Problem child. (Photo: Flickr)

We’re all going to enter therapy for our addiction to technology eventually. Might as well start them young. That’s what they’re doing over in the United Kingdom to a four-year-old girl who, after using her iPad for more than four hours a day, became “distressed and inconsolable” when it was taken away.

Her mother entered her into a rehab after she showed "increased agitation" when the iPad was removed. Enter hero Dr. Richard Graham, the creator of Britain's first-ever technology addiction program, who claims cases like hers are growing and creating “dangerous” long-term effects. He told The Telegraph that the electronic form of amusement was preventing kids from forming IRL social relationships and leaving kids very exhausted from the constant swiping.

Like every other problem, he blames parents for not lifting an eye from their iDevices, which leaves kids craving them, too.

"They can't cope and become addicted, reacting with tantrums and uncontrollable behavior when they are taken away. Then as they grow older, the problem only gets worse. Even the most shy kids, when they hit their teens, suddenly want to become sociable and popular," said Dr. Graham.

Now frustrated parents, who are too scared of their crying children, are paying upwards of $25,000 for 28-day long "digital detox" programs in a London hospital created by Dr. Graham. Guess we know where Park Slope parents will be spending their summers!

A Park Slope no-no. (Photo: Hashgram.com)

Between protecting their kids from preservatives and putting in their hours at the Food Co-op, parents in Park Slope have found a new target to rage against: ALL of the technology. They're complaining that the library in the posh Brooklyn neighborhood has too many gizmos and gadgets thus making it impossible for little Kai to learn about the benefits of farm-to-table restauranteering from a book, rather than an app.

When the library reopened in September following an extensive renovation, it installed a collection of iPads and children-friendly computers intermixed between the 20,000 new books. However, not every parent is pleased with the expensive technological investment, which are more commonly seen in their natural habitat: the back seat of Land Rovers.

Enter concerned area dad John Skaller. He’s limiting the time his 12-year-old and 3-year-old spend on the computers at the library because he wants them to flip the pages of a book rather than tap on a touchscreen.

"It’s not so easy to peruse the stacks because the tables with the computers are right there," Skaller said to DNAInfo.com. "There's not a lot space away from those screens... For the 3-year-old, there's an immense opportunity to discover new things to read, and anything that's pulling her away from that gets in the way of the purpose of the trip to the library."

Stephanie Brueckel, the head librarian, told the website she was aware of the haterade-fueled comments from some parents. But despite removing iPads from common areas due to a rash of thefts and complaints, the computers will remain.

"I think people are actually quite happy we took them off the floor," Brueckel said. "I think this community doesn't really want a lot of technology in [library] programming."

The hot-button issue was raised at recent community board meeting, but the library isn’t going limit the technology, a spokesperson told DNAInfo. The computers are regularly used by lower-income students at a nearby school who rely on the Wifi and devices to complete schoolwork. Susan Moesker, a PTA co-president at neighboring school P.S. 39, said the technology is essential for the kids.

"I guess there might be a pre-supposition that since the library is in Park Slope that people who use it are all from Park Slope, but that's not the case," Moesker she told the website. "Within our school community we have students from all over and from varying income levels. Kids who have no access to computers at home need a place where they can use them."

We're praying for those affected Park Slope parents during this turbulent time.

If you're seeing a 'Temporary Error' message when you try to sign in to Gmail, it means that your mail is temporarily unavailable. These errors generally resolve themselves within a few minutes, so please wait a bit before trying to log in again. Please note that while Gmail is inaccessible, your messages and personal information are safe.

Google's Apps Status Dashboard confirms that Gmail has had a service interruption as of 9:20 a.m. this morning. (Under "detailed technical info," Google just says "Numeric Code: 152," and you can read the obtuse explanation of that here.)

It's unclear how many users are affected by the outage. Last time Gmail experienced a mass outage was on April 17, when Google said less than 2 percent of users were affected.

Gmail appears to be inaccessible through the web and through third parties using IMAP, and the people of Twitter are not happy. Google is investigating the issue. Google's press team did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but maybe their email is just down.

UPDATE, 10:40 a.m. Aaand we're back, but running slow. Don't worry, kids. Whatever hurricane took out an island of Gmail servers must not have been too bad. Gmail is still down for some and returning for others. We'll update when Google releases a statement with more details.

UPDATE, 11:14 a.m. Google sent this statement: "We are aware of an issue, and are currently investigating.  We'll continue to update the Apps Status Dashboard as we work to resolve the problem... less than 0.11% of the Gmail user base are affected by the issue."

(doingitlocal.com)

If you noticed that one of your friends unfollowed you on Twitter recently, it might not be that they got fed up with your oversharing. Instead, they may have been the victim of a new "unfollow" bug Twitter finally admitted to today. The bug makes it look like you're not following someone even when you are: in order to see if you're actually following them, you have to click over to their profile page for confirmation.

"If you’ve ever noticed your friends and contacts unfollowed you, it may have caused a sense of confusion, dread, or self-insecurity," wrote TechCrunch yesterday. "Before one spirals into a series of apologies or deep-depression, it’s likely not your fault, (whew!)."

Calm down, everyone. Did you hear him? It's not your fault.

A bug alert in Twitter's Help Center reads: "A person you've recently followed shows in your following tab, but appears with a follow icon so it looks like you're not following them, as shown in the image below. Visit their profile if you'd like to confirm you're following them."

The bug seems small, but its implications are enormous. Imagine the insecurity and self-loathing that can spring from noticing your best friends unfollowed you.

"Wow, I've got to forgive a bunch of ex-friends," quipped @RubenBolling.

@LOLGOP had a different take: "Breaking: Twitter 'unfollow bug' is now an excellent excuse."

This bug is obviously the worst thing to happen to the Internet--nay, the world--in quite some time. We wish you all well during these trying circumstances.

The worst product on the market, the new iPad. (apple.com)

It was the fanboy gasp heard 'round the world: the newest incarnation of the iPad would not follow the tradition of a new number for every iteration. Instead of the iPad 3, the new iPad would be just that: The New iPad. Some thought the move genius; others claimed deceased CEO Steve Jobs would never have allowed the release of an unnamed product. A comfortably predictable company going in a "surprise" direction? The Internet will have none of that!

Now, reviews of the new iPad are out, and everyone--even infamous Apple obsessive David Pogue--has something to complain about.

Oh cruel, cruel world: what first world sadness hath Apple wrought now?

First off, the new iPad is "one millimeter thicker, and 1.8 ounces heavier" than its $100 cheaper predecessor. You mean it needs a bigger battery to power a retina display? Are there no visionaries left at Apple anymore? This thing really is junk!

Next, one corner of the iPad gets warm when you use it, perhaps due to the above mentioned new battery. Unacceptable. What next? A product that burns your skin off? (Oh.)

And the new screen, which arguably is the only thing different about this new iPad? It's "easily the most beautiful computer display" the Verge has ever seen, but it's still annoyingly glossy and doesn't work well in sunlight. With a screen like that, how the hell are we supposed to read The Daily from our private beach in St. Barts?

The sad reality of the New iPad is this: it's the same damn thing as the iPad 2, but with a better screen. Guess we'll have to take all that extra cash we have floating around elsewhere. Perky jerky, anyone?

Ouch. (Getty Images)

Computers are killing us. This is evident by the advent of yet another tech-related menace: Computer Vision Syndrome.

Computer Vision Syndrome, or C.V.S.,  has joined Text Neck and Internet Withdrawal in the dark pantheon of newfangled maladies associated with our non-stop daily diet of digital distraction. If it's easy to see this text you may be fine, but check out the American Optometric Association's explanation of the disorder and list of symptoms (handy for use in a future a Workman's Compensation claim!) anyway:

Computer Vision Syndrome describes a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer use. Many individuals experience eye discomfort and vision problems when viewing a computer screen for extended periods. The level of discomfort appears to increase with the amount of computer use.

The most common symptoms associated with Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) are

• eyestrain
• headaches
• blurred vision
• dry eyes
• neck and shoulder pain

If each bullet point in the A.O.A.'s list made your heart beat a little faster, have no fear--naturally, there are companies fully prepared to sell you products to combat the problem. Gunnar Optiks, founded by Matt and Jen Michelsen and Joe Croft (a former Business Unit General Manager for eyewear and apparel giant Oakley), carries a line of "Advanced Computer Eyewear" designed to relieve C.V.S.

Gunnar's specs are priced from $79 and are blue-blockers with a decidedly Oakley-like wraparound design, which the company says has been found in tests "to keep in humidity that helps with dry eyes." Gunnar Optiks investors include billionaire Peter Thiel, which suggests the lenses may have miraculous bubble-blocking properties as well.

One unanswered question--how will consumers manage their digital eyestrain blue-blockers once they've purchased their Google Terminator shades? Living in the future is complicated.

Millenials are addicted to the Internet, the story says, even manifesting physical addiction symptoms and necessitating the existence of Internet rehab clinics.

A study by the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda asked 200 students at the University of Maryland to abstain from digital media including Internet, social media, phones and music for 24 hours. "Although I started the day feeling good, I noticed my mood started to change around noon. I started to feel isolated and lonely. I received several phone calls that I could not answer," wrote one student. "By 2:00 pm. I began to feel the urgent need to check my email, and even thought of a million ideas of why I had to. I felt like a person on a deserted island… I noticed physically, that I began to fidget, as if I was addicted to my iPod and other media devices, and maybe I am."

Cue the eyerolls! But some psychologist have posited that heavy Internet usage is changing neural pathways in the brain. "My research has raised some red flags about the effects on our psyche from these new technologies," Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, director of the Impulse Control Disorders Clinic at Stanford University, told Al Jazeera. "Think before you click," he advised.

Betabeat is familiar with social media addiction thanks to Twitter addicts Diana Adams and Laurel Snyder, who described the hold Twitter has over them. "I sleep with my phone under my pillow," Ms. Adams confessed to Betabeat. "But if you think that’s bad, you don’t know any real Twitterholics."

The first comment on the Al Jazeera story: "I've been Facebook free since October. It's hard. Sometimes, especially after a bad day, I just want a little taste of Facebook. But I know it's not good for me in the long run. So, I take it one day at a time, because I know I don't want to go back to that life."

The world needs to know about this dangerous threat. Know someone with a Twitter twitch or a Farmville fetish? Get them on A&E before more children die.

Deep breaths now.

Instapaper creator Marco Arment has some very strong opinions on how people should consume the internet. Putting a bunch of high volume feeds into your RSS reader, for instance, is a rookie mistake that Mr. Arment considers downright destructive, although he admits, "Abuse is probably a more accurate term, then, but it sounds ridiculous to call such a trivial, first-world problem 'RSS abuse.'"

The real purpose of RSS, writes Mr. Arment in a special Labor Day post called Sane RSS Usage, is to capture the rare but high-quality posts that come from sites which are infrequently updated. To follow breaking news you are better off just visiting the actual sites or relying on your social network.

I currently subscribe to 100 feeds. This morning, I woke up to 6 unread items: one each from 6 of my feeds. Granted, it’s a Sunday on a holiday weekend, so this is a pretty low-activity day. On high-activity days, I usually wake up to about 25 items.

I don’t use an RSS app on the desktop anymore: I just use the Google Reader site. I can check it whenever I want, but nothing’s in my Dock collecting red badges to distract me every few minutes.²

This setup works well. I can follow tons of low-traffic sites and keep my reading list more diverse than if I relied only on social links, but other people ensure that I never miss anything great on the high-volume sites.

Betabeat wonders what Mr. Arment would think of our Instapaper behavior, which typically involves saving dozens of long, fascinating articles each day to read, only to find we have time for maybe one or two. The next day another dozen articles push the first batch far enough down the list that we never see them again, and it's anyone's guess how many stories we'll actually read from that second batch of saves. No doubt he would tell us, seated in the lotus pose, Macbook emitting a Zen-like hum, that it's not what you Instapaper, but how you Instapaper, that counts.

First, they came for the DVDs...