Can we have convergence now, please?

Maggie Fox, January 7 2007

And by convergence I mean the melding of all the little pieces of technology I find myself carrying around: cellphone, iPod, digital camera (yes, I know phones can take pictures – but they look like crap). It’s completely ridiculous when I haul all these items out and lay them on the table – over a thousand dollars’ worth of the latest technology in three separate and incompatible chunks (i.e. I can’t hook any of them into each other without an intermediate step – I’m not asking for convergence with my laptop quite yet, but when they start getting smaller, watch out).

I was recently asked to join the advisory board of a startup. The team was great – brilliant engineer behind the idea, determined CEO at the helm. I had absolute faith in them. However, their concept involved adding another piece of technology to my bag, and I just couldn’t back it. I declined because I think we’re already carrying around too much stuff, and I don’t think consumers would willingly add another item, even if it was dual-purpose and added some neat communication features. So I respectfully declined, though I wish them all the best.

Which brings me to some exciting news: according to this report, Apple may be planning to debut an Apple/iPod hybrid cellphone at the MacWorld conference on Tuesday.

It’s about time. My back is killing me.