Some new things coming up…

My friend Rob over at Outside the Valley asks the question “what’s the next big thing?”.

Some of my top basic guesses over the past few years are summarized below: 

I think the next big thing technologically will be apps that are currently web-only (they need an Internet connection) will start to become Internet-optional. I think that Google will lead the way and create a way to allow apps that are both online and offline – this is the biggest hurdle for Google’s suite of cool online apps – and I think that it will start being overcome. This will set off the creation of a lot of web apps that will be able to run on or off the Internet – and easily meld the two without a lot of problems for the user.

Internet devices that utilize less expensive hardware and software will start coming out. These would be more specialized devices that talk to the Internet wirelessly and to each other wirelessly. I can see current home PCs being replaced with less expensive laptop-like wireless devices that do what you need them to do if you are an average home user. They may be built around specific user-groups like students or home-users. When I say “internet devices” I mean things that have memory and computing power built in – but do not fit into the category of what you think of when you think of a “computer”.

Online groups and communication will always be popular, as people always will want new ways to connect and collect together.

What do you think? Check out The Next Big Thing at Outside the Valley.