Top Technology Trends - Expected in 2011

It has always been a practice to think, talk and write about innovative technology that either directly or indirectly has something to do with the world of computing and it always has to be a major news only if stalwarts like Microsoft, Google, or Apple come up with these tech trends. My last article for the year 2010, I wanted to focus on something entirely different. Hence I will highlight on a topic that hovers around on some of the most unique technological trends. These trends were supposedly set to take off during 2010. While we cannot really authenticate their success rate yet, we can surely expect them to pick up in the coming year - 2011. Let us take a look at some of these trends:

1. An online funeral

Till recently online web services such as Otrib and Tributes were used as a platform to pay tribute to loved ones who had passed away. Now this trend has elevated to the level wherein people are actually conducting funerals online using webcasting services through FuneralRecording and FunerAlone. Understandably these kind of events happening online could be frowned upon, but this trend means that people from located anywhere can attend the funeral without actually having to travel.

2. Kick-start Life-casting

Considering the huge bandwidth of mobile phone usage, rapid speed 3G services and to top it off a craving amongst users to stay in touch with people on a live streaming basis there is more scope for Life-casting. Though it has already arrived there are still anticipations of the feature to be used ubiquitously. Web platforms like Qik lets you stream a live video from your cell to the world without the usual video hiccups and complex setup. Trends like YouTube have become quite stale and also the nature of its videos is more static, unlike the new trend of Life-casting which personifies the true expression of the user’s own self-worth.

3. Video Games controlled by body movements

How about controlling an entire video game not through the traditional remote or joystick controls but through your own bodies. Sounds very intriguing, doesn’t it? Well, that is why it is one of our top tech trends. A Microsoft fabricated new Xbox controller: You, which is known as Project Natal enabled by a camera that tracks your movements using infrared and shows the results on screen along with a microphone that can also capture voice commands lets you perform dance moves, kick a ball, swing the tennis racket, etc. Another similar rendition comes from Sony called the PlayStation Motion Controller.

4. No need for tape measuring gadgets

There is now a digital gadget that can do all sorts of measurements for instance roof measurements. It is called the GeoEstimator which uses satellites and photographs to make measurements, thus helping carpenters, contractors, insurance companies, etc. measure things without actually climbing up the roofs and windows to do so.

5. Content Aggregator

This new trend will enable you to store content such as stories, pictures, videos, etc. from different sites in one tool (web service) called Toobla. “It’s an aggregator for videos, photos, documents and Web sites, so you can not only store videos and photos but share them online. It’s also more visual than a storage service such as Box.”

6. Chatting with complete strangers

This technological tool or web service proves to be adventurous considering the fact that you would be chatting with a stranger located in a completely different country. Omegle conducts a random spin and puts you across safely and anonymously to an arbitrary total stranger.

7. Sharing Business Cards made easy

Earlier iPhone apps such as Beezcard and SnapDat allowed many business people especially sales guys to share their business cards. But it is a known fact that not everyone owns an iPhone. So a swiss-based company fabricated PokenZoo - which is a very cute and inexpensive device which helps you share your business contact details with other Poken users.

8. Gadgets will have gadgets

The idea here is to boost the mobile high-speed mobile connectivity especially amongst rural areas. These sorts of gadgets have become famous lately with improvement in signal coverage and quality. The zBoost ONE (Wi-Ex) can boost your connection up three bars. The device is so innovative; it won a Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) award recently.

There you have it. Some of the top technological trends that are expected to take off in the coming year.