Inspirational Technology

Clay Shirky explains why 3G's mindset is permanently wrong, and Wi-Fi is enough by being nearly enough

Clay Shirky explains why 3G's mindset is permanently wrong, and Wi-Fi is enough by being nearly enough: Shirky explains how the misguided logic of airphones, those expensive seatback calling devices, is also at work in third-generation (3G) cellular data network marketing and deployment demonstrated in the confusion by telecom strategists between ubiquity and utility.

This is a fascinating read. I've never considered 3G to be all that exciting. Clay provides an excellent model of why this is the case. I have 802.11 access and use it constantly. I control it and beyond the initial cost of buying the equipment it doesn't cost me anything. I tried wireless data access, briefly, it was expensive, slow, cumbersome to use and most of all crippled by the stupid constraints placed upon it by the cellular providers. It wasn't 3G, but the experience was enough to make me yawn anytime the idea of a data service provided by a cellular provider comes up. Too many limitations, too much metering and too many deals to bundle useless content. If 3G is anything like what I saw before, the cellular providers can just keep it. It's not worth it.