Description

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.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction
Section 1: What is everyware?
Section 2: How is everyware different from what we’re used to?
Section 3: What’s driving the emergence of everyware?
Section 4: What are the issues we need to be aware of?
Section 5: Who gets to determine the shape of everyware?
Section 6: When do we need to begin preparing for everyware?
Section 7: How might we safeguard our prerogatives in an everyware world?
Conclusion
Index

Back Cover

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.

Author

Adam Greenfield is head of design direction for service and user interface design at Nokia. He was previously an instructor at New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program, where he co-taught a class called Urban Computing. He lives and works in Helsinki, Finland.