Futurology or 'I started a joke...'

You've got to be a bit of a masochist to talk about the far (i.e. beyond next year) future where technology is concerned. People laugh at you, and bring up some of the times you got it wrong at inopportune moments. So why am I writing another set of lunatic predictions for the future of technology? Well, why do people climb mountains? because they're there.
A friend once told me, 'You're so out there, you're off the planet' but he did say that many of the things I say do eventually come true!
However, as Isaac Newton said, 'If I have seen further [than others], it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants' - so all my mates need to take some responsibility for this! ;-)
On with the show, as they say...

What will the device of the future look like?:
- It will be mobile and it won't be tied to one network
- My thinking is that it will perform the same kind of functions as current router/firewall boxes
- Various 'user interface' devices will communicate through it
- It will be the guardian of your 'identity'
- Battery technology will allow virtually constant use.
- It will collect information about your current 'state' to varying degrees, and reflect this to others at your discretion (e.g. heart rate, limb motion, temperature, facial expression, geo-position, activity). Extension of current Presence.

What about the network?
- The network will be multiply-ubiquitous, with communities, both national and international creating their own infrastructure for exclusive use of the community.
- It will, in general, not be monitored by government agencies, after all, the snail mail system and voice communication never was (generally), why should electronic communication be different?
- It will be universally stupid, i.e. it won't care what you are doing, just where you are doing it.
- EVERYTHING will be IP. Telecoms networks, IN, old style PBX will be distant memories
- The network will be self-healing or self-optimising - I know, goes against the 'stupid' phrase, but I'm not talking about services, just volume and 'hops'. i.e. if a lot of traffic goes between 2 segments the network will attempt to reconfigure itself to make that traffic faster, not real time, but over time with some inertia.

What about the services?
- Total Immersion will be common, where virtual events can be created and people can attend virtually. Super-conferencing
- Games using the above will become equivalent to real world activities.
- Virtual Personal Assistants will manage many aspects of our lives (this is an old idea, that has become unfashionable, but I think it will eventually happen). It comes down to trust (I'll post some more on this later.). If I believe what my assistant says then I will act on it, if I feel they are working for some other entity, e.g. the network, then I won't. Too many sites on the net currently purport to make booking holidays/travel etc easier, but in the end they don't give the customer the best deal, often these 'assistants' rip us off!
- Cash will disappear! (now there's a bold statement!) As connectivity becomes ubiquitous, the need to exchange physical cash will disappear. Online transfers will be more secure and cheaper.
- I agree with Tomi Ahonen that translation will become real-time to and from any language (and that communities will be the most important thing in terms of the development of the 'net')
- Voice communication will be free on a Person2Person basis!
- Personalisation of services and interactions will be essential, but will be defined by the communities, not dictated by marketing departments of large corporations.
- Again, with reference to Tomi and Alan Moore, communities will become brands, where the acceptance of a service or not within the community is defined by the community.
- 'Library' services for delivery of content will exist and communities/viral marketing will determine what is consumed - the 'Long Tail' will be immensely important in the success of a piece of content. The playing field is also much more even, where anyone can be creative and produce content and be recognised for it. No intermediary is necessary to publish a novel or a song or video.
- Transport will be automated, where I can get into my car and tell it where to go, or perhaps just tell it where to go and then only virtually go. E.g. Go to pick up granny, or go to collect the indian takeaway. Might make the postman look kind of interesting!?

But will it be Google, Microsoft, Nokia or Skype that provides the platform (it won't be Vodafone!) ?