Dec
2009
9
predictions for 2010
What will be the key revelations to influence you and your business in 2010? The team at LEWIS place their bets on just some of the things we expect next year -
You will pay for what they say
By the summer of 2007, smoking was totally banned in public spaces across the UK. Many thought it wouldn't work and while there were those that opposed and a scattering of cynics who shook their heads, practically overnight the nation turned and smoking in pubs, at bus stops and even in work vehicles was a thing of the past. But what has this got to do with paying for online content, you ask? The same theory applies. While there will be surfers who dodge boundaries to find free content elsewhere, in the near future most internet users who are seeking up-to-date, quality information will be prepared to make per-article-micropayments of around a couple of pence.
Read more about this in New Media Age's article which was published in late November.
The art of war
The endless battle between internet users and hackers will continue to intensify. Legitimate users are becoming savvier about avoiding the pitfalls of phishing, scams and spam. We've even enjoyed the satirical side, remember the Ugandan banker from FoneJacker? While Firewalls and Anti-virus software is commonplace, users will need to be more diligent about safeguarding their accounts with secure passwords - good tips are to use different but memorable passwords for all your accounts and try to include upper case, lower case and numbers. For more advice read these tips on creating a secure password and the Which? Article that tells you how to stay safe online.
Mobile phones: The Rivals
This year, iPhones really have been the ‘must have' accessory. For those of you who thought Google was simply your search engine of choice think again. Not only did they launch their own browser in 2008, Google Chrome, to try and corner a share of Internet Explorer and Firefox's turf, they're also planning on building on their mobile phone presence by bringing a phone to the public domain that promises to rival iPhone's popularity. While we guess that Apple will remain at the top of the iconic design stakes, Google's unprecedented software development expertise means their phone will no doubt be popular with the techy fans.
Welcome the Wi-Fi
Some lead, others follow. Swindon Borough Council is planning for all its citizens to have total Wi-Fi coverage by April 2010. The benefits being that line rental will be free and there will be no connection charge according to council officials. Sounds like a brilliant offer but it will be interesting to see how reliable the connection is. If it proves successful, we could see the scheme rolled out across the whole of the UK. Bring it on!
And finally, if you wonder what the future will look like, watch this video by Microsoft. They've received some flak for creating it among the industry, but you can make your mind up for yourself.