Virtual Society: 2011

In 2011, WiMax had become very popular. One of the contributing factors was Mobile IP. Mobile IP linked all the various standards of recent years seemlessly. One could take a device from their home 802.11 network, roam onto a WiMax network, a 3G network or another network without any reconfiguration. Mobile IP further linked very well with the virtual office, which was now the way all white-collar workers worked. A device simply had an IP address associating it with the company for which the user worked. The home agent at the company would handle the traffic as it saw fit, regardless of the nature of the foreign agent's connection. This allowed for easy roaming between WiMax networks and even between WiMax networks and other network types such as 3G networks. This filled the gaps in WiMax coverage. New mergers took place as connection providers tried to create complete coverage in most countries by various technologies, with a heavy concentration on WiMax.

The computer had begun to creep out of the entertainment center and into other parts of the home. Air conditioners could be turned on and off remotely. Coffee makers and alarms clocks worked together to make sure the coffee was ready right after the sleeper awoke. Security was still a big concern. Hacking into people's homes was a popular sport amongst the mischieveous. However, despite this, these products were gaining acceptance.

Nanotechnology was also taking off. Jewlery had joined watches as connected devices. The first weaving of nanotechnology into clothing had taken place. This was used to monitor the vital signs of older people, particularly those with heart problems. In case of emergency, paramedics and doctors would be instantly contacted. In some cases, these medical alert devices were even implanted directly into the body to give doctors instant access to in depth information regarding the state of vital organs such as the heart, lungs or kidneys.