Thinking About Tomorrow
Jessica E. Vascellaro,
Wall Street Journal,
Feb 01, 2008
The Wall Street Journal looks at the future and gets some of it - in my view - just wrong. This, for example: "The clerk may have access to your online profile and shopping history. So, he might mention that the store is having a special on a camera you looked at on a retail site. What's more, he'll mention that your friend Jerry bought it and recommends it." How long do you think we'll put up with that? The author also keeps coming back to 3D holograms - but these will be pale reflections of the cracking-sharp large screens that I think we will come to prefer. The article also predicts, "As GPS hardware becomes more widespread, that information will follow wherever you go." I don't see why information needs a GPS to find you; simply connect to the nearest access point (which will be ubiquitous) and self-identify. Much less big-brotherish. Same with search: there will be no need for GPS to assist search; the access point tells us everything we need. The WSJ also predicts the use of a device like the Kindle to deliver the news (which will not be free); I predict the failure of the company that tries that. Related: Susan Smith Nash, IBM Predictions for the Future Spell Web 2.0 Business Opportunities Now.
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