Most of us have seen it... multimedia on the web changes the experience we have with surfing the Net. But why are we seeing so much of this "new" technology and what is its future?

One of the things about predictions is that they always start years before those predictions come true. Back in 2000 I read the prediction that within five years video-on-damand would eclipse all other means of recording video except VHS tapes.

Well, as anyone who has been to the video store can attest to, the DVD is driving VHS videotape off the market. And we're still waiting for video-on-damand...

But are we?

No, streaming or digital media for personal or business use is on the upswing. In a study recently 50.3% of those asked said they connected to some form of streaming technology at least once a day. And a huge 38.2% said they did it more than once a day.

So streaming multimedia is becoming a real technology that is being used today.

And why not?

Since the tools that can make creating streaming multimedia are available and easy to use.

Tools like Camtasia from TechSmith, http://www.techsmith.com, WildForm at http://wildform.com, Swish from http://swishzone.com, Sonic Memo from http:/sonicmemo.com, and Audio Generator from http:/audiogenerator.com. And this list is just the "tip of the ice burg".

I know since I spend hours a day researching the technology and learning how to use it. Right now I have a backlog of tools that I haven't had a chance to test and use. And as fast as I go the more tools seem to get into my "in basket".

So I can tell you that while those predictions are coming true... they just might take a bit longer than expected.

But then again, I remember years ago hearing we'd soon have televisions that we could hang on the wall... and guess what I just saw at Costco (http://costco.com)?

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