Mr. Fernandes said he doesn't think customers for his service will want to order their grocery lists using wireless data devices instead of computers any time soon. Getting stock quotes, maybe doing the occasional airline ticket or checking arrivals. I don't know yet how far we can go with inserting mobile devices into buying something physical. But Mr. Sweeney, holding up his wireless Palm VII organizer, said that he was already doing his banking with the device and that using it to buy groceries wouldn't be a problem. Digital television could bring more people onto the Internet, panelists said.
More people have televisions.
In fact, he said, one city that he has been working with but declined to name is planning to hook up its entire population to the Internet using televisions and cable. Even more important than mobility is ubiquity, Mr. Fernandes said. I think our ballpoint pens may be Internet-connected. I don't know where this stops. It's kind of a daunting challenge and an opportunity for those of us in this business.