The Next Big Thing---I'm Waiting....

The last two decades have seen such a HUGE explosion in technology that we have become somewhat accustomed to having our purchases from just a few years ago become “obsolete”.

Really…I thought the DVD was about as cutting edge as you could get—and then along come Blue Ray, making my DVD player appear to be an early incarnation of the horseless carriage.

Think about it.

Remember when FAX MACHINES were the newest thing? That was less than 20 years ago. Thermal paper, curling files in the drawers of some cabinet may be all that’s left to remember the original machines, replaced by plain paper faxes. But back then, it was nothing short of miraculous that a document could essentially travel through a phone line.

E-mail was the next revolution, with the dawn of the internet right on its heels. The digitization of everything from documents to music and video has fueled a tidal wave of change.

Devices like the iPod to store vast amounts of audio/video and the smartphone, which brings incredible assets into the palm of your hand.

In your iPhone or Blackberry, a little box that’s smaller than a deck of cards, we are able to:

1) send text messages
2) access any website worldwide and interact, make financial transactions and download programs and audio and video
3) listen to music or watch full-length movies
4) use the GPS features to pinpoint our location and/or get directions to anywhere
5) take digital photos or videos and send them anywhere worldwide
6) get stock quotes or weather instantly
7) use as a calculator, conversion device, stopwatch, alarm clock or compass
8) read, compose and send e-mail
9) buy movie or concert tickets in advance, getting locations and showtimes instantly
10) download and read entire books
11) play sophisticated games
12) manage your contacts and calendar/datebook
13) check facebook or twitter/upload and update
14) store and recall documents

And…oh yeah…it’s a PHONE, too. Talk to anyone in the world from virtually anywhere in the world. That alone is amazing when you think about it

Am I leaving anything out?
Yeah, probably—tens of thousands of applications that do all sorts of things on these little magic boxes.

All of this said, we are all collectively yawning at the latest “app”—or device that uses technology we are already familiar with. Been there, done that.

What’s next?

Indeed, what IS on the horizon that could be a real game-changer like the internet?

The Edison awards recognize the most intriguing innovations, but this year’s list of eight is not exactly earth shattering:

1) a motorcycle with an electric engine
2) a wind turbine that operates at as little as 2mph of wind
3) a scribe pen thingy that transfers free hand to your computer screen
4) a hand-held miniature projector
5) an alarm clock that, coupled with a sensor band—records and analyzes your sleep patterns
6) an LED light bulb that is somehow revolutionary
7) a “carMD” handheld diagnostic tool for your auto
8) the droid cellphone

I was hoping for something like a TIME MACHINE or a TRANSPORTER like on Star Trek that would disassemble me into molecular particles and then put me back together in another location.

Of course, the next big thing could be a different form of energy to run our cars...like....SALT WATER...check this out:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU47blakiiI&feature=related



Somewhere, right now, some guy in a garage is putting together the NEXT BIG THING.
After reeling at new-technology adoption at breakneck speed, we have entered into a lull period of unknown duration, one that will be blown apart by the next big thing.

I can’t wait—and I hope I have the vision to invest in the IPO!

If you’d like my blog in your inbox daily, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com