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On line one, the 21st Century calling
I've become obsessed with VoIP (Voice over IP) lately, having abandoned any local phone service for a 100% high-speed wireless home. Part of the package is a VoIP phone, which is a first for me (I know, so behind the times. Oh well.)
When I saw David Weinberger posting about it on Joho the Blog, I had to stop and read. But his post, If phones didn't already exist..., blew my mind. What if there were no phones and we were inventing a way of calling for the first time?
I love the idea of open mike. It reminds me a little of the phone at my grandparents' old house, which was still on a shared line with about 10 neighbors. Sometimes, you'd pick up the phone and end up accidentially (or not) eavesdropping on a neighbor's call. But imagine if the geography was worldwide, so the other callers weren't the people living a few doors down? And the call was focused on a subject you care about? Would there be an MC? Or would it be a free for all? Would you get a chance to talk to the people whose ideas you adore or wildly disagree with?
Then, when Weinberger adds in the idea of related Web content (bios of other callers, related subject matter links, back-channel IM sessions), I'm dying to have one. How many times have you done your own version of that? On a boring conference call/Webinar thing, having an IM chat with a colleague who's also tuned in. But imagine if you could talk with someone else on the call who just spoke, and who's ideas you wanted to ask more about. I love it. When can I get one?
November 10, 2004 in Innovation | Permalink
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