Computer Future Technology Trends Web 2.0 Consulting: Throughout history, we've seen several examples of technology literally transforming society. The railroads, telegraph, electrical grid and interstate highway system are good examples. So is the Internet. About 15 years ago, the mass availability of Java and a simple web browser launched the euphoria that led to the now infamous dot-com bubble. Lately, I find myself reminding people that bubbles precede build outs. It happened with each of the technologies I mentioned above, and it's happening with the Internet today.

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By Jonathan Schwartz
Throughout history, we've seen several examples of technology literally transforming society. The railroads, telegraph, electrical grid and interstate highway system are good examples. So is the Internet.

About 15 years ago, the mass availability of Java and a simple web browser launched the euphoria that led to the now infamous dot-com bubble.

Lately, I find myself reminding people that bubbles precede build outs. It happened with each of the technologies I mentioned above, and it's happening with the Internet today.

I've been spending a lot of time with newly-funded startups and the ballooning ranks of venture and private equity investors. Interest level and market opportunity are up, especially for the innovations that fuel the Internet. The global IT market is growing, Silicon Valley is hot again, and that's great news for all of us.

Next Phase of the Internet Will Connect the Planet

By many indications, the build out is underway. Whether you call it the Participation Age, the Writeable Web or Web 2.0, we've only begun to see what the Internet is capable of delivering. The next phase of the Internet will connect the planet and bring your business closer to opportunities everywhere.

Keep in mind that the majority of the world will first experience the Internet through their mobile phones. We sometimes forget that 10 times as many people bought handsets last year as PCs. Roughly one billion mobile phones shipped compared to around 100 million PCs. With that, the odds are much higher you'll watch broadcast content on your phone than on your PC. Now that the major handset manufacturers are the world's largest camera manufacturers, the odds are far higher you'll even create broadband content on your handset. Talk about change.