1. The sale of large desktop computers will continue to slow as the sale of laptops overcomes the sale of desktops. Small ultra-portable computers with flash memory will also become popular this year.
2. Hi-definition television will become more affordable starting this summer. The early adapters have already made their purchases. Now manufacturers will have to find a price point that is more pleasing for the average consumer.
3. Apple will announce their long-anticipated iPhone which will combine an iPod music player with a cell phone.
4.  Sales of Vista, Microsoft’s new Windows operating system which is to be released at the end of January, will be slower than expected. While new PCs will include Vista, Windows XP users will see little reason to upgrade.
5. Microsoft Vista will be the most secure Windows operating system yet, but hackers will still find ways to break in.
6. Some companies will buck the “smaller and more complex is better” trend with products that are large and simple. The Jitterbug cell phone is one such product already in production….a cell phone with large key pad and numbers made for the older crowd. (I will do a full review in a future column).
7. As high-megapixel digital cameras become the norm, camera manufacturers will implement new features to lure buyers. Kodak’s dual-lens camera is the first of many new ideas. We will see digital cameras compete by creating innovative and unique features.

While 2007 is sure to be a technologically spectacular year, many of my personal wishes for the future of technology will probably take longer that just one year. Here are a few of my technology wishes:

1. I wish there were no spam. Spam currently accounts for 90 percent of our email and costs companies millions of dollars each year. Even individuals are adversely affected as we struggle to use spam filters and other methods to sort through all the junk. With the international scope of the Internet and the greed of spammers, laws will not make much difference. It may take Microsoft and other large companies to implement a new email system to eliminate spam. I predict that this will take years.
2. I wish that the recording industry would let us buy and use digital music without the digital rights management software they now require. This software makes different music players and music download services incompatible. It also comes with so many restrictions, that it makes the end user feel like a criminal.
3. I wish for a computer that turns on as quickly as a television. While some ultra-light computers will boot from flash memory this year, it will take longer for this methodology to be available on larger computers. Solid state technology is also poised to let computers boot more quickly, but probably not this year.
4. I wish that computers were easier to use. They are certainly better than they were a few years ago, but I long for more progress in the “ease of use” category.

While each New Year arrives filled with promise, 2007 probably won’t be the year that we achieve world peace, the elimination of cancer, or literacy for the world. In 2007, we may not eliminate spam, make computers really easy to use, or find a computer that turns on as quickly as a television. But hopefully, we can use 2007 to make strides in the right direction. So let’s look forward to 2007 as a year of positive progress. Happy New Year to All!

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