Ultrabooks are a new class of notebook computer that are smaller and lighter than a standard notebook while bigger than a netbook. This type of device was first popularized by the Macbook Air. The term ‘Ultrabook’, though, refers to PC-compatible machines. They typically have 13″ or 14″ screens, fast solid-state hard drives and longer lasting battery life than regular laptops. Most Ultrabooks are priced in the $1000 range.
Prediction: Ultrabooks will be the fastest growing segment of the computer market this year.
Facebook, with its tremendous popularity and upcoming IPO, has over 800 million users and continues to get a lot of press.
Google Plus, a competitor to Facebook, has been growing really fast, too, and is expected to have in excess of 400 millions users by the end of 2012. It is installed by default on all Android-based devices (Android is the operating system used by the majority of smartphones which are sold today).
Prediction: Social network expansion will slow down by the end of the 2012, as the freshness of it begins to wear off and people realize that it’s hard to maintain a number of distinct social network accounts.
Microsoft’s next operating system, called Windows 8, will be released this year. The main difference between Windows 8 and Windows 7 (or other prior Windows releases) is that it will be able to run on computers, tablets and smartphones. Click here for more information on Windows 8.
Prediction: Windows 8 adoption on computers, particularly within companies, will be somewhat slow, as people are only just getting used to Windows 7. Windows 8 on tablets will be the second most popular, after Apple iPad. On smartphones, Windows 8 will be #3 behind Android and iPhone.
Cloud computing growth continues
Cloud computing (also know as ‘software-as-a-service’) is here, and it’s here to stay. With high-speed internet connections, mobile device access and per-user pricing models, subscribing to a service vs. paying to have software installed on a computer will continue to become more economical.
Prediction: Salesforce, Amazon and other cloud computing providers will continue to grow. However, cloud security will continue to a concern, particularly for businesses, and we will see more cloud security breaches in 2012. Is your data safe?
BYOD (Bring your own device)
‘Bring your own device’ will continue to be dealt with by company IT administrators as they continue to allow some or all of their empolyees to access corporate data and applications on their own smartphones and tablets (vs. providing them with company devices).
Prediction: Security will be the greatest issue, as it will be impossible to lock down such data in this environment.
