I was reading SmithOnVoIP and read how David Pogue, a well-known technology writer for the NY Times, recently made 5 what I call "obvious" predictions. One of his predictions is free landline calls. According to the article, "Prediction Number One: Free Land-Line Telephone Service. Land line phone calls will be free, because of VoIP such as Vonage, Skype and others, said Pogue. Today, you can plug an existing phone into a box that plugs into a cable modem, $15 to $20 per month, for unlimited calls, no taxes or fees (he hesitated briefly noting that perhaps he should avoid making that point to a government audience.)"So after plugging the heavyweights in VoIP, namely Skype and Vonage, he makes this "bold" prediction about free landline calls. Ho-hum, we've heard this before, haven't we? His second prediction? RFID becoming prevalent. Yeah, heard that one too. His third prediction - "ala cart TV". Gee, where have I heard that before? His fourth prediction - high-definition TV, which Pogue accurately points out that the federal government will turn off analog broadcasting in 2009. So, this isn't a "prediction" so much as he is stating a fact on what will happen by 2009. Just like I predict I will drive home tonight at 6pm.
His last prediction is "Web 2.0". A list of predictions wouldn't be a list without mentioning Web 2.0. Pogue throws around some Web 2.0 companies, including Facebook, MySpace, and digg.
C'mon David, you can make better predictions other than stating the obvious. I love many of your techology articles, but this list is pathetic! If you keep this up, this will be yet another reason for me not to read the NY Times.
