Last Year’s Tech Trends and What They Mean for 2014

2013 was an incredible year, filled with both good times and bad times.  It also proved to be a year for technology to become even more intertwined with our lives. As we move forward into the first month of the New Year, let us take a look at some of the top trends of 2013, and how they might fare this year:

Television consumption: With new apps, new devices, and new ways of viewing media digitally, the pressure has been put on traditional cable providers to rethink the way we consume our movies and shows. Whereas before, if you wanted to watch Game of Thrones, you had to pay for HBO as part of your cable package, you can now get shows, and sometimes entire channels, individually. With the demand of smaller hardware to view more content, 2014 is sure to be a year of accelerating change in the television industry.

Internet of Everything: Our lives are becoming increasingly connected.  2013 saw everyday items like basketballs, smoke detectors , and even cutting boards added to the network. As we charge into 2014, there is no doubt the  Internet of Everything will continue to expand and continue to connect us.

Evolution of the automobile: The image of the electric car shifted from that of a humming golf-cart to one of a luxury vehicle. We saw an increase of charging stations, and the reality of driverless cars was brought to the public eye. Last year science-fiction turned to science-fact. The developments we will see this year might bring many of us to the dealership.

Crypto-Currency: With investors bringing their attention to BitCoin, the crypto-currency conversation is growing amongst retailers, governments, and society in general.  This has created a completely new market in digital currency and also opened up a new venue for hackers and thieves. The use of crypto-currency is sure to extend and evolve through 2014, but how it might fare later down the road is to be seen.

Wearables: Wearable technology took off in 2013 with the rise of connected fitness trackers like FitBit, Jawbone Up, and Nike FuelBand.  Other notables were Google Glass and smart watches.  In 2014, we will see an increase in quantity, quality, and restrictions of these handy devices.

What do you think the New Year will bring? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @MarieHattar.