The Internet reborn
If this year had a single theme, it would be rebirth.
Five years after the dot-com meltdown, the Internet's technologies, industries and culture are showing a kind of vigor and inspiration not seen since the 1990s.
Digital communities and interactive technologies are thriving as never before. The long-predicted convergence of television and computer technologies is finally taking place. At the same time, a generation weaned on the Internet is coming of age and inspiring social revolution on the Web.
Although Google's moves are cited most often as technology harbingers, many other important developments can be found in such diverse areas as digital photography, automobiles and cutting-edge technologies like spintronics. Opportunities have spread around the globe, leading countries such as India into a technology renaissance.
Success also breeds competitive animosities, however, and the resulting disputes have taken a predictable path to Washington.
India's good fortune created new calls to rescind the controversial H-1B foreign labor program, for example. Appeals were made elsewhere in government to address issues such as identity theft, broadband's expansion and patent reform. In light of the Supreme Court's ruling against Grokster and other networks, file-sharing technologies were also disputed.
For the technology industry, all of this translates to disruption--and companies have responded in kind. Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard underwent major reorganizations at their most senior ranks. The rush to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape also led to some conciliatory moves that seemed impossible only a few years ago: Microsoft buried the hatchet with RealNetworks and even reached out to hackers to help address security problems.
But the most surprising alliance of all was Apple Computer's decision to build computers with chips from Intel--the microprocessing half of the "Wintel" duopoly. If nothing else of note occurred in 2005, that decision alone would be reason enough to see that the technology universe has become a vastly different place.
--Mike Yamamoto
2005 Highlights
The chip industry wants to bring PC-style economics to digital photography.
February 3, 2005
As CEO Carly Fiorina departs, Hewlett-Packard confronts stubborn market realities.
February 10, 2005
Tracking devices are touted for safety but raise fears of an Orwellian society.
March 9, 2005
Viewers are gaining control over the tube with interactivity and custom networks.
April 11, 2005
Emerging technologies may stall the long-predicted demise of the famed computing principle.
April 19, 2005
Conflicts erupt as local governments try to create publicly funded services for all citizens.
May 2, 2005
The Mac maker partners with Intel in a relationship once unthinkable in the technology world.
June 6, 2005
Outsiders are invited to the Windows empire for the express purpose of exploiting computer flaws.
June 16, 2005
Once hired to run support desks, Indian companies are branching out to all sectors of technology.
June 27, 2005
The Supreme Court rules that Grokster can be held liable for piracy in a huge victory for the entertainment industry.
June 27, 2005
Companies make a business of buying patents in what some call a form of legalized extortion.
July 20, 2005
Proposals to fix the U.S. Patent Office run a wide gamut, from forced licensing to the elimination of software patents.
August 4, 2005
A controversial bill has become a flash point about everything that's right--and wrong--with patents.
September 13, 2005
Software titan sweeps away its old structure to execute faster.
September 21, 2005
With the rise of offshoring, critics say the controversial H-1B program is obsolete.
October 6, 2005
Agreement on digital music ends years of legal disputes between the two companies.
October 11, 2005
Media reports have given rise to much misinformation and confusion about online fraud.
October 24, 2005
New technologies and the "millennials" generation are returning the Internet to its social roots.
November 14, 2005
RSS
AJAX
Podcasting
And I think people/companies learned their lesson from the bust last time and don't throw tons of money at stupid ideas
http://otherthingsnow.blogspot.com/
Yet.
SME owners have a growing foundation of knowledge that enables them to understand the new tactics, interview vendors and measure results.
I'm inspired.
www.michaelrolph.blogs.com