Make 2011 Predictions, Get a Chance at a $150 Amazon Gift Card
By Harry McCracken | Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 10:44 am
Once again, in time-honored Technologizer tradition, I’m asking you to make tech-related predictions about the year ahead. (As a group, you guys seem to be much better at it than I am.) And we’re offering an incentive: Everyone who submits a prediction will be entered in a random drawing for a $150 Amazon.com gift card.
Here are the official rules for this little exercise:
- 1. Enter by making predictions about technology news we’ll see in 2011. They can involve products, companies, technologies, people, or any combination of the above. Serious ones are preferable to silly ones.
- 2. You can submit predictions in any of three ways:
- Make the predictions by adding comments to this post; please provide a working e-mail address in the specified field. (Your e-mail address won’t be published, and we won’t use it for any purpose except to contact you in relation to the contest.)
- Submit a prediction on Twitter by tweeting me at @harrymccracken. (You can optionally use the hashtag #tpredicts as well.) Be sure to follow me so that I can direct message you if you win.
- Post your prediction to Technologizer’s Facebook page (click the Status link near the top).
You can submit more than one set of predictions if you like, but multiple submissions won’t increase your chances of winning.
- 3. Everyone who enters gets one chance at winning the $150 Amazon.com gift card. We’ll choose our favorite entries, and they’ll get an additional four chances a piece at winning the gift certificate. (In other words: The best contributions will have a five times higher chance of winning.) The winner will be chosen in a random drawing.
- 4. Favorites will be judged for creativity, plausibility, and quality of writing. Being interesting counts, but ones that sound plausible will have an edge on ones that don’t–”Google will release a version of Chrome OS for desktop computers” might be a favorite, but “Google will announce it’s opening an office on Jupiter” would not.
- 5. Feel free to make multiple predictions in one comment, and take as much space as you need. We may use your entry in articles based on the contest, and reserve the right to delete entries.
- 6. The contest will close at 12am midnight PT on Saturday, January 1st, 2011–that is, as ring in the new year–so please enter by then; we’ll notify a winner by Monday, January 3rd. We’ll also publish a story with some of our favorite predictions.
Good luck, and have fun–and if you need inspiration, check out the reports on the Technologizer community’s predictions for 2009 and 2010.
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24 Comments For This Post
December 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
HP/Palm release a slick but non-revolutionary tablet. However, they again fail to market properly (think pre, pre plus, pre 2); while the iPad continues to be the only successful tablet on the market.
eReaders don't get left in the dust–they continue to outsell non-iPad tablets.
December 29th, 2010 at 3:13 am
Cloud OS' (Like Chrome OS) will fail and small touchscreen laptops/tablets with SSD-drives, and with a Dropbox-Like service will rule the market!
(Apple iPad 2, with MobileMe)
December 29th, 2010 at 11:05 am
My 2011 prediction is probably not much of a stretch but here it goes:
2011 Tech predictions…
The line between desktop OS and phone OS will continue to blur with Google announcing it is
merging it Chrome OS and Android OS into a single multi-platform solution called Chroid.
In trying to match Google and Apple, Microsoft will also announce that it is porting its Windows phone OS to a tablet form factor called OS7.1 and Apple, in keeping with its amazing and magical presentations to the MAC faithful, will announce more amazing and magical mundane upgrades to their iOS software.
December 29th, 2010 at 11:16 am
PSP2 combined with the PSP Phone will strongly push forward a digital only market for handheld games. Not that there will only be digital releases, but that there will be a MUCH stronger emphasis on this than the original PSP and NDS saw.
Because of this, PSP 1 games that don't seem to have any digital release insight (such as Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep) will now more strongly be considered for the digital market.
Sony will also release some kind of media hub to act similarly as the iTunes client does on computers to manage all of your media (Games, Music, Videos, Pictures, Themes, Avatars, etc…) so that Space isn't wasted on the PSP2 itself (which will come with a minimum of 16GBs internal memory).
There is a strong possibility that this Media Hub will reside within the PS3, making it optional, but incentivizing the purchase of a PS3 for any PSP owners. Because the PSP2 is rumored to play HD video this would allow for any PSP videos saved to the PS3 to be played on an HDTV at good quality.
Ultimately this gives Sony a stronger foothold in the Entertainment Center arena with the PS3 as the home hub and the PSP platform as the on-the-go solution.
December 29th, 2010 at 11:41 am
1) Apple will end all exclusivity contracts, even in the US by the end of the year. Will most likely have a short term exclusive on CDMA iPhone (3-6 months)
2) Full exchange and enterprise support in iOS5 – Tasks, Flag & Notes
3. People will finally stop saying that Android (200 handsets & every carrier) is passing the iPhone, see #1.
December 29th, 2010 at 11:53 am
I predict that Apple, Microsoft, RIM and Nokia will all follow Google in introducing products with Near Field Communication technologies build in and that customers, for the most part, won't care.
I think it will be at least few years yet before it's a technology that's used commonly.
December 29th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Predictions:
Microsoft will release a Windows 8 beta in December 2011.
Google will purchase Skype.
A major studio will have VOD for first run movies in place by Q3 2011. Movies will cost $20.
December 30th, 2010 at 2:37 am
Steve ballmer will be going bye-bye, as in let go or fired.
December 30th, 2010 at 6:37 am
Tablet computer sales will rise drastically in 2011 and dependence on cloud services will rise as well. I would love to say that the robot will become the new household pet as well?
December 30th, 2010 at 7:36 am
I think e-readers and their app software will continue to become more widely utilized by the masses. On that theme, I think textbook publishers will start to offer their books in an e-reader format for high schools, which will ultimately save on print publishing costs as well as allow for updates/errata adjustments to be more easily pushed out. This will also help schools with purchasing and storage costs.
December 30th, 2010 at 8:40 am
1) We'll finally kill off x-10 home automation, replacing it with a more accurate wireless technology. Naturally, we'll be able to use our smart phones to control our home appliances.
2) Malwarebytes, WinPatrol & any other popular free security program will be purchased by larger AntiVirus companies to force people to pay for protection.
3) Twitter or a 3rd party will implement themed side streams that will appear like non-real-time chat rooms.
4) There will be a "Friends" type TV series but all the characters will be on Facebook.
5) 3D TV's will continue to fail but companies will try to bring 3D to our smart phones.
December 30th, 2010 at 9:31 am
my prediction is by the end of 2011 there will be 250gb ipads available.
December 30th, 2010 at 10:30 am
There will be rush of new tablets from everyone and his brother, and there will be few winners and lots of losers in the race. Look for lots of decent tablets in the under $100 bargain bin in Jan 2012.
December 30th, 2010 at 11:15 am
This year will see the rise of video integration on social media. With the affordablity of personal video devices, from cellphones to FlipCams, more sites, micro-blogging platforms, and video-based social utilities will emerge to let people share and participate in digital conversations.
December 30th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Apple will partner with netflix and start using oled screens in their iphones
December 31st, 2010 at 5:58 am
Happy New Year's everyone!!
CES will again be in the news, but not for tech – a poorly moderated yet hilarious practical joke will backfire and bring general negative concensis to the event.
Oh wait, Gizmodo's pranksters aren't allowed to attend.
December 31st, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Alright, here are my lofty predictions….
Google will take yet another stab at competing with Facebook and debut their version of a social network. Like Bing, Google Search will integrate more social networking features like Facebook updates, tweets, blog posts, etc.
Apple's release of the iPad 2 will NOT include a camera. Yep, I said it.
Facebook will continue to roll out new features as frequently as Chrome is updated, and its total user base will expand to around 700 million. Most new adopters will come from countries like China and India.
Speaking of Chrome, 2011 will be a huge year for web browsers. Yep, even Internet Explorer will be revitalized with the stable release of IE 9 as users finally figure out IE 6-7 just aint cutting it anymore. I predict that the browser war will lead to an equilibrium state, where no individual browser will control more than 30% market share.
December 31st, 2010 at 2:05 pm
2011 will be the year of Google TV.
We will see further integration with new TV's coming to market, existing products like XBOX and Playstation, and new a list of new vendors releasing set top boxes. A strong app. market will help drive sales up and position itself to outsell Apple TV in 2012.
December 31st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
2011 will be the year of the personal cloud. Take your content with you where-ever you are, on or off the net. Costs will continue to be watched closely, with more accessing on the road or in the cafe, yet, most will continue to take the least expensive data plans. No-data-plan-needed products like AirStash will transition from early adopters to the mass market. http://airstash.com
December 31st, 2010 at 3:42 pm
The web will implode into one endlessly self-referential JavaScript singularity. 🙂
December 31st, 2010 at 5:22 pm
The iPad 2 will be a smash hit, Google OS will fail, Viewsonic viewpad will become the second most popular tablet PC. Apple will come out with ipad branded clothes, toothpaste, gum and more.
December 31st, 2010 at 5:30 pm
The (seemingly) inevitable march towards cloud computing will be slowed by either a major free service failing and losing data or a security vulnerability. Another limiting factor will be carriers (both wireless and wired) placing caps on data usage or adding tiered pricing plans. Suddenly, local storage is looking pretty good
Gas will hit record highs. Probably because of increased usage in Asia (read China). At the same time, China will restrict the export of rare earth materials used to make our high tech batteries for PEVs and Hybrids. China will start looking a lot like OPEC of the 70's but our saving grace will be that China needs us to have a strong economy since we buy all the goods they manufacture.
Quickies: Solid State Drives finally reach the point where the price/storage ratio allows them to gain mainstream acceptance. Near Field Communications will have slow acceptance, like how bluetooth floundered for years before people really found a use for it. Apple will keep the heat on with an iPhone for Verizon, an iPad 2 with front facing camera, and a new iPhone 5 for ATT. -Aloha
December 31st, 2010 at 9:00 pm
My husband told me about this and thought how nerdy, but I thought the world can use some insight from someone who a – is not tech interested and/or capable OR b – doesn't care. So here are my "tech" predictions – start taking notes:
1 – People will stand in line AGAIN for a name not a functioning phone. These same people will KNOW that their IPHONE blows chunks, but they buy it anyways.
2 – These same idiots will CONTINUE to buy IPADS even though they will continue to cost more than most household appliances.
3 – Verizon will put out another must have phone.
4 – These same phones will be the worst phone before the end of the year.
5 – Millions of people will start to make apps to sell but then NOT complete them due to the outrageous restrictions developers have to hurdle.
6 – We will continue to see adds for 3D Televisions, but all of AMERICA will be thinking the same thing – who the hell wants to wear those dang glasses all day long.
7 – Millions of husbands (like mine) will beg their wives to allow them to spend money on GOOGLE TV. Ps – I just shook the 8 ball and it said – BUST! PPS – he can't even tell me everything it does yet, he just knows that he needs it. Yeah, like I need a new purse.
8 – More and more Baby Boomers will be getting on FACEBOOK despite the desperate pleading from their 20 something children. Those same parents will write notes to their children in their status.
9 – Netflicks will still be most Americans drug of choice. DUH!
10 – Best buy will still talk to my software developer like an idiot when we try to take our BLUERAY player back because it has always been broken.
11 – I will still stand in line at Christmas for some random shitty must have video game for my 30 year old husband even though it will be something lame like Aerosmith's Guitar Hero!
January 1st, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Micosoft will come out with some really awesome programs!