Linking shared data at the customer-level is critical for effective targeting and personalization of marketing efforts.

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Carson says Boeing contracted out virtually all the hardware--the onboard antennas linking the plane to a satellite, which then feeds data back and forth with a terrestrial server, comes from Japan's Mitsubishi Electric, and the internal Wi-Fi gear is from Cisco Systems (nasdaq: CSCO - news - people ).

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"The idea of working from 3-D information to 3-D construction is one of the key areas of research, working from body scan data and then linking that up to a knitting machine, " says Black.

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Usually the process involves using both a GPS and digital camera and linking the data later, but there are actually a couple of cameras on the market with built-in GPS. In any case, once your in-laws get wind of this be prepared for a new era of vacation-picture slideshows, with a step-by-step (literally) recounting of the trip.

ENGADGET: GPS photo linking