To Infinity and Beyond.......

BOOK REVIEW OF AUGMENTED: LIFE IN THE SMART LANE BY BRETT KING

Marshall Cavendish Publisher, Singapore, 2016, 448 pages, $27 hardcover, 978-9814634038

To infinity and beyond……

While that is a very famous quote by my favorite Space Ranger (Toy Story Disney series) that is the feeling I got when reading this book by Brett King. While King talks about many technology trends he does so being informative not only for the tech audience but at the same time being interesting and appealing to a wider general audience too.

The book begins by taking us through a quick review of the last 250 years of technological innovation, with increasingly shorter cycles of relevance and then obsolescence for different inventions. Moore’s Law and other key trends are all referenced and if you are not familiar with these points of reference they are all explained in a way that again treads carefully between keeping the general reader on board and yet also informing the more tech savvy among the audience.

The biggest message is that almost every aspect of the way we live our daily lives is set to change due to innovations in technologies that are happening right now and what is coming in the future. It's all about how technology is adding to—and integrating with—our natural physical and mental abilities, transforming us into what in many ways (from a historical perspective) almost becoming superhumans.

These technologies in combination are going to radically change the way we live and work, and while reading this book which is already five years old, we can see them in our daily lives right now. The changes are already here in multiple walks of life—we see them in the advent of self-driving cars, e-commerce, smart cities, and the sharing economy, to cite just a few examples. King in his history lesson explains the Luddities and who they were and what they did when new inventions changed their world. We see that again today reflected in the neo Luddites, protectionists and nationalists who want to drag us back to the "good old days" (and somehow think that's possible). But the picture today is only a hint of what's to come. Crucially, hundreds of millions, or perhaps billions, of jobs all over the world—and not just the low-level ones—are either going away to be replaced by automation, or the skills required to do them will change beyond recognition.

That means we're in for some social upheaval as reality confronts those who, for whatever reason, haven't stepped up to the changes. And of course there will be many like that. King doesn’t predict that a world wide pandemic would thrust those who were not embracing this technology would begin to sift out businesses or educational practices. Did anyone see the pandemic coming and begin preparing for a shutdown where the world would almost completely rely on online activities, such as banking, entertainment, food distribution and education?

Those who were preparing will be and are the ones who are positioned to survive and thrive in the Augmented Age. They will be the ones who embrace change, continual learning and self improvement, and creativity over linear thinking. That's why 'Augmented' is a must-read: it's a first step to understanding and preparing for the near future (or now with the pandemic).

We are seeing especially how education is at a crossroads. Our education system is antiquated and in need of an overhaul. As a whole we have not embraced all the technologies that are available due to fear, lack of interest, and most importantly funding. We are in a unique position at this very moment to transform education. I am excited about the possibilities. Yes, it will be hard. It will take some outside the box thinking and community changes. There will be struggles as we figure it out. Instead of being worried or fearful, I choose to be excited. I want to spread in my circle of influence how some of these new augmented technologies are here today to improve, engage and shape new ways in learning. Educators are the most innovative people I know. We will work magic! This is our greatest teachable moment.

King’s writing style is conversational and highly readable, (also the audio version is also highly enjoyable to listen to) so you don't need to be a technology geek, or even a futurism geek to appreciate this book. He also puts developments of inventions into a historical context, which makes them easier to understand. Although King’s enthusiasm for the topic is impossible to conceal, he does a good job of avoiding hype and business buzzwords. He may not have all the predictions correct for our future but the trends mentioned in his book are undeniable and knowing where the world is headed can help us make decisions moving forward. It will be a challenge especially in education but I plan on choosing how to use this innovation as we journey forward! I hope you will too!