Smart Home (Home Automation)
Seven out of 10 consumers want to control something in their home from their mobile device without getting out of bed. That basic instinct will help U.S. revenues reach $29 billion in 2021.
Celebrity Worship Syndrome
One third of Americans are obsessed with celebrities, leading to a modern affliction dubbed Celebrity Worship Syndrome. This voyeurgasmic trend has accelerated since the arrival of smartphones and digital cameras.
Control Enthusiast
Here’s another fascinating lifestyle phenomenon: Control Enthusiasm. Spurred by a freedom from wires, and used to instant gratification offered by digital devices, consumers are demanding ever more control and thereby becoming difficult to please.
Yoga Culture
Yoga is now practiced by more than 200 million people worldwide, including over 100 million in India and 20 million in the U.S., more than triple the number compared to 1994.
Bystander Recordings
Bystander recordings, a trend that began in 1963 with the Zapruder film of Kennedy’s assassination and Rodney King’s beating in 1991, has gone mainstream due to the the arrival of smartphones and YouTube.
Botox
Botox is the world’s most popular facial rejuvenation procedure with more than 5 million performed each year. Its popularity has spawned a series of cultural phenomena, from parties to gift card to Botox humor.
Voyeurgasm: I Like to Watch
The Rodney King beating was a major point of departure for the Voyeurgasm Ubertrend, which presages a future where just about everything will be captured on video by smartphones, action, surveillance or body cameras.
Innovation
The popularity of innovation has skyrocketed since 1939, when Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter defined innovation as an expression of intellectual creativity undertaken without considering its economic impact.
Accelerators and Incubators
The technology boom is driving the establishment of accelerators and incubators that offer entrepreneurs mentorship, advice, and practical training on technical, business, and fundraising topics to help get from idea to product launch.
3D Printing Homes
A 3D printing revolution has vaulted this once arcane technology from industrial prototyping to the glamorous world of footwear design and single-family home building, providing a significant boost to a $13 billion market.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) automates formerly manual procedures, such as processing insurance claims or moving a purchase order process automatically, while involving humans only when necessary.
Animated GIFs
Animated GIFs, a technology developed by CompuServe in 1987, have infused today’s social dialog. These often humorous and sometimes unexpected silent animations are now part of the cultural landscape.
Coffee Consumption
Interest in coffee grew 32% in the past few decades, yielding a $70 billion global market. The trend is behind the fortunes of Keurig, Nespresso and Starbucks, which generates more than $25 billion in sales.
Aging Population
In 2030, all Baby Boomers will be 65 years of age or older. The implication of this demographic shift is immense, with the world’s 60+ population nearly doubling to 2.1 billion by 2050.
Blockchain
Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger that allows the transmission of digital assets while dispensing with the need for trusted third parties. It’s the fundamental technology layer of all cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.
Time Compression: The Acceleration of Life
The Time Compression Ubertrend is responsible for the acceleration of life, a phenomenon that encourages multitasking and an “I want it yesterday” attitude, and has led to increasingly shorter attention spans.
USPS Postal Truck — The Crucible of Electrification?
A few weeks ago, the U.S. government outlined a plan to replace its fleet of cars and trucks with electric vehicles assembled in the U.S., part of a new “Buy America” initiative. Using the government’s...
100 Mac Applications We Can’t Live Without
Apple’s innovative M1 Macs have attracted some of the best software on the market today, unfortunately that rarely gets due credit. Here are 100 outstanding apps.
M1 — A New Apple Silicon and Application Standard
In November, Apple took the computer world by surprise, launching a new RISC-based computer chip, dubbed “Apple Silicon,” that set new performance and compatibility standards. Using the same microprocessor architecture Apple developed for the iPhone,...
Wireless Entertainment: KEF LS50 Wireless II
For years, consumer electronics companies have been pursuing the holy grail of home entertainment, the ability to provide music and video without the encumbrances of wires or tethers. It’s still largely a dream, of course,...
KLM Flying V Jet
Dutch airline KLM, working with researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, has launched the Flying V jet concept, named after an iconic Gibson guitar featuring a similar shape.
Paper-based Covid-19 Test Could Solve Need for Quick, Inexpensive Testing
Several startups are working on innovative technology that offers simple and inexpensive paper-strip Covid-19 tests that can be used at home by consumers, much like a pregnancy test.
Business Ethics Collapse
There is no question that moral behavior among business executives is on the decline. This trend was accentuated by the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program, a forgivable loan plan, which was designed to let small...
Ford and GE Healthcare to Build 50,000 Airon-licensed Model A-E Ventilators
Ford Motor and GE Healthcare announced plans to produce 50,000 ventilators in the next 100 days with the support of 500 United Auto Workers to help battle the novel coronavirus.
Abbott ID NOW Lab-in-a-Box Innovation Delivers COVID-19 Results in Five Minutes
There is no question that when it comes to testing for COVID-19, the U.S. government has fallen short. Abbott has received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the detection of novel...
Dyson CoVent Ventilator Developed in 10 Days to Help Treat COVID-19 Patients
Dyson — the U.K. technology company best known for its distinctive vacuum cleaners, hairdryers, and fans — has introduced a new ventilator, dubbed the “CoVent,” which, it claims, was developed in 10 days.
Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 Is First 45-Minute “Rapid Point-Of-Care” Test
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based biotechnology company Cepheid has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the first rapid test for the novel coronavirus that returns results in around 45 minutes and does not require lab...
WeWork Co-Working Reinvents Commercial Real Estate
WeWork has disrupted the commercial property market, with its innovative co-working facilities. The company is now the largest private office tenant in New York City with 8.9 million square feet of co-working space.
Celebrity Edge Magic Carpet
Celebrity Edge was named the best new cruise ship of 2018. That award was due to a raft of innovations and new features, including “Magic Carpet” — a deck that moves up and down the...