Observation #4
:: Spatial Messaging - 3G, Ubiquity and Social Interaction ::
People have commented that they can’t see a need for ubiquitous access to multimedia content, therefore the case for 3G further withers. I’m not so sure.
I have previously blogged about the topic of air-graffiti. This is the ability to dangle a virtual note in the air at some location for someone else to read upon entering into its neighbourhood. Of course, there is no reason why the virtual “tag” should be restricted just to text. Why not leave a picture, photo, sound recording or even a video clip. Indeed, anything linkable is ripe for hanging, such as a web page or even a CV (resume).
It strikes me that this capability could bring about a large number of applications and interest. It is also an application that is very much 3G, especially if teenagers are going to start leaving video clips for each other suspended on street corners and favourite meeting places. Perhaps this is an example of where rich multimedia content is not in the hands of the usual content providers, but in the hands of the network users. It won’t be long before phones are widely available with video-shoot capability.
The idea of leaving audio messages (in preference to making a call) will become commonplace before long anyway. The use of voice messaging in place of text messaging will become popular, as will push-to-talk when it finally arrives. Again, this really requires a 3G network, or at least that the core network should be 3G-like, even if the bearer is GPRS, and this is do-able by the way, such as with Nokia’s PoC solution.
To leave content at a particular location requires location-finding technology. It also requires ubiquity. That doesn’t preclude a WiFi solution. I fully expect that leaving tags in WiFi hotspots will become popular before long, if it isn’t already. Ubiquity, like with many mobile applications, provides the necessary degree of freedom for an application, such as air-graffiti, to flourish. With no restriction on where information hangs, new and interesting uses will emerge. Of that, I am certain.
The main challenge to location is accuracy. It is my view that ultimately only something with the accuracy of GPS will prevail in the market. The problem with this is indoor operation. I believe that this issue will be solved sooner or later, and I already blogged about attempts to provide indoor solutions for super stores.
Leaving messages in space or basing interaction on location is not as frolicsome as it might seem. As a general phenomenon, business networking is becoming increasingly popular, even more so in these difficult times where there is a constant hunger for even the tiniest scrap of an opportunity. According to some, the theory of “The Strength of Weak Ties” (Google-it) applies. Its protagonist, Mark Granovetter, research the way people found jobs and noticed a high proportion of referrals from people who were both not that well known to the seeker, nor in any way directly connected with the opportunity, hence the weak ties.
If we could somehow bump into more people more often and find out things from them, then it seems we stand a higher chance of finding opportunities. This seems obvious, and it probably is obvious. But, the point is how does one increase the number of weak ties? Perhaps by our use of pervasive technology we can assist in the process of bumping into other people more often, but in cyberspace.
Taking the idea a step further, then we can envisage using air-graffiti to bump into people in cyberspace who occupy the same physical space, either occasionally or often. The use of air-graffiti in common business-meeting places, like the Institute of Directors “club” in London, may add significant value to the networking that already goes on in such places. IOD already has WiFi access, so the technology is already in place. Location finding comes by default with a WiFi hotspot.
Think of all those times when people gather idly, like on train stations, airport concourses, refreshment places, hotel lobbies…the list is endless. A quick search for who’s who may yield some interesting weak ties. This will work in real-time and can be used offline by hanging “I woz here” tags. On one of my courses, I discuss how peer-2-peer networking architectures might facilitate this process in real-time.Think of all those address books in mobile phones are potential sources of weak ties! Everyday you are walking past thousands of weak ties!
I think that a multimedia spatial messaging service will launch soon. It will work with GPRS, and this will be sufficient for text and picture hanging, like sending an MMS into space. For lengthier voice messages and video clips, then this will emerge with 3G alongside push-to-talk offerings. I think the two services will be closely related.
We have not even talked about the interplay between mobile games and spatial messaging. Imagine the melding of gaming scenarios with video, sound and text from real people in real places. The mind boggles at the possibilities. Crazy innovators will come up with all kinds of ideas, no doubt about it.
I think that spatial messaging along with other convergence or substitution technologies, like the ability to interact with advertising boards, will cause a drive towards lower cost and more usable wearable computing solutions. The future’s bright, the future’s ubiquity.
2:28:45 PM 
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