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Technology

HOLIDAYS ARE OVER: Here Are The 10 Biggest Stories To Watch In Tech For The Rest Of The Year

What all the biggest tech companies are up to.
6.06pm, 16 Sep 2010
407

HOLIDAYS ARE OVER: Here Are The 10 Biggest Stories To Watch In Tech For The Rest Of The Year
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  • Will any tablets dent iPad sales?

    Apple has had the tablet market to itself so far this year. Supposedly, Microsoft is working on getting tablets out there. Also, Android tablets are supposed to be all over the market in a few weeks. Will the Android tablets or Windows tablets have any affect on iPad sales? Or will this be iPhone redux, where Apple owns the market for two years as rivals try to catch up? Our guess: Apple owns the tablet market for 2010, but credible rivals start popping up in the first quarter of 2011.

  • Will you Google Me?

    Google is working on another social network of some sort, reportedly named "Google Me." It's also working on a social gaming network. Will Google finally get it right with social networks? Or is it going to flop AGAIN? And if it flops, where does that leave Google? Facebook is still growing, and it's ready to eat at Google's core business. Meanwhile, Google's stock is flagging, as investors come to terms with the fact that Google isn't finding a second massive business. Our guess: Google Me is a flop, but social gaming in Android works.

  • How many Windows Phone 7 handsets will Microsoft sell?

    Microsoft is preparing to re-enter the smartphone market. Windows Phone 7 is the companies complete reboot, and it will be in the market place for the holiday season. Early reviews of the operating system are positive, but none say it's better than Android or the iPhone. Microsoft will spend like crazy marketing these phones, so we wouldn't write it off its chances for success. Our guess: Windows Phone 7 isn't a flop. It sells decently, but doesn't blow the doors off.

  • Which is more popular: Google TV or Apple TV?

    Google and Apple are attacking the TV market. Google will try to turn your TV into a computer, adding a comprehensive layer of the web to your TV. Apple is more subtle, just adding iTunes rentals and Netflix. Who will win? Either company? Even Steve Jobs has admitted that most people don't want another box in their life. Our guess: Both are small businesses, but Google TV sells better than Apple TV.

  • Who is going to be HP's new CEO?

    HP's board kicked out CEO Mark Hurd because he falsified expense reports, and because it seems nobody at HP liked Hurd. It was a risky move from the board because Hurd had delivered consistent returns for shareholders. Now the board has to find someone new to deliver results. Who will it be? Our guess: We'll stick with our first guess - EVP of PCs and mobile, Todd Bradley takes over.

  • How will the Demand Media Initial Publin Offering perform?

    Demand Media, the McContent company that relies on Google traffic, is IPOing this autumn. The company has plenty of skeptics, so it will be interesting to see how the IPO is received. Our guess: It does just fine, but then the stock falls a bit in the months to follow. Sort of like Tesla.

  • Can Tim Armstrong post ONE decent quarter?

    AOL CEO Tim Armstrong lost credibility with his most recent crappy quarter. Can he deliver a decent quarter before the year is out? Can he actually show some progress with AOL? Or is it a completely lost cause? Our guess: AOL has another crappy quarter.

  • Will Apple bring the iPhone to Verizon before Christmas?

    This is a perennial tech story to watch, but this year is supposed to be different. Multiple reports say iPhone on Verizon is happening in the first quarter of 2011. If that's the case, will Apple announce iPhone to Verizon before the holiday shopping season? If it doesn't, Verizon will sell a truckload of Android phones. If it does, maybe it can slow the astonishing growth of Android. Our guess: Apple announces iPhone on Verizon at some special event this fall.

  • Can RIM save itself?

    Research in Motion is in trouble. It hasn't produced a response to the iPhone or Android. Wall Street is giving up on the company. It will be releasing a tablet, the "Black Pad," this autumn. Is there any reason to think RIM will produce a good tablet? No. Is there any reason to think it can get back on track? Our guess: RIM keeps sinking.

  • Will anyone use Facebook Places?

    Facebook launched "Places" a few weeks ago. Is anyone going to actually use it? We aren't seeing many check-ins on our Facebook walls. If Facebook users do use Places, it could kill off Foursquare and develop into a nice business for Facebook. Our guess: Foursquare will be fine, and Places will evolve into something different, more Yelp-like.

  • What did we miss?

    Hulu is expected to IPO. We'll keep an eye out for that. What's Yahoo going to be up to? What else is coming up? What big tech stories should we keep an eye on? What will you watch?
  • Apple has had the tablet market to itself so far this year. Supposedly, Microsoft is working on getting tablets out there. Also, Android tablets are supposed to be all over the market in a few weeks. Will the Android tablets or Windows tablets have any affect on iPad sales? Or will this be iPhone redux, where Apple owns the market for two years as rivals try to catch up? Our guess: Apple owns the tablet market for 2010, but credible rivals start popping up in the first quarter of 2011.
  • Google is working on another social network of some sort, reportedly named
  • Microsoft is preparing to re-enter the smartphone market. Windows Phone 7 is the companies complete reboot, and it will be in the market place for the holiday season. Early reviews of the operating system are positive, but none say it's better than Android or the iPhone. Microsoft will spend like crazy marketing these phones, so we wouldn't write it off its chances for success. Our guess: Windows Phone 7 isn't a flop. It sells decently, but doesn't blow the doors off.
  • Google and Apple are attacking the TV market. Google will try to turn your TV into a computer, adding a comprehensive layer of the web to your TV. Apple is more subtle, just adding iTunes rentals and Netflix. Who will win? Either company? Even Steve Jobs has admitted that most people don't want another box in their life. Our guess: Both are small businesses, but Google TV sells better than Apple TV.
  • HP's board kicked out CEO Mark Hurd because he falsified expense reports, and because it seems nobody at HP liked Hurd. It was a risky move from the board because Hurd had delivered consistent returns for shareholders. Now the board has to find someone new to deliver results. Who will it be? Our guess: We'll stick with our first guess - EVP of PCs and mobile, Todd Bradley takes over.
  • Demand Media, the McContent company that relies on Google traffic, is IPOing this autumn. The company has plenty of skeptics, so it will be interesting to see how the IPO is received. Our guess: It does just fine, but then the stock falls a bit in the months to follow. Sort of like Tesla.
  • AOL CEO Tim Armstrong lost credibility with his most recent crappy quarter. Can he deliver a decent quarter before the year is out? Can he actually show some progress with AOL? Or is it a completely lost cause? Our guess: AOL has another crappy quarter.
  • This is a perennial tech story to watch, but this year is supposed to be different. Multiple reports say iPhone on Verizon is happening in the first quarter of 2011. If that's the case, will Apple announce iPhone to Verizon before the holiday shopping season? If it doesn't, Verizon will sell a truckload of Android phones. If it does, maybe it can slow the astonishing growth of Android. Our guess: Apple announces iPhone on Verizon at some special event this fall.
  • Research in Motion is in trouble. It hasn't produced a response to the iPhone or Android. Wall Street is giving up on the company. It will be releasing a tablet, the
  • Facebook launched
  • Hulu is expected to IPO. We'll keep an eye out for that. What's Yahoo going to be up to? What else is coming up? What big tech stories should we keep an eye on? What will you watch?

 

Reprinted with permission form Business Insider

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