Location Based Services

Although it is a very controversial technology, Location Based Services (LBS) will go big in the year 2012. Since its main platform will be mostly mobile devices, LBS users will be prompted with both the location of nearby friends and suggestions for restaurants, parks, shops, and anything else their heart desires. These suggestions will have in consideration the age, the personal preference and profession of the user, to name a few of the selection criteria. It is expected that by 2014 there will be 1.4 billion users of LBS systems, and 2012 is the year when it will all begin.

Voice Command

With both Apple and Windows mobile flaunting voice command features on their mobile platforms, the day where you can control your house from the comfort of your couch has never been closer. A voice command is exactly what the name says: it is a device controlled by means of the human voice. If you have a hectic lifestyle with barely any time to breathe, the success of Siri (Apple’s voice command) is leading every software manufacturer to come up with their own “personal assistant” to keep your hands free and your life organized.

Ultrabook

An ultrabook is a super thin notebook that weighs less than 1kg, have long battery lives, and will incorporate Intel’s i5 or i7 core processors. They will not have CD, DVD, or floppy disk drives or any peripheral features that are not essential to the computer, but they will still manage to provide you with the best user-interface possible. If you’re thinking of buying, check the Agenda website for an article on the best ones. We did all the research for you!

Solid-State Drive

Going hand-in-hand with ultrabooks, a Solid-State Drive (SS D) is, to put it simply, a type of hard-drive that never gets turned off. This means, even if you do power off your computer, the SS D will always have your information ready to use, ensuring a super fast reboot. But what makes this the most amazing hard drive yet is that, along with the super-fast rebooting time, the “Solid State” part actually means that it doesn’t have any parts inside to malfunction or break, which is a plus for someone who carries their laptop 24/7. The cherry on top of the cake? If you happen to drop your laptop on the floor, your hard drive will probably be working as well as before, even if the case needs some TLC.

Near Field Communication

2012 could be the year when you stop carrying your wallet. With Near Field Communications (NFC) you will be able to do pretty much anything, from paying your parking meter to exchanging business cards at that next networking event. NFC is a short-range wireless connectivity that will enable the communication between devices when they are in close proximity or touched together. Having your life’s information on your phone can come in handy, but it also has its downside… Imagine you lose your phone in that random taxi cab… Despite this man-made “security glitch”, NFC has been widely used in Japan and Europe for the past years and, if your phone does not support the NFC feature there are companies selling small “tags” that will do the same job.

Do it yourself Apps

If you are a new business in town that wants to get its word across or just a party planner that is fed up with all the flier and time-table printing, salvation is here. Do It Yourself (DIY) Apps are in, and it’s not just because they are green. Let’s face it, carrying around a 30 page schedule in a seminar can give you a nasty backache and will get recycled anyways. With companies such as biznessapps.com and geniemobile.com, building your own apps (for a small monthly fee) was never easier. Mobile search Since the dawn of the mobile internet, people have been searching for things on their phones. But typing and reading in small screens is now past, and smartphonefriendly search websites are making it easier for users to have their curiosity satisfied. But this is not the end! An app is being developed that will allow users to take actions upon their search, such as call, book, or buy products. One survey indicated that by 2013, 73 percent of all industries will be on board, so don’t miss out and join the mobile search!

Internet TV

TV has gone a long way from the late 1920’s when it was transmitted via mechanical fax machines called Pantelegraphs. Nowadays having less than 20 channels is something you don’t even think is possible and very soon you will also crave Internet TV like never before. Content such as movies, news, TV shows and all others available on your PC will now also be available to stream on your TV as well. But why did it flop before and why is it going to stick this time around? Many speculate about Google making deals with TV cable providers, others speculate that Apple may be the only company these providers might consider a deal with. It doesn’t really matter to us how they work it out, but with TV on-demand growing exponentially fast, they should strike a deal sooner rather than later.

Tablets in Stuff (TIS)

Remember when cars with built-in GPS systems were the big thing? Well, now it looks like everything has got to have a tablet. Truth is, being connected is now more important than ever – and it will continue to be – but when Samsung has a refrigerator with a built in tablet computer, is that going too far? And yes, you will be able to install apps on these TIS’s… Just let the zombies have a little rest at dinner time…

Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing allows you to store your data outside your own computer so they can be accessed from multiple machines. Due to the easy access it provides, Cloud Computing is already big, but it is going to get bigger in 2012, because it can allow you not to have any storage space on your computer or smartphone, making them cheaper, thinner and lighter.

Thin is in

This one is more tech than design, but inspired by all of the amazingly thin tablets, everything else has decided to follow suit.