1. At Work--and at Play
At the 2005 E3 trade show, the big news was the extreme capabilities of the next Xbox and PlayStation consoles--these machines will more closely resemble home media computers rather than game devices. And with flat-screen monitors that double as TVs and cell phones that double as PDAs and MP3 players, the convergence of tech for work and play may reach a crescendo in the next few years.
What does this mean for your business? Maybe you'll return to the heady dotcom days and offer your employees a game console for break times. After all, you can also use it to play back video and digital photos in meetings. And a cell phone that plays music could be handy in traffic, but one that plays MP3s of the latest business audio book can also keep you informed on the go. So don't pooh-pooh the latest consumer devices as having no potential for business use--with a little imagination, you can mix business and fun.
2. Prepare to Get Mini
The mini computer packs a full-fledged PC into a package the size of a laptop battery, and can be used at your desk or as a portable computer--they're smaller than the slimmest laptops, and they don't have the limited capability of a PDA. And they come equipped with all processing power, memory and ports you'd expect in a regular computer, minus the bulk and weight. Some have docking cradles and can be used as tablets, while others feature slide out screens, but they're all small enough to be able to slip into a purse or pocket. Unfortunately, they're still cost prohibitive: A mini PC can cost as much as $4,000, whereas a regular computer with the same processing power can be purchased for less than $500. At this point, mini PCs are really a fashion statement for the ultimate early adopter, but keep your eyes peeled because once prices drop, they could change the way that everyone does business out of the office.
3. Next Gen Cell Phones
3G, or third-generation, cell phone networks are popping up all across the country. And they're not just for making phone calls. Current releases offer a variety of capabilities, including on-demand video services that let you watch streaming video clips on your phone, built-in camcorders that record video, still cameras to snap pix, MP3 players to play your favorite music, and mini SD cards, Memory Sticks or Multimedia Memory Cards to save and transfer it all between devices. 3G Smartphones sport mini keyboards to save your thumb from cramping up during marathon text message sessions, feature Windows Mobile OS and can be Bluetooth or Wi-Fi-enabled. GPS-equipped cell phones also just made their debut. Use them to get driving directions while on the road or to keep track of employees.
4. Inventory Gets Smart
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) embeds tiny data-packed radio transceiver chips into all kinds of goods and containers. Like a talking bar code, an RFID chip can talk to a scanner several feet away and tell it far more than a printed label, even from inside an unopened carton. The technology has been around for decades, but has only recently come into use. The Department of Defense and Wal-Mart are already taking advantage of RFID. Once pricing gets friendlier and some standards are worked out, the technology will trickle down to smaller retailers and businesses.
"When transportation companies begin reading carton and pallet tags as shipments are loaded, transferred and delivered, this could provide smaller retailers with the same level of tracking that UPS and FedEx provide," says Bert Moore, director of IDAT Consulting and Education, a Pittsburgh technology consulting firm. "Better tracking will allow managers to better schedule work flow and inventory."