Most objects have not entered the digital realm yet and will not do so for many years, if ever. Despite that, all objects do have a digital extension. The digital extension of an object is all the information that can not reasonably be gathered or distributed in analog format. The information beyond user manuals, warranty cards and washing instructions. Questions previously unanswered, maybe even unasked. Who made this? What is it made of? Is it good? Who has used it? Where will it end up after I am done with it?

The digital world, limitless storage space and effortless distribution, has allowed us to start adding these digital extensions to objects. And the importance of the extension is growing day by day.

Think about Amazon. You can not touch the products they are selling. You certainly can not try them out. Basically, you are not buying the product, you are buying information about the product. The accuracy of the information can only be verified once you have received your purchase.

New technologies (sensors, gps, rfid) will give us even more information. It will be entirely possible to trace a product from its birth right down to when it is recycled or ends up in a landfill.

Digital extensions will enhance our experience and help us make more informed decisions but they also come with a price. We will receive information that we might not care for. Information about the origins and ecological footprints of products. Information that will confront us. How do you justify buying something when the data clearly shows that it was manufactured in less then acceptable conditions?

Smart businesses have already realized the value of the digital extension and are turning their information into a competitive advantage. The dumb ones are still doing what they have always done: concealing and evading.