This is gonna be the last entry of 2007, so I guess that means it’s time to reminisce. I’ve had this blog for just over a year and had fun posting my thoughts on technology. I wanted it to be different, I knew that I didn’t want it to be just another blog. Posting about myself just wasn’t an option. But my opinions about the latest developments in technology seemed to be worth publishing. Anyway, enough about me, 2007 was a great year for technology too.
The last 12 months have seen some amazing developments. Most prolific is probably the launch of the semi-smart iPhone from Apple. Bringing a brilliant multi-touch user interface to a much hyped and over rated, limited phone. I discredited the iPhone numerous times here, here and here. I’d even said that Apple would have been better to make the widescreen video iPod instead. Apple chose to release it anyway as the iPod Touch. Playing with the iPod Touch, I was literally in awe, but it wasn’t for me. I did realise that I was ready for my first iPod though, and whilst the Touch is limited to 16GB of flash storage, the Classic lured me with the potential to carry round my music library with a decent battery life and ease of use; particularly for podcasts.
My biggest highlight online in 2007 was the impact that social networking had. An online campaign to bring back Wispa resulted in the famed chocolate bar reappearing in newsagents across the UK. I actually despise social networking platforms, particularly MySpace, but this proves that it provides the masses with a voice. Interactive new media is definitely the future. Audiences no longer sit back and consume content, but actively produce their own.
2007 also saw the UK release of the PS3, the Nokia N95 and for some time, the Wii battled out as the number one games console. Then Halo 3 launched, becoming the most popular game making more money than movies, putting the 360 back in the lead. The Wii had limited stock levels, causing parents distress to please their kids this Christmas, resulting in TV ads for the console being pulled.
You can check back at my predictions for 2007 here too. Sure, 3DTV is still in development, and will probably be used for advertising before it slowly trickles into homes, and apart from Norwich, country wide wi-fi is still a way off. But some of the things happened, just not as fast as we might have hoped. Sure, another year might be over, but that just means that we’re that bit closer to our Utopian gadget filled dreams…
Happy New Year!
Archive for December, 2007
Touch Me in 2007
December 31, 2007NORAD track Santa
December 24, 2007
It’s that time of year again, it’s getting dark, and Santa’s getting busy as he begins his journey to billions of homes to children, both big and small, around the world. NORAD also get busy tracking his progress, and you can too, using the online Google maps interface. The maps update every 5 minutes, in real time. Have fun and Merry Christmas everyone!!!
NORAD Tracks Santa here
Power to Burn
December 23, 2007
Batteries fuel Christmas day gadgets, so choosing the right ones is essential. You’ve probably realised that buying batteries from pound shops isn’t the best solution for your digital camera, barely offering enough power to take more than a few shots before running out of juice. However, I’ve just come across a report from Tech Digest, revealing that such cheap batteries can barely power a torch for 5 seconds.
Meanwhile, scientists from Stanford University have developed batteries that can last for reportedly 10 times longer than regular batteries. This should be made possible by using silicone instead of carbon to construct lithium ION batteries.Unfortunately, it’s all only in theory, but hopefully it’ll be powering our electric cars, mobile phones and PMPs for up to 10 times longer. Until then, you can always try the Energizer Lithium, which has been proven to last even longer than most other batteries (on the Gadget Show – 17th December 2007) or if you’re on a budget, Morrisons own ‘Long Life’ batteries live up to their name well.
A look at the web 2.0 bubble
December 22, 2007
John Barger coined the term weblog on December 17th 1997. 10 years later, web-logs, are commonly referred to as blogs and every man and his dog has one (almost). In recent years, the world of web 2.0 has allowed people to build our own lifestyles online. From Facebook to last.fm, via flickr and back again, we’re all sharing our memories, photos, experiences, thoughts and even our lives with each other around the world. Each and every day though people become bored and move onto the next best thing.
Social networking has evolved over time from the likes of Friends Reunited, Bebo, MySpace and now the most common appears to be Facebook. The lure of a few more features and friends sees masses of fickle people signing up to the next phase. The potential to share features across each platform seamlessly appeals to many, as they’re then able to create their own web ring, which promotes each of their other places around the web (go check my links to the left). But is the web 2.0 bubble ready to burst?
Commercial Alternative
December 6, 2007Commercially supported content isn’t anything new. TV channels have been doing it for years, and so do the majority of websites, but now advertising is becoming more tailored to exact markets based on more than just what kind of content people are consuming.
With TV, the process of selecting which advertisements to air was a choice based on the content of the programme, and its target audience. The Gadget Show for example has numerous advertisements for the iPhone of late, as the audience of the programme are likely to be more interested in buying the iPhone than the 83 year old man next door watching Coronation Street. However, companies are now realising that they’re struggling to target particular audience groups, like those aged 16 to 24 for instance, that are more interested in social networking than what’s on TV.
Facebook uses information provided by users to target advertisements toward their selected interests, hobbies and other aspects of their lives. The user agrees to them doing so in signing up for the service. The way that Facebook see it, is that the user has granted them access to their information, so within reason it can be used to aid marketing, to ultimately make money from the social networking revolution. Now, new services like Blyk is an invitation based service granting 16-24 year olds free calls and texts in exchange for some information that they can use to tailor advertisement at an audience who’ll actually be interested in the products/services being promoted. It seems that such strategies will form the future for advertising. Companies are able to target their audience better, who are more likely to pay attention and purchase something related to what they’re already interested in.
I’ve blogged before about how I envision the future of TV becoming totally on demand, but even this would need to be supported with commercials to be self sufficient. Like Joost does already, BT is launching a movie service that will feature ads alongside on demand content. This time, the user is asked questions about their spending and viewing habits before being allowed to watch free movies. As they watch, the ads would feature, as they would with conventional viewing habits, except you’re more likely to want to buy the products being advertised, rather than feeling perplexed at why as a man you’re being asked to buy tampons.
Sound of silence
December 4, 2007
The Royal National Institute for the Deaf recently published a report estimating that more than four million young people in Britain are at risk of hearing damage from listening to loud music, and called on MP3 manufacturers to introduce warnings and volume limits. Apple have responded to such research to limit the volume on future iPods and iPhones. This is nothing new, AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiting System) already allows users to limit their own listening maximum volume, but the new development will lower the volume gradually as listening time goes by. The level is monitored based on the level of the music and how long the user has been listening. This is kind of like the sleep function on music systems, where music fades gently until turning off.
This is all well and good, as long as the user can control the feature themselves to accommodate different environments. I already think that the sixth generation of iPods is much quieter than previous players, making it hard enough to hear when on busy streets. Apple refuse to comment on their patents though so it’s unknown whether users will be able to turn the feature off. Maybe this is just the best reason to buy a good pair of Sennheiser noise cancelling ear phones. That’ll also reduce the volume of the tinny rap music from the chavs on the back seat of the bus.
Read (Telegraph)
