In my last blog I mentioned that when I saw how easy it was to interact with the iPhone I thought “This is what I was promised 5 years ago!”
I love the picture the author paints in this article on Wired
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/gizmos/0,72477-0.html?tw=rss.technology
But I read that and thought “Didn’t Rob and I have a conversation like this 4 years ago?”
Seriously, I thought this would have been here by now. I think Rob and I, and several other members of the braincell fully expected that future to be now.
I could get into my conspiracy theories on why it isn’t…mostly having to do with evil media content owners, but instead I’d like to let you know where I see the future.
5 to 10 years, implantable computing, especially in the area of prosthetics. I know that in some cases they are already embedding prosthetics with electronics into peoples muscles and nerve endings so they can control them with their brain, but with FDA approval and everything, I see this being a real possible every day Luke Skywalker type reality in 5 to 10 years.
And, there is an outside chance they will finally figure out how to get the computer interface (keyboard and mouse) actually inside of my brain sometime after that…and beyond that, I would love a display embedded right into my visual cortex.
Those ideas are further out than 5 to 10 years…but I like them.
I expect in 5 to 10 years to see an increase in Automobile automation in terms of the cars computer being able to do certain things without interaction from the driver. I know they are already parallel parking themselves, but I think things will get crazier than that in 5 to 10. But don’t expect the car to be handling itself at 60mph on the freeway any time really quick. At the very least there is a lot of government red-tape before something like that could happen.
I expect wireless USB to get really really big. It will be used for speakers in surround sound systems, as well as other consumer electronics for simple communications of dedicated signals over a limited range (i.e. inside a room in your house).
Within 10 years we will actually catch up to the japanese in terms of cell-phone networks.
They saw the iPhone and yawned because they’ve had stuff like this for a couple of years already.
Along with web-services/applications we will continue to see an increase in Virtual Machine-based software. I believe something even to the point of combining typical Java-like virtual machines with virtualization technology to produce an increase in speed and security. This will yeild a single download for your application that works on Mac, Windows, Linux and any future OS projects that happen to gain ground.
I also see all that stuff that happens in the article happening, and your TV, DVD, and Stereo will play nice with that stuff as well (that is of course, if they are all stuff you bought from the apple store, which won’t be compatible with the Sony and microsoft stuff).
And, I’m out of time to write more ideas down…so I leave you with that.