Museum of Media History presents an eight-minute mind-stretcher about the future of media over the next decade. The story:

Background: Tim Berners-Lee, Amazon (a store that recommends), Google, TiVo (unschackles TV from time), Blogs, Friendster, NewsBot, A9, Google goes pubilc.

Next: Google buys TiVo. Microsoft buys Friendster. Google becomes the Google-grid, a universal platform for publishing and consuming media. In 2007, Microsoft retaliates with Newsbotster, a personalized, news creation and sharing service. Google and Amazon combine into Googlezon and use their knowledge of purchasers and their info-reach.

By 2010, Googlezon constructs news stories dynamically. Every user gets a personal story. Microsoft bites the dust. New York Times sues Googlezon for copyright violation. In 2011, the Supreme Court decides in favor of Googlezon.

EPIC the evolving personal Googlezon information service, gives contributors a cut of revenue proportional to the popularity of their contributions. EPIC is a summary of the world. It turns out to be mediocre -- like reading Google today, but it dominates.

In 2014, The New York Times has gone offline.

Gather some geek pals in a dorm room somewhere, add two sixpacks of Corona, and this faux-documentary would spark an entire evening of gee-whiz speculation.

via JOHO