The Next Big Thing?

In our last class, I posed the question, "What do you think the next big invention will be, in terms of technological innovation?"

I was thinking back to the many culture-shifting products that Apple has come out with in the last decade (the iPod, iPhone, and iPad to name a few). While it is true that Apple has recently released the iWatch and a newer, bigger versions of the iPhone, none of these products seem standard-setting as many of their previous offerings have. 

Interestingly, Professor Yen answered my question with some insightful thoughts on the proliferation of Apps, the many phone/tablet-based programs that provide users many of the same services that used to be exclusively accessed via more expensive, desktop/laptop-centered programs. Beyond the minimal cost of these Apps, Professor Yen noted that the coding for the creation of such Apps is so simple and accessible that just about anyone can create one these days. He also proposed that we may soon enter an age when the tablet (such as the iPad or Microsoft Surface) replaces the desktop and laptop computer entirely. For one, they are more portable, and beyond the benefit of their size, the significantly cheaper price of apps on these tablets (as opposed to programs on desktops and laptops), make them potentially more marketable. Provided the tablets begin to allow more storage capability and access, Professor Yen believes that laptops and desktop computers may become virtually obsolete in the near future.

Time will tell!