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Monday, November 26, 2012

Here Come the 2013 Predictions

This time of year, predictions are usually plentiful. Some are easy to agree with, while others are simply so outlandish that a furrowed brow and a shake of the head are the only response. Yet it doesn’t stop them from coming. This article in E-Commerce Times offers 10 predictions for the tech world in 2013. Although most are safe in their prophecy, some may be a bit of a stretch.

There are the go-to predictor terms: shift, growth, rise, emergence, and— a personal favorite— advance. First, there is the shift to mobile devices. No reach there. Just stop somewhere, anywhere, on the street and look around. You will see at least one person texting or browsing the Internet using some form of mobile device.

Next up is the shift to HTML5, the fifth revision of HTML. This article predicts HTML5, although it’s still in development, will greatly influence mobile browsing over the next few years.
The personal cloud has gained much popularity and it will likely continue to grow as more people move to tablets and other mobile devices and away from PCs. It’s just an easier and more reliable place to store information.  

One of the more interesting predictions is the rise of the “Internet of things.” According to this article, there will be much more crossover between the Internet and other tools used throughout the day, such as vehicles and prescription drug containers, which will use image recognition and other technologies tied to the Internet.
 
That brings back thoughts of watching the the movie Back To The Future Part II for the first time and seeing Marty McFly get fired via videophone. Just five years ago that would still have been a stretch, while today you can Skype face-to-face conversations with friends and family around the world. Things once thought to be a reach are becoming a part of everyday life.  

Where this prediction may go a little off base, however, is forecasting that mobile devices will surpass PCs in web browsing next year. That’s simply not going to happen that quickly. Too many people use PCs all day long at work and then at home. That migration will be years down the road. Not many years, but definitely years.