The Future of Computers

Over the last few years it has been exiting to see how computers have changed, and how they have changed the world. Mobile devices have become ubiquitous, almost every new computer has 2-4 cores, and software drives business throughout the world. How will things change over the next few years?

Computers will get faster
As we have started to see over the last little while, computers have started plateauing on overall speed and raw MHz. Instead computers have started getting multiple cores. I think this trend will continue, we will see 4 cores become standard and 8 eight cores become common.

Mobile devices will rule the world
Already many people are using mobile devices, but with smart phones becoming more popular and more functional, we will the web become even more important, and also more critical that it supports devices with smaller screens and different input methods like touch screens

Software Engineers will continue to be needed
Since software is already critical to the world, businesses will continue to need to buy software and hire programmers. This is good news for those of us that are in the industry, and even better news for those that are just getting started.

The future of computers looks pretty exciting. We will continue to see new technologies, and we will continue to see increases in speed. the only thing that is for certain, it that things will continue to change...

Handheld computers

My wife has been trying to decide on some sort of hand held computer/device. At first she wanted an iPhone, then realized the monthly costs weren't worth it. Then she wanted an iPod touch, because it can do many of the same things. Then we stopped by a store and she noticed an Archos internet media tablet. It's got a bigger screen than an iPod touch and some versions appear to run the Android operating system. Now I have the fun task to see if any of these options will actually do what she wants, and then convince her what will be best. Isn't it fun being the local tech guru.

How to Make your Computer Faster

Don't we all want to make our computers run faster? How can you speed up your computer? Here are a few tips for everyone from novice to expert:

1. Uninstall programs that you don't need or don't use: This can be a huge, easy win, because not only do these programs take up space, most of the time they are doing things while your computers is running, slowing it down.
2. De-fragment your hard drive: This can realign the files on your disk, so that programs can start faster and you can open up your files quicker.
3. Reinstall everything on your computer: If your computer seems to be a lot slower than it used to, then you probably have too many things on it, and it might be best to just start over. I generally try to do this on my computers every 18 months or so. This will require more than just basic computer skills to do it right.
4. Turn off unused services and start-up programs: This can help quite a bit if your computer seems sluggish, but this is not for the faint of heart. If you turn off the wrong programs, you can end up with major problems and break everything.
   
5. Add more memory: This can be a cheap easy fix that will help some computers, but not all. Also not all computers will have room for more memory and most operating systems can only use 3-4 GB of memory.
6. Buy a new computer: Especially if your computer is more than 2 or 3 years old, your best bet may be to just buy a new one. Chances are that a brand new $300-400 computer will be way faster than whatever else you have.

If any one else has some good ideas, please let me know and I will add them to the list.

Computers Everywhere

It seems like computers are becoming more and more pervasive. They are all over the place: smart phones, cars, GPS units, and many other devices. Basic computer technology is just so cheap. You can slap a processor, memory and/or flash memory into a very small space for a very cheap price. Some devices might need a screen or some form of input like buttons, but it just depends on what the device is intended for.

Where will the next big push go? I keep hearing about appliances like fridges with built in computers to tell you what's in your fridge and what you need to buy at the store. But these haven't really been widely available. Maybe it will be in clothing? Your show will be able to track and trend how many steps you take, and how far you go on a daily basis.

All I can assume is that computers will continue to be more and more available and used in our every day lives; and not just traditional desktops or laptops. How long until computers will be embedded in us?

Computer prices vs. Computer power

I just finished buying components for a new PC for my wife, and I surprise myself every time with how cheap computers are. For only about $500 I was able to build a quad core computer with 8 GB of memory and a GeForce 9500 with 512 MB of memory and a 500 GB hard drive. I think the first computer that I bought was a 486 DX2 with a 66 MHz processor and I don't even remember how much memory or disk space.

It seems like most people don't even have the need for expensive computers anymore. Most mainstream computers can handle almost anything you can throw at them. There will always be specific tasks that can take advantage of high end computers and workstations, but most people don't need these. From basic tasks like word processing and browsing the Internet, to high end computer games: most computers will handle the job just fine.

When I was younger I always used to dream about high-end super powerful computers. I'd go to a computer website like Dell and spec out the coolest most expensive computer I could. Most of those computers I dreamed about are less powerful than the computer I just bought. I almost think that computers are plateauing: I don't see the same rush to make a faster processor or build a bigger hard drive. Mots of the basic computer technology is more than sufficient for the next few years at least. It just seem like we need processors faster than 3 GHz, or disk drive greater than 1 TB for home desktop computers. What we need now is applications and operating systems that can take advantage of the power they have available to make our lives and jobs easier. Hopefully someone will take the job.

Why are netbooks so popular?

I've been wondering lately why netbooks are becoming so popular. I've always seen these devices as a small niche market between smart phones and real latops. They seem to be smack dab in the middle of the two worlds, with few of the advantages of either. Smart phones are ultra portable - they fit in you pocket. They may lack in processing power and screen real estate, but you can take them everywhere. Laptops are not as portable but you can still take them with you on the go. They can have considerable processing power and good screen size, so they are still very useful computing platforms.

Netbooks seem to fall in the middle. They are small but not small enough to carry in your pocket, seems like you would still need a briefcase or bag to carry them around in. They don't seem much more powerful than a smartphone and have considerably less screen real estate than a laptop.

Maybe I'm just not the target audience. I either want ultimate portability, where I'm willing to sacrifice performance; or I want ultimate power so I can get real work done. But I'm a software developer and a techie, so I probably have different needs than the average Joe.