From VR gaming to manual labor automation, the innovations in these sectors will make incredible tech available to the general public in 2017. Due to so many consumers in line to purchase new technology, tech investors won’t be afraid to take big risks for big rewards.

Here are some trends that will attract attention and investment in the upcoming year, 2017:

1. Social Media: Somewhat still in its infancy, social media is due to make a big dent in marketing and news. Additionally, social media advertising is expected to generate $11 billion in revenue in 2017. This is compared to $3.1 billion in 2013. Moreover, social media holds high power in news. Facebook is a primary news source for millions across the globe. About 44% of adults in the U.S. get their news from Facebook. Live streaming has turned every citizen into a news source. In the future, social media is position to replace mainstream media.
2. Enterprise Software: Users of enterprise software have long complained about a terrible user experience. In 2017, enterprise software will become much easier for employees. Investors will look for software that mimics favorite apps, improving employee productivity as well as decision-making abilities.
3. VR and AR Gaming: An example of AR gaming is the overnight phenomenon PokemonGo. Although it didn’t stick as long as it could have, the possibility of games like this is very real. On the other end, for VR gaming, content creation will boom in the next year. Creative and content for VR gaming has been invested by tech companies as well as Fox and Disney. 
4. Automation: on the verge of becoming a gigantic industry. This industry will replace many unskilled labor jobs. Things like farming, factory work, and automated driving is expected to be automated by 2025. With that, investors are jumping at promising endeavors.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mnewlands/2016/12/05/trends-in-tech-investing-2017/#4e188438fa14

Apple has been rumored to be interested in the self-driving car market for the past two years. Known as Project Titan, the internal project was reportedly staffed by more than 1,000 engineers, and located at top-secret labs in Sunnydale, California. Recently, the company has finally confirmed that they are working on the technology to create automated cars. In a statement to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Apple wrote that they are investing “heavily” in the study of machine learning and automation. This letter was written in November but has only just recently surfaced. While the letter offered no specific details about their project, it spoke about how self-driving cars are a life-saving technology, potentially preventing millions of car crashes and fatalities per year.

Their statement also leaves open the possibility that Apple is looking to design and produce their own self-driving car, rather than providing the technology to a manufacturer.

On top of all this, Apple argues that manufacturers should share their data from crashes and near misses in order to maximize safety benefits of automated vehicles. By doing this, the industry will build a more “comprehensive data set” than any one company could create alone.

Some other things Apple is looking to take into consideration are privacy, how the cars software system makes decisions, and the impact on employment.

All in all, Apple looks forward to collaborating so that the societal benefits of automated cars can be realized safely and responsibly.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/04/apple-confirms-it-is-working-on-self-driving-cars

While the Internet of Things is a major advancement for out technological world, it has many flaws-one being security and cyber attacks. In October, a massive cyber attack on Internet infrastructure knocked a large amount of the web offline. Sites including Netflix and Twitter were hacked and unresponsive for millions of Americans and Europeans. This hack was the largest attack in history- powered by hacked webcams and smart devices with sloppy or non-existent security.   The IoT seems to be a threat to security and safety of the web.

However, Google and other tech giants now have a plan to fix it. Recently, the Broadband Technical Advisory Group published a report with recommendations on how to improve security. In this report BITAG said that there are several incidents where some devices have not abided by rudimentary privacy. Devices have been compromised and allowed unauthorized users to perform attacks. Problems range from leaking Wi-Fi passwords to not being update-able. To solve these problems, BITAG have come up with a number of recommendations. These include shipping devices with current software without known vulnerabilities, and that manufacturers should follow practices for encryption. Additionally, the group wants to ensure that the devices continue to work without cloud or internet support, and that devices should be resettable.

While BITAG is not a governing body and cannot force these changes, many have spoken out calling for government action.

As a kid, I used to sit in awe at the amazing technologies movies created. However, all those cool things I used to see in movies are starting to become realities. Things like touch screens, virtual realities, and secret doors are now seen in the real world. Here are some examples:

• The Back to the Future franchise got some things right and many things wrong. However, one that falls in the former category is wearable computing. The glasses we see McFly donning serve as a precursor to Google Glass.

• In Total Recall, which came out in 1990, there is an exploration in virtual reality. However, the one scene that always sticks out to me involves self-driving cars called Johnny Cabs. Google is one of the biggest advocators for autonomous cars today. Additionally, there are three states where self-driving cars are legal for testing.

• In 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey came out. This movie introduced what would end up being the concept of Skype. Stanley Kubrick incorporates video chatting when an astronaut calls his children from space. While the latter hasn’t been fulfilled, today it is possible to make a video call to anyone in any country. In addition, Kubrick’s HAL 9000 robot is similar to todays Siri. You can converse with Apple’s Siri program if you have an iPhone. Just like HAL, Siri knows who you are an can answer almost any questions you have.

• Weird Science, created in 1985, makes a connection to 3D printing. Although this connection is loose, it is a connection nonetheless. In the movie, two teens create the “perfect women” using a computer and a plastic Barbie. With 3D printers today, you could create Kelly LeBrock in your home with just a computer and some plastic, however only a replica. Who knows what will be possible in 30 years.

While sadly hoverboards still don’t exist and our world isn’t filled with flying cars, Hollywood didn’t get everything wrong. A lot of the technologies we see today were predicted by moviemaker’s decades ago.

It’s a new age of technology, and when it comes to phones, Apple always looks to make things bigger and better. In its newest release, the iPhone 7, Apple created a phone with no earphone jack, making both audio and charge come out of the same USB port. However, with Apples upcoming iPhone 8, the company is looking to go to the next level: wireless charging. Apple is reportedly working on a new wireless charging system for both the future iPhones and iPads. The rumors are that the firm is working on a method of charging through which iPhones could charge from a distance. While this seems crazy, modern technology has proved that “there is a very thin line between fiction and the realm of possibility” (Goyal).

If these rumors are true, the iPhone 8 will have the ability to charge whenever and where ever- the users pocket, or at work. This technology will be a big step up from the current wireless charging where the devices charges when placed on a charging mat. Additionally, Apple does not look to get rid of the wired method, and will most likely keep the charging jack in its iPhone 8 model. It is unclear if the wireless charging will be as fast as the USB method, but it will be an interesting feature when perfected.

While this technology is not new, no company has incorporated it into their products. Apple wants to be the first to try it. This technology is a game changer and could possibly revolutionize the industry.

Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/3688407/apple-iphone-8-to-feature-an-interesting-new-wireless-charging-technology/

Yesterday, Donald Trump stunned the world with his win over Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election. His win has rumbled the world, and the Internet of Things is no exception. According to Business Insider, Trump’s administration could somewhat slow down the IoT, specifically cars and smart city programs. BI Intelligence and Tesla have been very optimistic about the adoption rates of autonomous vehicles. They are working together to further create fully electric, self-driving cars. Due to these cars being electric, purchasers have received tax credits making Tesla more affordable. Additionally, Tesla’s new and upcoming model was set to offer a car that a consumer could purchase for under $30,000. However, Trump has offered no proposals to combat climate change or tackle green policies. He may very well look to discontinue tax credits just like these. Because of this, Tesla purchases may fall, slowing the rise of the self-driving car.

Moreover, North America has been lacking in the smart city market, compared to other parts of the world. However, due to new federal funding, smart cities were expected to grow rapidly in the near future. With Trumps tax plan potentially causing the national debt to rise, funding for these smart cities may be placed on the back burner due to lack of budget. Additionally, these smart cities focus on environmental impacts. Because of this, smart cities may also face the same hurdles as electric cars as Trump has not focused on policies to combat climate change. It does not look like smart cities have any federal support with the Trump administration.

Lastly, Trump, throughout his campaign has promised to bring manufacturing back to the US. However, the IoT has been pushing towards a more advanced manufacturing system in order to increase efficiency. With Trump wanting to bring manufacturing in, that means more jobs, while the IoT is looking to increase job cuts due to automation. There is a chance the IoT will be de-emphasized and advocated against by the executive branch.

These are all some examples of what could happen under Trumps administration, and each example is up to interpretation and opinion. However, hopefully, no matter how Trumps ideas play out, the IoT will continue to pick up speed and the two will be able to work hand in hand.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-a-trump-presidency-means-for-the-internet-of-things-2016-11

Although Facebook is the undisputed leader in social media with high user engagement, competitors such as Snapchat are gradually establishing bases of loyal users. Facebook has been thriving off its textual based social media for years. Now, as companies like Snapchat are on the rise, Facebook is looking to become more visual, more picture and video based. With that, they are trying to target high school and college aged users, to keep the app “new.” Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg spoke saying, “Ten years ago, most of what we shared and consumed online was text. Now it’s photos, and soon, most of it will be videos.” He continued “We see a world that is video first, with video at the heart of all our apps and services.” He believes images, and specifically moving images, will eventually take over words as the preferred means of sharing and messaging on social media.

Recently, Facebook has been testing a new camera that uses Snapchat-like photo and video filters. Placing this camera in a prominent spot in the News Feed will allow users to be more creative and expressive when sharing photos and videos. During the Summer Olympics, Facebook experimented with a new camera for those in Brazil and Canada. The idea was to offer more tools like filters, frames, and masks (made popular on Snapchat)- to make statuses more personal. The masks are from a startup called MSQRD that Facebook bought back in March. MSQRD makes imaging software that changes up videos and selfies with masks, and fun filters.

While Facebook is just too large to be seriously threatened by competitors, the company still strives and does need to constantly innovate in order to improve user engagement as well as grow its advertising revenues. The push towards video-based technology should allow Facebook to retain younger attention.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/10/29/facebook-ireland-test-camera-news-feed-snapchat-video-photos/92959110/