Where Are Computers Heading in the Next Five Years and Beyond?

Do you remember when the first primitive computing machines occupied entire floors in buildings? The massive machines from the mid-20th century consisted of row upon row of vacuum tubes and wires. You had to use stacks of punch cards to program these beasts. A single laptop had more information and memory than a single floor of these early computers.

Home Computers and the Future

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were both instrumental in bringing the computer down to size. With the introduction of the personal computer and its widespread acceptance, computers shrunk while processing power increased. Even the bulky monitors got a makeover with today’s flat LCD monitors. Costs have decreased so much over the years that many households own several personal computers using a single wireless network. In truth, nothing will render the home PC obsolete, but technology will change it. Television sets and other appliances can be Internet-enabled and blend appliances into the home network.

Laptops, Netbooks, Ultra-books and the Future

First laptops, then netbooks, and now ultra-books. These mobile devices share several characteristics including the integrated folding design and portability. Differences include size and storage methods. Despite their similarities and differences, future technology points to a trend that could make this category obsolete soon.

Tablets, Smartphones and the Future

After the iPad influenced future computer trends, it was soon followed by a flood of tablets, and soon smartphones as well. With small sizes, simple designs, extreme portability, Internet access, thousands of apps, and loads of features, tablets and smartphones can do just about anything a full-size laptop or netbook can do. They fall short in the keyboard arena, but technology can change this soon.

Speech Recognition and Touchscreen Technology for the Future

While speech recognition is still imperfect, it has improved greatly in recent years. Not only is the keyboard in danger, the mouse is too, thanks to touchscreen technology. Tablets and smartphones currently make use of touchscreen technology and many desktops now come with touchscreen LCD’s.

The future of computers is fast approaching in the next five years and even beyond. If the first decade of the 21^st century is to be used as a guide or indicator, some of the most powerful advances in the world of computers and computer technology are likely to be completely unforeseen, as what happened from 2000 to 2010. After all, some of the most powerful technologies of the past have taken us by surprise.