2015 Predictions: It’s about the money, stupid!

MaxHeadroom460It’s time, finally, for my long-delayed 2015 predictions. Things just kept changing so fast I had to keep re-writing, but have finally stopped. 2015 will definitely be the Year of Monetization, by which I mean it’s the year when the bottom line and showing profits will become a key motivator in almost every market. And while profit — like beer — is generally good, it isn’t always good for everyone. So here are my 10 predictions in no particular order.

Prediction #1 — Everyone gets the crap scared out of them by data security problems. In many ways this was set up by 2014, a year when, between Edward Snowden and Target, […]

By |January 16th, 2015|2015, Business, cloud computing, Companies, mobile technology, Predictions, Privacy and Security, wearable technology|102 Comments
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2015 Will Be the Year When Nothing Happened

bored-catThis was supposed to be time for my technology predictions for 2015, which I’ll get to yet, I promise, but first I want to explain the major trend I see, that 2015 will become known as The Year When Nothing Happened. Of course things will happen in 2015, but I think the year of truly revolutionary change will be 2016, not 2015. It takes time for trends to develop and revolutionary products to hit the market. I’d say the trends are clear, it’s the products and their manufacturers who aren’t yet identifiable. So here are three areas where I’ll disagree with most of my peers and say I don’t expect to see much […]

By |January 12th, 2015|2015, entertainment, Media, mobile technology, Predictions, Privacy and Security, wearable technology|41 Comments
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But first a look back at Bob’s predictions for 2014

2014backwardsThis is the time of year when when I typically write my technology predictions, an annual exercise in ego and humiliation I’ve been doing for about a dozen years. Historically I’ve been around 70 percent correct, which is more accurate than a random walk and therefore maybe — maybe — worth reading. You decide. But first let’s look back at my predictions from a year ago to see how I did. Understand that I’m the only pundit who actually reviews his previous year’s predictions. If only I could be a weasel like those other guys!

#1 — Microsoft gets worse before it gets better.

MISS — Satya Nadella  […]

By |January 9th, 2015|2015, Predictions|52 Comments
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Can it be that time already? Call for 2015 predictions!

FullSizeRenderThe Cringelys are back from Christmas in Hawaii and so I’m back to work. Alaska Airlines changed our flight to Kona in August but either never told Orbitz or Orbitz wasn’t listening so we got to the San Jose Airport 3.5 hours earlier than we needed to, having left Santa Rosa at 2AM. Note the tired eyes. Note, too, the rubber ducky the kids found as part of an airport promotion. Not only did they get $10 worth of candy, they won the grand prize GoPro camera! 

It’s time for my annual predictions for the new year, which I’ll publish I suppose on Friday. So if you have any wacky ideas please throw them into […]

By |December 30th, 2014|2014, Predictions|193 Comments
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IBM back in the USSR?

backintheUSSRMy book, The Decline and Fall of IBM, is now available in paperback, on the iPad and Nook, as well as on the Kindle. A dozen other platforms plus an audio book will be available shortly, but these are the big ones.

Over the weekend I received a very insightful message about the book from reader Steve Jenkins in Australia, where IBM is showing the same behavior problems as everywhere else. Steve has an insight into Big Blue that I wish I had thought to include in the book because I believe he is absolutely correct.

“Finished your e-book, but skimmed the blog comments,” wrote […]

By |June 15th, 2014|2014, Books, Business, Companies, history, Industry, Predictions, Technology|66 Comments
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