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General discussion

What are your tech predictions for 2011?

Dec 16, 2010 1:32PM PST
What are your tech predictions for 2011?

Since we are rapidly approaching the New Year, I thought it would be fun to give the technical help and how-to a break and throw out a question about tech predictions for 2011. Do you think 2011 will be the year for tablets since so many companies are following suit after the Apple iPad release? Or how about 3D TVs: will the technology eventually become an integral part of all TVs or will it simply fade away? Will streaming video devices kill the DVD market? What about cell phones: will they all eventually be replaced by smartphones? Will the Google Android platform overtake the Apple iPhone OS? Will e-book readers eventually evolve to become tablet devices? These are some thoughts I had, but I'd like to know what you think? If you have a tech gadget prediction for the New Year or have any opinions on the questions I wrote above, I'd love to hear them. Let's discuss it together and have some fun! Thanks in advance.

-Lee

Here are some member predictions to get you started, but
please read all the predictions that our
members have contributed to this question.

Tech predictions --Submitted by: mad_reaper
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-10152_102-5048451.html

2011 predictions --Submitted by: minimalist
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-10152_102-5048579.html

My predictions --Submitted by: Nicholas Buenk
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-10152_102-5049167.html

Tablets, smart phones, high end desktop computer --Submitted by: LivingForTheFuture
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-10152_102-5048501.html

Tech predictions --Submitted by: Michael Panknin
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-10152_102-5048549.html

Thank you to all who contributed!

Discussion is locked

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What a downer....
Jan 8, 2011 8:34AM PST

minimalist has some wrong ideas on his predictions...

1. 3DTV like bluray, still is a new technology that is already widely accepted but not at the reach of most consumers (yet...).

2. Maybe true... The end of AT&T exclusivity in the US will mean iPhone and Android adoption rates will more or less achieve parity.

3. Tablets will come very strong and every family will buy at least one this year in US.

4. RIM revenue increased 40% last year and projections are that will grow another 30% in 2011. Do you really think RIM is worried about losing 10-15% of US market? RIM doesn't care at all and if you cannot see the big picture please do some research!

5. Windows Phone 7 will probably reach 10% of the US market due to heavy marketing and promotions.

6. OK... Palm will stage a comeback and by then nobody will care anymore.

7. Microsoft is already preparing a Windows 8 mostly cloud-based. Cloud computing is the future for some applications and Microsoft wants to take advantage of it.

8. I agree with this one.... Chrome OS will fizzle. Google will finally double down on Android.

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AMD says The Future is Fusion
Dec 17, 2010 10:45AM PST

I scourge and scourge everywhere for the meaning of the new Fusion chip from AMD. Everything appears to be tightlipped. Also USB 3.0 will be the new standard in 2011. I just bought a usb 3.0 card and a usb 3.0 disk enclosure. I was able to copy about 3 and half gigabytes of photos from my desktop to my usb 3.0 disk enclosure in about 3 or 4 minutes. Is it fast or what? I cant remember how fast usb 2.0 used to be, maybe 15 minutes or so.

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The first 3D apps. will arrive in browsers this year
Dec 17, 2010 11:24AM PST

3D will makes its first appearance this year in the browsers and take the world by storm. Second Life may lead the pack "if" they can "get it right" which is doubtful. Have they no shame? Happy

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the phone will do much more
Dec 17, 2010 2:05PM PST

I think that your phone will become you bank,as in it will replace credit cards for gas, restaurants, and just about anything you can use a credit card for. and I think Uncle Sam will be following your footsteps also that is already in place. I do think it going to be a great year for new toys and interaction with your toys.
Just my thoughts

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What are your tech predictions for 2011?
Dec 18, 2010 6:14AM PST

Google TV will get more channels and cable companies will get better also Android will be still strong also iPhone will be on Verizon

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will ebooks become pads?
Dec 18, 2010 11:49AM PST

Not unless pads become smaller and much much lighter. Why? Think of all the people who read lying down on their backs with their books or ebooks suspended about 10 inches over their noses. Now imagine doing this with an Ipad....

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My predictions
Dec 18, 2010 12:08PM PST

1. Dual core smartphones with a 4G version of everything coming out. LTE, wimax, HSPA+ dual channel etc. Except to see several dual core 4G Androids and a dual core 4G iPhone.


2. Android 3 tablets and the iPad will take over the budget computing space. Causing netbooks to lose marketshare, and Chrome netbooks to be dead on arrival.


3. Apple will bring out a music subscription and streaming service. To iOS devices!


4. iPhone will out sell Android when it comes to Verizon in the US.


5. But in Australia and UK where iPhone is way ahead and Android is 3rd place, Android will achieve same Market share as Apple

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2011 - It's Gonna Be Exciting
Dec 19, 2010 10:37AM PST

It is a privilege to be among such esteemed company and be able to weigh in on what I think 2011 will bring by way of technology improvements and/or innovations. We all know that companies are going to continue to up the ante as they compete for market share and try to win the hearts and minds (emphasis on mind) of the consumer.

Connectivity

I believe there will be one common thread that will weave its way through every category/aspect of technology in 2011 and that is "connectivity" via the internet. If a device can not connect even for the most mundane of reasons such as a firmware update not to mention communication, collaborative sharing or social networking -- that device is on a path to extinction.

Take games for example? I can envision the makers of SD Cards partnering with the manufacturers of gaming devices that utilize read/write storage media to include an SD Card (or two) as part of a bundle. Now the parent that purchases a new educational electronic device for their pre-schooler can simply download that reduced-cost-promotional learning tool without having to drive to the mall --- or worst --- have to wait for a mail-in after purchase promotion.

Those of you who purchase electronic devices with funds from your allowance or paycheck - be it a cell phone, HDTV or anything in between - know firsthand how convenient it is to go online and communicate, download, upload or do whatever---on your own schedule from the comfort of your bedroom, living room or the room with the sign that reads "Enter At Your Own Risk".

Lets face it --- you WILL accept my upload or download --- Resistance is Futile.


Cell Phones

Cell phones will continue to evolve but not so much from a radical perspective or departure from the norm as when the first iPhone was introduced. Virtual keyboards, IPS displays and now the "Retina" display are all in the wild and are pretty much a WOW factor determined by how much it will influence your buying decision beyond the carrier you choose.

There are still people who like the iPhone but hate AT&T price plans and/or service and therefore have not purchased the iPhone. Maybe the rumored Verizon iPhone for 2011 will be a game changer for iPhone holdouts. The HTC EVO with its Android OS has emerged as the number one contender to the iPhone supremacy. Integration of voice, social networking and music will also be key factors in the buying decision.

Apps, I believe will be the biggest player in how the savvy cell phone/smart phone buyer will approach the market. Apple already has a huge following in the App arena followed by Google (watch out Apple), Microsoft and RIM. Apple however has an advantage in that its App's cross multiple platforms - iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad - and in January, 2011 Apple will releases it App Store to the Mac platform. Are we talking connectivity again?

For fun, the next big step in cell phones or more aptly communication will probably be in the form of a brain implant to allow us to communicate telepathically which gives a new meaning to "hands-free". Maybe there's an App for that?


HDTV and Laptop/Desktop Computers

I am combining these two together because the lines between them are slowly becoming a blur in terms of how we can use them. Features they have in common:

? Ability to deliver 1080p content
? Internet connectivity
? Video Streaming
? Ethernet
? Wireless 802.11xxx and BT Connectivity
? 3D Viewing
? Gaming

So what about technology advances for each?

Computer advancement is going to be controlled by the OS, CPU, and GPU developer/manufacturers and how fast they want to release those advancements to the mainstream. Computer companies like Sony, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer and the like all typically offer similar products in design and technology. In my opinion its who gets their latest and greatest technology to market first that determines their short-term market advantage. Beyond that there are subtle differences in build quality and internal components.

For example, Wal-Mart is offering a 17" Laptop for under $500 during the 2010 holiday season. However the internal build components are no better than a run-of-the-mill entry level notebook. So, if all you want is a large screen (that's not even 1080p) then this unit may be the one to get. My point here is that since most of the sellers of computers do not control the technology-- the advancements in 2011 are probably already out now or at least we already know of them. Anyone know when the i8 processor will hit?

Finally, notebooks will continue to get smaller but as we all know we lose some functionality as we go down in size. As a side note I would say that Apple is the one to watch in 2011 for any breakthrough computer advancement.

HDTV advancements will be more forth-coming. Ironically, HDTV manufacturers in many cases also sell computers or are aligned in some way with a computer manufacturer (i.e. Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, and Panasonic, Phillips).

HDTV's are the perfect platforms to adopt computer technology such as Hard Drives, wireless technology, internet connectivity, social networking, video chat, video streaming, 3D technology and more, all of which were introduced on a computer. With the advent of 3D technology - which I believe if supported by the movie houses will become an integral part of the HDTV viewing experience - will eventually come the integration of CPU's and GPU's not unlike those found in computers.

I doubt that a HDTV above 40 inches will be used as a touchscreen - who wants to see a finger print in the middle of the face of Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt.


Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing while not a new technology will continue to expand and evolve. Microsoft with Windows 7 has expertly in print and TV ads made Cloud Computing appear as a logical extension of what we should be doing every day. Every major manufacturer of a back-up solution offers blocks of offline storage (albeit for a price) to registered users. Thus perpetuating the concept that off-line (cloud computing) is a logical progression especially for those who are paranoid about the loss of data.

However, I believe the mainstream acceptance of cloud computing as an everyday experience is going to depend heavily on cross platform functionality. It must be accessible from whichever platform we are using - i.e. smart phone, computer, tablet, HDTV.

Apple (there's that word again) with its MobileMe made the first attempt at cross platform functionality for the mainstream in Cloud Computing. Although it's not been one of its most widely accepted iterations probably due to the MobileMe annual $99 price tag.

Google has had greater success with its Google Docs which can be accessed from any device with editing capability and an internet connection. However some have had security concerns.


Closing Thoughts

I could continue this discussion on a variety of topics but you would get tired of reading and I can not continue typing. Whatever 2011 brings by way of technology advancements it's going to be exciting. We will see products that will WOW us and others that will make us pause and wonder how they even came to be. Some will survive and others will disappear as a forgotten footnote. Anyone remember Betamax by Sony or Newton by Apple (yes, even Apple had its flops).

I do believe that every manufacturer is going to look for ways to make their products "Greener". Not just by utilizing environmental friendly materials or lowering energy consumption. I think we may see the first of products that will cut the cord and use materials that are eco-friendly and use bio-kinetics to conduct the energy needed to power them. Imagine your computer typing strokes being utilized to produce the energy needed to power that same computer.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and may all your technology dreams come true.

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E readers
Jan 7, 2011 5:02PM PST

E-readers (and mine cost less than 60 euros from China) are the gadget of choice for serious readers as the battery life is three or four times longer than with a tablet. (The Kindle claims a far, far longer battery life). You don't want to lug a tablet everywhere to read some text and have to keep recharging it.
Tablets will continue to grow in popularity, because people are illogical and go for looks rather than functionality. Laptops and netbooks are fragile enough but they are robust compared to tablets. Who decided that having a constantly exposed screen and nothing but touch screen technology was a recipe for long life use? I predict that the first massive and increasing batch of tablets will start to fall apart or get broken early in 2011.
It may be a long love affair, but I think we will all go back to something closer to laptops in the longer term.
Perhaps it's my generation, but 3D is a gimmick with nowhere to go. We remember the idiocy of 3D cinema, and I think 3D media screens will go the same way. Give us ALL better picture and sound quality first. Digital broadcasting has seriously undermined sound quality whatever the techies claim.

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Rise In Mobile Scams
Dec 20, 2010 5:34PM PST

Despite the several arrests of cyber criminals in 2010, malware attacks has seen to grow consistently. It is not surprising malware coders are continuing to exploit smartphones technology to achieve their goal in 2011. An increase in cyber warfare and cyber terrorism campaigns was also predicted with respect to the Stuxnet worm's attacks to penetrate governments and organizations networks.

http://www.pcoptimizationsecrets.com/mobile-scams-likely-to-rise-in-2011

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Desktop redesign.
Jan 7, 2011 9:59AM PST

I predict that at least one computer manufacturer will come out with a desktop that is redesigned to be like a plasma TV where everything is incorporated behind the monitor.

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Desktop redesign
Jan 28, 2011 9:45PM PST

Sorry friend but that has already been done by more than one manufacturer.
Rocket69

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2011 - More of the same
Jan 7, 2011 10:09AM PST

2011 will NOT be an revolutionary year. It will, however, continue a number of trends.

1) The iPad's sales will continue to skyrocket, as competitor's products will reinforce just how much of a game changer the iPad (and forthcoming iPad 2) really is. The iPad should stick to about 75 percent of the market, with everyone else looking for scraps.

2) The iPhone should peak in the first 6 months of this year, as Verizon picks up the device, followed by the inevitable slow decline as people start to realize they don't need a smartphone (with its $70 per month fee).

3) Windows 7 will quietly have another great year, but the handwriting is on the wall for desktops and laptops; they will become increasingly irrelevent as tablets become more capable. How Microsoft reacts will affect their long-term relevance.

4) By the end of this year, we will start hearing about successors to the Playstation 3 and XBox 360; expect more 3-D capabilities.

5) I don't see a breakout product this year, outside of the tablets. Video products won't be a success either due to a lukewarm deal to consumers (Apple TV) or industry rejection (Google TV, Netflix on Demand).

That's all I've got. See ya in 2012, if the planet is still around!

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2011
Jan 7, 2011 12:21PM PST

3D will fade away like cable card slots. After reading about the glasses free demo that you must be dead center to the screen & that it tracks your eye's, the 1st thing that came to me what about the other people sitting around the tv?... Fail. 3D's only place I see is in arthroscopic surgery.

Video streaming, maybe in 20yrs when EVERYONE has min 5Mbps speeds & at a reasonable monthly cost, but by then we will be seeing 4k formate so.... There is also the part about owner ship rights, when you buy a physical disk, you can lone it, sell it or trade it.

Tablets will never replace a desktop or a laptop, it is alternate to getting a netbook, tablets will never have the CPU power or storage that a tower or laptop can have.

Cellphones: better batteries, better service/coverage (AT&T) & g4 coverage more standard. I would like to see built-in wireless charging, built-in solar charging & better protection for when you drop the phone, like a phone made out of silicone not plastic, glass or metal.

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Tech Predictions for 2011
Jan 7, 2011 1:35PM PST

Nano technology? Still in its infancy forget any publicly available applications anytime soon. Field generating battery rechargers are here, next will be the end of wires for pcs, cell phones, printers, home appliances. Like a dsl router there will be field generators in homes. In the computing world FINALLY we will get holographic computing with biometric security. The down side is all the new technology will also plug us in more intimately with some neo-govt alphabet agency(s). Biometrics will have its good & bad advantages. The US will continue to outpace the rest of the world in information processing despite China and Indias' advances.

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Nostradamus Tech Review from the grave
Jan 7, 2011 3:05PM PST

I predict 3D smart phones that no longer require special glasses for 3D viewing.They will actually fit in your pocket with ease. they will utilize quad core processors on a 5g network eventually making all desktops, laptops, etc sub par.
Iphones end up corning the market causing the biggest monopoly of all time forcing all other companies to go under. Eventually a one time use jailbreak is designed bringing a end to iphones massive profits. Iphones massive overhead forces them to sell shares of the network allowing other companies to compete again.


most likely this be a long process spread out over many years all in a world created by Science fiction... At least we could look forward to more smart phones with dual processors on a 4g network that is limited to 3g because its still limited to select areas.

Don't think, feel!
It is like a finger pointing away to the moon.
Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.
Bruce Lee

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Limited horizons!
Jan 7, 2011 6:49PM PST

I'm surprised by how limited most people's vision is, but perhaps you're all 15-30 year old consumers of US mass media. Predicting which already known consumer device will sell more or less isn't very visionary. Statements like 'most new movies are 3d' are form another planet to mine - I haven't seen a 3d film (as we call them in the UK) yet because the films I watch have not, as far as I know, been issued in that format. Only block buster stuff which has no interest for me. Till now, intelligent film makers haven't needed this gimmick.

Some answers pick out more interesting tends like flexible "screens".

Few if any address what technology might do for the mass of people world wide who don't live in our consumer paradise. Mobile phones have transformed lives across Africa in some ways - tablets probably haven't and won't. A cheap and environmentally acceptable energy solution would be a really useful technological innovation if vested interests would allow it.

Obvious continuing trends at present are pervasive computing, cloud computing, the imminent end, maybe in 2011, of electro-mechanical devices where movement isn't logically necessary (like rotating disks, CDs, DVDs etc - obviously washing machines, vacuum cleaners etc need to have movement), man-machine hybrids including chip implantation.

Will 3d-printers reach affordable prices in the next year? Which medical applications will make a real difference?

What's harder to predict is the next 'black swan' - but so many people have access to technology that among the billions of people using it, there will be a stream of surprising and breakthrough innovations.

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e reader Kindle
Jan 7, 2011 10:55PM PST

Not true - you haven't tried the Kindle - I am reading in bright sunlight in Spain at this moment, perfect and restful.

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Tech predictions for 2011
Jan 7, 2011 11:46PM PST

Due to the state of the economy in the United States, Technology will undergo a vast reduction in expansion.

The masses are effected by the ongoing recession, high unemployment, and the ability of older software to provide the same basic results, will provide a cooler approach to the migration to windows 7. Windows Vista and XP will continue well into the next 3 to 4 years, even with Microsoft indicating it will no longer support XP. There is not enough benefit within windows 7 to migrate quickly and only specific businesses will take the plunge.

Apple will continue to grow and gain customers as its customer base has the monetary means in which to purchase, so Apple will continue to expand and do well. There is a huge support and app community for its phone products however Apple will need to make the phones available to all services in order to grow from this point. Further Apple will need to integrate its phone into a handheld laptop in order to expand into the future. Apple's computer line will continue to be successful as long as it maintains its co-development of hardware and software. Apple would do well to invest into the future of wireless networking by offering ISP access through a joint agreement with a wireless internet access company.

Phone technology will become a fast growing area over the next few years with many copy cat, lower cost options to the I phone emerging.

The largest technology expansion will center around networking and the availability of ISP sources. Many now hardwired sources will become replaced with wireless access via cell technology. This will be the major expansion into the mid teens and into the 20s. This will allow a low cost infrastructure approach to providing internet access to the masses. This technology is being introduced and implemented with providers such as clear. Wired access will become a thing of the past as it is replaced by wireless cell technology.

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Where's the clever camera?
Jan 7, 2011 11:50PM PST

Last year I "predicted" or "wished for" a manufacturer that was smart enough to release a digital camera into which you could just plug a USB thumb drive without all that macking up with CF/SD/etc., and it still hasn't materialized. Such a simple and logical idea too!

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Cell phones and TVs
Jan 8, 2011 12:07AM PST

Cell phones will battle Android vs Windows 7, while Apple will pair with someone like clear and blow away all the cell phone providers, they will distance their customers away from the traditional cell market by offering a mobile ISP service which operates at 4G. Cell phones will eventually die down to the basic hand held dial device as Android and Windows attempt to catch Apple's next move.

Many 3D devices will be implemented in 2011 and 2012, they will die off quickly partly due to their extremely high cost, partly due to available programming, and finally due to the vast litigation which the industry will face as the product safety suits start in mass. The industry is already issuing warnings about 3D products and its effects on child development and those who suffer form epilepsy. Look for fast refresh rate TVs to be the wave of the future with refresh rates that exceed todays standards by 10 to 20 times.

e-book readers will become a flash in the pan technology as most do not incorporate any other functions.

Look for battery operated technology to lead the way as the price of energy starts to explode. I would anticipate seeing everything with a battery operation and auto cycle which will pull technology foreword and reduce the load demand on energy providers. This will be one technology to invest in for the future as it will become the mainstay of our existence with technology.

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Battery technology
Jan 8, 2011 5:03AM PST

"Look for battery operated technology to lead the way "

Oh yeah? Where are these batteries that actually last as long as the claims for your device? Has battery technology really improved that much in the last ten years?

Most laptops, tablets, do whatevers, suck, as their batteries go flat in half the time claimed for them. And after a year they are only fit for the scrap heap.

That's the biggest area for development, whether for micro processor gadgets or for electric vehicles.

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nook is better than kindle
Jan 8, 2011 3:47PM PST

I think the Nook will overtake the kindle. the kindle may have better advertising, but the word is getting out for the nook. It is upgradable without having to buy a new one. The tablet will never replace the ereaders. I can read for hours without eye fatigue on the nook, not so on the computer. Smartphones are even worse. They are too small to read for any length of time. 3D tv's will be short lived unless they can do something about having to wear glasses. 3D has been out for a long time, but it has not come very far, just because they have brought it in the home does not mean it has gotten better. What they really need to do is improve battery life on everything. I agree with Bertie/Fox, battery life needs to be looked at.

We will see where 2011 takes all of us. Economy has a lot to do with everything.

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Nook vs Kindle
Jan 8, 2011 9:27PM PST

Have never heard of Nook - maybe not in UK. I think people make a mistake in comparing a reader with a tablet. It's like comparing a laptop with a paperback. My Kindle is my portable library, that's all I use it for - I still read books and borrow from the library if I can't get either cheap enough. Loads of my friends are buying Kindles, it's the only e book I've ever seen on my journeys. Except the i-pad - but if you can buy a Kindle for ?111 it doesn't compare pricewise.

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Tablets kill netbooks? I don't think so.
Jan 8, 2011 9:49PM PST

I don't see tablets such as the ipad continuing to grow, unless they add more functionality. A netbook has a real keyboard and can run flash applications. Ipad cannot run flash apps. Much of the internet uses flash, so this alone is a huge sticking point for tablets. Also, the cost of an ipad is $500. For that you can buy a decent lap top, which lets you do much more, from flash apps to watching dvds. You can also use your $500 lap top to edit documents with a real keyboard. The netbook can do more than an ipad and cost a couple of hundred dollars less.

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2011
Jan 9, 2011 9:16PM PST

I expect to see Verizon announce the iPhone that will spark a flurry of interest and additional sales. The numbers will be debated as some of those sales will come at the expense of AT&T. After that I see the iPad and iPhone start to loose some shine as other tablets begin to gain favor. Same with the smart phone market, Android and even WinMo7 will gain as folks begin to settle in and the newness of the 'i' starts to ware off.

This will be the year of the tablet and Internet connected TV. You will begin to see instant connections between devices you own. When you get within range you will see your smartphone connect to your TV or Audio system and maybe even phones to phones. (somewhere someone is going to realize that if your smartphone is close to your landline [if you still have one] it will ring there and the other way around, sure I know it's been done, but it will become transparent)

3D TVs with Glasses will see the light fading at the end of the tunnel as new technologies begin to show us 3D without the faceware.

New devices will start to show up, Smartphones that let you make purchases, you will see devices like one that will allow you to do things like ask your refrigerator how many cartons of milk you have.

Desktop Computers will remain, they will continue to get faster and more connected. The cloud will mature and begin to settle into its place in the world, a few outages will make people think twice about storing vital information there but we have done this all before, we will work out ways to keep needed information handy while at the same time storing it in the cloud. The connections will be come more pervasive and reliable as we begin to use multiple methods of access.

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Or...
Jan 9, 2011 9:46PM PST

Maybe the e-book reader will grow up to become a full tablet, it almost is now, why pay $888 for an iPad when a Nook will do just about everything the tablet does. Add a few things to an e-book and your done. I watched a newscaster get quized on what she could do with her tablet and she could not come up with one thing that could not be done on the current nook. Even the newscasters with her started giving her a hard time about spending so much money on a device she got so little out of.

3D: Unless they stop creating 3D movies in 3D 'because they can' and create them poorly 3D has a problem. People are already not too keen on the glasses, there will be a pause as the next generation of 3D (sans glasses) come out.

Yes google will slow down but so will Apple, I believe future releases will start to become more like minor upgrades.

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Finally, the world as it should be!
Jan 10, 2011 1:26PM PST

This could get interesting, I'm shooting from the hip so here goes:

Ok, Android will continue to gain popularity as people realize that the reasons to buy Android are in line with the reasons they bought a pc and not a mac: choice, price, flexibility, download software from wherever you choose, not just from one predetermined source, etc. After they get their Android(s) they will begin to see that while iOS is ''hand it to a three-year-old simple,'' there's also nothing wrong with an OS that was built for adults with adult-sized brains. Slowly people will start thinking again and realize ''hey, I don't really need a genious bar. They'll start Googling when they have questions about their devices and talking to people in forums. They'll meet people who believe in open-source development and they'll learn the definition of ''free'' (speech not beer.) They will then learn that Android is a linux OS and they'll Google Linux and the sheer number of Linux distros out there will blow their mind. They'll download one and dual-boot their PCs, ''just to try it'' and they'll see that their PC is running faster, smoother and better than new. They'll realize they just dual-booted a PC, something they thought only ''tech nerds'' could do and yet it was so easy. They'll donate a fair dollar amount to the developers of their new OS confident that they are not being taken because THEY set the price. They will share their discovery with everyone they know (mainly because it will make them look like the smartest one in the group) but also to show people that contrary to popular belief, you don't NEED Windows and you don't NEED Mac and you don't NEED office software that cost more than your over-priced OS. Software developers will realize the trend that's starting and will switch to open development and donation based pricing. Consumers will realize that not everyone trying to sell them something is trying take advantage of them and will start offering up fair donations for software. This trend will spread to every aspect of human life with people getting paid a fair wage for what they do and paying a fair price for what they get.

Of course, on the flip-side of the coin, Apple and Microsoft could have a banner year, take over everything they can get their claws into, force their customers to over-pay for uninspired design. Consumers will eventually have to sign over their human rights for the priveledge to live in the world now known as Micr-Applis (my-crap-ul-is.)

See, I told you it could get interesting.

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Dictation software
Jan 12, 2011 11:08AM PST

As a lawyer who has to draft lots of documents, I would look forward to better dictation software, which will not require me to tell everything about formatting (delete, tab, etc). A software that will format the dictated material according to chosen form, do spell check and grammar check by itself and present a fairly acceptable output would be a boon. A dictation software that stores its past experiences, and suggests from its repertory would be very useful.

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More questionable predictions
Jan 12, 2011 10:14PM PST

Another prediction I don't understand is the fall of Google Chrome in 2011. I don't care for it myself, but a number of my friends swear by it. It may well go the way of Netscape and Opera eventually, but not this year.

One thing I predict will *not* happen--and I'm surprised this didn't come up--is a critical mass of "cloud computing".