Keeping an Eye on Technology Futures, No Hidden Agendas, New Attitudes, No Platitudes!
A cellphone already has a powerful computer, lots of memory, screen, keyboard and Internet connection. What can you NOT do with your cellphone? Why carry a cellphone and a camera, when one gadget can do both? In some places, people can use cellphones instead of credit-cards - so why carry credit-cards? Soon this multi-function gadget will include sensors, leading to lots of new features and functions.
Built-in sensors and GPS will provide of feedback with contextual clues about users' locations, activities and behaviors. For example, sensor-enabled phones could help monitor exercise habits, keep track of various activities, and let people know whether you're available for a call - or not - to stop annoying interruptions. It can let you know if you need to take a break, or if you're meeting your exercise goals.
To explore possibilities, Intel researchers have used a pager-size gadget that gathers data from 7 sensors: accelerometer, barometer, humidity sensor, thermometer, light sensor, digital compass, and microphone. Most of these are used to determine location and activity, but the microphone can provide interesting clues on social networks - for example, whether a person is having a social chat or a business conversation. To avoid privacy concerns, only information about tone, pitch, and volume are analyzed. So now, your cellphone will become a completely new social-networking and life-enhancing tool.
Well, I didn't stand in line to get an iPhone, though my son Chris (who lives in Santa Maria, CA) got one and is very pleased with it. I'll be playing with it this weekend to see if it gives me goosebumps. And the urge to forsake my PocketPC.
