This Week in the Future

News of what trends and technology will be shaping IT.

[infoworld-blog]

Linux: Still not popular on desktops, even in the future

Gartner predicts that Linux penetration on the desktop will remain below 2% for the next five years.

-- "Why Linux is a desktop flop," infoworld.com

[infoworld-blog]

By 2016, mobile data consumption up; mobile revenues, not so much

Global mobile data traffic will grow from 3.89 trillion megabytes in 2011 to 39.75 trillion megabytes in 2016, amounting to a tenfold increase. By contrast, global mobile data revenues will grow from US$325.8 billion in 2011 to US$627.5 billion in 2016, amounting to a twofold increase.

-- Informa Telecoms & Media, forecasting the next battle between data-hungry consumers and dollar-hungry providers.

[infoworld-blog]

Assuming there are even CIOs in 2020

If that job hasn't gone the way of the HTML programmer and the file clerk, here's what you can expect when you step into the corner office eight years from now. (Hint: NO MORE MICROSOFT.) (Infoworld.com)

[infoworld-blog]

You'll befriend Big Brother by 2015

Corporations are starting to embrace technologies used to monitor employee Internet use, with 60 percent expected to watch workers' social media use for security breaches by 2015, according to a new report from Gartner.

-- "Gartner predicts huge rise in monitoring of employees' social media use," May 29, 2012, on Infoworld.com

[infoworld-blog]

Mobile networks will need 10x fatter pipes by 2016

U.S. cellular networks will need fatter pipes to the wired Internet to keep delivering a satisfying mobile experience: nearly 10 times fatter by 2016, according to research company iGR.

-- "Mobile networks will need 10x fatter pipes by 2016"

[infoworld-blog]

Forget PCs. The personal cloud will rule in two years

According to Gartner, the use of the personal computer as the sole access device will come to a close by 2014. What will replace it? The personal cloud.

-- "Forget PCs. The personal cloud will rule in two years"

[infoworld-blog]

Just say no to anyone who tells you to go Metro

Microsoft says Windows 8 will offer exciting new opportunities for software developers. Don't believe it.

-- "Develop Metro apps? Say no to this con"

[infoworld-blog]

On the cusp of a new era in IT

With the exception of Apple, IBM, and a handful of others, the top tier of the old guard seems to be faltering. Instead, the energy and ideas are coming from a new wave of entrepreneurs who -- in a virtualized, mobilized, consumerized, cloud-enabled world -- like to "think different."

-- "The new IT vs. the old IT"