Predictions for 2010?
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted January 1st 2010 8:30PM
posted January 1st 2010 8:30PM
Chris: In an unprecedented cash and stock deal valued at over $1.7 billion, Comcast acquires your '89 Festiva.
Thomas: Steve Jobs will announce a pair of tablets, then smash them to bits on account of Android idolatry.
Laura: Jeff Bezos will continue to predict the "death of the book." The book will continue to exist merely to spite Bezos.
Don: The world breathes a sigh of relief that the Large Hadron Collider will never create a black hole... after it is destroyed by zombies.
Dan: Apple's stock will plummet when a TUAW investigative report reveals that Steve Jobs actually died in 2002, and has since been portrayed by talk show host cum surreal performance artist, Arsenio Hall.
Nilay: Google finally flips the switch and creates Skynet.
Joanna: The OLPC XO-3 gets an early release date - in the form of the Apple Tablet. Ends world hunger, illiteracy and violence. Saves the world.
Ben: Microsoft agrees that CableCARD is a failure and Media Center along with it and introduces Zune Center.
Josh F: Adult entertainment will kick-start yet another media market, this time in the form of 3D Blu-ray porn.
Richard Lai: Tamagotchi resurrects with 3D monochrome screen, and then dies.
Darren: Intel considers making an Atom that's actually fast, but its bottom line delays the launch until December 31, 2012.
Vlad: Sony Ericsson delivers an Xperia handset on time... nah, just kidding.
Richard Lawler: Nintendo surprises everyone and releases the Wii 3D.
Josh T: Google upends the landscape of the mobile phone market when Eric Schmidt says Apple can "have one of these unsubsidized" while emphatically pointing to his crotch.
I love the way you have predicted, it is awesome. The rumor around Google’s new technology will definitely work well. But I have doubt about the stock market. Because of effect of depression many companies will be wiped out from the market. But I am sure that internet market will achieve their ultimate.
Apple introduces 128gb iPod touch, discontinues the 8gig model. Slashes the price of 32gb to $200, 64gb to $300 and prices the 126gig at $400.
Discontinues the iPod classic.
Introduction of iPad, the Apple tablet which's meant for multimedia viewing and internet surfing. It is NOT a computer, mind you.
Acer introduces a netbook with NEWLY Launched low low cost 1.1ghz Atom, 1gb, 16gb ssd, 8-10inch screen, linux and a 3 cell battery. It would cost some $150.
Project OLPC dropped, Nicholas Negroponte tied up with Acer and the $150 netbook's now the OLPC thingy.
Tata introduces electric version of the car 'Nano' for Urban markets, making you wonder that your $2500 could actually buy a set of 4 wheels which could carry 4 people comfortably.....that too the GREEN way!
They make shoes with BLUETOOTH so that when any of your 2 shoes goes away more than 10 meters, it will start blip, blip, blip.
A new KIRF, copy of Nintendo DSi. It would have 3.5 inch touch screen inside with a full keypad with little gaming nubs. Tegra inside. Wifi, bluetooth, 16gb inbuilt, micro sdhc compatible.
There will be another screen on closing the thing, which would be again a full touch screen and would act as a phone's interface.
The whole thing would cost mere $200.
Let's see
Trends:
SSD (more capacity,less $$) we will reach the 1$ per GB in this year
More Laptops without moving parts (NO Optical Drive,HDD, Fans ... etc) and not only in a small 10" laptop, but will start to see 13-15" laptops that do this. (bye bye optical media)
Peripheral bus war, between USB 3 & Intel Light Peak
External GPU cards!
Netbooks with (AM)OLED display.
Smartphones become mainstream, a new category for extra Nerdy mobiles need to be introduced.
What else...
oh yes Blackberry will go down.
more snuggies.
Apple, in an attempt to fight back against Microsoft's simple yet brilliant "Windows 7 was my idea" campaign asks John Hodgman to get plastic surgery to make him permanently ugly so he can- in apples words- "more properly portray PCs"
sony introduces the VIAO P2: its still too big to fit in any normal person's back pocket, but they get Andre the Giant to be its spokesperson, and a confused public makes it the fastest selling sony product of the decade.
T-mobile sues Engadget for the use of the letter "T" in any blog post, claiming they have the exclusive rights to its use, rights they acquired from ICE T
Obama upgrades to a Blackberry Storm2... the proceeding 72 hours leading up to the angry return of the phone to Verizon will go down as some of the darkest in American history
Arrested Development and Futurama RETURN TO THE SCREEN! (TRUTH!!!)
The DSLR video scene matures more, with new models that blow old, expensive and chunky camcorders out of the water. Features generally reserved for video only cameras costing over 5k are now availible in a compact, capable package for under 1500.
Nilay and Josh F. speak truth~!
The Holy Britannian Empire will take over Japan.
Apple will release a tablet that's nothing more than the love child of a MacBook and a iPhone. Mac fans will love it, the press will love it, and the fantards will then proclaim that Apple invented the tablet computer.
Gartenberg's posts will still have 1000 posts explaining why he's "wrong" or why he's an Apple shill. Same goes for Nilay Patel. Cue posts asking for up/down ranking their posts.
Nokia will whip out another trump card and before we know it, the case will be settled "behind closed doors" and somebody will write a hefty check.
Cheaper Core i5/i7-equipped computers.
Dialup finally dies and we have that broadband standard.
Congress will look into Comcast as a monopoly.
Pictures will surface of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates together clinking champagne flutes as they lol at the Engadget flame wars.
The Thinkpad will pull a Blackberry and move more mainstream. Depending on who you talk to, this will either be a genius move or kill the brand.
Expect more electric-car options. Prices will still be high, though.
could we see in 2010?
-Touch Touch Touch , NEW evolution designs and material touch keyboards and mice, NEW touch screen for windows 7 for the desktop and notebooks, touch e-redaer, touch tablets.
-Maybe Zune Phone for the pro consumer and Win 7 for Biz users, More Zune accessories , More Zune applications?
-Zune will start to compete with Ipod?
@KMGLOBAL
Microsoft will come out with their own phone. but it will probably be laggy with WIndows 7. Unless WIndows 7 mobile is a evolutionary step in software tech.
Plus the New CEO of Samsung is finally amalgamating their electronic divisions. That means that Samsung will stop doing business with Companies that that continue to EAT away Samsun'gs market share. That means Microsoft, and APPLE.
RFID chips hit the iPhone 3GSX - allowing you to pay for anything from a coke at the vending machine to Barack Obama's Toupee on ebay. Mass people then Jailbreak their devices only to discover some Digital Robin Hood has depleted their vulnerable accounts and has used the money to end world hunger.
Since the landmark health bill passes Senate and get's signed into effectiveness - Barack goes to work on his next major initiative - Surplus World War II bombers are pulled from the moth balls and Giant Cheese Wheels do indeed fall from the sky.
Apple stock hits $300 based on iSlate speculation - only to discover that the January event everyone is counting down towards is the launch of the new isLATE (pronounced latte) - a joint venture with starbucks that lets you brew your favorite 5 dollar beverages from the controls on your iphone 3gs. Mass panic hits and the resulting chaos causes a burst of the tech bubble - launching a second recession and ultimately ending the world in 2012.
Facebook users are finally acknowledged to have a disorder leading to a much needed 12 step program - while we are social networking - people realize that Twitter is lame and no one really cares where Ashton Kutcher is taking a dump right now.
Oh and I win the Nigerian lottery this year - and I actually don't have to pay a $1500 check to get my money.
Engadget will finally talk to its parents, and change itself to Outgadget
Apple releases the Macbook Pro with ATI 5650, a real high resolution display, and a matte option that removes to reveal a glossy display at $1500 below current price. Following, the Vatican reveal their copyright on the word "Apple" and the number "7" and will successfully sue and take over Microsoft and Apple, thus taking over the world.
@Trebuin
yeah right.
The aging of the average Engadget reader reaches a point that forces the company to launch a new site called EnMom.
Bad dreams from that picture above.
World of Warcraft : Cataclysm turns out not be a new expansion pack but instead a codename for Blizzard activating the killswitches in all of the copies of WoW (including trial copies) and knocking out tens of millions of PCs, causing purchases of Macs to soar through the roof and angry mobs to descend on Blizzard HQ when they discover that they're still being billed for their WoW accounts. Google end up not releasing Chrome OS but instead a desktop management system which works on both Macs and PC which, upon peak adoption in 2012 becomes self-aware and renames itself Skynet
New social media site......... FaceTit
Two words: Storm Three!
Shortly after unveiling the Nexus One, Eric Schmidt announces his plans for the Death Star. Microsoft scrambles to find Mark Hammil.
Apple releases a device again to change the market of cellphones or laptops, tablet.
Engadget users will continue to cry out for an edit button, and yet again be left with disappointment.
@Phill the Engadget comment system will forever and always be the #1 CRAPGADGET of all time. And they're always posting news late, a day or two after Gizmodo reports them.
Engadget will create a flash-based webgame on Facebook entitled "Super Conglomerate Bros," loaded with legendary iconic corporate figures such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Regis Fil-Aimes, and Jack whats-his-name from Sony. Unlock special E3 arenas, as well as secret press conference halls! All your favorite characters together in one game at last! Who will win? Only you can decide!
(Note: Reggie available only in split-screen 4p mode)
Nexus one realesed, new iphone released. iPhone has better specs, that android collapse. Everybody buys a nokia and than apple announce they will MAYBE make a multitasking iphone in 2059. WM 7 comes out and kills everyone, htc makes hd3 with wm7 and xphone soecs. Than google comes out with Prodroid OS and invade every sphere of life. Mankind dies after flashing a prodroid 3.0alpha rom on the hadron collider system.goigle(evacuated to the Mars before the big boom) rules the world. And then someone finds an iphone...and everything starts again
Hopefully, I get as lucky as Dudley...
Dudley: Mother?
Dudley's Mother: Dudley?
Dudley: Mother, I am calling you to tell you I will be out rather late tonight. In point of fact, I might not be in at all.
Dudley's Mother: You're not in bed, dear?
Dudley: Mother, I have a assignation with a young lady. I am going to explore the boundaries of my manhood. Mother, I am going to get laid.
Dudley's Mother: You're going to be late, dear?
Dudley: Not late, mother, laid; the past participle of the verb 'to lay'. Mother, I am going to screw someone.
Dudley's Mother: Oh!
[faints]
Dudley: Now, I just have to figure out how.
We'll definitely see:
* Wireless energy mouse mats that charge your wireless mouse.
* Memory sticks will no longer require to be plugged into the PC, you'll just place them on your wireless energy mouse mat.
* The OLED lighting market is going to be massive.
* SSDs will dramatically fall in price.
Hope to see:
* Some acutal hardware / storage devices using memristors.
Would like to see, but not holding my breath:
* Significantly better battery life for cells / solar panels.
@no1 how is the wireless mouse mat going to be powered?
@Paul - I'm guessing the mats themselves would be wired, although I suppose it might be possible to have multiple wireless energy hops.
Granted, I would want to see some definitive studies on the safety of wireless power, especially if my hand is going to be on it all day!
Apple releases ipod nano 6g with camera only for still pictures. Following this a 7g model is release with a camera for video and still pictures....but no music.
windows mobile now comes with project natal but is really useful until device is connected to the big screen...
Well, the cia will finally succeed in a false flag attack, leading Obama to declare National Emergency, and people will lose all remaining rights they still had and didn't give value. The dollar will collapse, unemployment will sky rock, Obama will legalize the Illegal immigrates, arguing we those people to pay taxes and save our economy, People will start to riots on the streets, The military will finally be deployed on the streets to counter the chaos, The police will gain immunity to shoot anyone they think its causing civil unrest. They will be trained to go specially after people with freedom written in they shirts, Ron Paul supporters, and believers on the constitution. The government will do a crack down on politicians and people with status who is against its agenda, and imprison them on special facilities (FEMA CAMPS), US citizen will lose all their property right, the land will be sold to pay the debit, more civil unrest, there will be no money to buy food for the majority of the people, the depopulation agenda will take place, meddle class will desapear, the water will be poisoned, few bottle water will be available at too expensive super price, the population will be forced to take a mandatory vaccine, those who refuse, will go to FEMA CAMPS, those who take it, will die with desease, but those with blood type AB, will be immune. bringing down the global population to 500 000 000 as written in (Georgia stoneguide), the currently administration will be said to be the Antichrist, when the real one will assume the UN to govern the whole world, promising the best of the age of aquarium, to participate in the new system, people will be required to inject in their body and technological chip, most will take, those who don't take, will have to wait for divine intervention.
I guess crazy doesn't need paragraphs.
Apple introduces the iToilet
Nvidia release release GT300 with better performance per dollar than ATI's offerings, and every one will be packaged with a copy of Duke Nukem forever wich will look better than crysis 2.
Microsoft will announce that the disbanding of Ensomble studios was a ruse to cover the development of a remake of the first Age of empires game.
EA will announce that a new DUNE RTS game will be released to coincide with the new movie, and it will be just as revolutionary as DUNE 2.
also cancer, world hunger and Global warming will be cured. But before any of these things happen Vogons will destroy earth to make way for a new hyperspace bypass.
2010 will be:
iPod tablet (though the Nook and Kindle will kick its arse in the end)
T-mobile 21mbps HSPA+/3.5G will catch VZW, ATT and Sprint off guard.
At the Google Event on January 5th, Google reveals their biggest troll ever!! It was called the Nexus One because there is only one, then flips the switch for SkyNet...
My 2010 predictions:
PS3-Orb will get delayed to Aug/Sep
All 3 video game consoles will drop their prices by $50 around the october time frame.
The PS2 gets phased-out in March-June, in June PS3 gets PS2 emulator-at a cost.
New PS3 revision to make Blu-ray drive read at 8x (faster load times).
My prediction: A race of aliens is found which we nickname "Buggers" The IF is formed and soon after, America's war on terror ends in effect that te buggers have scathed China. 30 years later, Mazer Rackam takes down the Bugger army. 20 years after that,a new law is put into act that allows people only to have 2 children at a maximum. 10 years after that Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is born as a "third" after his brother, Peter Wiggin and sister, Valentine Wiggin have already been born. 6 years after Ender's birth, he is taken to Battle School, an IF training facility for young children. 5 years later, Ender leads the third invasion and wipe out the bugger race. Meanwhile, back on earth Peter Wiggin, becomes leader of the world. Valentine and Ender leave to go to a bugger planet to be colonists and Orson Scott Card laughs in his grave.
I saw Tamagotchis in Big 5 Sporting Goods for $5.99 today. No 3D screens though.
SEGA totally surprise us and release a new home console that kiss ass all others and begins the 8th generation.
come on, please.
Why can't Ben say something funny like the other engadget writers?
That image is absolute genius...
Shocking even the most jaded analyst, Duke Nukem Forever is finally released...as a text based adventure game.
3D will make it's way to color ebook readers! Hopefully not just a rehash of the red & blue glasses version though.