Web 'Handles' vs. Phone Numbers

Instead of having to remember someone's phone number or email address, in just a few years we might be able to find an individual over the Internet via his or her handle, or nickname.

"People will no longer seek each other's phone numbers or email address[es] when establishing personal or working relationships," wrote Gartner analyst Adib Ghubril in a report on mobile predictions for 2012 and beyond. "Instead, they will ask each other, 'What's your handle?' "

The handle format

To use the handle format, an individual would need a personal Web page that could be accessed via his or her handle. On that Web page, the user would store phone numbers and email addresses, making sure to keep them up to date.