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 Technology
Corner
By Andrew Neal
What the future holds
A question I often hear from my friends and clients is “where is technology going?” For business in general and the security industry specifically this can be an important question. In this month’s article I will attempt to dust off the crystal ball and take a peek at what is next.
One of the most significant trends for the future is called convergence, something I have mentioned in previous articles. As a refresher, convergence is when multiple technologies are combined into a single device.
A great example from the security industry is the GuardTrax device that combines a cell phone, a GPS unit, an accelerometer, and an RFID reader into a single specialized unit. The result is a high-tech tool that can serve the security business in multiple ways. This convergence is a trend you can expect to continue. GPS, blue tooth, video and sound, cellular communications, biometrics, internet access – expect all of these tech features to show up in various combinations in devices, vehicles or even apparel.
Two other interesting and related fields seeing extensive development are low power electronics and battery storage. As these two areas progress we will get more powerful portable devices with longer battery life. We are already seeing some of this in popular consumer electronics. Portable book readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the popular net book category of laptop computers are examples of devices made possible by low power processors and small but powerful batteries. As these technologies continue to develop we will see cell phones or radios with expanded capability and extended life between charges. We can also expect to see an impact in areas as widely divergent as long-range electric vehicles and medical monitoring equipment.
We can’t discuss new technology without mentioning Windows 7, the new operating system from Microsoft. It offers a fresh interface, a better utilization of today’s more powerful computers and a more secure environment. While I would not necessarily recommend an upgrade to Windows 7 (upgrades can get messy so be careful!), I would definitely consider it for any new computer purchases.
Some other trends that are well under way include cloud computing and integrated social networking. Cloud computing involves utilizing the resources of very large distributed server networks instead of running servers of your own. Computing “in the cloud” has the potential to give you more flexibility and less cost, and can scale up and down as your needs change. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are being integrated with devices like televisions, game systems and cell phones. Using a cell phone, Facebookers can now post a picture of an event, tagged with GPS coordinates, directly to their page from their phones before the event is over. This can be an opportunity to stay connected with clients, but can also pose interesting security and privacy issues.
The overall trend, looking to both past and future, is for technology to become more powerful, more portable and much more closely tied to our work and home lives. Consumers and businesses will have more choices for communications, storage, entertainment and creativity. These choices will also include varying degrees of connectivity to other gadgets, as well as to the internet. For business, it is not about getting the newest technology. The goal is to identify the new or improving devices and services that help you be more efficient, more effective and better connected to your clients. Making the right choices will provide tools to help you manage and grow your business.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the future of technology feel free to email or call.
Technology Corner is a recurring feature of Managing Security Today. To suggest topics or ask a specific question contact Andrew Neal at (915) 544-2034 or mail:
ANeal@SouthwestDigitalLab.com
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