There’s a lot of talk about ‘the Outerweb’ right now. It’s a great term and way of looking at what augmented reality, or “AR” might mean but I think it goes beyond this, and the clever people at TrendOne have encapsulated this as “the explosion of the internet into the real world.”
They go beyond a definition that refers to technology (mobile devices, in-windshield displays, etc.) that can overlay information from the Web on top of objects in the real world and look at how connections are occurring between devices data, video and social networks.
They highlight a contact lens technology that allows you to visualize the social networks another person may be accessing on their mobile device in quite scary manner. This is not just pointing your Phone up at a building, and getting an overlay of information about the building but rich levels of data links and connection between the digital and real world. This idea of an outernet is in truth a speculative idea right now. Indeed the idea of a web of things and the principles of the semantic web have been talked about for a long time without really happening.
Yet I feel there are a number of developments converging that will make the Outernet more likely; firstly the widespread deployment of the next generation of protocol IPV6 and it’s potential functionality is a major enabler, and importantly it’s ability to enable the mass connection of mobile devices.
Secondly the prevalence of video images again largely via mobile computing devices will make the connection of images with data highly desirable.
Lastly, and perhaps the biggest driver, is the spread of local based services, and social networks such as Four Square that connect to locations and the hyper local connections that are emerging in many urban areas. Added together these trends could well make the Outernet the next big thing.
So the term “outer Web” means the extension of the information outside the normal confines of broadband networks and into the real world, mainly via the screens of wirelessly-connected mobile devices. The outernet then is this idea taken further to include the connections and networks between computing devices within this mashed up world in many way shadowing the difference between the worldwideweb and the Internet itself.
What’s your call Outerweb or Outernet?
November 18, 2010 at 4:11 pm
For me, the next generation of the Internet – whether it’s outer, augmented or whatever it’s moniker, will only reach mainstream adoption when it’s commercially focused.
Augmented reality has been around for 2-3 years yet it’s still very much the preserve of the geek. FourSquare is getting some traction, but again, it’s the Shoreditch web designers checking into Starbucks not the Asda checkout workers checking into Mecca Bingo.
The Internet has reached mass saturation point across the breadth of mainstream society (taking UK as an example) and I think it delivers broadly to people’s desires.
IMHO They’re not going to start pointing cameras at monuments let alone requiring any further immersion of the levels of data that they float between unless there’s a commercial benefit – coupons, money off, 2-for-1, loyalty points.
That’s not to say the Outerweb/net etc. wont continue to evolve, rather it will stay on the “outer” reaches of public and commercial conciousness unless consumer brands start to develop applications that bring the benefits to bear on consumers in a very real sense.
Nb. for me, the large supermarket chains with loyalty cards are the ones who can really make a breakthrough here. Layer spending information with location aware information, integrate that with social networking data – friends with similar habits etc. The possibilities of fostering communities around the shopping experience are endless. Watch this space.
November 18, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Perhaps I misunderstand your reasoning but to me, what you’re calling the outernet is really just part of the Internet. The Internet is the network of connections between devices (mobile, PC, cars, etc). It’s all just the Internet. The Web is an application that runs on the Internet. I guess the outternet is that part of the Internet that you don’t conceptualize the Web touching. However, even this is not accurate exactly. The W3C is currently reviewing guidelines for AR applications, which would extend Web technologies to the outternet. You should check out the working group: http://www.w3.org/2010/06/w3car/report.html
November 22, 2010 at 10:17 am
fair suggestion, and I agree in essence; although it is but very different from the Internet of 2000 with mobile, video. AR is about the a conceptual change where the real world is altered by the impact of the Internet.
The difference between a black and white Tv and a HD TV in some respect i’d suggest
October 1, 2011 at 1:53 am
That’s a reasonable assessment; I agree. Thanks for the clarification! ~VRN
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