3rd Anniversary Special Guest: An interview with Veronica Belmont of Tekzilla

This post is part of a series celebrating the third anniversary of the Nokia 770 launch:

1. Introduction and more
   
2. Inside Nokia: An interview with Dr. Ari Jaaksi
3. Community Spotlight: An interview with Reggie Suplido of InternetTabletTalk
4. An insider's outside perspective: An interview with Veronica Belmont of Tekzilla (You are here.)
5. A timeline of Internet Tablet developments from 2005 to 2008

To properly put the Internet Tablets into perspective, I wanted to get some thoughts from someone "in the know" but outside the immediate Internet Tablet family. As a special treat, Veronica Belmont of Revision3's Tekzilla (and many other projects, including Mahalo Daily, Buzz Out Loud, Crave and more) took some time to answer questions on this platform and style of device. Thank you, Veronica!

TF: Hi Veronica! Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. These last three years have brought on many changes to how the world uses the Web. What is your personal favorite change?

VB: My favorite change is how increasingly easy it is to access information on the go. Having an Internet-enabled device with me has made a huge difference in my daily routine. We're also living in a time where the Internet is less of a luxury, and more of a utility that everyone should have access to.

TF: Do you use any mobile devices for internet browsing other than a phone or laptop? What are your feelings about non-phone, non-laptop mobile Web devices?

VB: I don't currently own a tablet device, but I can definitely see the benefit of an Internet tablet, especially with GPS enabled. There have been many times when I'm traveling that my MacBook Pro has been a little too much machine for what I need (browsing the web, answering email and watching movies).

TF: A challenge in the adoption of this kind of technology is convincing users that they NEED it. Since you are immersed in many different kinds of Internet trends, do you see non-phone, non-laptop Internet devices viable?

VB: While I can see why they're currently a viable option, I'm concerned about the long-range viability. It seems that the current trend (at least what we've seen with the popular adoption of the iPhone) are phones that deliver high-speed Internet over 3G (in the soon-to-be announced version) and deliver a great multimedia experience as well. The real saving grace of the tablet is the larger screen.

TF: What would need to change in the mobile browsing device to convince you to own one and use it regularly?

VB: EVDO or WiMax would be great, as well as a large amount of drive space so I could carry around all my media and make it my dedicated entertainment device. I know some devices are already working in WiMax, but I'd like to see it across the board.

TF: Have you personally used a Nokia Internet Tablet? What are your thoughts?

VB: I've only laid my hands on it briefly, but what I've seen was good. I love the idea of being able to use Skype on the go, and I think this is one of the best devices to do that on.

TF: What's in your own essential gadget bag?

VB: iPhone, MacBook Pro if I'm going somewhere longer than a few hours, my Ultimate Ears sound isolating earbuds, and my Nintendo DS or PSP if I really need to keep myself entertained!

TF: Finally - What would you like to see come out of mobile technology in the next three years? Do you think a rich mobile web browser will become as ubiquitous as the mobile phone?

VB: Definitely. I think as wireless Internet access (that is reliable and hopefully free) becomes the norm, we'll see a huge growth in smart mobile devices. Devices that are more proactive about giving you information about where you are, much like the future-tech that Paul Otellini showed off at CES this past year.

Thanks again to Veronica for this time and thoughts. It's always good to break away from the dedicated fan base to get a savvy perspective to maintain a focus on the future.