Eugene's observations

Up and coming technologies just about to hit the big time in 2012 are predicted by me to include:

1. Windows 8, Microsoft's latest operating system. Targeted firmly at tablet PCs and featuring their new 'Metro' user interface - a bunch of tiles that will launch an application but can display real-time information too.
2. Facebook challenging Google for the No. 1 website position. Why search Google when your friends can give trusted opinions ? But more than that, why identify yourself to numerous websites when one Facebook ID is all you need.
3. Solid State Disk drives (SSDs) - they are here now but the demand will bring the price down to the level where most new PCs will have them - laptops by the Summer and towers by year end.
4. Thunderbolt hits PCs - we all use USB and version 3 has just made that 5 times faster. But that's nothing compared to the speed that Thunderbolt will deliver - about 10 times faster than USB 2 in real world tests.
5. Near Field Communication - NFID is like the RFID tags but upgraded to allow them to be cheaply attached to any device so that your smart phone can scan and be scanned. Expect to use your phone for small purchases, hotel room door keys even speaking with someone remotely ! This will be incorporated in Google Nexus phones and, I predict, the iPhone 5.