Top 10 Technology Trends for 2016

The Device Mesh

The device mesh moves beyond the traditional desktop computer and mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) to encompass the full range of endpoints with which humans might interact. As the device mesh evolves, Gartner expects connection models to expand and greater cooperative interaction between devices to emerge. We will see significant development in wearables and augmented reality, especially in virtual reality.

2: Ambient User Experience

All of our digital interactions can become synchronized into a continuous and ambient digital experience that preserves our experience across traditional boundaries of devices, time and space. The experience blends physical, virtual and electronic environments, and uses real-time contextual information as the ambient environment changes or as the user moves from one place to another.

Organizations will need to consider their customers’ behavior journeys to shift the focus on design from discrete apps to the entire mesh of products and services involved in the user experience.

3: 3D-Printing Materials

We’ll see continued advances in 3D printing with a wide range of materials, including advanced nickel alloys, carbon fiber, glass, conductive ink, electronics, pharmaceuticals and biological materials for practical applications expanding into aerospace, medical, automotive, energy and the military.

Recent advances make it possible to mix multiple materials together with traditional 3D printing in one build. This could be useful for field operations or repairs when a specific tool is required and printed on demand. Biological 3D printing — such as the printing of skin and organs — is progressing from theory to reality; however, politicians and the public don’t have a full understanding of the implications.

4: Information of Everything

Everything surrounding us in the digital mesh is producing, using and communicating with virtually unmeasurable amounts of information. Organizations must learn how to identify what information provides strategic value, how to access data from different sources, and explore how algorithms leverage Information of Everything to fuel new business designs.

5: Advanced Machine Learning

Advanced machine learning is what makes smart machines appear “intelligent” by enabling them to both understand concepts in the environment, and also to learn. Through machine learning a smart machine can change its future behavior. This area is evolving quickly, and organizations must assess how they can apply these technologies to gain competitive advantage.

6: Autonomous Agents and Things

Advanced machine learning gives rise to a spectrum of smart machine implementations — including robots, autonomous vehicles, virtual personal assistants (VPAs) and smart advisors — that act in an autonomous (or at least semiautonomous) manner. This feeds into the ambient user experience in which an autonomous agent becomes the main user interface. Instead of interacting with menus, forms and buttons on a smartphone, the user speaks to an app, which is really an intelligent agent.

7: Adaptive Security Architecture

The complexities of digital business and the algorithmic economy, combined with an emerging “hacker industry,” significantly increase the threat surface for an organization. IT leaders must focus on detecting and responding to threats, as well as more traditional blocking and other measures to prevent attacks.

8: Advanced System Architecture

The digital mesh and smart machines require intense computing architecture demands to make them viable for organizations. They’ll get this added boost from ultra-efficient-neuromorphic architectures. Systems built on graphics processing units (GPUs) and field-programmable gate-arrays (FPGAs) will function more like human brains that are particularly suited to be applied to deep learning and other pattern-matching algorithms that smart machines use. FPGA-based architecture will allow distribution with less power into the tiniest Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints, such as homes, cars, wristwatches and even human beings.

9: Mesh App and Service Architecture

The mesh app and service architecture are what enable delivery of apps and services to the flexible and dynamic environment of the digital mesh. This architecture will serve users’ requirements as they vary over time. It brings together the many information sources, devices, apps, services and microservices into a flexible architecture in which apps extend across multiple endpoint devices and can coordinate with one another to produce a continuous digital experience.

10: Internet of Things Architecture and Platforms

IoT platforms exist behind the mesh app and service architecture. The technologies and standards in the IoT platform form a base set of capabilities for communicating, controlling, managing and securing endpoints in the IoT. The platforms aggregate data from endpoints behind the scenes from an architectural and a technology standpoint to make the IoT a reality.

Top 10 fastest-growing tech skills in IT industry

1. Spark

Following the success of its open-source framework, Hadoop, Apache developed this open-source processing engine aimed at helping companies process large data sets. With more companies building out their tech infrastructures, Spark professionals with strong coding and programming skills are top hiring priorities, says Bob Melk, president of Dice. In addition to competitive compensation packages, hiring managers on Dice are offering professional development and leadership opportunities to entice candidates with Spark expertise to join their team, Melk says.

2. Azure

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform designed to improve productivity for tech professionals. Azure is a crucial skill to have, as it can help streamline and simplify mobile app development or analytics, says Melk. Professionals with experience in Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are particularly marketable, with hiring managers on Dice often looking for candidates who possess both of those skillsets, he says.

3. Salesforce

Salesforce is far from new in the technology world, but it is new to Dice's fastest-growing skills list. Salesforce continues to be a dominant player, offering innovative customer service services for sales teams looking to drive leads and foster stronger client relationships. Interest in Salesforce professionals is widespread, with universities, management consulting firms and insurance companies all looking for professionals with this skillset on Dice, says Melk.

4. Big Data

Big data is an all-encompassing term for any collection of data sets so large and complex that it becomes difficult to process them using traditional data processing applications. Companies today that are looking for a competitive edge to leverage big data to gain insight into customer behavior or patterns in users, making this a highly in-demand skill, says Melk.

5. JIRA

JIRA is a bug, issue-tracking, and project management system developed by Atlassian and commonly used in software development. JIRA has garnered popularity in the tech world, with more and more hiring managers on Dice citing JIRA as a mandatory prerequisite rather than just a "nice-to-have" skill for a position in software development, Melk says.

6. Electrical Engineer

Though it's the only engineering position on the list, it's no surprise electrical engineers are in huge demand, says Melk. The role deals with the design, programming, application, manufacturing and operation of electronic or computer systems, and play a huge role in the design and development of Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology; though these professionals can work for a wide variety of employers from government contractors to large tech firms and startups  

7. Cloud

As more companies adopt cloud technology as a solution for storage and data access, as well as cloud-based applications and technology providers, cloud skillsets are in high demand, Melk says. Cloud-based applications are popping up across a variety of industries and the technology is as ubiquitous today as mobile or big data. For that reason, companies are more than willing to open up their wallets for candidates with cloud expertise, Melk says

8. Hive

Apache Hive is a data warehouse system that analyzes large Hadoop data sets. Hive's popularity is growing in tandem with other big data skills, like Spark and more general big data and data analytics skills, says Melk. While still new to the market, this big data tool is continuing to garner recognition, with companies like Apple and Amazon looking for professionals with a working knowledge of Hive. 

9. Cassandra

Cassandra is another big data/Apache skill that's also used to help store, process and access large sets of data. Essential to a company's success, professionals with Cassandra experience are well-compensated.

10. Juniper

In today's market, most companies rely on specific networking products and services to drive their success, including vendors such as juniper networks , which provides provides companies with network-based identity and policy control products and firewalls. Melk says Dice often sees hiring managers in the market for candidates with vendor-specific network administration or security or support roles, especially around Juniper Networks technology.

Top 15 best technology news websites

1.Centernetworks – The site offers news, reviews, insights and interviews covering Web 2.0, social networking, social media and social lending with a special focus on Web applications development.

2. Cnet.com – If Engadget cool, albeit geeky, way of presenting fresh tech news doesn’t appeal to you (see below), then you may like Cent's more business oriented writing. Like Engadget, Cnet.com also has a stable of reliable news sources, which helps the site break news and exclusives.

3.Crave – Crave commentaries on the gadget world are top notch, well written and occasionally witty.

4.CrunchGear – It’s your daily dose of geek gadgets: cell phones, gaming hardware, software, computers. Techcrunch gadget arm competes with Engadget in the gadget news and reviews arena.

5.DailyTech – This is an online magazine geared for the well-educated tech audience. It features hard hitting and up-to-the-minute tech news.

6.Download Squad – With a diverse crew of tech writers, Download Squad offers the latest news and reviews of downloadable applications on Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile devices.

7.NYT Technology Bits – This online newspaper’s technology content is not to be outdone with its timely and will-written tech news.

8.Official Google Blog – The search engine behemoth’s official blog deserves to be on our list: it is the official source for all things Google – products, services, acquisitions and more.

9.PCWorld – The online version of the popular magazine offers quick access to authoritative reviews of technology products, pricing information, updated tech news and downloads of freeware and shareware. It reigns as one of the industry’s best news sites.

10.ReadWriteWeb – This is another premiere Web 2.0, social media and startup centric site. It has distinguished itself from the rest of the crowd with its comprehensive and well written articles on Web applications, Web technology trends, social networking sites, social media applications.

11.Scobleizer – Robert Scoble comments on tech news, blogging and the Internet. Chances are if you read a post or two, you’ll come back.

12.Techcrunch – Who doesn’t know the blogosphere’s top tech blog? If you’re a blogger and into tech related stuff, Techcrunch is your ultimate source for anything and everything on startups, Web 2.0, social networking and VCs. The site always breaks interesting news and offers exclusive coverage. TC news items range from the simple to the most comprehensive.

13.TechRepublic.com – This is another well crafted and professional source for business and technology news. The site features timely articles, forums, multimedia and other technology related information products.

14.TechSpot – Since opening its doors in 1998, Techspot has evolved into one of the leading independent computer technology sites for computer enthusiasts, gamers and IT professionals. The site provides daily news coverage, in depth product reviews, buying guides and download updates.

15.The Inquirer – The site offers the latest breaking news on computers, mobile devices, servers, consoles, hardware and software innovation, graphics and microprocessors.

Paperless tools in digital worlds

Top Paperless tools in digital worlds

Do you still use paper ? yes ? think about the reasons you might still use.

Do you keep  to-do list in a paper notebook? 

Check out this

1.e-signature tools

2.filed syncing services,

3.to-do apps 

4.document delivery services.

5..scanning apps

1. E-signature tools

When you have a digital version of a document, like a PDF that someone emailed to you or that you downloaded, you don't have to print it to sign it. You can digitally sign it. To digitally sign documents, you usually have to create a signature first, which is often the hardest part because people's penmanship is poor with a mouse, a finger on a touchscreen and even sometimes with a stylus. With some e-signature tools, there's an option to use pen and paper to create your signature and then snap a picture of it to upload. Once you create your signature, however, you can reuse the same one over and over again, or save different variations to use.

2. File syncing services

A filesyncing service makes documents available to you no matter what device you have at hand. Some of the very best file-syncing services also have document delivery options (the last bullet point from above), and I'll get to that in a moment.

Here's an example of how a file syncing service comes in handy when going paperless. I was at the airport recently applying for the U.S. Global Entry programme, and my interviewer asked me for a proof of mailing address document. It's not on my driver's licence, and I didn't have any mail on me to show him. Then I remembered that I had scanned and saved a real estate document from my taxes that had been mailed to me at the address I needed. I pulled up that document on my phone, and the interviewer was satisfied.

3. To-do apps

Kiss your paper to-do list goodbye. Using a digital to-do app is so much more efficient. With a paper list, you're stuck with cross outs, you can't easily rearrange items to show priority and you certainly can't assign a task to someone and know when she or he has completed it. But you get all those benefits and more with a digital to-do list.

Digital to-do lists sync across all the devices you use. They can be shared among a few people. They have tools for helping you organize your to-dos, which means you can better manage your time and plan your day. When you use a to-do app on your phone, you can get reminders and alerts based on time or your location, writing, for example, "Remind me to take the chicken out of the freezer when I get home."

4. Document delivery services

I mentioned that file-syncing programs sometimes have document delivery options too, and I want to return to that idea. While many people paperless deliver documents as email attachments, it's not always the best way to do it. When you send files by email, you rarely have the opportunity to know when or if the recipient got them. You might also find that some files are too big to email, or that your email program automatically downgrades the quality of the original

  If you're trying to be paperless and someone demands a fax, how do you deliver documents then? Thankfully, there are online fax services that can handle that specific case

5.Scanning apps

Scanning apps are typically mobile apps that turn your phone's camera into a scanner. The best ones have the power to automatically detect when you're scanning pages of a document versus business cards versus images. They include cropping tools. They save multiple pages to one file when necessary. And when they detect text, they automatically save the scanned version in a way that makes the text most readable.