Technology Predictions For 2007

As we rapidly close out another year, we're all looking ahead to 2007. In no particular order, I have some predictions as to the technologies that may finally make it market. (Besides, stick around, it'll be fun next year around this time and see how far I missed by...).

1- Terabyte Hard Drives

With perpendicular storage tech already in use for 750 GB hard drives, we're only a platter or two away from the terabyte mark. If you want braggin' rights around the watercooler, this is up there.

2- Mainstream Quad Core Processors

Speaking of impressing the coworkers, quad cores are THE new chip to have. While the Q6700 is out from Intel, it's hardly commonplace. This will change as new, more affordable quad cores get released from Intel. I'm also sure that AMD will release their own quads as well. Start saving up for the new build, these will be sweet systems with power to spare (at least for a week or two).

3- Windows Vista (Finally!)

After more delays than anyone can keep track of, a new version of Windows is imminent. "Start me up!," and get ready to download a whole new set of patches and service packs. 2007 will be the year that Vista comes to market. Really.

4- Direct X 10 Graphics Cards

I'm no gamer, but I see magazines and sites all abuzz of the new cards supporting Direct X 10. This will be the new standard, with all the other stuff going out of date. For us nongamers, it might be a good time to pick up a bargain on a Direct X 9 card…

5- Wireless N Gear

After pre-N gear, followed by draft-N, the only thing left is, well…real N. Is this the year we finally get it? Your guess is as good as mine, but don't count on today's stuff being upgradeable. In the meantime, avoid paying top dollar for "draft 2.0" interim products which use manufacturer specific technologies that won't eventually conform to "the standard" leaving us out in the cold, and a specification behind.

6- True Video iPod

We've all seen the images and discussions of what has been dubbed the "true video iPod." The most recent interim update of the iPod has only made us want it even more. I'm not sure if we're getting the True Video iPod this year, but the Zune might just hasten things a wee bit (iPods were on a holiday special on Black Friday which would have been a ridiculous thought a year or two ago).

7- iPhone

This is another long anticipated product that hasn't hit the market- yet. It looks like there is enough demand that a shiny white phone with a scroll wheel just might be ringing with your number soon.

8- Wireless USB

The promise of short wireless connections is quite alluring. For whatever reasons, Bluetooth is limited to cell phones and a few other devices. Anything that will get rid of at least some of the spaghetti of wires under my desk (which often spills onto the desk), with the reliability and speed of USB is welcome. I'm not holding my breath on this one, but it would be very cool, and keep the clumsy among us from tripping so much.

9- Linux Palm

The Palm T/X is over a year old, and there is no replacement as of now for the holidays. The new Palm is rumored to abandon the Palm OS for a custom version of Linux. This is sure to make it even easier to hack the open source OS. I doubt they're going to let the current Palm go beyond two years without a replacement, so look for this in the second half of '07.

Feel free to add your own item (or two) to my list in the comments section.

--Jonas