Dylan Love on the case against Google Now:

How do we draw the distinction between the technology that makes your life easier and the technology that breeds mindlessness? In my opinion, Google Now flirts too closely with this boundary.

I kind of pride myself in having my phone work for me instead of the other way around. The best example of this is that I refuse to use push notifications. I'd rather check email and Twitter on my own terms, not when my phone tells me it's time.

When I see my people fumbling with their phones in response to whatever notification just popped up, I can't help but be reminded of Thoreau's quote that "men have become the tools of their tools."…

If I were to boil this all down to a single idea, it would go as follows: I'm in charge of my phone. My phone's not in charge of itself. Google Now nearly represents the phone coming to life, acting on its own and without your direction.

It becomes slightly less your phone and you become a slightly less mindful.