Looking Ahead to 2013

Each year at this time I turn on my digital crystal ball (it now has a LED light source instead of incandescent) to see what technologies and products will be popular in the New Year.  Looking over the past few years my predictions have been pretty much on target and I am confident that these will be no different.

 

Look for an increasing number of ‘tablets’ coming to market.  With the development of Apps for most any task from business to gaming and everything in between, the iPad will have more competition.  The traditional PC with a keyboard, mouse and monitor will not be disappearing from the office setting, but many tasks now performed on a lap top will migrate to tablets.   The ease of use of touch screen technologies and availability of high speed internet access using 4G networks will allow for seamless operation most anywhere.

 

Voice Recognition technologies will explode.  Products like Siri from Apple will be improved making interaction with our phones, tablets and regular computers hands free.  Just like Captain Kirk asking the computer to lay in a course to some far off galaxy, you already can ask Siri for the closest Dunkin’ Donuts.  Look for new Apps that call the store and place an order for your favorite coffee and jelly filled treat.

 

With the 4G network build-out will come more internet applications available in your car.  Access to online music services like Pandora or Spotify will be integrated into the car’s audio system and subscriptions to services like Sirius satellite radio will continue to erode.

 

The TV in the family room will have many more viewing options.  With subscriptions to Hulu and Netflix online increasing and vast improvements in video quality of internet delivered content, more of us will eschew cable bills and opt for the a la carte options of online TV viewing.

 

The smart phone will increasingly become the modern day Swiss Army Knife.  With the number of apps expanding almost exponentially, leaving the house in the morning without our phone will be more inconvenient than leaving without wallet or purse.  There will also be more discussion on privacy issues that are exacerbated by the use of smart phones especially with the GPS location apps.  

 

In the lab, look for 3D printing technology to become common place.  This technology is akin to the replicators used on Star Trek.  It is developing at an unbelievable pace and already shows promise of addressing the shortage of human organs for transplant.

 

Hold on tight, 2013 is here and the Mayans are going back to the drawing board.  Happy New Year!