Ubiquitous computing--almost imperceptible, but everywhere around us--is rapidly becoming a reality. How will it change us? how can we shape its emergence? Smart buildings, smart furniture, smart clothing... even smart bathtubs. networked street signs and self-describing soda cans. Gestural interfaces like those seen in Minority Report. The RFID tags now embedded in everything from credit cards to the family pet. All of these are facets of the ubiquitous computing author Adam Greenfield calls "everyware." In a series of brief, thoughtful meditations, Greenfield explains how everyware is already reshaping our lives, transforming our understanding of the cities we live in, the communities we belong to--and the way we see ourselves. What are people saying about the book? "Adam Greenfield is intense, engaged, intelligent and caring. I pay attention to him. I counsel you to do the same." --HOWARD RHEINGOLD, AUTHOR, SMART MOBS: THE NEXT SOCIAL REVOLUTION "A gracefully written, fascinating, and deeply wise book on one of the most powerful ideas of the digital age--and the obstacles we must overcome before we can make ubiquitous computing a reality."--STEVE SILBERMAN, EDITOR, WIRED MAGAZINE "Adam is a visionary. he has true compassion and respect for ordinary users like me who are struggling to use and understand the new technology being thrust on us at overwhelming speed."--REBECCA MACKINNON, BERKMAN CENTER FOR INTERNET AND SOCIETY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY Everyware is an AIGA Design Press book, published under Peachpit's New Riders imprint in partnership with AIGA. Ubiquitous computing, or what the designer/information architect Adam Greenfield calls “Everyware,” is an emerging trend just starting to gain attention as it also gains momentum. The term refers to the integration of computers embedded in everyday objects with an ever-present network—moving computing off the desktop and into every aspect of our lives, creating an environment where nearly every object is enabled with surprising new properties. We already can see evidence of this technology and the tremendous convenience it affords us in such devices as the camera phone and PDA, the EZPass that lets us pay tolls without stopping, the ID chip that helps find lost pets, the GPS system that offers driving directions, and the iris scanner that confirms a person’s identity. These ingenious systems offer convenience, innovative product opportunities, and sometimes security; but to function effectively, Everyware comes at a cost of privacy and autonomy. As consumers, we owe it to ourselves to become aware of this trend so that we can have a voice in its development. Through a series of brief, thought-provoking meditations, Greenfield reveals the technologies, practices, innovations, and policies that combine to make Everyware possible. He provides clear explanations of enabling technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency ID) chips, Ipv6, ultra-wideband networking, heads-up displays, and shows how they fit into the everyware puzzle, allowing people to interact with the global network naturally, easily, and even without knowing it. He also explains the trade-offs consumers make—knowingly and not—exchanging personal information and autonomy for the perceived benefits of convenience and security, distinguishing the opportunities of Everyware from its potential hazards. Everyware may be unstoppable, he argues, which is all the more reason that we as consumers should be conscious of the directions it is taking. And for his fellow designers and creators of future products, Greenfield offers principles for the development of Everyware.   Ubiquitous computing, or what the designer/information architect Adam Greenfield calls “Everyware,” is an emerging trend just starting to gain attention as it also gains momentum. The term refers to the integration of computers embedded in everyday objects with an ever-present network—moving computing off the desktop and into every aspect of our lives, creating an environment where nearly every object is enabled with surprising new properties. We already can see evidence of this technology and the tremendous convenience it affords us in such devices as the camera phone and PDA, the EZPass that lets us pay tolls without stopping, the ID chip that helps find lost pets, the GPS system that offers driving directions, and the iris scanner that confirms a person’s identity. These ingenious systems offer convenience, innovative product opportunities, and sometimes security; but to function effectively, Everyware comes at a cost of privacy and autonomy. As consumers, we owe it to ourselves to become aware of this trend so that we can have a voice in its development. Through a series of brief, thought-provoking meditations, Greenfield reveals the technologies, practices, innovations, and policies that combine to make Everyware possible. He provides clear explanations of enabling technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency ID) chips, Ipv6, ultra-wideband networking, heads-up displays, and shows how they fit into the everyware puzzle, allowing people to interact with the global network naturally, easily, and even without knowing it. He also explains the trade-offs consumers make—knowingly and not—exchanging personal information and autonomy for the perceived benefits of convenience and security, distinguishing the opportunities of Everyware from its potential hazards. Everyware may be unstoppable, he argues, which is all the more reason that we as consumers should be conscious of the directions it is taking. And for his fellow designers and creators of future products, Greenfield offers principles for the development of Everyware.   Read Less