Future Trends: TimeLog Project on your retina?
Thursday, February 07, 2008 by Katrine Grytter | Technology and Trends
The opportunities presented to us in futuristic sci-fi movies are now closer than ever to being part of today’s reality. Globalization, more sophisticated technological development and increasing consumer individualization have over the last few years accelerated with lightning speed. We are part of a revolutionizing era which, based on the number of inventions per capita, is comparable to the agricultural revolution more than 10,000 years ago.
A question however remains. How will the inventions of the 21st century take shape? This question inspired us to look more closely at the hot and future trends within this development of technology and what impact this may have on the future development of TimeLog’s products and the user experience. (excerpts of the article)
From physical limitations to web-based openness
When TimeLog Project saw its first light of day in 1997 the product was built around an Access-database. Since that year product development has been swift and since 2002 the product was re-programmed into a web application. The web application concept is one of today’s hot new trends. Some of the concept’s main benefits is its ability to open up to social- and user generated possibilities much more than previously imagined.
According to the Danish knowledge center, Innovation Lab, the computer is no longer the center of the IT universe. Instead the web has replaced the computer as the new center. This means that a shift from regular software to web-based applications is occurring. The early transition from Acess to web application technology has been a great success for a company like TimeLog. Time will tell whether we are able to integrate the user generated- and open source opportunities just as quickly and efficiently.
Another concept which is gaining momentum in business circles is Software-as-a-Service (Saas). Saas is a completely new way of building IT structures. It is a mindset which combines the interaction between systems and technologies and enables the user to combine individual packages suited to his or her specific needs. This approach promotes the focus on user-generated and open source mindset and stands in stark contrast to the closed product development approach and licenses.
WEB 2.0 – Culture and Technologies
If we look at some of the tendencies within the next ten years Innovation Lab contends that focus will further shift from one-way communication to user-generated internet. In this context it is the Web 2.0 culture that is the foundation of this trend along with technologies such as AJAX, and others. (read the rest of the article here to learn more about AJAX, electronic circuits in contact lenses and tangible computing) Examples of the possibilities of this interaction can be seen in cases like Google Apps, YouTube and Flickr.
Technologies enable companies to minimize costs through for instance outsourcing, innovation and streamlining of cooperative processes, according to ComputerWorld, 29th January, 2008. In particular the Web 2.0 Technology AJAX is used to create dynamics in TimeLog Project which among other is utilized in the Super Searcher function and the TimeLog Help Desk add-on module.
TimeLog Project on your contact lenses?
One of the future bids for a new technological adventure could perhaps be based on a new discovery by American scientists at the University of Washington. They have recently been able to encapsulate electronic circuits in contact lenses. Consequently, we could within a few years be able to project systems like TimeLog Project straight on to the individual person’s retina. Hence, new concepts that can inspire sci-fi genre creators to develop new concepts that will intrigue their audience have been laid. One blink of the eye registers time, two blinks and the invoice is printed. The possibilities are endless. Albeit in the more extreme end of the spectrum for yet another trend – tangible computing.
Tangible computing revolves around tangible omnipresent IT. We increasingly look to separate our online access to the internet from the rectangular frame of the computer to more mobile and wireless devices. Whether the retina will be the preferred mobile device of the future remains to be seen. At TimeLog we see a lot of potential in the new tendencies and are closely monitoring the trend. Part of our own development in this area has been the launch of TimeLog Mobile which is best defined as on the ‘contemporary’ end of the tangible computing spectrum.
Sources: Innovation Lab,Ingeniøren (in Danish), ComputerWorld (in Danish)
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