Wednesday, February 21, 2007

How we take this inter-web thing for granted

I was chatting with friends the other day about trying to predict what the internets and how we use them would look like in 10 years, considering how far they've come since just 10 years ago. We started thinking about the typical net-based tasks we do on a regular basis and what we would have had to do 10 years ago to accomplish each task (i.e. without the internet).

So I predicted that in the future we would continue to have what are now considered (somewhat) manual tasks made intelligent by virtue of increased computing power in ever smaller sizes combined with the transparent ability to access anything online. One of the things I foresee is an online personal concierge, a web-based version of a service you can actually pay for now - but interact typically by telephone (I'd love to give you an example, but the name escapes me). A typical interaction with such a service (via voice command - probably through your watch) might go something like this:

Me: Is it going to be mild this weekend?
Online Personal Concierge (OPC): Calgary's forecast is plus four on Saturday and plus three on Sunday.
Me: What about Montreal?
OPC: Minus seven and overcast both days.
Me: Are there any good seats on flights to Montreal on Friday?
OPC: One moment...... A round trip ticket to Montreal onboard West Jet is tentatively booked in your name, departing Friday at eighteen hundred hours and arriving at five to midnight local time. You would be returning on Sunday, departing Montreal just before five pm and arriving at seven pm local time. This trip can only be held for the next ten minutes. Please allow me to confirm or waive this trip before then.
Me: I'll get back to you. Is my usual hotel available?
OPC: Yes. Your usual room type is not available, so the hotel is authorized to offer you a complimentary upgrade to a junior suite, for the usual price. This offer is valid for the next thirty minutes only.
Me: Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll decide in a few minutes.
OPC: No problem. The Habs are playing at home this weekend. I can get you twelfth row seats behind the penalty box.
Me: I'm afraid to ask. How much?
OPC: Your brother has season tickets that he has waived using because he will be out of town. You will only be charged the standard transfer fee.
Me: Sweet - claim them before someone else does. And go ahead and book those flights and hotel.
OPC: (after a 5 second pause) Done. By the way, your cable bill increased by five dollars a month, effective today.
Me: What a surprise. Thanks. Notify my bank that I'll need to renew my mortgage a month early.
OPC: They have been notified. I will let you know when they have made a renewal offer.

Something like that.

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