By Martin Jansen, Owner of Jansen-PCINFO
My wife and I just completed a run of Christmas Stars and MacDowell Male Chorus sang for A Festival of Lessons and Carols. Following this two week run, I immediately came down with COVID-19. It was a miserable couple of days. It’s hard to believe we are still dealing with COVID four years later, but we are probably going to have to be vaccinated every year, just like the flu.
Foldable Computers
From a technical perspective, we’ve seen the advancement of cell phones, especially foldable types. My own Motorola phone was getting unreliable, so I took a chance on a great deal at Consumer Cellular (yes, I am old) and bought a Motorola Razr 2023.
Besides 5G the phone also has NFC (near-field communication) for purchasing and touchless transferring of photos between phones. The small screen on the front also can do more than I first thought. The phone fits nicely in my pocket, unlike phones that are now approaching 7 inch tablets in size.
A few years ago I wrote that foldable computers would take off, 2024 will embolden cell phone manufacturers to make even more interesting phones in the future. Like the Samsung Galaxy Z 5 which folds open for gaming.
Windows 10 Farewell
Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 in October of 2024. Many older computers cannot run Windows 11 due to Microsoft’s TPM requirement. This means that many older computers are going to see the landfill or be turned into Linux computers that do not have the TPM requirement. Some technical publications are stating that Windows 12 (or whatever Microsoft will call the new Windows version) will also be released in 2024. Prediction: due to Microsoft’s spotty record on Windows releases and superstition, there will be no Windows 13.
Single Board Computers
In 2024 we will continue to see the growth of smaller computers in mainstream use. Due to miniaturization of computer components, especially the CPU, desktop computers will be small enough to fit on the palm of your hand, yet be powerful enough to handle everyday tasks. Laptops will continue to get thinner and, with the emergence of ARM based CPUs, we will see a further convergence of tablets and laptops.
Unfortunately, that also means that computers will become more disposable as components such as memory and storage will not be upgradable. Figure a three year lifespan on most computers.
Monitors and Screens
Inversely, monitors and screens will become larger as the aging population’s eyesight fades. The clarity and definition of monitors and TVs will continue to increase into the 8K realm with TVs dominating the living room space of modern homes.
Wearable Technology
We have already seen some advancement in smart watches, but the next big thing will be smart eyewear. Imagine a heads up display (HUD) giving you vital statistics on demand. The size of the screen will not matter because images will be superimposed over the wearer’s view of the world. The technology needs further miniaturization before it can become mainstream.
Finally, Merry Christmas to all! ‘May your days be merry and bright’ as the song goes. Here’s looking forward to a Happy New Year.