Once the notions of ubiquitous computing are taken for granted, the real added value of mobility will become as part of a ubiquitous user experience.

Revolution will be freeing the user from walled gardens to really become a user’s net.

I believe that the next evolutionary phase of the net is a paradigm shift from a site centered to a user centered – or as we call it at http://www.icentered.org – an Icentered revolution.

Therefore the real revolution play is the ubiquity in mobility – it’s an infrastructure play for the user that exceeds application providers. It’s at the service of the user to allow to experience a web of life – a web centered around each individual, reflecting the specific needs, affinities, relevance… of each, adapted to unique usage patterns, and is personal and safe. It translates into a personally contextualized web experience comprised from personal relevance, proactive privacy and trust management, harmonious surfing and adaptive interfaces.

I think your write up is well done, but I think that you’ve overlooked “what’s the same?” I’m specifically referring to user behavior measured by productivity. In your write up, you focus on devices which process information in a manner that improves the user’s productivity. Whether the user is stationary (pc), reading (kindle), or in motion (dash), the behavior regarding information consumption is the same, but the tools used are evolving. Having said this, there is nothing different about mobility when it comes to information consumption. The question is what new devices and applications will enhance the productivity of the mobile user.

Personalization, availability, location, utility, and broadband access are design constraints and resources for mobility. The tools which effectively utilize all of these parameters to increase productivity will be groundbreaking as they will have clear user and economic value. Those that do not will have questionable user value, and likely no economic value.

We’re early in the mobility game, but most “mobile” companies offering new devices and applications focus on one or two of these constraints resulting in questionable economic value (no business model). When we see many new devices and services which answer the question “what’s the same?” while increasing overall productivity such as the kindle, then it will be obvious about what’s different about mobility.

Best,

Curtis