By Japie Swanepoel on 2004/10/05
I've recently returned from a trip to the UK, and while in London I attended a seminar entitled 'Trendwatching'. Trendwatching.com and its 3,000+ trendspotters scan the US, Canada, European Union, Japan, South Korea, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil and 50 other nations & regions for hot, emerging consumer trends and related new business ideas. They then report on their findings in seminars around the globe. Interesting stuff - watch this space for more details about their latest findings!
In the meantime, these were some of the emerging technology trends I picked up during my stay in the UK:
Broadband is Big
The growth in the use of internet applications in everyday life is growing at an exponential rate. One of the biggest trends is the unstoppable growth of broadband internet connectivity, especially for home use. In the UK, for as little as only - 19.99 you can get access to unlimited, always- on broadband internet at home. There are currently 1 million UK households with broadband, and new subscriptions are in the order of 42 000 per week!
Apples and Blackberries
A neat internet / phone tool called the Blackberry ( www.blackberry.com ) is the toy to have for business people on the move. A combination of a Palm Pilot and a cellphone, the Blackberry allows you to access email on the move. While you're riding the tube, train or bus, you can check your mail - and really never be out of touch again. Scary, but that's the way things are going in the "naughties"!
Another favourite pastime for commuters is the Apple iPod. This music player allows people to download music from the internet and then listen to it directly from the small handheld device. The music download business is consequently also huge. Apple reckons that at least 500 000 songs get downloaded per month. Even the EasyJet guys are going into that business now, with www.easymusic.com. This just goes to show that wherever there's a demand, there'll always be people jumping to supply.
Wireless Connectivity
Coffee shops, airports, stations, hotels, you name it - all are going wireless these days. Most upmarket UK hotels have a wireless broadband internet connection, meaning guests can move around the hotel with their laptop and not worry about wires and connections. Wireless is becoming a worldwide trend, so make sure your next laptop has a wireless chip. Then, see whether there are ways you can improve your offering to your clients or your own efficiency by installing a wireless connection at your place of business. For all wireless hotspots around the world, visit www.wifinder.com.
Want More?
If you would like any specific references or sources of articles or trends in the UK and Europe noted from the seminar I attended, please email us on info@quirk.co.za.
'Til next time!
