Predictions for 2009?
By Paul Miller 
posted Jan 1st 2009 12:14PM
posted Jan 1st 2009 12:14PM
See also: predictions for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Tim: The economic downturn boosts bargain-hunting HD DVD adoption rates so high that Toshiba resurrects the format.
Chris: A3000 fever sweeps the globe, leaving Motorola with a commanding 37 percent market share.
Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectively.
Joe: slotMusic will single handedly save the music industry.
Paul: Microsoft will make up for Zune's continued lack of Xbox integration with totally ingenious new methods of locking up the player.
Don: Activision releases Guitar Hero: Air Guitar, Harmonix spends millions trying to play catch-up.
Laura: Tiny iPhone, giant iPod.
Ross: Asimo becomes self-aware, sets off on magical journey to find his true calling
Josh: Steve Jobs lives.
What's your take?
Dear Don,
Guitar Hero: Air Guitar EXISTS. It's worse than you can imagine.
'Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectively'
this corrects to:
'Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectivEEE'
Much better.
'Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectively'
this corrects to:
'Darren: ASUS expands Eee line to the ultraportable and traditional notebook market, calls them Eeee and Eeeee, respectivlEEE'
Now here is a prime example of why we need an edit button...
Not only will S.J. live, but he will yet again revolutionize the work with another iPhone!!!!
Microsoft cave in to investor pressure and can the massively loss making XBox/Zune division. They write off that $8Billion debt.
Engadget readers refrain from posting unrelated replies to the first post on a given subject.
Sorry, my new year's resolution was to be excessively optimistic.
Yes Don, sadly it does exist. I saw it at Best Buy, but it wasn't by Activision, but someone else. Most likely Hasbro.
@Blaine:
Before that correction, it was just plain the stupidest thing i'd ever read...
But good thing you set the record straight!
/sarcam/
Edit:
/sarcasm/
@Blaine:
That's not a name, that's a major appliance...
I agree that steve jobs will live and Apple will revolutionize cable tv with a new an improved Apple tv.
http://www.rockandreview.com
A business model for Twitter?
My predictions.
Apple will release an iPhone Nano that is 2G, plays music, but doesn't offer apps or Wi-fi.
Engadget will be accused of Apple bias because Apple puts out something that everyone likes and buys in record numbers.
The Zune people will say the Zune is still better, even when the iPod Touch comes out with 128 GB of flash memory.
Steve Jobs lives, but passes on the CEO position to Tim Cook and remains as Chairman.
Windows 7 will be delayed.
@ Paul Chapel
The reply system isn't there so you can make your comment appear higher up... it's there so you can reply with RELEVANT comments. And considering where you attempted to place this I'd say you were simply trying to attract flame bait.
Well, thanks to helloUser, my "Engadget will be accused of Apple bias" prediction has already come true.
And I guess I should add, "All of my comments will be low ranked for telling the truth."
Kids these days are sooo obnoxious... sigh
My, my, so much anger on this site. It's just electronics people.
High rank me if you think Paul Chapel is a tool.
DRT, you got my vote. That Chapel guy is SO obnoxious with his... his.. WORDS!
@the trolling dude
Just electronics?!?
G . . . get out, get out now! And don't you ever come back!
Paul Chapel is right.
Yes, Chapel is a troll, but may I ask, what is the point of Twitter? A straight up forum is easier to manage.
ROFL at Chris' prediction! Motorola at 37%? Now that I HAVE to see!
Is it sad that when I saw that the A3000 would supposedly get Motorola 37% market share, I thought this was some prediction for 1990, not 2009?
(For those that don't get it, the Amiga 3000 came out in 1990, and had a Motorola 68030 processor. ;))
Indeed, the more prescient prediction would be 'Palm surrenders'.
Motorola launches some good handsets and apple launches iPhone 3rd gen an nano iPhone
"Harmonix spends millions trying to play catch-up"
Umm, isn't Neversoft trying to catch up to Harmonix right now?
Yeah... Rock band is far better then GH...
Meh, I like GH better.. the squares annoy me.
Operating systems - Windows 7 launched to good reviews, Vista continues to increase marketshare, Apple's marketshare flatlines, people still don't care about consumer Linux.
Computer hardware - Netbooks get bigger and bigger until people eventually realise that they're just underpowered laptops. The market dies.
Phones - Apple release a PAYG iPhone Nano which sells millions. The iPhone stabilises but doesn't make much headway despite a release in 32 GB and the iPod Touch's form factor. The 5800 CWM sells millions in Europe and Asia but less so in the US. The N97 is the phone of the year. Samsung get better and better.
Yeah.
@Mark: you are making the assumption that Nokia - besides producing the most revolutionary music service in 2008 - will learn how to market and execute their brilliant ideas ;)
They do in Europe and Asia. Not so in the US.
It's supposed to be a prediction, as in something likely to happen, not your hopes and dreams.
Well if there was any doubt that you're a troll it's now been dispelled.
I don't understand why saying things that you don't agree with amounts to trolling? You have just as much right to your opinion as I do, but you did say: "Windows 7 launched to good reviews"
It's the launched part that I have a problem with. I mean, COME ON, how long was Vista delayed? You really think it's likely that it will be released on time this year? I think good reviews are more likely. I mean, Windows 7 is just Vista with a better candy shell, that's all. It's not like it's going to be a completely new operating system, much like OS X.
Windows 7 won't be delayed. Its already in beta and perfectly stable
Yeah, it's stable because it's Vista SP2, but once again, I will get low ranked for telling the truth. So be it.
Paul, the reason that people low-rank you is simply because you're an arrogant prick and all you do is bitch. Shut up, dude. No one cares.
Although there is a significant number of Apple haters here, I personally believe there's like three guys who are clearing their cache and refreshing their page every three minutes to low rank me. I would give a crap if I didn't have a life, but I just so happen to be off work today and have some free time.
It's not going to stop me from speaking the truth about Microsoft, Apple or anyone else. I tend to read Low Ranked comments more than other comments and I think a lot of other readers are the same, so no big deal.
So this is what you do on your day off?
It's a Low-Rank fetish.
Ok, Paul,
I dunno if you understand... I may as well be talking to the wind.
People aren't low ranking you cuz they hate apple. It's cuz they dont like YOU.
Hope that cleared things up.
Hey cj, shoud we like, do battle or something?
there can only be one, etc.
Touch screen Zune, Windows Mobile 6.5 or 7, WIndows 7 official beta and Zune for Windows Mobile. Perhaps we'll also get the rumored touchscreen Walkman, and Apple will finally refresh the mac mini.
i think 2009 will be bad for Apple...
A) because of other Companies
i)Microsoft release windows 7,
ii)Android support from SE and Nokia
b) because of Apple
i)Apple will block opera, flash and amazon mp3 store apps from app store
ii) new imacs/mac minis will to expensive for current economic climate, and people won't want the same mac as last year only made out of one piece of metal
iii) Apple will continue to charge for updates, that is if they ever do add copy/paste or flash support
Other predictions, albeit a little more unlikely:
GMail goes out of beta
Duke Nukem forever is released
iEye or Clak hit puberty
gmail out of beta? thats hoping for alot.
1) Chrome gets plugin support and starts to eat into opera and firefox marketshare.
2) IE keeps market share due to fact that only people currently using it. don't see IE as a program but simply as "The Internet"
I further predict that Windows 7 will very good stability. Where as Snow Leopard will lack stability.
I back up this prediction that if Windows 7 were released today, stable. Snow Leopard still has many bugs due to the fact #1 Leopard was far from perfect and #2 Snow Leopard was much to ambitious rewrite into 64 bit without trying to understand the root causes of instability in Leopard. (Networking in particular) Windows 7 was reexamining of what consumers wanted out of Vista and what caused people to have issues. In addition I think Vista was the big change Snow Leopard will be. Losing backward compatibility or trying to emulate it. Vista was necessary evil, like UAC which forced software developer to code responsibility.
@Steve:
I don't know about the prediction for IE. I think it's going to decrease because Google is already pushing for Chrome to be installed on computers you buy at Best Buy right alongside Google Desktop (have you seen a PC lately that DIDN'T have Google Desktop!? It's crazy!) They pushed Chrome out of BETA a million times faster than any of their normal products (like you said, Gmail lol). And, people want to try out Google stuff just because it's Google.
@LJKelley:
Seriously, you know what you're talking about ;-). I seriously wonder if Snow Leopard (which is the equivalent jump Apple is taking that Microsoft made with Vista) could withstand the heat of all the "new" stuff consumers hate if it wasn't for the economic downturn and Apple's high prices. I mean, we're all so eager to check out their new stuff, and they sure know how to make it appealing...
League one, you're still in league one, you're still in league one, you're still in league one.
@Jamma
Seriously, who is this Clak guy? I know iEye, but this Clak dude I've never even seen him, but people always talk about him.
@jamma: I really do wish that DN:forever finaly release's this year. 3 different trailers with 3 different graphics engines.
Buy the end of the year people will be using micro projectors for antisocial purposes (such as shining them in peoples eyes and displaying porn on public transport.)
If they were any more powerful, people would bring them into movie theaters to show GOOD movies for once.
@BigD145
Milk, Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, Gran Torino, Slumdog Millionaire, Burn After Reading, Seven Pounds, Revolutionary Road, etc...
2008 alone has had it's share of great movies. Most likely no timeless classics (except one or two), but definitely not crap.
There's plenty of good movies out if you know which ones to avoid.
who said displaying porn at public transportation had to be antisocial??
Apple shifts completely to the cloud, starts selling subscriptions to OS X.
Intriguing. Too bad your post hasn't gotten any attention. It's hard to think of Apple a big cloud player, but seeing as thats where everything is going, they can't miss the bandwagon. Interesting prediction.
APPLE will make a new iPhone 3G and include either copy/paste or Data Tethering.
Microsoft will release Zune Phone and on December 31, 2011 it will lock up.
Chrysler will be bought out by GM
In December 2009, new specs will leak about the Xbox360 successor which is sophisticated enough to play Crysis
People will actually realize Wii is a waste of money
Engadget will finally add a "Edit comment" button - like every other webblog
"Keeping it Real fake" will enter its 1000th apple ripoff
Clak and iEye's IP addresses will be exposed as the same IP address
Apple will release the Iphone Lte same as iphone 3g but with lte
You do realise that the Zune lock-up is the last day of a LEAP YEAR, i.e. DEFINITELY NOT AN ODD NUMBER, i.e. NOT 2011.
And a certain commenter's S550 gets repossessed. :P
Pah, the xbox 360 and PS3 could already handle crysis - they just wanted to keep it as a showcase for the PC platform. Am I the only one not that impressed with Crysis' visuals? I've played it on high, and I can't say it looks an awful lot better than new xbox 360 releases. I'm sure the 360 could handle it just fine with a little texture compression.
best predictions!!!
Microsoft takes over Yahoo.
Google becomes internet lord.
Apple releases a new note(net)book that owns every other notebook out there!
Microsoft releases new zune which is light years ahead of every other pmp and everyone goes crazy!
MS takes over Yahoo? Want to put money on that one?
The Kindle gets integrated with the Asus Eee. The result is the EeK!
Seriously, I want to see someone integrate an eReader and a netbook.
I believe that's called acrobat reader .
An e-ink/lcd hybrid in a tablet netbook form factor would be awesome.
Not sure such a screen is possible though.
Maybe some sort of transparent OLED screen on top of the opaque eInk display might work - but that's quite far off I guess...
Personally I'd rather just see eInk reader tablets with built in WiFi and browser. Sure you don't get color or multimedia support, but that's a trade-off I'm willing to make for daylight readability and better battery life.
Considering that e-ink is slow, and so principally useful when not inputting, an interesting option would be to slap an e-ink display on the outside of a netbook lid; use it closed as an ebook, or open with the LCD and keyboard. (Obviously, add a couple buttons and/or dpad on the outside, for page turning.)
Benson, that's exactly what I was thinking. An eInk screen 'grafted' if you will, to the lid of a netbook. Then you could read books w/o opening up the netbook if you want. Another option is to make it slide out of the side of the screen. I think we're starting to see secondary lcd screens like that on some newer laptops.
KindlEee
recycled from elsewhere, but appropriate:
It's interesting to note that there were no prognostications for new battery power sources... longer-lasting, higher-power and faster recharge. I don't have any predictions, either.
If I had to make a guess, though, I'd wager that we see some kind of new battery appear in the marketplace (for transportation and portable electronics) by the end of 2009.
I'd settle for simply removable batteries in most portable audio, like we see in digital cameras, laptops, most phones, etc. Why we are still seeing non-removables is well beyond a joke now.
Microsoft release windows 7...
Everyone crys, says its horrible, and swears that they'll never upgrade from vista.
Steve balmer, known for his outrageous style, becomes an overnight rap sensation, that takes the world by storm.
DEVELOPERS DEVELOERS DEVELOPERS!
Seems to me Windows 7 is for Vista what Snow is for Leopard? I think it can't go wrong for the PC community... (and I'm a Macster).
Whatever you really want will be released the day after you gave in and bought what you really didn't want.
Touche
No, we are discussing 2009, not looking back at 2008 ;)
After the manufactures realize the millions of dollars in costs savings by not having to pay royalties and licensing fees, Android astonishes all as it jumps to all manner of new devices, gadgets, phones, netbooks and laptops ( and desktops? ).
Application developers consequently see that it is just 25 bucks, one time fee, to develop for Android and the Android Market place quickly surpasses Apple iPhone app store for most downloads.
I'd be astonished if Android became self aware and jumped to all manner of devices *by itself*.
Otherwise, considering the strong membership of the OHA I expect to see a lot of Android devices.
Maybe not in 09 but definatly by 2010...
And then google claims they are still not evil as they take over the world
Playstation 3 rises from it's slump to become the biggest sell game console ever.
ditto.
With a great lineup for 2009 in EU/US and FF's are being released in Japan it's really possible. CNET predicts the same thing.
Though the sales at the moment are quite good.
lol, good one
@Shin
PS3 sales are lagging considerably behind 360 and wii, how are they doing well?
My prediction: Cheapest PS3 SKU drops to $300, sales increase during most of the year, but come holiday time they do not surpass the 360 or the Wii.
Apple buys Engadget.
Engadget buys Apple
I thought that was last year...
engadget gets a edit post button :D
Engadget gets an edit button but loses the ability to copy / paste on it's site.
Some Engadget editor's predictions seem rather unrealistic. So here's another unrealistic one for you:
In a surprising move, Wii releases an HD add-on HDMI/component display adapter module over USB.
I mean, Nintendo releases... :)
EDIT COMMENT BUTTON IS REQUIRED.
kthxbai
Steve Jobs dies, gets ressurected as undead cyborg Steve Jobs by Apple fans who know too much about the workings of technology (I'm looking at you, Mohammad Haque)
"We can make him faster, better, stronger..."
... Then takes over the world, burning PCs everywhere as he goes.
What a horrible day that would be.
Microsoft releases a web browser for the 360, opens a dev site for Flash games to be played on the 360, releases a motion controller for the 360.
Woot! Inc is bought by Google.
Google launches Google Homes, building houses for the homeless free of charge. The catch? Ads pasted all over the house and each one has a billboard on the roof.