The Top 5 Tech Trends for 2009

As the new year approaches, folks are searching high and low for the latest predicted trends for 2009. Among those anticipated trends come several in the technology field. People want to know what the major devices will be. Should you hold on to your iPod, or be prepared to trade it in for something better? Is the Verizon network still going to be considered the most reliable network? Should you pay out for that big screen television now, or wait for the new year? Here's a quick look at what I think will be among the top five technology trends for 2009.

GPS

The automotive industry may be struggling, but that doesn't mean automotive technology will do the same. With bigger bargains springing up everywhere, especially in regards to electronics sales, more people will find GPS systems a worthy purchase in 2009. As GPS products evolve, the devices are getting smaller, the technology is getting more advanced, and the prices continue to fall. This is one item that you don't have to feel ashamed of buying because "everybody has one." It's the fact that everybody has one that's helping make these systems affordable; the less of a commodity, the greater the bargain on almost any retail item. But decreased novelty doesn't mean decreased usefulness, so be ready to chip in a buck to hook yourself up with an updated, lower-priced GPS system early in 2009. Most these days are also coming with automatic free updates, which means you'll get more for your dollar!

Bigger T.V.s, Smaller Ticket Sales

Because of a weakening economy, fewer people are heading to the theaters to spend their money on entertainment. As a result, more people are looking for ways to entertain themselves in-home. This means good things for electronics stores, who usually have just what you need to create the perfect stay-in movie night experience. Television-making companies like Sony and others are taking advantage of the latest trends with bigger television sets at lower prices. While video rentals have become all but obsolete through stores like Blockbuster, services like Netflix continue to be popular, meaning consumers will find it easier to order the latest movies on their television, computers, or through the mail for lower prices, sometimes even less than you'd pay to see the same films in the theater. Thanks to this trend, ticket sales may go down, but bigger T.V. sets and lower prices for video rental programs, and the growing availability of in-home viewing options through digital cable and online software, all mean you still won't miss out on the latest "must-see" Hollywood blockbusters; you'll just save a few dollars on seeing them, and that's always a good trend.

Mobile Videos

Along with the above trend, more and more people will be taking their favorite films with them on the go. Thanks to devices like iPods and phones with video capability, portable DVD players, and mini-laptops, mobile videos will be a growing trend in 2009. This particular trend is already big from Europe to Asia, and history has shown that the biggest trends in those areas tend to trickle towards the U.S. pretty soon after they boom in those places. The same goes for mobile videos; with easier access to portable video players, and an increasing number of everyday devices like mobile phones with video capabilities, it will become easier and easier to take Hollywood and YouTube with you everywhere you go!

Green Technology

Environmentally friendly technology is on the rise. From eco-friendly laptops to better recycling programs for electronics and electronic parts, the goal to stay green and decrease our carbon footprints will be high on the list of tech trends in 2009. This trend will also likely result in a growing paperless social trend. With devices like the Kindle, people can easily read on the go using ebooks and portable devices. Several computer manufacturers are coming out with new and updated document-management devices, portable scanners (which allow you to scan anything from barcodes for items you want to buy to pages from books you'd like to reference), and more. Thanks to the paperless and green environmental movements, there will be a continuously growing reliance on email communication for business and leisure, among other things. Be prepared to do more on the go, wherever you go, whenever you need to get things done!

Social Networking

Nowadays, if you're not connected to some kind of social networking online platform, you're pretty much disconnected to . . . well, a lot. Thanks to multi-layered platforms and networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and others, people can keep track of everyone from their college roommates to potential business contacts with the click of a mouse. Probably the biggest tech trend for 2009 related to social networking will be Twitter. Twitter is a major blogging platform where people can go to make, maintain, and expand their small business contacts. On Twitter, users answer only one question: "What are you doing?" Answers must be 140-characters or less, and serve as a way to keep your friends, family, and coworkers up to date on any activity from eating lunch (in case you want to get together with a friend) to running late for a meeting (so your coworkers know not to wait for or worry about you). Users can update their Twitter accounts through the actual web platform, instant messages, or text messages from a mobile phone. Twitter also provides several platform utilities that help people stay connected wherever they are. An example is TweetBeep, which will alert you when your or your business's name has been mentioned on Twitter. Thanks to its simple setup that allows people to stay connected in several ways, Twitter is probably going to be the site to watch in 2009!