...

I never use a GPS, and generally never have to spend time thinking about directions. They just come to me, and eventually I'm at my destination and wonder how I got there. Compare to futzing with the terrible UI of most GPSes and interrupting conversations to listen to them tell me how far until the next slight bend in the road.