Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2009 > January > 05 > Entry
Best tech trends of ‘08 and a look at ‘09
In yesterday’s paper, we ran a story listing what were (in my view), the top five tech trends of 2008 and what five technologies to look for in 2009 might be.
Of course, a list like this covers an awful lot of ground and must overlook a lot of trends that were certainly important just to keep it to five.
With unlimited space, I might have talked about coworking, electronic voting, the ascension of Netflix to multiple streaming platforms and online shopping.
But I’m a lot more curious about what you readers have to say. What were your top five tech trends of 2008 and what are your predictions for ‘09?
If case you don’t have time to read the whole article, here’s a tiny version of mine:
Trends of 2008:
- Cloud computing — your stuff, online.
- App stores — cell phones grow up, get programs.
- Social networks — Twitter and Facebook continued growing.
- Hybrids — gas prices spiked and people got interested.
- Screens — cheap displays meant more content on more screens.
And my picks for stuff to watch in 2009:
- Netbooks
- Off-site storage
- Smarter TVs
- New media gets more competitive
- Air/gesture-based computing/gaming
What do you think? Get to prognosticating!
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment Categories: Applications, Austin, Computers, Gadgets, Internet, Movies & DVDs, Phones, SXSW, TV, Videogames
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By Paul
January 5, 2009 10:54 PM | Link to this
On NPR today you stated that the technology for viewing TV programs on the web was not as good as watching on a high definition television. I disagree. I recently connected my over 5 year old Dell PC to my almost 3 year old Sony High Definition television via a 15 ft. VGA cable, downloaded the latest driver for my non-upgraded video card, and can now stream video to my TV. I have been watching LOST on ABC.COM in High Definition for the last couple of weeks and the quality is great! You really don't need the latest technology to do this (okay, the wireless keyboard and mouse help!).
By Bill Overstreet
January 5, 2009 5:57 PM | Link to this
Today, in the UK, if you own a TV, you have to pay a TV tax. (They even have TV police that snoop electronically to see if you have your TV turned on & whether you have paid your tax. Their TV tax goes to support the BBC, hence they have very few commercials.) If UK TV moves to the web, then how will their business model work (i.e. how will the BBC get funded)? I'll bet there are a lot of us who would pay the tax for fewer commercials in the US of A!!
By Omar Gallaga
January 5, 2009 5:00 PM | Link to this
A company just sent me a netbook to play around with for a little while, so I should have more info to share about them soon. Those screens sure are teeny, though. My eyes would get very tired if I had to use one of them full time.
Yeah, I think the tech of air mice and proximity sensors are going to have to improve, but I think we'll get there. Since the next big evolution in gaming will be 3-D, it'll have to.
By Tara
January 5, 2009 3:46 PM | Link to this
I love the idea of a netbook but my husband says I can't have one until I figure out how to recycle my Alienware "laptop" that weighs forty pounds and would only be comfortable on the lap of Shaquille O'Neal.
I also like the *idea* of gesture-based gaming, but in my experience those only really work as party games. Wii has yet to find its "Tetris," so I ignore the Wii most of the time. Then again, the game I'm most into is Uno for the iPhone. I'm so 2008.