It's a Wireless World

"The cell phone created the unwired communication world." With this assertion, Andrew Tribute begins his discussion of some of the major global trends in wireless telephone and internet technology. Recent developments have led communication modes to shift dramatically in the past 10 years, with significant implications for the work of creative professionals and business personnel, he claims. Changes yet to come will also impact the printing industry.

Specifically, Tribute notes that the cell phone - which, when used as a modem, allows "limited Internet access" - launched a series of changes in the way people communicate, both in professional and personal contexts. Computing access that had been restricted to operation within reach of a WiFi "hotspot" is, Tribute says, being expanded: "We are now entering a major move forward where cellular technology will approach the speed of broadband Internet access. The new 3G cellular technologies are slowly being introduced in Europe, and are already available in Japan. This will allow unwired high-speed Internet access to spread." In short, those who cannot locate a WiFi hotspot may use a cell phone connected via Bluetooth wireless technology to access the internet. In response to this trend, Tribute is seeing "WiFi suppliers starting to work together to allow global roaming in a similar fashion to cell phone operations, to other company's clients."

Tribute cites several examples of projects in development that are drawing on this new wireless technology, such as efforts by the United Kingdom (UK)-based BT and the UK Department of Trade & Industry to evaluate the feasibility of enabling vehicles with WiFi to allow information to be transferred to traffic control centres. The goal of this "Traffimatics" WiFi network would be to control congestion and optimise utilisation of British roads.

As communications are becoming continuous and constant, the tools we use to transfer and access information are changing, too, Tribute asserts. He points to the Blackberry as a tool that allows users to constantly receive e-mails without logging on, noting that such devices will be "commonly used within the next few years and we shall never be out of contact." Tribute anticipates that "continuous means of communication will also provide new opportunities for printers to provide better services in how to work with their customers." He points to predictions that printed matter - newspapers, magazines and books - may "disappear" due to advances that enable news and other forms of information to be sent to us on a continuous basis. While he does not see this medium becoming obsolete, Tribute does conclude that "new forms of information delivery will have a serious impact on print products."