We are the world

I was lucky enough to participate in a discussion yesterday led by Paul Bloom, Chief Technology Officer from IBM. He posited that with the growth of mobile devices there would be no "Digital Divide" in 5 years. Meaning that a vast majority of the population world-wide will have access to the internet and no subgroup will be severely underrepresented.

Certainly the potential is there. Mobile devices are becoming ever more affordable. The infrastructure to connect these devices is fairly easy to set up and more affordable that traditional telecommunications networks. 

So the question becomes, what happens to the world when nearly 7 billion people are connected to the internet?

How does that change not just communications, but business, health care, politics, and our world?

Obviously politics will play a role in this. I can't imagine the North Korean and Iranian governments suddenly handing iPads to every citizen and letting them have unfettered access to the internet.

But if subsistence farmers in Africa can talk to agriculture specialists in Iowa, or a village doctor has access to the technology at Mayo Clinic, opportunities abound.

It's a brave new world, kiddoes. Are you ready for it?