Article Review: Future Technology

Here is an article I found really interesting, written by Rick Chin called "8 Current Technologies That Will Shape Our Future."

http://mashable.com/2011/09/18/future-technology/

Here is a breakdown of the article. He outlines 8 different technologies that will have a profound effect on the future. It is his predictions for the way technology is going to lead us. These are the technologies and my opinions on his predictions for each one.

1. Smartphones- Chin describes the future of smartphones being their advancement into tiny super computers. I have heard other research about this idea, with people describing the glasses Chin also mentions here- the ones that can show you information about everything you look at using Internet data. Basically, Chin is saying that people are making cell phones with so much power that it is going to become so powerful it will have control of everything. We can all see how this is true, because we all own smart phones and can see for ourselves the amount of power those little gadgets have. We can even see it through the power of the phones over our own minds. As I said in a previous post, most of us cannot go anywhere or do anything without our phones by our side. In the future, there will be more reasons why we can't be apart from them.

2. 3G and 4G Wireless Broadband- Chin says that in the future, cell towers will be easier to set up and therefore they will be set up everywhere. Because of this, he says that there will be wireless connections everywhere you go, and our devices will always be connected. He goes as far as saying that there will not even be signal strength bars because, since everyone will always be connected, there will be no need for them. We can see signs of this constant wireless access already through public places offering free Wi-Fi in order to draw in customers. This means that customers are attracted to places that they can browse the Internet in, even at dinner. People want to be constantly plugged in, and Wi-Fi is becoming available almost everywhere. Even on planes.

3. Cloud Computing- Chin says that in the future everything will be available to us at any time in any place, so that we always have access. This is true to a point right now, especially through Apple. Chin says that some companies have not been able to market cloud well enough yet, but that will change. Apple already uses cloud so that you can access files that are on one device on another device. I personally don't think that cloud will make a big difference in the grand scheme of the future universe, mostly because it is something that people are already using right now and I don't see a way that it can change enough to make a difference later on. Therefore, this point I don't agree with.

4. Eye-Tracking/Voice Commands- Chin describes the idea of "information glasses" that will tell you anything you want to know about just by knowing where your eyes are looking or by asking it out loud. This I definitely agree with, because voice commands are starting to become relevant in society right now (just look at Siri). People don't want to press buttons any more and look things up for themselves- they want information right then and there. This is something that will definitely shape the future in the regards of people becoming lazier and less self sufficient.

5. Augmented Reality- Chin describes augmented reality, which is floating images and 3D text that enhance the user's experience and information gathering process. This is going to be something major in the future, because of the current 3D trend in the movies and television. Once it has become normal in the movies and television, it will spread until everything we do is in 3D and "virtual reality." This is also one of the more scary ideas for the future, in my opinion. For me, it means we might start to blur the lines between reality and the virtual world.

6. Social Networking- Chin's point is that social networking will become more integrated in our lives than it is now, and that it will be more tailored to the individual's interests. This is already happening in our current time, because of Internet tracking that gathers the user's interests and caters their advertising towards those interests. I don't agree with this point only because I think that social networking is already shaping the future and is already having an impact currently, therefore will not be as innovative in shaping the future since we are so used to it.

7. CAD, 3D Printing and Custom Products- Chin describes the new concept of consumer-created products and the upcoming idea of 3D printing. He says that in the future people will be able to design their own products and have them printed instantly. This is something I agree with because I have heard of this being in its early stages and have seen customization for users becoming something more popular. You can see this even through going online to order a pizza and customizing your own pizza tailored to your own hunger needs. This is going to change online shopping and make it more effective, without increasing prices in a major way. I feel that a lot of people are going to catch on to this and want to be involved in it.

8. Autonomous Cars- Chin says that cars of the future will drive and operate on their own, and humans will not need to drive their cars. He says this is safer as the cars do not get distracted by things like text messages. This is already the direction that cars now are heading, just on a smaller scale. Some cars now come with things like park assist where the car virtually parks itself. Not only is this something that will shape the future it also adds to that laziness factor of the current and the future. People will not need to learn how to drive any more, and there will be way more cars on the road and in parking lots. If you find it hard to find a place to park in Toronto now, just wait until more people can have cars because they don't need to know how to drive!

That concludes my review of Chin's article. I agree and disagree with his points, but the overall message is relevant.