Future Trends

The future is unknown. Well almost. For the next couple years, we can map the basic trends for technology growth. The current technology we have today will only get better and more sophisticated to meet the demands of the consumer. Ease of use has been driving technology, one great example of which is wireless technology. It has made information access and usability of computers and mobile devices so easy that consumers cannot get enough. This also applies to just about every device and technology we discuss in this book.

Mobile Devices

New devices and high-speed access technologies will allow more people to go online for less than it has cost in the past. Technology will invade every segment of society, and for those who cannot afford it, free portals will be available—such as libraries and schools—to meet the demand. The ways people use these devices will change how PCs are used. Mobility and ease of use will be the key factors in adoption by a larger portion of the population. Things once done on a PC and Web browser, such as stock quotes, auction bids, instant messaging, shopping, and information lookup, will be ported to other devices.

Communications

Consumer-to-consumer communications will become more prevalent. We have seen the beginnings in services such as eBay and Napster, in which consumers interact directly with each other. In addition, programs like Instant Messenger and ICQ have brought users together directly—they can share information and files and chat on a real-time basis without boundaries or borders. Cell phones are already widespread; as their functionality increases, so too will usage. Pagers have evolved into a whole new species of device, such as the Blackberry, which replicates many functions of Microsoft Outlook in a pager format. Global communications will be made easier through technology, and instant gratification by using a variety of devices to communicate will drive the marketplace.

Costs

Technology costs have been steadily dropping. The miniaturization of every device we use from laptops to cell phones has also seen a decrease in costs. Services we pay for are also becoming more inexpensive. Individuals can use their access and low costs to become players on the Internet, but the end result is that anyone who wants to do business, not matter how cheap the costs of entry, will have to make money. The days of free online access and giving away freebies, contests, prizes, and information are numbered. The dot.com crash has shown that free really isn't a way to make money (duh!).

Privacy

With the U.S. government using technology such as DCS1000 (snapping up your e-mail and watching what you say), it doesn't seem like we are heading in the right direction for keeping our lives and information private. Technology is making snooping on each other and stalking people in cyberspace easier. The government can be the best friend or worst enemy of privacy advocates, depending on how laws are created and interpreted. Legal reaction to changing technology has been getting better as government officials and lawyers begin to understand technology and anticipate advances in technology. In addition, users are becoming more educated about their rights and how people, corporations, and governments are encroaching upon them. Technology is keeping pace with consumer needs for privacy, and privacy protections will be more widespread and user-friendly through the use of technology. Consumers will be able to maintain some level of privacy, which is good because we really don't want to end up in Orwell's 1984.