Ambient Findability - O'Reilly's Latest Release

For Immediate Release
For more information, a review copy, cover art, or an interview with
the author, contact:
Kathryn Barrett (707) 827-7094 or kathrynb@oreilly.com

What We Find Changes Who We Become
O'Reilly Releases "Ambient Findability"

Sebastopol, CA--Intelligence is moving to the edges, flowing through
wireless devices, empowered individuals, and distributed teams. Ideas are
spreading like wildfire, and information is in the air, literally. And
yet, with the profusion of instantly accessible information, we still
experience disorientation. We still wander off the map. How do we make
decisions in the information age? How do we know enough to ask the right
questions? How do we find the best product, the right person, the data
that makes a difference?

In "Ambient Findability" (O'Reilly, US $29.95), Peter Morville searches
for the answers in the strange connections between social software,
semantic webs, evolutionary psychology, and interaction design.  And, he
explains how the journey from push to pull is changing not only the rules
of marketing and design, but also the nature of authority and the
destination of our culture.

"Findability is at the center of a quiet revolution that's changing who we
trust, how we work, where we go, and what we want. And yet nobody's
talking about it because they don't want to see the big picture," says
Morville. "This book is my attempt to connect the dots and provoke
discussion about how the Internet and ubiquitous computing are
transforming business, education, and culture."

As president of Semantic Studios, an information architecture and
findability consultancy, Morville has advised such clients as AT&T, IBM,
Microsoft, Harvard, Internet2, Proctor & Gamble, Vanguard, Wells Fargo,
and Yahoo. Morville is known as one of the fathers of information
architecture, having coauthored the field's bestselling book, "Information
Architecture on the World Wide Web" (O'Reilly).  His new book is an
unusual journey into the emerging reality that lets us find anyone or
anything from anywhere at anytime. Both roadmap and manifesto, "Ambient
Findability" explains the economic and cultural impact of search and
wayfinding technologies, using intriguing examples and full color
illustrations throughout.

"At the crossroads of ubiquitous computing and the Internet, we've begun
to create new interfaces for exporting digital networked information while
simultaneously importing vast amounts of data about the physical world
into these networks," explains Morville. "GPS, RFID, sensors, wearables,
implants, ingestibles, and other emerging technologies are enabling an
Internet of objects we can barely imagine. We're headed towards ambient
findability, a world in which we can find anyone or anything from anywhere
at anytime. "However, there are no revolutionary search technologies on the
horizon," he adds. "As the search space grows exponentially, so will the
findability challenge.  Amazon, eBay, and Google all understand the profit
potential of mining the millions of niches the Web makes possible. Those
businesses that successfully lower search costs and drive their customers
further down the tip of the Long Tail will reap tremendous rewards. In other
words, findability will be key to competitive advantage in the coming
years."

Thought-provoking and insightful, "Ambient Findability" will be of
interest to any "user experience professionals" who design, build, and
manage web sites and interactive products. But the book will also hold
appeal for anyone interested in the future of architecture, business,
communication, education, design, literacy, marketing, and other areas of
work touched by the information age.

"I also hope the book will have an impact on what Brian Eno calls the 'Big
Here and the Long Now.' I hope it will change how people thing about the
world we are creating," says Morville. "These technologies will have
profound social impact. They're already changing when we work, where we
go, who we trust, and how we make decisions. I hope the book helps people
anticipate the many possible futures that exist today, so we can more
consciously and collectively shape the future we want."

The concept of "usability" has attracted attention in recent years, but
Morville contends that findability will only grow more important as
ubiquitous computing and the Internet converge. "I like to say that
'findability precedes usability, in the alphabet and on the web.' You
can't use what you can't find," says Morville. "The shift from push to
pull has huge implications for advertising and marketing. But that's just
the half of it. At the bleeding edge of this revolution we see the scales
tipping away from mass media towards the media of the masses. But blogs
and Wikipedia are just the beginning. This revolution will transform
business, politics, and education."

"Ambient Findability" is an amazing boundary spanner with insights that
may forever change how you think, where you go, what you find, and who you
become.

Early praise for "Ambient Findability":

"A lively, enjoyable and informative tour of a topic that's only going
to become more important."
--David Weinberger, Author, "Small Pieces Loosely Joined" and "The
Cluetrain Manifesto"

"I envy the young scholar who finds this inventive book, by whatever
strange means are necessary. The future isn't just unwritten--it's
unsearched."
--Bruce Sterling, Writer, Futurist, and Co-Founder, The Electronic
Frontier Foundation

Further reviews of the book can be found at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/ambient/reviews.html

Additional Resources:

Chapter 1, "Lost and Found," is available online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/ambient/chapter/index.html

For more information about the book, including table of contents, index,
author bio, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/ambient/index.html

For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/0596007...

Ambient Findability
Peter Morville
ISBN: 0-596-00765-5, 188 pages, $29.95 US, $41.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
http://www.oreilly.com
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, CA 95472

About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media, Inc. is the premier information source for leading-edge
computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites
bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators. O'Reilly books,
known for the animals on their covers, occupy a treasured place on the
shelves of the developers building the next generation of software.
O'Reilly conferences and summits bring alpha geeks and forward-thinking
business leaders together to shape the revolutionary ideas that spark new
industries. From the Internet to XML, open source, .NET, Java, and web
services, O'Reilly puts technologies on the map. For more information:
http://www.oreilly.com

# # #

O'Reilly is a registered trademark of O'Reilly Media, Inc. All other
trademarks are property of their respective owners.