Communications, or Unications?

[MathNerd05]

Anyone remember when Aol and Time Warner Communications became Aol-Time Warner? It was a big deal, and the market made a big fuss over the merger. (Bummer I was a poor college kid and had no money to buy stock.) This past Friday the first company specializing in internet television service went public. It is now also possible to have one bill for cable television, internet, and phone service. In addition, some cities in the United States and around the world are starting to implement free wireless network programs. It has been proposed that with some adjustments and upgrades, these wireless networks could be expanded using already existing cell-phone networks.

Am I the only one seeing total integration of communications? With wireless networks using cell-phone towers, there would be a large premium paid to the owners of the cell towers for their usage. We, the citizens, would pay this premium as a small tax or perhaps a monthly fee, paid to the same companies that provide us with cell-phones. Also, new companies broadcasting television on the inernet could simply require a monthly fee and a password to access the signals.

How hard could it be to incorporate a computer system, and a powerful one at that, into the back of new plasma screen televisions? Make them an inch or two thicker.

Now I'm just rambling. I'm not arguing for or against, (at the moment) just providing some fun information.

[Spartan]

Centainly you are not the only one to think about that! I see no reason why a system like you described is not within the forseable future- say 20 years or so. Once they get these OLED screens worked out they might replace newpapers. You could conceivably put a screen on anything that has a surface with these things. (Clothes, watches, anything). Minority Report might not seem so far off. Cars have DVDs in them. I see no reason why adding a keyboard and/or mouse type device to that would be difficult. They even have tvs with refridgerators on them now.

[monsoon]

[Neo]

Cars have DVDs in them. I see no reason why adding a keyboard and/or mouse type device to that would be difficult. They even have tvs with refridgerators on them now.

I think it's just around the corner. They already have the technology in labs to create foldable color display screens. The technology is here. And speaking of DVD's it's beyond that at this point. Not long ago I bought a new Acura TL with navigation in it. It has everything from a date book (appointment calendar), calculator, maps, yellow pages, etc. in it. All right there in my center console, the display is touch screen. Imagine what cars will be like in 10 years or even 20 years?! Mind blowing!

[MathNerd05]

Man... so many buttons... I would get completely confused trying to use that thing. I have trouble dealing with single buttons I can look at, like doorbells, let alone a touchscreen navigation system while I'm looking at the road.

Let's here it for the klutz's!

I'm honestly a little surprised that it hasn't happened already. I kind of imagine cell-phones becoming your own personal computer with a foldable screen, and those little nimi-roms, etc.

Those would beat the heck out of turning the sound off and playing snakeII in a meeting.