Computer Hardware Technology in the Future

Computer history and development has continued to change significantly since the 1930s when the first programmable computer was first invented.  From that point on, computer technology has increased in advancements.  This includes improvements in programming, software and hardware.  Considering how fast new technology is surfacing, and how we constantly require updating our computers to be leveled with the latest developments, we can only expect greater and better technology to surface in the next 10 years.

For certain types of market, people associate the word “better” or “improved” with bigger products, but in the computer market, “better” and “improved” usually relates to technology that is smaller, more compact, lighter, and yet more efficient.  In the past couple of years, the tablet world has exploded and the world seems to be replacing computers with tablets, as these serve as a slimmer and more practical replacement.  And now with the smartphone surge, advertisements are convincing the audience that smartphones are all you need as it can basically do everything and anything that a computer can.  Smaller products that have the same functions of a computer are in high demand now.  In the article “Future shock: The PC of 2019”, Mary K. Pratt talks about the dramatic changes that will come in the next decade by saying “the PC [will] evolve past the standard desktop and laptop units to amalgamations of computer devices and their peripherals.”  It seems as this has slowly but surely started happening and looking into the future we can be certain this influence will be stronger.

Technology that is more compact and that serves as a greater commodity to the user are in high demand and we can expect that in the future we will see greater things.  The development of the SixthSense wearable gestural interface by Pranav Mistry in the MIT Media Lab has been a great sensation since it first surfaced in 2009.  With the technological advancements happening now and that we anticipate in the future, I believe it is safe to say that we can expect this type of technology will be available to the public in the next five to ten years future and will replace the computer hardware technology that we use now.

The idea of "wearable computers" that Ryan Krall discussed in his post is something that I can also see in the future.  Nowadays people like products that can be easily implemented in their life and having a computer that is "wearable", handy, and on-the-go is going to in high demand in the future and it might only take about five years to get there.  Also, hologram displays, like the ones that we have seen in futuristic movies, will definitely take a part in the future.  Like Ryan Krall and Evan Rosario discussed in their posts, things that we all saw in the science fiction movies will be the next thing and replace the products we have now.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/334799/Future_shock_The_PC_of_2019

http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/

http://www.infoworld.com/t/computer-hardware/the-future-computer-user-interfaces-178762