I don't know much about technology. It's just not my field of expertise; I'm a creative writer. However, as I work for an Internet company I have come to realize the powerful ideas that my fellow office-mates/nerds (cool nerds: E.g. Napoleon Dynamite www.imdb.com/title/tt0374900/) come up with, and how these ideas are changing our world for the better. The latest idea that has come to fruition, to me, seems like an amazing accomplishment for all of humanity to partake in, even writers. Mobile, wireless, broadband Internet means we can now go on the Internet when we are on the move, or away from our homes and offices. Check out http://www.theunwired.net/, or http://www.iburst.com.au. This is really cool stuff. Picture a few of these scenarios…
You are a creative person, writer/graphic artist who doesn't like to work indoors. You need the fresh air blowing in your face, sun warming your skin, to get the imagination flowing. You feel like sitting in the park but would also like to have access to the Internet to do research, as well as add to your blog or website portfolio. Stick one of these magic laptop modems with its own antenna into your computer and as long as there's coverage you're on your way to creating your life's work.
What if you're into big business, a company executive, or need to communicate with your colleagues regularly? Now you're on the road, in a taxi, going very quickly down the highway. There's no need for this to be 'down time' for you anymore. You can email, send files, and if you're especially techno-savvy, you can hook up a webcam and voice-over IP and have meetings 'face to face' while on the go. Moving from office to office, and staying in hotel rooms far from home makes no difference, as you are always able to connect. Talk about limiting loss of production due to time and space constraints!
Imagine you are a university student who has to move house a lot due to short leases and sometimes-unfriendly relations with roommates. You no longer will need to be concerned with disconnection and reconnection hassles, especially the added fees. As this technology also caters for individuals, you won't have to worry about your buddies downloading heaps of your cash with the usual wireless network setups in houses by telling you that you have to pay an 'equal' share of their activity. However, there are no limits to how many connections are in one house, so all your friends or family can have their own.
There are also desktop versions if you are in an area that doesn't have access to ADSL, or you don't want to use a phone line to access the Web. The mobile version of iBurst is just like a normal wireless system except it uses a system of base stations that transmit the network to the wireless modems. So, if you're at school, work, the library, airport, business meeting, or even the beach (if it is under coverage) you can surf the web (after the waves) and send important emails. There are a few issues with places like parking lots and subways where the radio frequency may sometimes be unable to pierce through deep layers of concrete, or where towers are too far apart so the connection drops in and out. I expect my nerd friends will solve these problems and any others that arise as the technology develops further. The nerds can do it all. Check out Napoleon Dynamite's dance moves: www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/napoleon. Now all we have to do is wait for them to expand from their tunnel-vision focus on technology, to developing the means to creating a utopian society. I don't know, maybe that's where us creative folk come into play?
By Jesse S. Somer
www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is a humanoid that sees the possibility of a society achieving incredible technical evolution, but which is still at one and integrated within a healthy natural world.
Jesse S. Somer is a creative writer working at M6.Net: 'The web-hosting company for humans.' M6.Net is working hard to help humanity experience the power and freedom to develop their own part of the Internet, to share their information and connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.
