The Future of Search, from Time Magazine

I read an inspiring article "On the Frontier of Search" archived by Time Magazine. It gives us some insight as to where "search" is headed and explains how we have not even begun to experience the power of this technology. Here's a taste...

"You did not have time to book a hotel, your luggage has not turned up on the carousel--and the plane's air conditioning gave you a sore throat. What to do?
With your cell phone, you first Google your suitcase--it has a small implanted chip that responds to radio waves with a GPS locator--and it turns out that your luggage has been deposited 200 yds. away in the next terminal. As you walk over, you search for a hotel room; the screen of your cell shows you pictures of several hotels in your price bracket, with views from individual room windows. Your search engine gives you a list of pharmacies that are still open at this hour, and tells you that your favorite blues band will be playing at a festival in the city's park over the weekend. The engine can search your desktop back home, and it reminds you that a college friend e-mailed you a year ago to say he and his wife were moving to this city (you had forgotten). You decide to invite them to the festival."

Pretty amazing, huh? No wonder Google, Yahoo, and MSN are dumping billions into developing their search technology.