About a month ago, I posted my last ever article for the Occidental Weekly, a piece about the then unannounced iPhone 4. However, that wasn’t my original idea for my last college newspaper article ever–I had wanted to go out with a bang. My idea was to write a wide-spanning piece about where consumer technology is heading, and offer some concrete advice that readers could use going forward. Unfortunately, that article wasn’t able to get printed in the paper, but I did ultimately write it, and there’s no better place to publish it than right here. Here it is:

In the last four years, there have been astronomical changes in technology. Back in the stone age–2006–nobody had an iPhone, having a flat screen TV was a big deal, and if you used the word “tweet” people would have thought that you were crazy. The idea that you could browse the internet from your phone–or have your mom friend you on Facebook–seemed like a ridiculous impossibility.

Technology is going to keep on changing in new and hard to predict ways, but it is possible to look ahead at what’s coming down the pipeline, and to be ready to adopt or accommodate things as they come. This is my take on where things are trending, and what these changes will mean for consumers.

Ebooks:

Ebooks are going to become mainstream–there are too many big companies with too much money behind ebook efforts for them to fail. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and even Apple have all gotten into the ebook game. Publishers have the opportunity to avoid the printing costs on books, and electronics companies want to get paid to sell something that costs practically nothing to deliver, so the draw of ebooks to these firms is clear.

The advantages of ebooks for consumers seem obvious–readers can carry thousands of books with them on one device, look words up in the dictionary on the spot, and search the text of the book for the phrase they’re looking for. The problem is, no ebook reader experience really matches that of a physical book. Furthermore, the various and companies each have their own ebook stores that don’t work on their competitor’s devices. For instance, if you buy a book from Amazon’s Kindle store, you won’t be able to view it on any non-Kindle software.

Savvy consumers should wait to see how things play out and which ebook formats and readers become dominant. Otherwise, they risk getting locked into a company’s system that may not survive in the long term, and lose their books in the process. Alternatively, consumers can seek out ebooks that are free from copy protection and are in open formats like pdf or epub that most (but not all) ebook readers can display. Websites like Project Gutenburg feature thousands of out of copyright works (such as books by Jane Austen, James Joyce, and H.G. Wells) for free in these formats.

3D:

Now that everybody has upgraded to HDTVs, here comes 3D to get you to buy a new TV all over again. The very first 3D TVs are just starting to come out, and content is coming later this year, including 3D Blu-Rays (which will require a new Blu-Ray player), 3D videogaming on the Playstation 3, a 3D ESPN channel, and 3D movie channels on DirecTV. The problem is nobody seems certain whether people are willing to wear glasses to watch their TV.

Without glasses, 3D content is blurry and unwatchable, which means that users must be willing to wear the glasses, and will need to buy enough glasses for everyone who would possibly need one. Imagine having a movie watching party and needing to worry about having enough pairs of glasses to go around. Different companies use different glasses technology (though fortunately the TVs all take the same 3D inputs), and many of them are expensive (think $150 for a pair). Further, some people have issues with glasses-based 3D, complaining of eye strain or headaches. All this makes me wonder whether 3D will catch on with mainstream buyers in the near term.

If you have a lot of money, there’s no reason not to go 3D now (in the worst case 3D TVs can act like regular HDTVs), but for everyone else the best idea is probably to wait to see if this technology takes off. 3D will only get better as time passes, and prices should drop as it does. The tipping point will come when the TVs can deliver an experience so compelling and immersive that it is worth the tradeoffs of the glasses for most people. I think that day will come, but we’ll have to see how long it takes to get to that point.

Phones as Computers:

Phones today are as powerful as desktop computers were just a few years ago, with gigahertz processors and hundreds of megabytes of RAM. Phones are able to do more and more of the tasks that were previously only the domain of full computers, such as surfing the full internet, creating Excel Spreadsheets, or editing HD video.

Things are only going to keep going further in this direction as the phone moves to being not only the primary communication device, but also the primary computing device in people’s lives. Already, the new iPhone operating system has been revealed with the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously, and the forthcoming Windows 7 phones will have a desktop-like Microsoft Office suite and can play games on Xbox Live.

This is probably the most fast moving area in tech right now, and phones are going to keep doing more and more astounding things. One of the most cutting edge of these is something called augmented reality. Augmented reality applications use the phone’s camera and GPS to present a live view of the things around you with a layer of information on top of it. For instance, it can show you what the buildings around you are, or the subway lines beneath your feet. They have the potential to provide literally anything you would want to know about the things around you.

The rapid innovation in phones means that they are becoming obsolete more and more quickly, which is frustrating since most cell phone buyers are only eligible for an upgrade every two years (you can buy a phone when not eligible, but it typically costs hundreds of dollars more). But, all this innovation does mean that we’ll soon be carrying devices in our pockets that will be able to do pretty much anything we can think of, and that is really exciting.

Related Posts:

• Apple’s Long Term Strategy for the Ipad
• Article: How Publishers Can Make Electronic Textbooks Successful
• The iPhone 3GS: My Impressions

This is my last article for the Occidental Weekly, so it’s only fitting that it’s a Tyler the Tech Guy column. I discuss the forthcoming iPhone model, including the upcoming software (OS 4.0) and the leaked phone prototype.

Click here to read the story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

I wrote the following article for the April Fool’s edition of the Occidental Weekly, which, unfortunately, isn’t available online. However, if you are around Occidental be sure to pick up a copy — the entire thing is hilarious.

The Apple iPad comes out this Saturday, April 3, and I am bringing you the world’s first review of the device. No, I haven’t used it yet – nobody has. It doesn’t matter, you should go and buy one right now (or go start forming the line down at the Apple store).

It’s a magical device! Apple says so. There aren’t any other gadgets out there that let you perform actual supernatural feats.

Any old PC can let you read your email, but only the iPad lets you read your friends’ internal monologues (in 3D). And while I can create a classic lolcats image using Photoshop on any desktop, the iPad can summon a real, talking lolcat (or laser cat) that keeps getting itself into adorable situations.

Those are just examples. The iPad still does all the things that the iPhone can do, like find your precise location in Google Maps (as long as you’re not in China… then Google has NO IDEA where you are), or watch a cat play the keyboard on YouTube.

And, as always, “there’s an app for that”. The iPad has access to thousands of applications. This includes apps that can make it look like you’re drinking a keg of beer, send you back in time to 1986, tap for mana of any color, and let you pass through the barrier onto Platform 9 and ¾.

Now, the iPad isn’t perfect. Sometimes, seemingly at random, it will crash and give you an error message, stating, “You have displeased the iPad.” Currently, the only fix is to coddle the device for a while, whispering lullabies to it.

Also, the iPad has a tendency to disappear in a puff of red smoke with Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ laughter audible in the background. It will usually reappear hours later in a completely different location. When asked for a solution to this problem, Apples’ Geniuses shrugged, stating that the device wouldn’t be magical if they or we knew how it worked. However, they did say that this behavior is “definitely not covered by the warranty.”

These minor flaws are no reason to not run out and pick up an iPad right now. What are you waiting for? Go. It’s not too late to for you to be that one guy who camps outside the store overnight for no discernable reason.

Related Posts:

• The Apple iPad: Impressions and Analysis
• Apple’s Long Term Strategy for the Ipad
• The iPhone 3GS: My Impressions

Are students soon going to be carrying around all their textbooks on devices like the Kindle? In an article I wrote this week for the Occidental Weekly, I discuss the implications of textbooks as ebooks, and why I think e-textbooks aren’t yet ready for prime time.

Click here to read the whole story >>

Also check out what I’ve written about the pros and cons of electronic textbooks, and how publishers can make electronic textbooks successful.

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

In an article for the Occidental Weekly, I look at Microsoft’s recently announced Windows Phone 7 Series, which does something unique — integrates Xbox Live into the cell phone. Here’s the article lead:

As a generation, we are fixated on “converged devices” such as iPhones and Blackberries that not only function as cell phones but as mp3 players, internet browsers and GPSs. In order to really succeed in the market, companies are constantly competing to create the phone with the most useful apps and most advanced features. In 2010, Microsoft is set to take phone utility and innovation to a whole new level. Last week in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress, the largest international trade show for cellular phones, Microsoft unveiled its plans for an unprecedented combination: a cell phone with Xbox gaming capabilities.

Click here to read the whole story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

Is the Apple iPad a game changer… or will it ruin Apple’s hot streak? In an article for the Occidental Weekly, I give my impressions of Apple’s latest “magical” device. Here’s the article lead:

Last Wednesday, Apple unveiled the iPad, a top-secret product that they have been working on for years. Tech-lovers across the globe eagerly awaited this unveiling only to be disappointed: Apple’s latest innovation is… a giant iPhone.

Click here to read the whole story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

The rumors of a Bing-News Corporation exclusivity deal seem to have died down recently (with the holidays and then CES occupying everybody’s time), but now that I’m back I still want to post an article I wrote for the Occidental Weekly last month about the deal, and its ramifications (good and bad) for everybody who uses the internet. Here’s the article lead:

Many of us rely on Google for all of our Web search needs. But what if Google no longer had all of the answers? Recent negotiations between Microsoft and News Corp. may threaten Google’s perceived control of the Internet.

Click here to read the whole story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

I offer tips and tricks for getting most out of Gmail in an article for the Occidental Weekly. Many businesses and schools (including Oxy) have been switching over to Gmail, and Google’s email interface can take a little getting used to. This guide should help make the transition a little easier, and provide knowledge that will be helpful to all Gmail users. Here’s the article lead:

The Gmail interface is different from most other e-mail programs, and it can take a little getting used to. But if you take the time to learn the tricks and nuances of Gmail, it can prove to be a quick and efficient program. Whether you’re using Gmail reluctantly or lovingly, these tips should help make dealing with your Oxy e-mail (or any Gmail account) easier.

Click here to read the whole story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

I cover the FCC’s net neutrality proposal in this week’s Occidental Weekly. Read on for a description of what net neutrality is, how it can affect you, and what it means for everyone using the internet. Here’s the article lead:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) formally proposed rules mandating net neutrality on Oct. 22. Net neutrality, in general terms, is the theory that everyone should have equal and open access to the Internet. If the rules go into effect, things are likely to remain relatively the same as they currently stand—however, if the rules are stopped in Congress, it could affect the Internet experience of everyone, including users of Occidental’s network.

Click here to read the whole story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.

My Tyler the Tech Guy column in this week’s Occidental Weekly is a variation of my post about what Google’s new free GPS software will mean for the GPS market, but with a key difference — I focus on what Google’s offering will mean for consumers (aka us).

Click here to read the story >>

A complete archive of all my writing for The Occidental Weekly, including past Tyler the Tech Guy articles, can be found here.