Technology is moving at a breakneck speed, and it seems almost every day a new innovation can lead to life altering changes. Thinking back to just a few years ago, so much of the exciting technology that we now take for granted either didn't or barely existed. Given all the breakthroughs in recent years it was a tough chore to narrow down this list, but read on to find out about five of the biggest technological advances that are shaping the future.
1. Touchscreens
Technically, the first touchscreen was invented in the 1970s, but it's safe to say the technology has exploded into the mainstream in the last few years. Progress has been swift, and what was once a rare commodity is now commonplace on millions of all-in-one personal computers, MP3 players, cell phones, ATMs and more. And there seems to be no reason for this expansion to slow, as touchscreens replace more and more traditional displays. Technology has been improving drastically as well - not long ago it was rare for a touchscreen to have multi-touch capabilities, and the advent of thinner and more efficient OLED displays means that touchscreens will soon be placed on an even greater array of items. It won't be long before we all start working on machines akin to the
Zion Control Operator in the
Matrix.
The impact touchscreen technology is likely to have on our future is enormous, but it has already become so commonplace that it is almost hard to see how much more pervasive it could become. Think of it this way - the touchscreen could literally be the end of the physical button as we know it, and that is something that has been around for millennia.
2. Netbooks
The first netbook, according to everybody not named
Psion, was produced in 2007, and it has since taken the world by storm. But the netbook doesn't just represent a low-cost computer. Sure, it has helped bring portable computing into millions of homes for which a full-priced laptop was out of reach, not to mention helping to drive down the cost of CULVs and other such laptops which have had to compete with netbooks. Yet a side effect of all this popularity may have a greater impact than the netbook itself, and I'm talking about cloud computing. Thanks in large part to netbooks, laptops are not just everywhere (they started outselling desktops globally in late 2008), but they are different. Just take a look at Intel's latest Pine Trail chips to see that netbooks aren't getting faster - but they are getting more compact and more power efficient.
And you know what? Netbooks are already plenty powerful to access the "cloud," with the major physical barrier being the portability (read: physical attributes and battery life) of the unit. Netbooks are being built for life in the cloud, and the software developers of the world are slathering at the idea that millions of people will own a machine built for this purpose. In the coming years, we could see the cloud becoming more and more of a reality. Of course, cloud computing is also dependent on one other key technology, which brings us to...
3. Mobile Broadband
Mobile broadband isn't new, and 3G networks like the ones in use today have been around since early this decade. However, it's only recently that the broadband network of a carrier became more important than simply being able to provide voice coverage. A prime example of this is the recent advertising spat between Verizon and AT&T which focuses on the "3G map" rather than call quality, and the widespread consumer adoption of iPhones, Droids, and other smartphones. It wasn't long ago that those sort of devices were just for high powered executives, but now folks like you and me can pick one up for $100 or less if you sign a service contract. In the same vein, one can find a similar deal on a 3G enabled netbook these days. And this growing trend is just the first reason why the next technology is about to reshape our future. I refer here to 4G.
Yes, 4G could ultimately bring the internet - the real internet - to the mobile experience. 3G speeds are fast enough that people can tolerably use it when they need it, but it's nothing like their connections at home. 4G will be, and it will make 3G feel like dial-up. Accessing the internet from your phone or netbook on the go could feel just like accessing it from home, streaming HD video and all. With netbook and smartphone sales already on the rise, this could have a wholesale effect on the lifestyles of millions.
4. Electric Cars
Electric cars have been a pipe dream for years now, but they are primed to finally hit the consumer market in 2010. At first blush this felt like a minor advance compared to some of the far-reaching technologies above, but then I tried to remember the last time I was outside of my house and either didn't see, or wasn't physically in, a car. And then I read that first sentence again. Did I really write "consumer market in 2010"?
Cars are everywhere, and "crazy" ideas like the electric car have been grouped in with the hover car and futuristic robotic cars that
drive themselves, which have been the stuff of sci-fi movies and $100,000 prototypes for years. Yet now, for the first time, we are on the brink of seeing a deluge of models that are consumer ready, including models in the $25K-$35K range from major manufacturers. All of them can handle the average daily commute without gasoline. Know anybody driving a Toyota Prius? In 2010 there will be a
plug-in model. And the much heralded
Chevy Volt will be available in 2010, and in fact is key to ensuring the solvency of GM. Say it with me now - an electric car is critical to GM staying in business. You think these cars and others like them won't shape the future of the auto industry, which will in turn affect the billions of drivers worldwide? This technology is finally ready to make an impact, and it could be huge.
5. Brain reading
If electric cars didn't seem far-reaching enough at first blush, brain reading had almost the opposite effect - it seems a little too out there. It's much closer than you thought. There were two devices that can read your brain waves that made it onto our
list of toys for the holiday season last week. Brain reading toys. Yes, it is time to realize that this is a technology that will have a tremendous impact on our future.
Technology exists now to do more than just move a ball with our mind, as incredible as that may sound. We're talking about restoring sight to the blind and communicating with people who are completely paralyzed. I talk about some ways these technologies worked
here back in August. Again like the cars, this is one where I had to reread a sentence over again... yes, I did just write that technology can now do what has been the sacred domain of mystics and prophets for ages. This is a technology on the rise, and the potential impact is tremendous. If I may say so myself at the risk of making a pun, it's mind blowing.
I want to give a shoutout to eReaders, wireless charging stations, 3D displays, and about a million other technologies that didn't make the cut. Think I missed any that should be in the top 5? Let loose in the comments
