Future Development #5 - Phablets

Phone or tablet? Can't decide? Well now there's an answer to your problems...

...Phablets!

A phone-tablet, hence the name. Although the technology behind these isn't new and the idea isn't the most creative ever, they are slowly creeping their way into the market. There are a few very popular devices, mainly the Samsung Galaxy Note, HTC One Max, Nokia Lumia 1520 and iPad Mini, although the iPad Mini isn't really a phablet as it doesn't have the phone element.

Although some consumers hate the idea and see of it as a step backwards to the times of the 'brick' phone others like it, as it gives a mid-range alternative.

Like them or not, it will be interesting to see how these do in the market in the new few months.

Future Development #4 - Apps

Applications. Or Apps for short. Most people now own and regularly use apps on their smartphone or tablet, for browsing social networking, communications, gaming and more useful things like such as turning our phones into torches. Apps are recently new, but have grown rapidly and continue to do so, so who knows where they can go, how long will it be before we can use our phone to put the kettle on for when we walk in the door, we can already control computers and TV's so why does it have to stop there?

There are thousands of apps out there, and it is now easier than ever to join in and develop your own using free programming applications. The future of these apps grows with the development of newer technologies like those previously describe on this blog, who knows what we'll be able to do by pressing some buttons in the next few years. This is in terms of both business in manufacturing goods and providing a service as well as consumers. 

The main issue is though, have we become too reliant on technology and our apps? What happens when things break down, a satellite fails? 

Future Development #3 - Google Glass

Google Glass is another form 'wearable tech' but isn't available to members of the public at the moment, because as it's a Google product, the amount of research and development will be very high to ensure that the product does not fail, and so far from what we've seen it does look very exciting.

A pair of glasses that you can turn a screen on and show everything you wanted to do and talk to it to provide you with information, directions or play music etc, it just sounds like a smartphone we can wear. Similarly to the Samsung Galaxy Gear you can connect your Glass to an Android phone to provide some more features and improvements to those existing features.

But with the product still in research and development it may be a while before it's available for consumers, but it's certainly exciting and one to look our for in the future, as it can only get better and better.

Future Technology #2 - Wearable Tech

Wearable Tech has been all over the main technology news websites, mainly watches and curved glass for screens. But recently Samsung have released their first piece of 'wearable' technology the Samsung Galaxy Gear, a watch, but it's more than just a watch.

This "watch" has many exciting features that we're use to seeing on our smartphones and tablets, such as a camera and some basic apps but the screen size and battery life are what some users are questioning. But if you have a Samsung phone and a Samsung headset you might fancy looking into one as you can connect it to your phone and earpiece to make calls, play music, etc. But if you don't it's probably more of a gimmick. Plus you may look a bit silly if you have a small wrist and large watch, but if that doesn't bother you then, you're fine.

Without a doubt there is potential in 'smartwatches' and other wearable tech but at the moment they still don't have anything on our smartphones.

Retailing from prices between £200 - £450 it may be worth waiting for these to develop even further as no doubt the capabilities of these devices will increase in time to come, and prices may even fall with new developments.