Top 10 technology trends
Imagine a world without camera phones, iPods, online stores, or sat-nav and you'll be back in 1998. The last 10 years has seen an ever-quickening revolution in consumer technology. Here are WGSN's picks for the biggest tech trends that have helped transform our lives.
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Think Tank: future handset trendsMobile technology
The soaring success of mobile technology over the last 10 years - especially the multifunctional mobile (cell) phone - has been nothing short of a revolution.
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Think Tank: future internetSocial networking
Who would have thought a decade ago that conducting your social life online would have moved from being the domain of computer geeks to a mass cultural explosion? The benefits are clear, as keeping up to date with friends has never been easier.
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WGSN News September 6 2007iPod
Its cultural significance goes beyond the renewed boom in portable music players. The technology, combined with style, design and marketing, created a "cool" factor that has yet to diminish.
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Wireless technology
Bluetooth technology and Wi-Fi connectivity have changed the way we live today, from hands-free mobile phone headsets to wireless speakers in home entertainment systems and wireless broadband.
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WGSN News July 18 2008Online retail
The e-tail boom was a key factor in making the internet attractive to resistant consumers, especially older people and women. The trend has changed shopping habits and even the nature of retail itself. In Britain alone, currently 17% of all spending now happens online.
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WGSN News November 8 2007GPS
By using the Global Positioning System - a network of satellites able to pinpoint an object's location on Earth - in cars, phones, PDAs and even clothing, navigation took a giant leap into the 21st century.
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CES trade show 2008Digital cameras
View-as-you-snap photography has consigned traditional film cameras to history - at least in the mass market. Taking the guesswork out of photography, digital imagery has also allowed us to record and document anything and everything, with instant viewing and gratification.
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Digital TV
Analogue signals are switching off as digital TV opens up the airwaves to a multitude of channels and better quality pictures. High-definition programming changes what we see, while pausing and recording live TV allows us the convenience of deciding when we see it.
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Laptops
The one-time second class computing solution is now an affordable, sophisticated, high-power device owned by the masses. Used for communication, research, work and entertainment, it's difficult to imagine life without a portable laptop.
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Online travel
With worldwide travel options booked by the click of a mouse, the traditional travel industry has been turned upside down. In an age of long queues and security precautions, the e-ticket revolution has been a welcome relief.
