Radar7 Edition 6

31 Oct 2013

Radar7 is our recurring feature where we’ll highlight the top seven pieces of thought-provoking industry commentary that should be on your radar.

1. Gartner: Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends For 2014

The recently released top ten strategic trends by Gartner are discussed in this Forbes article. For the next five years, the report argues that some of the most critical trends include The Internet of Everything, cloud/client architecture, 3D printing, smart machines and more.

2. GE says Internet connected machines are no threat to human workers

In a major vote of confidence in M2M, this VentureBeat article looks at a recent report by GE’s chief economist which argues that the “Industrial Internet” will lead to new employment opportunities, not less.

3. More than technologies, the future of payments will be shaped by value

Many are considering what paying for goods and services could looks like in the future, and why consumers want to see innovative changes. This article at The Conversation offers considerations including alternative sub-currencies (similar to current in-game “money” models applied in a wider context), cardless payment systems and more.

4. Zookal starts “world first” delivery-by-drone service in Sydney

Drone delivery has been receiving a lot of attention of late, and this PandoDaily article follows the recent “world first” delivery by Zookal. The Australian textbook rental start-up currently owns two delivery drones and has already ordered four more, with plans to roll out nationally in the near future.

5. One In Every 5 People In The World Own A Smartphone, One In Every 17 Own A Tablet

This chart illustrates the sales growth of smartphones and tablets. The results by Business Insider show that by the end of the year an estimated 6% of the global population will own a tablet, 20% will own personal computers, and 22% will own smartphones.

6. Connected Cars: How Long Must We Wait?

The near future possibilities for connected cars are examined in this Mashable article, as well as asking the question of “are we there yet?” Desired attributes such as auto-diagnostics, altering routes to avoid traffic jams and parking assistance are highly anticipated, but one of the main issues for developers is the current lack of an industry standard for cars.

7. Battling for the home: new options for the connected consumer

As awareness around smart home technology rises, there has been increased interest in features that are not only compelling, but also affordable. This report at GigaOM discusses several current concerns for this area of innovation, and stresses the need to keep consumers at the heart of development and design.