Age of Context: Mobile, Sensors, Data and the Future of Privacy

Robert and Shel have continued to help pave a path in the wilderness for us. Nearly 8 years ago, they co-wrote Naked Conversations on how corporations would adopt social technologies, which was a seminal and a career shaping book for me personally. They really helped to foster the ideas, lexicon, values and define how my career would be shaped. Now, they've done it again with the Age of Context, where technology seeking Robert finds, trials, breaks, and adopts new technology, and Shel discovers, chronicles, documents what it means for the world. The only challenge this book and other technology books struggle to do is to stay current. To combat, these two have a vibrant compendium of tweets, blog posts, videos and other resources you should stay subscribed to, in order to stay current. This dynamic duo is a team to watch, track, and follow, in this book, the Age of Context (I got a chance to pre-read) and others.

Scoble and Israel have done it again. They not only set the stage for the upcoming world of ubiquitous sensors everywhere, they help us peer around the corner to see how remarkably our lives will be changing as a result.

Their previous book, [[ASIN:047174719X Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers]], foretold the coming of the new social world we thrive on today. Now they paint a picture of how the Internet of Things has already started to create a whole new world of issues and opportunities. Move over George, Jane, Judy and Elroy Jetson...the future has arrived!

We were fortunate enough to meet and discuss context with Shel and Robert when they first started conceiving the book. We shared our story and they were kind enough to include it in the book. However, it was listening to them as they interviewed us that changed our company forward. Context was always a key part of our strategy but, through their stories, we realized that context should be the center of our strategy. They inspired us to treat context as the center of our universe and create tools to deliver that to our customers in meaningful and intelligent ways.

Now, after reading the book, we are even more inspired and we are doubling down on context. It's almost like opening a time capsule sent back in time from the future. They have an uncanny ability to see the future but look into our behaviors and worries of how we as people with deal with the benefits and challenges of this new level of transparency. By using real world examples that are only the tip of the iceberg, they accurately categorize the major catalysts for this brave new world that powers this new dimension of context. But at its essence this is a book about humanity, not technology. The reality is that effective communication and relationships are about context. That is the driving force of our society and the world. The factors they outline only bring us closer as a society, help us get better service from companies, and expedite our ability to solve difficult problems. We truly are in the beginning of the Age of Context andwhat comes next will be nothing short of amazing and the blue print to the future is in this book!

This book really made me think, Robert Scoble and Shel Israel created a coherent story on what the Age of Context is and what it means for us. They touch briefly on the markers which were there in the past - Steve Mann's first experiments with wearable technology; innovation in the auto industry - and set a context for the technologies that exist and are being created.

It is an advert for the future, and recognizes that we are living in a transformative age which can be described in two ways: Scoble's - bringing context to an open uninhibited stream of information, and Israel's - a balance between personal privacy and trust in the companies who are providing the context.

Shel Israel and Robert Scoble started a new revolution with their "Naked Conversations" book, kicking off a new way of marketing for businesses large and small in an era where the big company reigned supreme. It was one of the first books I read before getting into the world of social media, and still inspires much of my philosophy on marketing and business today. In this new world, where it's even harder and harder to be private as individuals and businesses, they've done it again with The Age of Context, kicking off a new era for many weary and skeptical of this new age of no privacy.

This book is perfect for those unfamiliar with the new "internet of things", where the objects around us speak with us, know who we are, and instead of us asking, they just give us what we want. If you're trying to wrap your head around it all, and see where this should take your business, or your life in the future, this book is for you. This is the "Naked Conversations" for the new era.

First - full disclosure. I hired Robert Scoble in 2009 and he worked for me for almost three years and now works for me again. I know Shel Israel through both work we have done together and his relationship with Robert Scoble.

So on to my biased review (which I think is pretty insightful because I know both of these authors personally).

Managing a "big thinker" is never easy, but almost always enjoyable. Scoble thinks big and sees tomorrow before most of us do. Shel is more pragmatic - Shel seems to be able to frame Scoble's visions into potential reality. They accomplished that on the first book they did together and they have recaptured it now.

This book leads you down the path of thinking big thoughts - and it can catch you off guard at times with the determination that certain assertions will become reality. Do not discount those assertions - this team has a history of predicting enough of the future that they should be paid attention to.

Will all of these assertions become reality? I think yes, most will - over time.

But let us get to the book - if you are observant the book is telling you how to prepare for a world that is barely imaginable today but will exist almost tomorrow. The casual reader might miss the fact that Shel and Robert are almost begging you to think now about the "how" of the future. How will these changes affect you personally? How will they affect your business, and how can you start planning for those changes today?

Read this book not as a tome to provide you with specific paths to take to enter the "always on, always connected, always sharing world". Read it with an open mind as to how the questions they ask, and the data they present WILL affect you if you do nothing. And then ask yourself how you can take advantage of these technology shifts if you look at them as opportunities - and act on them today.

There is a lot of foresight here. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Rob

Bottom line: Scoble and Israel have done a fantastic job with their new book "Age of Context"!

Understatement: "Age of Context" is a terrific book!

Background: I received an early copy of the book from Robert Scoble. I took my time reading it, hoping to write a review prior to launch day. Alas, I was unable to finish reading it on time, due to other commitments; but finish I did, so here goes. This is a little of my perspective - I am a Google Glass Explorer, so I can already *feel* some of the impact of what Scoble and Israel talk about in their new book.

This book is a must-read for everyone interested in (wearable) technology, sensors, data, privacy, and how we interact today vs. how we are likely to interact with "things" in the future.

Why is this so? For starters, they wrote early on (first page!): "Change is inevitable, and the disruption it causes often brings both inconvenience and opportunity." We can see some of this happening right before our eyes, but many of us cannot comprehend "what* is happening, much less *how* it affects our lives, and how these changes are likely to change our lives a year, or five/ten years from now. Enter mobile devices, social media, big data, sensors and location-based services, the five big players in the book.

Scoble and Israel understand better than most of us that the changes are here, and that these changes will profoundly influence our daily lives. I believe that most people feel that privacy is at the forefront; maybe it is not as bad as what we think about it, collectively. But...if it is...then what? Nah! The day search engines were created, we started to lose our precious privacy. But much of the progress is due exactly to the fact that some of these tools exist today. For, without them, we might get stuck and others would excel as we remain static. As much as we hate the loss of our precious privacy, it helps in other ways that progress is made, regardless. Ultimately, "...The marvels of the contextual age are based on a tradeoff: the more the technology knows about you, the more benefits you will receive." I see this happening every day, as I use Google Now on my smartphone!

The key, in the end, is that people will either embrace new technology, or they will not. Where the changes will take us in the next five, ten years, and beyond, is a wild guess. I, for one, am willing to bet that in a few years we have better cars, equipped with sensors that will prevent serious injury to our precious granddaughters. I am willing to bet that my great grandchildren will live a better, safer world, due to these technologies.

My recommendation - Age of Context is a must-have, must-read book:

First: If you wish to understand how our lives might be influenced by the context provided by the five factors, this book is for you. You do not have to know everything about the technologies; you don't even have to be a geek to understand the (ultimately simple) message. But you will be better equipped to make a decision whether to embrace the changes, or not.

Second: Scoble and Israel presented the facts, and drew conclusions I might have easily missed. Deep immersion and understanding about the technologies involved made this possible. Thank you, gentlemen!

The Age of Context is a great introduction to the next decade - introducing many of the key trends in consumer electronics and business that will shape the next decade and beyond. Trends that there are signs of all around us but even for a seasoned technologist and early adopter such as myself there are many specific technologies, companies and products mentioned in The Age of Context that are likely new to most readers. Some, like startups everywhere will remain mostly unknown but likely many will become household names in the decade to come.

I read a review copy of the book, given to me by my friends Robert and Shel - I've known them individually and together since before they started writing their last book together over 7 years ago, so sure, I went into reading this book more than a bit biased to like it - so full disclosure behind me here are more of my thoughts and review.

This is a very important book - the first book I've seen that really addresses the looming future of context and one that expands that concept farther than I had assumed they would. While I appreciate companies such as Uber I had not previously focused on them as contextual companies of the future - but as they note in the book Uber is positioning themselves for the future of driverless car while also delivering on a highly contextual service today.

I am writing this review in a cafe with my 2 month old son at my side. As I read the book I was reading it in the context of looking forward to my son's future (further full disclosure - I'm writing a full book on that very subject). He will grow up in a world where even the smartphone may seem clunky and slow, a world where more than perhaps even imagined by Robert and Shel will be smart and connected and able to respond to his contextual needs. As well he will face a world with even more complex privacy and security concerns than we have today - while likely also growing up in a world where some of our concerns may seem quaint and old-fashioned. My personal prediction is that in the decades to come no one will really care much about childhood photos posted online or even about teenage indiscretions - and that it will be those people who do not have a deep online history who will be at a disadvantage - both in using their contextual devices and in advancing in the world.

The book is a fantastic overview of more than 12 areas of the contextual future - it is full of dozens (hundreds?) of links and references. Likely it is book that you may want to get the digital version of for reference while reading the physical print edition (which itself is likely going to seem old fashioned to my son's generation).

I look forward to joining Robert and Shel in celebrating the anniversary of Age of Context in the years to come and I highly recommend that everyone read the book to think about how they personally and professionally will adjust to the Age of Context that is upon us.

Robert Scoble, the earliest of early adopters, and Shel Israel, the pragmatic realist, make a great team as they explore the evolving world of context in a communications climate overtly focused on content.

In "Age of Context," the duo cover the discomfort that comes from disruptive and innovative change that challenge the status quo and social norms. Although many consumers resist or opt-out of new technology, "Age" illustrates that improved experiences in personal relationships, connectivity, retail and advertising will add enough value to supersede concerns of privacy, transparency and change-fatigue.

Just as early blacksmiths scoffed at the first car, we may look skeptically at those walking around with Google Glass, self-tracking arm bands and wires in weird places. In both cases, emerging technology changed the world before that first encounter, whether we readily accept it or not.

And although "Age" goes rather deep on Glass and select start-ups that may or may not be around this time next year, the core themes of the book are sure to have as much longevity as the author team's "Naked Conversations," which still resonates with communicators seven years later.

The contextual age is based on a tradeoff: the more the technology knows about you, the more benefits you will receive. And new generations raised on mobility, big data and an always-on culture are ready to make the trade.

Are you? Is your brand?

-Greg Swan, SVP Brand Innovation, Weber Shandwick

Age of Context: Mobile, Sensors, Data and the Future of Privacy

Age of Context is an important book that everyone should read. Not because everyone will agree with all of its content or all have the same reaction, but because this book outlines how the world has already changed and will continue to change -- and we need to know this information, to be actively engaged in the world around us.

"We hope you can use this book as a framework to understand the contextual developments that will take place over the next few years." (Age of Context)

Scoble and Israel identify so many good examples of technology that are representative of the Age of Context -- 1) Wearable computing 2) Big data & data computation 3) Sensor data 4) Social network data and 5) Location data -- it is easy to imagine that everyone will find something that excites them about these developments. Some developments may shock you or concern you, but I think that the authors intend to provide that complete experience for us all. This helps each of us to identify where our own limits are, of what we find acceptable.

Age of Context has the general information about technology, needed to move a person or community or region or country ahead in the direction of improvement -- the kind of continuous improvement and "Augmenting the Human Intellect" that Doug Engelbart used to talk about. Kaizen. And how to accelerate the rate of improvement so that every human (who chooses to) benefits, not just big governments and security agencies. This is "our technology" to use too, rather than to just sit by watching how others use it and perhaps even having it used against us.

The world continues to change, even for Scoble and Israel -- in 2005, when they were researching their earlier book, Naked Conversations, "fewer than 4 million people were using blogs, wikis and podcasts. The terms "social media" and "social networks" did not yet exist. Facebook had started, but at the time we dismissed it as an irrelevant niche service for Ivy League frat boys seeking dates. Twitter hadn't even been born. Today, nearly 1.5 billion people are on social networks. Almost no successful modern business deploys a go-forward strategy that does not include social media." (from Age of Context)

This book is not a frantic, fear-based warning of the dangers of technology. Nor is it geeky fan-boy hype. This is not a tome full of vaporware, either. Scoble and Israel are clear about whether something is under R&D, when it is new, and what's becoming proven over time. It is a celebration of where we are and where we can go. Specially when we work together. Scoble and Israel seriously consider people in their evaluation of the hardware and software and I find that a welcome perspective. Here is where this book won me over:
"When organizations use social media wisely, companies and customers come closer together. Employees and users often collaborate on making products and services better." (from Age of Context)
This human-centered perspective on technology underlies the essence of Age of Context. It's the reason to have this technology and it is always part of Scoble-Israel stories.

The New One-to-One
Robert's comments about his relationship with a hotel also hit home with me. As an architect who has designed resorts and hotels, I agree with the opportunity that he sees for them. The hotel and resort businesses ARE early adopters - internet, flat screen tvs, etc. but Robert is right about their current lack of "recognition" of the client and their disconnect between various internal divisions. Expect a leading hotel group to pick up on the kind of traveler that Robert represents in the near future.

I know that I will never be as transparent in my sharing of data about myself as Robert Scoble is and in fact I do not want to be.
"Robert Scoble ..... shares nearly everything about his life online. He is so transparent that he sometimes makes Israel nervous." (Age of Context)

But thankfully we have a great team in Scoble and Israel that can share their experiences and perspectives with us, about what the possibilities can be for each of us -- now, and in the future.

Scoble and Israel's epilogue will prompt some fun thinking of your own. It's a great end to a great book........and, as Scoble and Israel encourage in their introduction, "......have fun reading the book."

by Terry Beaubois
Palo Alto, CA September 2013