Future mobile technologies that will change your life
Foldable displays and e-paper
E-paper uses a mylar-like
screen. The images are maintained with no power atall. A small tube of e-paper
is drawn from the pocket for reading today's news and the same e-paper can be
used for tomorrow's news and in future too.
E-paper will have a dramatic effect on laptops. That's because,
when it is improved enough that it can support constantly changing images and
not just static ones, it can replace laptop LCDs. That will dramatically cut
both laptop weight and power consumption.
Why it's important: Foldable screens and e-paper mean we can easily have
big displays with our miniscule mobile devices.
Mobile commerce
In Japan, cell phone users are increasingly using
built-in near-field communications technology to swipe their phones near
special point-of-sale terminals to buy things.
Why it's important: Utter simplicity. No more fumbling around for your
credit card or struggling to keep track of your purchases. And you can easily
share the information with your desktop financial manager.
Mobile security
Of course, security is needed for mobile commerce and many other next-generation applications.
"If your phone is in your ear, everybody's
inner ear canal is different and the phone can tell. That's one form of
biometrics. Similarly, everybody's voice is different. Or maybe the phone will
discern blood vessel patterns in my ear." Then, there's fingerprint
scanning, already common with laptops. Best of all, this security could be
performed automatically, making secure transactions easier and faster.
Why it's important: Besides protecting your transactions and data,
you'll be able to use your mobile devices to gain admittance to secure areas at
work or maybe even at the airport.