Learning to be human

Artificial intelligence, Best of, Innovation, Predictions

I was lucky to attend Coburn Ventures‘ annual futures discussion conference last week, as a guest thought leader. An exceedingly interesting day with lots of fascinating people! It’s a little bit like a reunion, as many return each year. I thoroughly enjoy catching up with everyone.  It’s interesting to me to see what topics (and companies) are the “hot” discussions each year. At this year’s gathering, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning dominated a large part of the program.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems/applications/services that can perform tasks like decision making, translation, visual and speech recognition,

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Ho hum: Where’s the innovation?

Augmented reality, Convergence, Focus: AR/VR, Predictions, technology trends

Article out today on Fast Company, titled “The Smartphone Revolution is Over.” And I agree. In terms of form they’ve pretty much reached the limit of the current form factor. They got small, now they’re getting bigger, flatter, bigger screens, etc. Sure they might develop a model with a folding screen (to make it bigger again), or smaller (to fit on a wristwatch – oh joy!), or curvier, or in purple. But personally, I think if products lead with “now available in a color” in their advertising (as Motorola’s Razr is doing) the category has

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Pandora’s box: Facebook, Google+, and the future of social networking

Customization, Featured, Personalization, Predictions, Social networking

I’ve been watching the discussions around the launch of Google+ with interest. In the press there’s a definite “Coke vs Pepsi”, “Microsoft vs Apple” flavor to the discussion…I don’t think this is relevant, as much as the press seems to like to hype, speculate and crow over every blow-by-blow “win” or “lose” as if it were a football game. For me the relevant paradigm shift is that Facebook’s monopoly has been broken; Google has opened Pandora’s box, and I think social networking will be revolutionized by it. Because it won’t be about choosing which one

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The Borogoves are a’ Mimsying: Marketing in a hyper-connected world

Best of, Branding, Digital marketing, Featured, Personalization, Predictions

I’ve been thinking a lot about the long term impact an ”instantaneous, on demand” life. Imagine that from birth, you never had to wait for anything, and had everything you wanted delivered immediately. News, entertainment, connecting with your “group” – everything.  Never getting lost. The collective knowledge of the human race there for you at all times. How would this shape your assumptions and expectations? Because this is what’s happening to the generation being born. My nephew is almost 2. What struck me is how – without any real language skills yet (my sister

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Reality, what is it really? Exploring Augmented Reality

Augmented reality, Featured, Focus: AR/VR, Personalization, Predictions

I love the concept of augmented reality. I mean, isn’t watching Avatar in 3D Imax so much better than the gray reality when you come home to look at your walls? Don’t you love the colors! – and can’t you feel your muscles twitching as you mentally jump from psychedelically colored palm frond to palm frond along with the Navi?  When I got home after the movie, all I could do is stare at my (boring) walls and wonder “where are my white floating squids?” Uch. Reality is tough, gray, cold – well, “real”.

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Not just a pretty face in the crowd: The future of Visual Search

Convergence, Personalization, Predictions, technology trends

I’m fascinated with the potential for visual search a la Google Goggles. It’s one of the newest ways to search and at the forefront of the next generation: it allows you to search from your cell phone by snapping a picture, and returns information about the building, object, business, etc. (true augmented reality). I first used it when passing a historic building, and was curious about it. My friend pulled out his phone, snapped a picture, and voila! – information about what it was, the architect, date and style, etc. So neat that I think

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Welcome 2011 – Garbo was on to something: Trends in digital privacy

Predictions, technology trends

Happy 2011 to everyone! I’ve been woefully bad at posting blog entries these last few weeks – largely due to preparation for moving across the country – which doesn’t at all mean that I haven’t been noticing trends and connecting dots while taping yet another box. 2010 was a dizzying year on many fronts and I think people are weary on many levels. The economy has consistently stayed slow, wave after wave of corruption has been uncovered, the “war” in the Middle East drags on, and domestic rhetoric increasingly has overtones of a civil

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