- Mobility: we will see technology in small devices improve. Better graphics processing for cellphones.
- Internet: infrastructure that is built to support high-bandwidth data streaming. Internet providers that can finally meet the demands of YouTube. TV broadcasters will move to internet.
- Wireless: city-wide WiFi networks will probably replace the need to upgrade to fiber optics? WiFi phones will probably replace cell phone towers and satellites. WiFi is going to be an important part in providing poorer countries with access to the internet.
- Social networking: I think the future will be about being even more connected than we are today. Social networking will probably integrate into school, work, politics. I think governments will start taking advantage of the technology to speed up beaurocratic processes.
- Weapons: We will see smarter and more powerful bombs. New wars with North Korea, and whoever else is slightly irritant. War is good for the arms trade business. The leading-edge technology always appears in bombs first.
- Space: Might see some more expansion into space technologies. Human desire to explore wants to go beyond earth.
- Environment: I think a large impact will be overpopulation. Less room, less resources, and more pollution. We will be looking for ways to cope with the stresses on environment. Green technology will have to be one of the main focuses if we are to sustain our population. Clean energy generation. Low emission vehicles.
I also hear that within 30 years 66% of the world will face some sort of stress to find drinking water. Just another one of the points for technology to prove itself.
- Business: I think the trend is that most businesses are moving to a 24-hour time schedule. In my area, we see grocery stores and fitness club are open 24 hours a day now. I think we will see that a dark sky does not mean it is the end of the day. So we will see technology integrate into retail. More businesses listing their inventory online. Shopping from your cellphone, and then picking it up at the nearest location.
- Globalization: as we see with recent economic conditions, we are all connected. A financial shift in one country is felt around the world. India and China are big players, and if we are to have a stable economy, we have to work for stability in other countries too. This sort of ties into the idea of 24-hour business - as it is night time here, half-way around the world the business day has just begun.
We will see improvement in cheap technology to help undeveloped countries build their infrastructure and become connected with the global community.
