Emergtech –
Emerging
Technologies in CpE
INTRO TO TECHNOLOGIES
Evolution of Technology
Technology runs our lives these days. Smartphones, tablets and computers – we really
can’t seem to function without them. In a very short amount of time, technology has
exploded in the market and now, many people cannot imagine a life without it.
To understand how we left the dark ages (which really wasn’t all that long ago) to where
we are today, it is important to understand how technology evolves and why it matters.
PURPOSE DRIVES TECHNOLOGY FORWARD
All technologies are born out of purpose. For example, search engines were created to
sort through the massive amounts of data online. With each new upgrade technology
compounds existing technologies to create something better than what was previously
used before. And on and on it goes.
With the lightning speed of technological evolution, it is no wonder many people have
struggled to keep up. To be fair, the scope of technology’s expanse is so great, wrapping
everything up into a single blog post is practically impossible.
Here is just a brief glimpse into how rapidly the Internet and technology as a whole have
evolved in recent years.
THE PAST: WORLD, MEET THE INTERNET
Looking back to the 1990’s, the Internet was a new commodity many, but not all,
households and businesses began to gain access. For people living during that time, the
sound of the painfully slow dial up signal connecting to the Internet is a not-so-fond
memory (EEEE-AAAAAHH!!!!).
Thankfully, as more people found value in the Internet, technology took off to eliminate
having to use a phone line to go online and instead delivered faster connections to the
World Wide Web.
WEBSITES AND BLOGGING ARE BORN
Websites advanced along with the
internet. Suddenly, everyone had a
Geocities or Tripod website dedicated to
themselves. Just in infancy, websites were
basic in both function and design. This is
also the time when the blogging craze
started to set in on the consumer level with
the introduction of “weblogs” (later
condensed to “blogs”). Remember
Xanga? If only we knew then what we
know now.
FLOPPY DISCS AKA THE REAL-LIFE SAVE-
BUTTON ICON
A few years later, sharing information gradually
started to become easier. Instead of handing
over a floppy disc or CD-ROM, people began
emailing documents or storing large files on USB
sticks or flash drives.
As new technologies started to pop-up, each
technology would compound and build to form a
better, faster and stronger piece of technology.
With this speedy development, the Internet
changed the way people live, work and operate
today.
THE PRESENT: SNAPS, CHATS AND DOUBLE
TAPS
Fast-forward a short decade later (side note: remember VHS tapes!? The OG fast-forward?
OK, moving on…).
Since the days of dial-up, access to the Internet is available almost everywhere. It is rare
these days for consumers to go into a coffee shop, library or any place of business and not
be able to access a Wi-Fi signal. If there isn’t a Wi-Fi signal in close range, most people still
have access to the Internet via their cellular data connection on their smartphones and
personal hotspots, no problem.
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT (AN APPLICATION IN EVERY WORK/ EVERYTHING)
With this anywhere/anytime access to the Internet, businesses created web
applications to answer common needs of consumers. These applications can do
everything from tracking food portions to sending massive amounts of information in a
click of a button.
THE EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION OF
COMMUNICATION
How we communicate continued to evolve
as well. Remember face-to-face
conversations? Hand-written letters? Waiting
by the phone – the kind with the
cord? Technology perpetually reshapes our
communication. Perhaps the most
noticeable difference in the Internet today is
the ability to be personable in such an
impersonal setting. Constant connection
seems to be the name of the game. And
along with connection, we see instant
availability. Bluetooth connections, talk-to-
text, every form of messaging apps – while
you’re driving, in meetings, at home.
Connection. Everywhere.
MYSPACE, YOURSPACE, BOOKFACE: THE
SOCIAL MEDIA AWAKENING
We’ve watched texting evolve from sending text-only messages (literally texting) to the
addition of imagery, thanks to the viral spread of gifs, memes, emojies and bitmojies. In
fact, with the spike in video-sharing, actual text is shrinking (meet SnapChat, Instagram
Stories, Facebook Stories, Periscope, Vine, etc. and shorthand abbreviations). SMH.
Social networks continue to change the way people engage with one another. Ironically,
the constant connection and way people interact with one another seems to morph to a
more superficial setting online. Although superficial at times, this form of communication
helps people stay closer to each other when they would have otherwise lost contact.
FACE TO FACE (VIRTUALLY, SPEAKING)
Face-to-face conversations via technology are resurfacing, though, and even
strengthening, thanks to higher-quality video and streaming capabilities (enter: Skype,
Google Hangouts, Zoom, FaceTime, live streaming, etc.). With more people engaging in
web/video conferencing online, geographic barriers that once hindered communication
were torn down. Instead, companies can engage with consumers in a more human
manner, people can talk to people face-to-face without the need for costly travel and
reaching out to people all over the world is faster and easier.
CUTTING THE CORD: THE ERA OF VIDEO
STREAMING
Remember when Netflix was a primarily a DVD delivery company, bringing your favorite
movie via mail? Back when binge-watching wasn’t a thing?
Today, people are cutting the cord when it comes to cable, opting for digital streaming
and video services like Netflix, YouTube and Hulu. Big brands are trying to keep up and
compete, doing their best to one-up each other with original content, availability and
delivery channels (e.g. Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, etc.). User-generated
content is a force to acknowledge as well. Thanks to streaming options like Facebook Live,
Instagram Live and Periscope, individuals and business are able to broadcast their own
videos and content.
In a nutshell, videos are popping up everywhere and trending big time. And they thought
talking pictures would never last…
TODAY’S TECH FORECAST: ICLOUDY DAYS
AHEAD
More people and companies are using cloud-based services for their business and store
everything online instead of on a single device. This change will continue to have an
enormous impact on the way business is done, transforming our once-traditional office
environments and how people interact with companies on a regular basis. Flash drives are
almost extinct with the prevalence of cloud storage, like iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox
and FTP sites.
With so many new technologies permeating the way people access information and
access each other, the forward momentum looks promising for future technological
developments.
THE FUTURE: EMERGING TRENDS ON THE
HORIZON
As more existing technologies are stacked onto
each other and developed into something greater,
consumers and businesses alike can expect to see
more opportunity with future technology.
Technology will be faster, have the ability to
accomplish more and everything will become more
streamlined to make getting work done, easier.
While we don’t have the ability to predict the future,
we can offer speculations on technology’s
evolution. We are constantly seeing emerging
media and new trends in technology to follow. Here
are a few trends to watch for in the coming years.
SMART IS THE NEW SEXY
And by “smart” we mean the continued evolution of smart devices and rise of artificial
intelligence (AI) technology.
Smart devices will continue to evolve to work better together. These machines will share
data automatically limiting the need for human involvement. Of course, it’s not just
smartphones, watches, TVs or tablets anymore.
THE INTERNET OF THINGS
You’ll hear more and more about the “Internet of Things” (IoT) now and in the future. The
deeper we dive into technology, the more it seems we try to blend the physical and virtual
worlds together. Smart speakers, smart homes and even smart cars are the tech wave to ride in
the future, but it’s just the beginning.
Think of the Internet of Things as a network of physical devices – like handheld gadgets,
vehicles, home appliances or any kind of electronic item with embedded software or
technology – connected together and able to exchange data.
Gartner, an analyst firm, speculates there will be more than 26 billion connected devices by
2020. Imagine a future where your car warns you of heavy traffic or your alarm clock notifies
you about your coffee brewing itself in the kitchen. Imagine living in a smart home in a
smart city.
In other words, the future happening is now. Or at least, it’ll be here sooner than you may think.
WHY BOTHER KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY?
It’s a fair question. Technology is constantly changing and it sometimes feels like way too
much effort to keep up with a moving target. Just remember - keeping up with
technology adds value to your business.
Staying up-to-date helps ensure you don’t miss opportunities, become irrelevant or fall
behind your competitors. Remember Kodak? They taught us all an invaluable lesson: don’t
be afraid to embrace change.
Here are a few ways to keep up and stay
informed:
Follow industry blogs
Listen to industry leaders
Follow topics on social media
Join groups (online and in-person)
Listen to podcasts
Engage in tech forums
Subscribe to relevant eNewsletters
Set up Google alerts
End of Presentation
