10 technologies shaping the future of IT

Which of today's newest shipping technologies will cast the longest shadow over business computing? Here are our best guesses

10 emerging technologies that will shape IT's future

Everyone is a trend watcher. But taking a hard look at the technologies that gave life to the latest buzz phrases is the only way to determine which trends will actually weave their way into the fabric of business computing.

Here at InfoWorld, we're every bit as excited about big changes in the direction of enterprise IT, from the consumerization of IT to infrastructure convergence. But what vapor-free technologies have actually emerged to enable these IT strategies to take shape, and more importantly, which will cement these changes in your IT department in the years to come?

Among the technologies shipping but not yet widely adopted, we see the following 10 having the greatest impact over the long haul. Get to know them.

10. HTML5

Naysayers point out that we've been putting tags together to form Web pages since the beginning of the World Wide Web. HTML5 has simply added new ones. But while HTML5 looks similar to old-fashioned HTML, the tasks it accomplishes are dramatically different. Local data storage, , and  make it possible to do much more than pour words and images into a rectangle. Plus, the new HTML5 WebSockets spec defines a new way to conduct full-duplex communication for event-driven Web apps. And with Adobe's decision to end development of mobile Flash, an entire sector of the Web development industry is going to retool as we move to HTML5 from Flash -- a tectonic shift for Web developers.

9. Client-side hypervisors

Desktop virtualization faltered for two reasons: It requires continuous connection between client and server, as well as a beefy server to run desktop VMs. Client hypervisors solve both problems. Install one on an ordinary machine and leverage the processing power of the client. Laptop users can take a "business VM" with them containing the OS, apps, and personal configuration settings. That VM is secure and separate from whatever else may be running on that machine -- including malware accidentally downloaded -- and you get all the virtualization management advantages, such as VM snapshots, portability, and easy recovery. Client hypervisors point to a future where we bring our own computers to work and download or sync our business VMs to start the day.

8. Continuous build tools

The more collaboratively minded developers among us like the way continuous build tools like Jenkins,Hudson, and other "continuous integration" servers help us work together for the betterment of the whole. These tools put all code through a continuous stream of tests, alerting developers about problems with code they checked in some 10 seconds ago, keeping everybody moving toward the same goal.

Tools like Hudson or Jenkins aren't new -- there have been a number of slick proprietary continuous integration tools for some time, but the emergence of open source solutions encourages the kind of experimentation and innovation that comes when programmers are given the chance to make their tools better.

7. Trust on a chip

Assuring security at the highest application level requires verification at every layer, including the physical construction of the computing device. Enter trust on a chip.

The TPM (Trusted Platform Module) from the TCG (Trusted Computing Group) was the first popularly adopted hardware chip to assure trusted hardware and boot sequences. Last year, Intel combined the TPM chip and a hardware hypervisor layer to protect boot sequences, memory, and other components. Any software vendor can take advantage of it. Hardware trust solutions aren't perfectly secure, as the Princeton memory freeze and electron microscope attacks showed, but they beat software-only protection solutions. The hardware protection schemes will only get better. Soon enough, every computer device you can use will have a hardware/software protection solution running.

6. JavaScript replacements

JavaScript may be the most commonly executed code on the planet, but for all its success, everyone is moving on to the next thing. Some want to build entirely new languages that fix all of the troubles with JavaScript; others just want to translate their code into JavaScript, so they can pretend they don't use it.

Translated code is all the rage. Google's Web Toolkit cross-compiles Java into JavaScript so the developer types only properly typed Java code. Some translations are cosmetic: Programmers who write in CoffeeScriptdon't need to worry about much of JavaScript's punctuation because the cross-compiler inserts it before it runs. Other translations, such as Google's Dart, are more ambitious, pointing to a future of ever more options.

5. Distributed storage tiering

Vastly faster than disk and many times cheaper than DRAM, NAND flash memory is a hot commodity that will heat up further when storage management software catches up with its potential in the data center. Its combination of high speed and low cost makes it excellent for server-side cache and a natural choice for tier-one SAN storage.

With the cost of flash dropping and the capacities of SSDs on the rise, the days of disk drives in servers and SANs appear to be numbered. The best part: Flash storage will enable server-side storage to be managed as an extension of the SAN, storing the most frequently accessed or I/O-intensive data closer to the app. It's like caching, but smarter and more cost-effective.

4. Apache Hadoop

Hadoop breaks new ground by enabling businesses to deploy clusters of commodity servers to crunch through many terabytes of unstructured data -- simply to discover interesting patterns to explore, rather than to start with formal business intelligence objectives. Tools like Apache Hive and Apache Pig have made exploiting Hadoop easier for developers, and the evolution of the Hadoop ecosystem points to further ease and deeper insights in the years to come.

As Hadoop solutions proliferate, businesses will better be able to predict the behavior of Web customers, optimize workflows, and discover patterns in everything from medical histories to common search terms. The best thing about the new wave of Hadoop analytics is that we're only beginning to discover where it may lead.

3. Advanced synchronization

Apple and Microsoft agree: It's time to say good-bye to single-user environments, where each device is a separate island from the rest of the user's computing world. Apple paved the way with iOS and iCloud, introducing a cloud-based syncing service across devices. Microsoft's Windows 8 takes the concept further, keeping not just data but application state in sync.

This shift will drastically change how people work on computers, giving applications dramatic new utility. Automatic data syncing coupled with context, such as location, available input methods, connectivity, and sensor-driven data, will give rise to truly user-centric computing, profoundly altering how IT approaches applications, security models, and other tech policies and strategies centered on user productivity.

2. Software-defined networks

Data center networks have grown calcified over time. While servers and storage have benefited from software abstractions, networks have remained hardware-bound and static, making them a major roadblock to cloud computing. Enter SDN (software-defined networking), which drapes a software layer over switch and router hardware to serve as both a centrally managed control plane and a platform for innovation.

SDN isn't network virtualization; rather it is a way to "program the network" -- that is, it allows cloud providers and ISVs to build new networking capabilities the rest of us can draw on. The leading example of SDN today is OpenFlow, the brainchild of university researchers who wanted to experiment with new network protocols on large production networks.

1. Private cloud orchestration

With a private cloud, IT managers can borrow technologies pioneered by public cloud providers and apply them to their own data center. These clouds have many moving parts -- virtualization management, chargeback systems, self-service provisioning -- hence the need for orchestration. Open source project OpenStack has gained considerable momentum offering a core set of cloud orchestration services.Eucalyptus is another alternative, offering essentially a private cloud implementation of Amazon Web Services.

It may be easy to be cynical about any technology attached to the term "cloud," but no one questions the benefits of pooling resources for greater economies of scale. Paradigm changes demand new ways of working -- and the emerging collection of cloud orchestration software supplies the means.

Source: itworld.com

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Five new technologies for your home

Many new technologies and gadgets have taken a back seat to the news of 3D television. Yes, 3D HDTV is astonishing. However, there are some new products out there that will not only improve your geek lifestyle, but also won't require you to wear hulking glasses. Here are five such items. Enjoy!

Can't find your remote control? No problem.

The Re™ from New Kinetix can turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a universal remote control. Simply snap on the IR attachment, download the software, and you can control your home theater with probably the best illuminated remote you'll ever see. Essentially, this application turns your iPhone/iPod into a learning remote. You hold your antiquated remote face to face with the dongle and the software will copy the infrared signals needed to operate your television, sound system, etc.


Price: Not yet set

RGB and...Y? QuadPixel technology is here!

The combination of the colors red, green and blue produces the millions of colors that you see on your LCD television (or computer monitor). Even the most beautiful of modern televisions are limited to these mere millions of colors your screen can produce. No longer. Sharp is introducing it's new QuadPixel LCD TV which adds in a yellow filter to produce more than a trillion colors.

Price: $3,600

Portable Digital TV and DVD player

Are your kids tired of watching the same ol' DVDs as you travel over the river and through the woods? Philips understands. It has introduced the first portable DVD player that can also pick up digital TV stations. Never miss American Idol again when you're traversing this great nation.

Price: $180

Out of the box thinking

The Armour Group has developed a marvelous little radio called the Q2 Cube that tunes in to your favorite internet radio stations. Change the station by physically flipping the box onto one of it's four sides. Volume control? Tilt the box backwards or forwards.

Price: Not yet set

6 in 1 television

So the other day I was talking to a friend who is a huge sports fan. This product is for him. Samsung has developed the first multi-screen 60-inch HD monitor. Six separate screens that can work in concert or individually. Just think of the possibilities...!

Source : ITworld.com

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Bill calls for NASA to continue push to Moon

Legislation would halt space shuttle retirement and continue human space flight plan
President Barack Obama's plan to push NASA to scrap the "Obama budget scraps NASA manned moon mission" and contract with commercial companies to build space taxis is meeting with some resistance in Congress.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) yesterday introduced a bill that would undo NASA's plans to retire its aging space shuttle fleet later this year. The bill would also require that NASA continue on with its Constellation program, which calls for building rockets and spacecraft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and further into space.

"We must close the gap in U.S. human space flight or face the reality that we will be totally dependent on Russia for access to space until the next generation of space vehicle is developed," said Sen. Hutchison, in a statement. "If the space shuttle program is terminated, Russia and China will be the only nations in the world with the capability to launch humans into space. This is unacceptable."

Hutchison introduced the bill just a little more than a month after the president released his 2011 federal budget proposal, which would eliminate NASA's plan to return humans to the moon by 2020.

The budget plan aims to turn the agency's attention to developing new engines, in-space fuel depots and robots that can venture into space.

NASA administrator Charles Bolden has repeatedly said since the budget plan was proposed that the Constellation program is behind schedule, and projected to ultimately be over budget. He said he feared that NASA's Constellation program would sap funding and attention from developing new technologies.

Sticking with the plan would also drain funds from the space spation program, and would force NASA to withdraw its support from the international effort as early as 2015, he added.

The Obama administration's new plan calls for NASA to work with commercial aeronautics companies to design and build so-called space taxis that could take astronauts to the space station and eventually into outer space.

Obama's plan - and the fact that it could lead to job losses in both Florida and Texas -- got a pretty chilly reception in Congress this week. Bolden faced a vigorous round of questions in front of Congress earlier this week about the space agency's missions and what the new budget plan means for NASA.

he Wall Street Journal reported late yesterday that Bolden has asked senior managers at NASA to draw up an alternate plan in case Congress shoots down Obama's proposal. The alternative would be a compromise that would include ideas from both the administration and Congress, according to the Journal .

Sen. Hutchison's bill is designed to enable NASA to postpone the retirement of the space shuttle fleet until work is complete on a next-generation American spacecraft.

She also wants to push forward with NASA's goal of moving beyond human flights in low-Earth orbit and extend missions out to the moon or Mars.

Hutchison called the administration's plan short-sighted.

"Not only are we turning our backs on 40 years of American space superiority, we are giving up vital national security and economic interests to other nations," she added. "This must not be an 'either-or' proposition where we are forced to choose between continuing to fly the shuttle to service the station and maintain our independence in reaching space, or investing in the next generation of space vehicle. We can and must do both."

Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group, said Hutchison is obviously motivated to keep jobs in her area and boost her public approval. However, that doesn't mean that the legislation won't garner much support across the country. "Some politicians are, of course, concerned about losing major facilities and employers in their districts, but that doesn't necessarily mean that their argument is without merit," said Olds. "If the space shuttle is retired now, we do lose our ability to launch humans into space until the new, privately built space taxis comes on line. I do think that private industry can probably do a better, faster, and less expensive job of it than the government, but they're not going to be able to get these new vehicles off the ground as quickly as hoped." He added that it comes down to how long the U.S. wants to go without being able to launch an astronaut into orbit on its own.

"In fact, I can put together a compelling case for launching politicians into orbit that would be sure to gather broad public support and immediate funding from voluntary contributions," he added.

Source : computerworld.com

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Printers and Scanners of Tomorrow (and Beyond)

Four ultra-futuristic printers and scanners hint of the possibilities of future tech

Affordable 3D Printers
3D printers are nothing new; in fact they've been around for some time. We've had a look at some of the cool things you can do with these types of printers, including creating models, tools and all sorts of wizardry. Unfortunately, the 3D printers of today cost in excess of $100,000 and are largely reserved for large architecture and development firms.

Thankfully, it won't stay that way forever. HP recently announced its interest in 3D printing, with products potentially available for just $15,000. 3D printers might not make it to your desk this year, but at this rate, the possibility of owning a 3D printer for personal or business use is becoming more likely.

3D Critters of the Future
The products of 3D printers, naturally, aren't limited to flat images. Here are some of the cool things 3D printers let you make.

Biological Printers
We are still a little way off re-growing entire limbs, but we are certainly making strides towards it. Invetech and Organovo have created the first 3D bioprinter, which is capable of printing entire cells. According to Organovo CEO Keith Murphy, the potential uses are wide-ranging - from supporting existing kidney cells to forming the foundations of a tooth.
With a printer capable of producing "tissue on demand," researchers and surgeons will apparently be able to easily repair organs without waiting for a lab to catch up; just press the button and go. It's all a bit freaky, but if these end up in every hospital they could literally be a life saver.

Food Printers
To us, this seems even more unlikely than biological printers. Then again, science fiction movies have told us for years that one day we'll have replicators that can reproduce anything on command. This concept from MIT doesn't quite reach those heights, but it sure does get close. By mixing liquid ingredients to suit the user's preferences and then either heating or cooling it, the "Cornucopia" can recreate a meal with any number of textures and tastes.

We're not sure of the final taste, but somehow we don't think these food printers will be making it into five-star restaurants anytime soon.

Food Printer Products
This opens all kinds of possibilities . . . liquid lasagna, anyone?

3D Scanning
We've seen plenty of devices that help you get designs out of a computer, but how about something to get 3D objects back in? Step in Ortery's Photosimile 5000, allegedly the world's first 3D scanner for the office. The Photosimile 5000 is essentially a big box that allows you to attach compatible Canon SLR cameras, and automatically takes a succession of photos. The product lies on a rotating turntable, giving you a full 360 degree view of the product.

The scanner is undoubtedly useful for product manufacturers everywhere (and it could even threaten the jobs of in-house product photographers). It even automatically creates a 3D animation of the product, though this has to be viewed using Ortery's proprietary software.

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