The most interesting Tech topics of 2009-2010 according to Evanomics

After a hiatus of finishing school and starting work, I’m back to continue my observations and analysis of technology and society. Here is a brief description of some of the bigger things I have noticed in the past year or two.

3D – Avatar marked a step forward for visual media. One of (if not THE) first 3d movies with the hybrid of real actors and CGI. Regardless of the quality of story, the movie was visually stunning. It has set a precedent for the immersive experience of movies and media to come. Also, ESPN announced it will launch a 3D network starting in the summer with an initial broadcast of the World Cup in South Africa.

Google China – Long story short: Google controversially starts operations in China, agreeing to censor certain things (Tiananmen Square, Tibetan Freedom, Christian Groups, etc) from their search, contra their typical transparent open source ideals. Then, some Chinese human rights activist’s (and others) Gmail accounts are hacked; the hack is highly sophisticated and traced to China. Google has a hunch that the hack was perpetrated by the Chinese government itself and consequently ceases operations in China.

Hats off to Google for having some balls and taking an ethical stance. Still, one must wonder whether they should have agreed to the compromise in the first place. All in all, the situation elevated the discussion of internet and information freedom to a global level – a topic which should be considered closely going forward this decade.

Bionics – Just this past month, National Geographic, Popular Mechanics and many other media publications have been focusing more and more on robotics, bionics, and similar medical technology. This type of thing has been depicted in fiction for a good time, but is finally becoming a reality.

Robots - The number and types of robots are steadily increasing. There so many developments each and every day, it’s almost hard to keep track of. J

Click here for a fun blog about robots and humans:

Green movement – Whether it’s global warming, decreasing food supplies, or oil, humans have become more aware of their impact on the planet. Many new initiatives and technologies are being developed to make us a more efficient, less wasteful species. Regardless of the actual extent of our current effect on the environment, this topic is well worth discussing(like internet/info freedom), as it will surely be a challenge we will have to face somewhere down the line.

Gaming – This past year has achieved what gamers have been waiting for. Games have finally caught up with the capabilities that the next gen consoles promised. Two of the most popular games have been Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and FIFA 10. COD:MW2 is an addictively entertaining multiplayer first person shooter, with a slightly futuristic setting(but still modern enough). It is perhaps the first console game that can truly challenge Counterstrike as an elite FPS. FIFA 10 truly is a sports game for the new decade, with great graphics, advanced game play, and the ability to upload a picture of your face to create your own personalized character.

Large Hadron Collider – This is one of the biggest multinational science experiments ever – perhaps it is comparable to the introduction of the International Space Station. It is the world's largest and best particle accelerator, being used to discover and explore new areas of particle physics.The entire science world has been very excited about it, although most people can only grasp a simple understanding of how it works and what it is used for (myself included)

Social media/Web 2.0 – The internet continues to grow smarter, and more customized towards user experience. So many new sites are built around community and user involvement. The popularity of blogging, commenting, rating, and interacting continues to flourish. Sites collect and use user info, but this has led to a big debate on Privacy, especially with facebook. Some of my favorite sites are reddit and behance .

Apple – Not really news, Apple continues to slaughter whatever market they decide to engage. The iPhone, though restricted to AT&T, has been the indisputable champion of the smart phone, and with rumors that the AT&T exclusivity agreement will end possibly this week, you better believe the sales are only going to go up. You would only need one hand to count the amount of Apple flops, where you may need a calculator to quantify the enormity of their successes. The proof is in the pudding - even in a struggling global economy, Apple continues to post record profits.

What to look forward to:

Tablets – Possibly the next step in personal computing. Stay posted for a more in-depth look on mobile/ubiquitous computing in the coming weeks.

Space – Richard Branson will take you to space (If you have the money of course). I am currently accepting donations towards the Send Evanomics to Space Fund!!!!