While recently discussing with a friend what you can do with certain technologies these days, I realized we’re on the verge of amazing things. Not a paradigm shift, or anything quite so cliché; but certain things which will be put into handsets (smartphones, superphones, whatever) in the future.
- Convergence : You won’t need to carry around any other camera, phone, computer, or multimedia device
- P-Ink displays : or some variant. They won’t need backlights, so that’s a tremendous boost to the battery-life and helps outdoors
- Wireless Power : There are pads that will charge gadgets placed on top. If that technology becomes more ubiquitous, you could charge any device just by laying it on the counter-top
- Mobile Internet : Connect on the go! You’ll be able to access all the information on the internet from anywhere
- Solid-State Technologies : With all moving parts disappearing, devices are becoming smaller and smaller, faster, and more resistant to damage
- Batteries : In the near future, you will be able to last all day on a small battery and then charge it within minutes
We’re close to a new class of personal computers that are always on and always with us, usable everywhere and anywhen. When I look at what’s available to us today, I estimate that we’ll see these devices within five years.