5 4 13: Five Tech Trends for 2013

1. Continuity Across Devices– With more users on multiple devices, 2013 will see a move to provide the missing link in today’s computing experience – the ability to change devices and pick up the session in exactly the same place you left off.

2. Transformation of the Television – Mobile TV (as on cell phones) officially arrives! The app-ification of media by innovative firms like Slingbox across connected devices will further drive content delivery beyond traditional TV.

3. M2M – The Internet of Things – In 2013, the physical and digital worlds will continue to fuse. From RFID tags on a marathoner’s bib to the real-time camera feed from traffic lights, the physical world is becoming a digital information system to build a better, more connected world. At least, that’s the plan – until one smart MIT dropout or terrorist cell takes control of the whole digital ecosystem and politicians are called in to save us!

4. An Increasing Role for Analytics – Big Data. Big Data. Big Data. Learning to manage the daily addition of multiple terabytes of new data will drive innovation and desperation. How customers are engaging and the amount of information about each of us that is unprotected makes George Orwell look a bit tardy, but not forgotten!

5. Wearable Computing – Everything Gets Smart. Not just Maxwell Smart, but the proliferation of owning and carrying “smart” devices such as Google Glass—becomes standardized and easily connected to the cloud (If you think “cloud” was overused in 2012 – just wait till this year!)