telephony

WSJ reports that Google's long-rumored mobile phone is on its way to becoming a reality.

Drawing from no actual evidence whatsoever, mixed with a big helping of baseless speculation, here's what I think we'll get:

• Cute seasonal logos in Fisher-Price primary colors.
• Be careful what you say, because it's all recorded. Forever.
• If you're near a Wifi connection, you use that instead of the telco's system.
• Be careful what you say, because it'll be used to target advertising your way. (Remember "My Tivo Thinks I'm Gay.")
• The ads will be relevant and you'll click on them. Since you'll probably be driving, eating and talking at the same time, carnage will ensue.
• "I'm feeling lucky" gets a whole new meaning.
• Be careful where you go, because the built-in GPS will be used to target ads at you, and ... your waypoints will be stored forever. We'll take a giant leap toward MOM.
• If you can connect via Google Talk and bypass the phone network end-to-end, you will. Just don't use it for emergencies.
• As Google works to build out its free Wifi business, the telcos will collapse. No one mourns their passing.
• You can't have one unless somebody sends you an invite.
• The camera will post directly into Picasa Web and YouTube. We'll take a giant leap toward David Brin's future where we all watch each other and spool the video directly to the net.
• Total integration with Google Earth.
• EPIC2014.

(Feel free to post your own baseless speculation!)