Internet Everywhere!
Wed, January 13, 2010 Filed in: Internet
Internet wherever I go! Yeah!
On Monday, I was listening to a discussion on NPR about “Internet Everywhere”. Specifically, the conversation was about internet access, wi-fi, in cars. One expert, Nicholas Ashford, Professor of Technology and Policy at MIT, was quite concerned. “The brain is compromised!” he said. My brain went back to 1922. “We can’t have radio in automobiles! People will be distracted by the music! They will start to tap their feet! They will start to sing! It will be chaos!” The irony that I was listening to this on a car radio was not lost. The people in this conversation were thinking “problem” not “possibilities”. Granted, driving while mousing around iGoogle is not a great idea.
“Stupid Driver Ahead”
Instead of thinking about it as “internet everywhere” how about “data everywhere”. With real time data to your car, think about the “possibilities”. Real-Time traffic maps, Real-Time weather, Real-Time road construction information. Always updated GPS road data. Maybe even the ability to find your car if it’s stolen or when you daughter is out late....too late.
The Department of Transportation can regulate the device. No mouse, make keyboard non-functional during motion like my Prius (btw, if you don’t know the work around for that lockout, let me know). But don’t freak out at the concept of porting a great idea to another format and only look at the inherent problems. Look at the inherent possibilities.
The real issue will be bandwidth since cell phone service is the logical choice for the transmission device. With that being the case, I was expecting someone from AT&T to call into the show. “No!! No please no!! We haven’t figured out how to deal with iPhones yet!”
“Stupid Driver Ahead”
Instead of thinking about it as “internet everywhere” how about “data everywhere”. With real time data to your car, think about the “possibilities”. Real-Time traffic maps, Real-Time weather, Real-Time road construction information. Always updated GPS road data. Maybe even the ability to find your car if it’s stolen or when you daughter is out late....too late.
The Department of Transportation can regulate the device. No mouse, make keyboard non-functional during motion like my Prius (btw, if you don’t know the work around for that lockout, let me know). But don’t freak out at the concept of porting a great idea to another format and only look at the inherent problems. Look at the inherent possibilities.
The real issue will be bandwidth since cell phone service is the logical choice for the transmission device. With that being the case, I was expecting someone from AT&T to call into the show. “No!! No please no!! We haven’t figured out how to deal with iPhones yet!”