Technology is a wonderful thing. In the past 25 years, technology has changed so much that most children today cannot even identify a VCR. Not to knock VCRs, but I, along with the majority of humans, prefer online video streaming like Netflix or Hulu instead of the rectangular cassette tapes. Further, think about where the Internet was in 1990. Most families didn’t even own a computer! I remember the first computer my parents bought, a Gateway 2000 desktop. This was when computer towers were actually towers.

Technology is constantly advancing. Working at an integrated tech PR and marketing agency, I get exposed to some of the latest and greatest ideas and trends out there. Whether it’s wearables, drones, workplace collaboration, 3D printing or smart devices, there is so much going on in technology today, it’s almost hard to keep up with everything. So today, I’d like to take you through some of the coolest trends in the tech industry and how they’re affecting not only the market, but our ways of life.

Smart Devices

“Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride.” “Alexa, order a pizza.” Who is Alexa, you might ask? Alexa is the Amazon Echo; you might have seen it in some Super Bowl commercials with Alec Baldwin. This is an incredible product that has the ability to make your house, for lack of a better word, “smart.” By connecting smart LED bulbs, a smart thermostat or a smart home security system, you can control electronic products in your house by simply using your voice. Or if you just want to use it as a virtual assistant, the Echo can answer the majority of factual questions and is integrated with a variety of streaming services and websites like Spotify, Pandora, ESPN, CNN and more.

Just when you thought using your phone or a button to purchase something on Amazon was convenient, now all you need is your voice.

Impact on the Market: As smart devices continue to get smarter, companies will find more physical objects to add to this global network of interconnected devices, impacting transportation, energy, healthcare, city infrastructure and more.

Impact on Life: Smart devices make our lives easier and more convenient. This is America – we’re busy people who love convenience.

Drones

Ah, drones. The new “must-buy” gadget that has certainly taken the world by storm. Drones are pretty awesome: They fly, take amazing pictures (if equipped with a GoPro), and people are finding new uses for them every day, such as racing, agriculture, protecting wildlife, real estate photography and much more. These little unmanned aircrafts can do a lot, but one use impacting our daily lives is how the technology can be used for delivery services. Companies like Simulyze are figuring out they can help delivery services by offering real-time operational intelligence (OI) so unmanned aircraft systems can perform predictive, preventative and reactive analysis of its surroundings.

Impact on the Market: Drones can be used for delivery services such as FedEx, UPS and Amazon, expediting the decline of department stores and shopping malls.

Impact on Life: Get your online orders faster, see really cool aerial shots for movies and TV, take the best selfies and more company for birds.

Workplace Collaboration

Workplace collaboration technology has revolutionized the way employees communicate internally. Apps such as Incentive, Trello and Mavenlink are leading the way in optimizing employee efficiency in the workplace. After all, time is money, and if there was a way to make your team more productive, you would try it. Take Incentive as an example. The L.A.-based company is offering a platform that puts every work-related app under one roof, eliminating the need for multiple logins and passwords and helping employees work together more effectively, no matter where they are in the world.

Impact on the Market: The collaboration market has experienced significant growth throughout the past five years. With more and more platforms making it easier to communicate and collaborate, the amount of internal email we send will soon dwindle.

Impact on Life: You’ll be so much more productive at work, you will have more time to go to your kids’ soccer games, do laundry, go on vacation without checking your email or even take a real lunch break.

3D Printing

Yes, by now everyone knows about 3D printing. But did you know it’s even been tested on creating new limbs for amputees? According to a fascinating article from the Wall Street Journal, 3D printers operate on the same principle as an inkjet printer, spraying plastic out of the print heads as tiny droplets at high speed. How cool is that? In case you were wondering what the process of 3D printing looks like, check out this video.

Impact on the Market: 3D printing can change the entire manufacturing industry by replacing expensive metal material with cheaper, but just as durable, carbon-fiber.

Impact on Life: 3D printing is already improving the quality of life for people who have lost limbs. As the technology advances, it will be interesting to see what else 3D printing can produce.

Technology continues to amaze me. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the constant innovation. From Gameboys to flip phones to the original iPod and on to Amazon Echo, who knows where technology will go in the next 25 years. Maybe we’ll have holographic video messages a la Star Wars. Only time will tell.

Have a technology that’s disrupting how we work, live or play? GMG offers public relations and integrated marketing services for high-growth tech companies. Contact us to learn more.