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Envisioning what the future of cities will look like

By | November 5, 2009, 12:07 PM PST

What will the future of cities look like?

For starters, a lot like a computer screen. As mobile technology better leverages the data around us to impact what we do immediately, on the go, we’ll be altering the world around us, connecting objects, people and places to a centralized system.

On your person, the smartphone will be the hub, syncing and updating and functioning as your mobile information terminal and key to a smart world, tracking the people you know and the places you go.

Static objects will get smarter. A park bench might warm in cold months and cool in warmer ones, improving quality of life. Trash cans will know and sort what’s being placed in them, improving waste management.

Your workspaces will get smarter. They won’t be tethered to power plugs, they’ll get better sunlight and they’ll sync with everything else.

Sound good? That’s what Infrastructure US magazine imagines in their latest infographic.

We’re getting closer, too.

Location-aware smartphones are already discovering where your friends and family are at each moment.

Wireless broadband Internet and wireless induction charging help us stay powered in a more natural way.

Heads-up displays and other types of augmented reality improve upon the world we live in.

Touchscreen PCs allow more natural interaction with computers.

What do you think is next?

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Andrew Nusca

About Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca is editor of SmartPlanet.

Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca

Editor

Andrew Nusca is editor of SmartPlanet and an associate editor for ZDNet. Previously, he worked at Money, Men's Vogue and Popular Mechanics magazines. He holds degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and New York University. He based in New York but resides in Philadelphia.

Follow him on Twitter.

Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca
Andrew Nusca does not hold any investments in the companies he covers.
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Next? The slow disappearance of cities.

If technology continues advancing the way it has in the last 100 years, there won't be a need for large cities or even medium or smaller cities. Cities are a thing of the past when people needed to congregate in close proximity to everyone else in order to get access to services and products.

Posted by adornoe@...
6th Nov 2009
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RE: Envisioning what the future of cities will look like
no one has really successfully described the future---ever. but reading what us magazine has to say is silly. remember us magazine is for those whose attention spans are too short to understand and read people magazine. what crap.
Posted by stilt21
6th Nov 2009
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RE: Envisioning what the future of cities will look like
The smartphone will never be the hub (at least under the American cell phone companies) as long as they keep doubling the price and imposing arbitrary limits (like 1BG or 5GB) for tethering service. You can only get unlimited access through the smartphone interface without worrying about kilobyte-pinching.
Posted by jjjjofus
8th Nov 2009
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RE: Envisioning what the future of cities will look like
Completely agree with jjjjofus. It is commercial ideals which are now
slowing the move towards the actualisation of the dream of having your
own personal untethered, self-updating library, multimedia
communication device and entertainment centre in your pocket.
Posted by wezhind@...
14th Dec 2009
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matt
Well I know this will happen I'm a scientist and I reserch technology like this in government cities and this is a reality alreay I say in 5 years this tech will be available to the public in one more year the internet will connect everything but computers will advance more in 2 years and everything else in the next 5 years.
Posted by Cokoodles@...
12th Jan 2010
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Matt
I work for the government in making these technologies a reality by 5 years from no so in 2017 this will be a reality. I make sure this tech works in "government cities". The internet will be smarter in 1 year and computers will be more intelligent than us in 2 years and the wireless tech will evolve in 4 years to cover an entire country. P.S 4g is just a sample of what you'll see in 4 years.
Posted by Cokoodles@...
12th Jan 2010
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