2008/03/09

Prediction

I always have ideas for products I would like to have. Usually they are far too difficult for me to create on my own and I find myself just dreaming. I am not particularly creative, but I think I have a nack for taking ideas and combining them in ways that haven't been done yet (or haven't been told to me yet, as the case may be). It's for this reason that I love to learn about new technologies. I think I became a programmer for this reason, too; not because I love programming, but because I want access to the tools to make the things I want. It is also because of this that I am not a good professional programmer. I see programming as a useful tool, but nothing more. I don't go out learning languages and researching what's new unless it is something I think is really ground breaking. I'm really glad I realized I am not meant to be a professional programmer before I wasted too long doing it.

Anyway.. lately I've been noticing a few tendencies in mapping and image technology. I predict that within just a few years, we'll be able to tell our phone where we want to go and see real time seamless interactive walk-throughs. I think this could be done almost immediately if it weren't for the fact that the two technologies that are needed are owned by bitter rivals. Imagine combining Google's street view with Microsoft's photosynth (TED demo). Then take a bunch of pictures and boom, you can navigate through anywhere in real time. Construction changed things? No pictures where you are? No problem, just be a good Samaritan and take some updated pictures! Phones like the iphone know where you are and can add that information to the picture easily, then upload it to flickr or something. The pictures automatically update the servers image of the area. Someday!

No comments: