Keeping up with Bob

It's been almost two years -- specifically, since our May 2008 issue -- since Bob Frankston forecast the future history of whatever replaces telecom, which is still around.

We've seen progress. On the whole data speeds are faster. Fiber is spreading, especially in Europe and parts of Asia. The U.S. has a new administration that makes a few encouraging sounds about openness, transparency and spreading "broadband" (a telecom term) to corners of the country still deprived of it.

The iPhone was already out in April of '08, but it was still a couple months away from a portfolio of applications other than Apple's own and Google Maps. Now the iPhone is freaking huge, and being attacked by Google and its army of Androids.

But Bob still isn't happy, and he'll remain unhappy until we have what he now calls "Ambient Connectivity".