Ubiquitous and Pervasive Commerce

Ubiquitous and pervasive computing will be the emerging computing paradigm for the next few decades. What differentiates it from previous technologies is the fact that computation and wireless communications capability is embedded into objects, locations and even people. Like every new technology before it, ubiquitous and pervasive computing has considerable implications for conducting business. Products, locations, consumers and employees can create rich streams of information about themselves, their immediate environment and their use. This information is fed into the business process to provide unique insights on the current and future situation of the business. This book brings together the technological and business aspects of conducting commerce using ubiquitous and pervasive computing techniques, and also examines its implications for society at large. Individual chapters review the core technologies that make ubiquitous computing possible, the business standards that must be established to support the envisioned global infrastructures, and the applications that can be built today. They also examine business cases where investment in this technology is appropriate, as well as the economics mechanisms that must be designed for the effective use of such systems. Last but not least, the implications of ubiquitous and pervasive commerce for the legal system, employees and retailers, and the protection of the privacy of the general public are discussed.