Predictions for 2007

Predictions for 2007

Short term trends:

1. By the end of the year it will not be outrageous to demand a video, audio, and text connection to anyone anywhere in the world for free.

Skype has the potential to link old and new users. It will become the crossover application that links the computer savvy with the luddite, gen x with gen y with the baby boomers, etc, in a way that instant messenger never did. Who doesn't want to save money?

2. Atheism will begin to loose its stigma.

Look for "Reasoning Eye for the Fundamentalist Guy" on TV.

3. The separation between entertainment and communication will continue through 2008.

Nobody wants to unplug their speakers to talk on the phone. Telephones with built in MP3 players are still a year or two away from being mainstream. The carriers still can't agree on charging for mobile media downloads. New cars have had Bluetooth enabled radios for years and nobody uses them. Nobody wants to read email on their TV. The Rokr iTunes phone is the new Apple Newton. Give these ideas another year to mature.

4. Amateur Anthropology.

People without advanced psychology degrees will be studying human behavior on a regular basis.



Global long term trends:

1. Massive migrations will continue. Governments need to get ready.

Taxation, Licensing, Regulation, Personal Finance all need to become interstate, international, interchangeable, and mobile. We cannot continue to allow major portions of the population to be "displaced". Europe will be the testing ground for modern solutions to most migration issues and we need to look at how they deal with it so we can improve the situation.

2. Shared space, fractional ownership, leasing, and rentals will begin to replace the traditional "buy and own" consumer model.

A Zipcar for scooters anyone? Or maybe baby carriages for $9.95 a month?

3. The company which masters the complete management cycle for individual product RFID wins.

Radio waves are finicky and databases don't do finicky.


Gadget trends:

Skype handsets will become as ubiquitous as iPod docks.