Emerging Tech That Will Make a Difference in '08

Check out the possible Emerging Technologies of 08 and beyond. Will it be: Open Social Networks, Next-gen Smart Phones, Web-based Applications, SAN Encryption, Ultra-Web Connectiveness, Green Technology, The Semantic Web, Low-cost Laptops or all of the above?

Jim Rapoza examines and reviews the above Emerging Technologies and the possibilities they offer in the near fuuture.

So, what is the next big thing? What emerging technology will change your day-to-day job and the face of business?

When it comes to emerging technologies, 2007 has plenty of candidates. Some look poised to effect major change, and some will have a more modest impact. Some will come up short, failing to deliver on their initial promise.

One common thread in the history of important emerging technologies is that many people initially fail to recognize them...

Odds are that some of today's most-hyped technologies will decrease in importance or fade completely into oblivion, while some mostly ignored technology becomes the true groundbreaker. Looking back at 2007, there are many technologies that fit in either category.

In this special report, I take a look at the emerging technologies that were announced or started to gain traction in 2007. From this list, I'll identify the technologies that are most likely to deliver important improvements for all businesses. I'll also identify the technologies that have failed--or appear likely to fail--on their promises.

One thing that's certain is that some of these technologies will greatly affect your job. The challenge for IT workers is to stay on top of these potentially disruptive technologies and be ready to leverage them to provide a competitive boost.

Emerging Tech That Will Make a Difference -- By Jim Rapoza