If you want to see how startling fast technology is progressing these days, here's a simple exercise for you: list all the things that your phone still can't do. Of course, you'll be able to list plenty of things. But each year, it seems like a few more things get crossed off. Following are a few features that have either been recently crossed off or most likely will be in the future. Hopefully it will get you as excited as I am for whatever the next big thing will be.
You know all those amusing phone apps that show that your phone knows precisely when and how it gets moved around, not unlike a wii remote? That's due to an accelerometer in the phone. It's what's behind your navigation system being able to track your movements so well. It's also ripe for new innovations, like automatic collision response. Since your phone knows how it's getting moved around, it knows very well when you get in a car accident. One of the most innovative phone apps of late uses this information much like Onstar does, but independent of what you're driving or riding. And there's no reason to think that the innovation with accelerometers stops there.
Then there's GPS--you probably already know a bit about the usefulness of GPS. Not only can you know precisely where you are, you can know precisely where everything else is, too, and precisely which roads will take you there. Imagine taking this to the next step--your phone alerting you automatically, for example, when severe weather is nearby, or you enter a high crime area. Okay, that already exists. Now try to imagine what comes next--any ideas?
How about internet on your phone? Do we appreciate what a leap in technology that is? If we could travel back in time (don't get your hopes up, the future would've told us by now if it was ever going to happen), the past generation would be mind-blown by the concept of being connected to everything you could want to know by a device that you carry in your pocket. That is, after getting their minds blown by the idea of the internet and the idea of cell phones. I don't doubt that we're in for more improvements on the ways that we can connect with the rest of the world, wherever we are.
The best part is, there's bound to be more leaps in technology that make completely different ideas possible. And why not? Half of the things that we could ever want a phone to do are already possible.
You know all those amusing phone apps that show that your phone knows precisely when and how it gets moved around, not unlike a wii remote? That's due to an accelerometer in the phone. It's what's behind your navigation system being able to track your movements so well. It's also ripe for new innovations, like automatic collision response. Since your phone knows how it's getting moved around, it knows very well when you get in a car accident. One of the most innovative phone apps of late uses this information much like Onstar does, but independent of what you're driving or riding. And there's no reason to think that the innovation with accelerometers stops there.
Then there's GPS--you probably already know a bit about the usefulness of GPS. Not only can you know precisely where you are, you can know precisely where everything else is, too, and precisely which roads will take you there. Imagine taking this to the next step--your phone alerting you automatically, for example, when severe weather is nearby, or you enter a high crime area. Okay, that already exists. Now try to imagine what comes next--any ideas?
How about internet on your phone? Do we appreciate what a leap in technology that is? If we could travel back in time (don't get your hopes up, the future would've told us by now if it was ever going to happen), the past generation would be mind-blown by the concept of being connected to everything you could want to know by a device that you carry in your pocket. That is, after getting their minds blown by the idea of the internet and the idea of cell phones. I don't doubt that we're in for more improvements on the ways that we can connect with the rest of the world, wherever we are.
The best part is, there's bound to be more leaps in technology that make completely different ideas possible. And why not? Half of the things that we could ever want a phone to do are already possible.
About the Author:
The My-911 smartphone app provides Automatic Crash Response wherever you are. See how they're changing personal safety here.
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