Predictions for 2018

Hello and Happy New Year wherever you are! Technology is evolving at a rapid rate - Drones, Social Media, Fake News, Wearables, Bitcoin and Blockchain, and Ransomware, have all hit the headlines over the past 12 months.

So, what can we looked forward to in 2018? Below are some predictions that cover the good, the bad and the ugly of what's to come over the next 12 months

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Mainstream Augmented Reality

The release of Pokémon Go in 2017 gave the world a taste of Augmented reality entertainment, and for a while it was a huge success, bringing about benefits such as exercise and weight loss for normally sedentary people, and a new form of human interaction which brought naturally introverted people 'out of their shell'.

The popularity of Pokémon Go did not go unnoticed by huge companies and brands. By integrating existing HUD technology into glasses, for example, it opens a wealth of possibilities - from converting foreign signs, menu's etc., in to your preferred language, to in-store experiences where mannequins mirror your body shape for realistic views of how garments will look on you, to celebrities standing next to you and pitching their film or endorsing their products.

Note: HUD, or Heads Up Displays is what pilot use for monitoring on their visors. See image below.

Wireless Charging

People today, on average, have up to 3 different devices - a Smartphone, a Tablet, a Kindle, a Laptop etc.

These mobile devices all come with their own power cables and plugs. To charge them whilst you are on the move, you need to carry your cables with you, which is not only inconvenient, but makes them susceptible to damage as you roll them up and bend them into position to connect.

Wireless charging, based on the QI standard, had already seen mainstream emergence as Apple included this technology in their iPhone 8/X models.

Wireless charging hot spots in airports, cafés, cars and home furniture are set to rapidly increase, which means no need to carry all those cables around with you.

Let's hope there is some improvement in battery life too, but this is more of a challenge due to how current batteries are designed.

The image below shows a phone being charged on a wireless charging hot spot.

Cyber Security

This multi-billion pound industry will continue to grow in 2018. #Ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and NoPetya are the tip of the Iceberg!

As the Internet of Things (IoT - connecting everyday items to the internet such as fridges, home heating systems, and things like national online voting systems) continues to grow with limited security (Blockchain technology may resolve this issue) expect national cyber warfare when it comes to rigging elections, attacks on Health Service data, and you personally at home.

I wonder who the next big company is to announce they have been hacked (and when!) and all your personal information is on the dark web.

Expect more rigorous login procedures to access everyday sites and online banking apps.

It is worth changing all your passwords as part of your New Year's resolution.

The Equifax hack last year resulted in over 145 million peoples data being stolen.

Health Tec Evolution

Wearable technology monitoring your vital signs, sleep patterns, and identifying issues such as abnormal heart rates, came in to being in 2017.

However, in 2018, companies such as Apple are looking to take Health Tech further by developing non-invasive ways to test blood-glucose levels, for example.

With the advent of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), all these health statistics can be analysed to proactively identify potential health issues or trends.

For medical students, augmented virtual reality will enable them to practice their surgical techniques and develop their bedside manner.

Nanotechnology could be used to spot deliver drugs directly to affected areas of the body, heralding a new breakthrough in healthcare.

One day, these processes may even be medically certified and become the norm.

New eComputerZ Page

2018 is going to be another big year for technology. What are your predictions? Drop me a line here or via the Social Media pages below.

A new page has been written to bring in the New Year. It is part 4 of the Computer Repair Equipment Series, covering power and disk drive adapters.

Finally, eComputerZ has been upgraded to Https. This adds a layer of security to protect you when surfing websites. It is becoming the standard for websites across the Internet.

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter. Until next time feel free to take a look at the following eComputerZ resources.

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