Imagine touring Paris, guided in real time on your phone by a custom walking tour you created using data from the web. Holding up your phone to the bistro on the corner, you briefly scan its menu as well as reviews from other travelers before deciding to stop for a bite. Just for a moment, you pause and reach into your pocket for your debit card, which recognizes your biometrics and holographically displays your current balance. It’s a bit less than you remembered. Well, the bistro is a bit pricey, but you had a cheap breakfast…
Realistically, this scenario is probably just right around the corner. Some of the technologies required for our fantasy trip to Paris are already available, while others are not quite ready for prime time. But as we await new innovations in mobile technology and web-enhanced devices, we should also consider other, less gadgety factors, like privacy and the environmental impact of the web. Last month, in Part 1 of “The Future of the Web,” I looked at the future role of websites, how social media will affect the search industry, new browser technology, and data synthesis tools. This month, I’d like to take a closer look at mobile web technology and augmented reality, privacy and data ownership issues, and the environmental impact of the web. Read the full article >
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