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Comment on "In praise of always-on connectivity"

User name: Varis

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Comments: I agree that ubiquitous wireless connectivity is always here. Wlan will be very widespread in 1-2 years. On top of that you have cellular data connectivity. We already have devices that are full-blown PCs, which you can hold with one hand and which go into your pocket just nicely. Nokia recently introduced a similar device as well, the Nokia 770, it is an excellent light-weight web browser which costs only $350. Microsoft is doing its own part in making these kind of devices a reality - you may have heard of the Microsoft Origami, something which you _might_ see in stores a few years from now. Even with communicators and smart phones, you maybe be able to do some remote work like answering e-mail and administering servers.

However I think it's very difficult to make the utopia of mobile, flexible work to happen for everyone. For example, consider that it has been quite feasible to work at home for many people, because of DSL. However, few people yet do this and you have to ask why. I think reasons are many: if you concentrate your employees in the same location and the same time of the day, there is much more opportunity for important face-to-face communication. Also, I bet the huge majority of people prefer separating work and leisure in clear-cut slots, because that means you can concentrate on work better or you can relax better because you know you don't have any work pressures on you.

There is also cultural lag as institutions and people's desires adjust to technology. It will likely take 10-20 years before we can even say for any certainty whether the vision above holds any water.

You can read more on all of the above in my blog, http://icct.blogspot.com/

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