Brendan Byrnes: One of the big trends we've seen is going to intelligent objects that know what consumers want, and increasingly can almost "do it all" for a lot of people. What are some companies that are embracing this, and how can they take advantage of this trend?
Mack: I love this trend, probably because I'm a tech geek, but technology is getting embedded into everything, from our eyeglasses to our shirts to our shoes, to our appliances and our cars. Some companies are doing it really in interesting new ways.
Oakley, for instance, has its Airwave goggles for skiers and snowboarders, which uses GPS sensors, Bluetooth technology, and a display to provide information on the slopes; information like speed, location, altitude, and distance traveled.
Brendan: I think this is one of the more interesting ones. I want to go a little bit more in-depth with this one.
You also have Ford, with SYNC system that can sync pretty much everything in there. You have automatic 911 calls; you might be in an accident. Also Whole Foods with the smart cart. What is that all about?
Mack: Oh yeah, the smart cart. It actually follows you. You put your list in, and this is just a prototype so it might not be just yet at your store, but you put your grocery list in and it actually follows you around the store as you do your grocery shopping. Then when you put the items in your cart it notes that, so when you go check out it's a seamless exit.
