• Google TV and Chrome OS will merge
• iPhone on Verizon in the summer
• net neutrality will become a headline issue
• there will be the rise of a new social network
• iTunes will release a streaming media service
• NFC (near field communications) will become more previlant in everyday use
• RIM’s market share will continue to dwindle…
• more people will attempt to cut cable’s cord, & tv companies will start making deals to stream content
• cars will become much more fuel efficient as gas prices continue to rise, the rise of electric cars
• facebook will CONTINUE to grow

So here are my predictions for 2012:

• T-Mobile FINALLY get the iPhone
• Netflix goes under
• Android market share begins to decline
• Google & Motorola develop Nexus series of devices to put vanilla versions on phones
• Nintendo begins bringing titles to iOS

What do you think about about these tech predictions? Do you have anything that you believe is going to happen this year?

Want to leave a comment, head to Google+ for discussion -> Google+ Discussion

I started reading a new book, “The Leadership Challenge” and I stumbled upon the above quote. I started thinking about all the different ways I use technology. Twitter, e-mail, Facebook, reading news, posting blogs; and for the most part it is all text based. I will write a Facebook status, a person will read it, and if they agree with the contents of it will either write a reply or click a button that states you “like” it. That is all well and good but there is a personal connection that is missing.

Enter Google+, which if you didn’t know or haven’t seen the commercials, is Google’s vision of a social network. There are a lot of similarities between Google+ & Facebook. Status updates, sharing pictures, messenger apps for mobile devices are some similarities between both networks. However, Google+ adds something that isn’t found on Facebook, or any other social network: Google+ Hangouts. Google+ Hangouts brings the social to the network.

Here’s an example of the precious human moment that I referred to in the original quote: I was using Google+ Messenger to instant message my friend that moved to New York. I decided that I wanted to see what he was doing literally. I pressed one button in the app on my phone and I was able to have a face to face convo with my friend. Similar to what’s happening in this Verizon ad for the Galaxy Nexus.

I’m glad Google is advertising this amazing aspect of Google+. Hangouts is so native and simple and isn’t found in such simplicity anywhere else on the web. Nothing may beat meeting up with a friend or a loved one in a coffee shop, but having a cross platform social network solution where face to face conversations can easily occur is a close second.

Conversation continues on Google+

This posters seem perfect for work…it’s the stuff you WANT to say but HR won’t approve.

via: ReCraft

I suck at Angry Birds so I’m not even going to attempt to trump that high score.

Via: kottke

This shirt pays homage to the only basketball video game that I could ever play…

Via: Homage

As a nerd and someone who loves tea this is an awesome gift.

Via: ReCraft

I want this in my house…

This morning Amazon announced their new tablets. Here’s what Amazon says on their site:

We are excited to announce four new products: the all-new Kindle for only $79, two new touch Kindles – Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G –for $99 and $149, and a new class of Kindle –Kindle Fire – a beautiful full color Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games, web browsing and more, for only $199.
These are high-end products – the best Kindles we’ve ever made. Kindle and Kindle Touch have the most-advanced E Ink display technology available, and the 3G Kindle Touch adds free 3G wireless – no monthly fees and no annual contracts. Kindle Fire brings everything we’ve been working on at Amazon for 15 years together into a single, fully-integrated experience for customers – instant access to Amazon’s massive selection of digital content, a vibrant color IPS touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle, a 14.6 ounce design that’s easy to hold with one hand, a state-of-the-art dual core processor, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, and an ultra-fast mobile browser – Amazon Silk – available exclusively on Kindle Fire.

We are building premium products and offering them at non-premium prices.

I’m gonna be honest…I didn’t start watching Two And A Half Men until the whole Charlie Sheen fiasco started. I wish I had watched it before because these episodes don’t seem to be as funny.  Anyways I was watching the other night and I saw Kutcher on his laptop that was covered Web 2.0…I’m such a nerd that I started telling my wife why that was cool.  Apparently CBS didn’t argee with my take on it…

Ashton Kutcher and Web Start-Ups Failed Attempt of Free Advertising

My brother-in-law posted that video on his Facebook page and if I couldn’t do this in real life then I would think this was edited and he’s all CGI…but I can clearly do this…

Continuing with the Pumped Up theme, here’s a cover of Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”