What’s going to be big in 2009? We’re not talking about talking kettles or self cleaning t-shirts…. yet, but more about how people and the tech will change the way we do business and socialize with each other.

If you think about it none of these ideas are totally new, like most things technical someone smart just gave each trend a fancy name. There are some cool concepts though so have a read and then you’ll have additional ammo for when you next need to appear to be super smart.

 
1. Move it!

In South Africa it seems that everyone and their dog has a cell phone. Mobile is big, so Altersage are most definitely not alone when they say that 2009 will bring a ‘Mobi websites wake-up call.’

Hans Mol also points out that 2009 is most definitely the year for ensuring you develop a decent, well-functioning mobi-site that works with your website.

Bottom line: If you want to reach a wider SA market you need an easy to navigate, informative mobile website.

 2. Two heads are better than one

Most of us have always asked our friends or family for help or ideas – groups generate the best ideas, plus free advice rocks. This is how Wikipedia was created, it’s an encyclopaedia which is self-managed and edited by anyone. This practice of people collectively managing and developing ideas or projects is called ‘crowdsourcing’.

Andy Hadfield reckons that SA businesses will start to leverage the power of communities online, if you think about it 6 million people on the internet is 6 million minds to tap.

A new local crowdsourcing website is IdeaBounty – where companies / agencies post design and marketing briefs and anyone can submit their ideas – the best idea gets paid…. cool for freelance design / advertising peeps.

3. Head in the Clouds

So you start a small business, hire some key people and then you need to invest in software, servers etc. Setting up an IT infrastructure is expensive which is why people are now investigating ‘Cloud Computing’.

Cloud computing means that email, documents, calendars and other business communication tools are being delivered and hosted on the web...in the ‘Cloud’.

Anna from Emerging Media explains, “The cost saving is obviously a big selling point but Cloud Computing also means that companies and individuals can be more flexible, competitive and innovative. Information can be accessed by people from anywhere around the world.”

Most of us are already using online-based email, calendars, event planning, photo sharing and financial systems, which is why the Cloud Computing concept isn’t that ‘out there’.

4. Where are you?

You have a GPS in your car? Wow!… Its only been a few years and now almost everyone has access to GPS Navigation assistance…. not just the suburban 4X4 drivers.

GPS enthusiast Nick Jackson says “GPS receivers are getting into everybody’s hands these days. In their phones, on their dashboards and even in some laptops. Cell phone signals are getting better also so the possibilities are endless in terms of pinpointing locations and using that information.”

The possibilities for location-based services are exciting. People sharing real time locations in a social context, eyewitness images and videos being uploaded from cell phones to mapped GPS locations. Advertising and special offers being delivered to you as you pass through a specific GPS location.

It all sounds a bit ‘big brother’ but tech is changing the way we behave and the way we interact with each other…in amongst all this we’re going to have to try and ‘keep it real’.

What’s your big prediction for 2009? – let us have your comments.

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**Next week we’re going to take a look at some of the ways you can chat and interact on the web and your cell phone. We’ll look at some easy to use applications to make your IM and messaging easier.