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Revisiting the Top Tech Trends of 2012 By Barry Levine December 28, 2012 11:23AM     Which tech trends influenced your life and your work in 2012? Did you add a tablet to your arsenal of tech gadgets to bridge the gap between your PC and your smartphone, or maybe just for fun? Were you able to start working from home thanks to cloud computing? Or did life get easier because of BYOD -- now being able to bring your devices to work?   Related Topics Tech Trends Cloud Computing BYOD Big Data Mobile Tech Smartphones Tablets Latest News Chrome Gets Conversational Search Attention GIFers, It's Pronounced 'Jif' Nvidia GPU Boosts Citrix XenDesktop Security Alert: New Trojan Attacking Blue Coat Beefs Up Big Data Security The past year seems to have been one of the most evolutionary years in tech history, as our phones and computers got lighter, thinner, and smarter in so many ways. As we say goodbye to 2012, we spoke with some of the tech industry's top gurus to see which technology trends they think have been the most interesting or influential this year. For analyst Charles King, who works with information-technology research firm Pund-IT, the top three tech trends of the year were Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Bring Your Own Device, better known now as BYOD . Analysts Laura DiDio, Ross Rubin and Al Hilwa concur in part, and also chimed in with their take on other emerging trends, ranging from enterprise mobility to smart technology for the home. Cloud Computing For anyone still unfamiliar with the concept, "cloud computing" refers to the use of computing resources over the Internet or other networks. It's been called the next step in the Internet's evolution. Actually, the "cloud" in cloud computing doesn't exist in reality. Instead, it refers to the practice of using a cloud-shaped symbol in network diagrams to represent all the hardware and software that users can access remotely via their computer or other devices like tablets and smartphones. Cloud computing, King said, "seems to be gaining increasing definition, both in the way companies and consumers are using it, and also in the maturity of related services and solutions." In fact, the cloud has forever changed the way people work, by enabling them to access company programs and data from home or virtually anywhere. Of course, Internet access was the first step in that direction, many years ago. But, cloud computing takes remote access a step further by giving employees and other workers access to secure files and enterprise applications, allowing collaboration from afar. Big Data The more people talk about Big Data, King mused, "the more confusion seems to result." This is partly because vendors are trying to reposition the discussion to benefit their own offerings, he said. (continued...) 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  Next Page >   Tell Us What You Think Comment: Name: Jana Davidson: Posted: 2012-12-30 @ 5:18pm PT Love my iPad!! Luanne: Posted: 2012-12-30 @ 5:16pm PT I started working from home 2 years ago and love it. I couldn't do it without cloud computing, so it definitely gets my vote for best technology -- but also tied with my smartphone. Being able to see and respond to my customers' email anytime, anywhere is so helpful. Also Visit: iPad Info Center Billions of Bytes Mobile Device Now Apple Info Center TopTechWire.com Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers are engineered to withstand drops, spills, dust and grime, and to perform in the harshest environments. Rugged reliability, low cost of ownership and accolades from reviewers are just a few of the reasons why Toughbook computers keep winning over the world's toughest users. Click here to learn more.  Cloud & Virtualization 1.   Nvidia GPU Boosts Citrix XenDesktop 2.   Dell Kills Its In-House Public Cloud 3.   Cloud Computing Gains Another Rival 4.   Investors Funding Cyberwarfare 5.   HP Boosts Data Center IT Automation

Product Information and Resources for Technology You Can Use To Boost Your Business BYOD & MDM   Forrester Research Inc., Report: BYOD from AT&T. Make everyone more efficient. CRM Systems   Unlock the potential in your people with Microsoft Dynamics   How Microsoft Dynamics helped mobilize retail businesses   2 million CRM success stories and counting...   Experience CRM and Business Success today with Salesforce.com.   Optimize CRM with Data Quality Management. More from Trillium Cloud & Virtualization   Riverbed Stingray Traffic Manager on Amazon Web Services Contact Centers   Unlock the potential in your people with Microsoft Dynamics   Unlock the potential in your people with Microsoft Dynamics Customer Data   See how you can benefit from Microsoft Dynamics Customer Service   Improve your customer relationships with Microsoft Dynamics   2 million CRM success stories and counting...   Unlock the potential in your people with Microsoft Dynamics   Unlock the potential in your people with Microsoft Dynamics Data Security   Simpana® 10 software: an exponential leap forward Enterprise Hardware   The 2013 Toughpad™ tablets. Rugged, secure and built for business.   The best document scanner for you? Try KODAK's scanner selector   APC makes it easy for you to focus on business growth, not downtime. Enterprise I.T.   Brocade's mission: Making networks easier to deploy, manage, and scale.   11 Challenges Solved by Infrastructure for Small IT Environments Enterprise Software   Get critical data off paper and into SharePoint! Watch the video.   Simpana® 10 software: an exponential leap forward Hardware   The 2013 Toughpad™ tablets. Rugged, secure and built for business.   Rugged and reliable Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers Innovation   The best document scanner for you? Try KODAK's scanner selector   Brocade's mission: Making networks easier to deploy, manage, and scale. Laptops & Tablets   Rugged and reliable Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers. Mobile Tech   Rugged and reliable Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers Small Business   The best document scanner for you? Try KODAK's scanner selector Tech Trends   APC makes it easy for you to focus on business growth, not downtime.

Enterprise Hardware Spotlight

Dell Kills Its Public Cloud Effort, Will Offer Partner Marketplace Putting the kibosh on its efforts to build out a public cloud, Dell has announced a new program to offer a choice of cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service through a central marketplace of partners.   Dell's Dismal Quarter Shows PC Maker's Challenges Dell's financial decay worsened during its latest quarter as the company slashed its personal computer prices in response to the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets in the beleaguered industry.   U.S. Defense Department Gives iOS 6 Security OK In a vote of confidence for Apple's iOS devices, the Defense Department has given the all-clear for employees to use iPads and iPhones for work. But only those running iOS 6, and only if issued by the government.

Mobile Enterprise Spotlight

Google Adds Conversational Search to Chrome If you like chatting with Siri, sending voice texts while driving or telling your Xbox when to pause or rewind a DVD, you're going to enjoy the upgrade to Google's Chrome browser.   HTC Execs Bolt, Sales Slide. Is the End Near for the Company? What's going on with HTC? A string of executives quitting and slowing sales for new phone models are raising questions about the health of this major phone maker. Is the end in sight?   Walter De Brouwer's Magical Medical Tricorder In cluttered old offices rooted in the past, Walter De Brouwer works feverishly to conjure the future, hammering away on a gadget that promises to revolutionize the way we monitor our health.

Enterprise Technology Spotlight

New Nvidia Chip Boosts Citrix Graphics for Remote Workers The latest Nvidia Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) promises to boost remote graphics sharing through the Citrix remote desktop service. The new chip delivers better graphics for remote workers.   Security Alert: Beware of Tiffany Trojan on the Attack Malware writers are using a luxury name to hack your PC. Security watchdog Sophos reports e-mails appearing to be from Tiffany.com carry an attachment that can install a malicious Trojan on your PC.   Blue Coat Beefs Up Big Data Security with Solera Buy California-based Blue Coat Systems is expanding into Big Data security in the advanced threat protection space. The company has snapped up Intel-backed Solera Networks for its DeepSee platform.

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