{"id":2707,"date":"2012-01-04T08:25:29","date_gmt":"2012-01-04T13:25:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=2707"},"modified":"2012-12-28T06:30:49","modified_gmt":"2012-12-28T11:30:49","slug":"10-topics-that-will-be-in-the-news-in-2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2012\/01\/10-topics-that-will-be-in-the-news-in-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"10 topics that will be in the news in 2012"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following our look back at 2011, we are now looking ahead: what might be some of the big tech\/ICT stories of 2012?<\/em><\/p>\n

$\"\"$ <\/a>The tech\/ICT issues that made the headlines or had us talking in 2011 were diverse and interesting, from cloud computing and server virtualisation, to the impact of social media in civic matters and the death of Steve jobs. In this our first full week of 2012, we have an excellent opportunity to give some thought to topics that will feature prominently in 2012.<\/p>\n

Our list highlights important issues we believe will grab considerable attention in the coming year, but is by no means exhaustive. Do have a read and let us know what you think\u2026<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Cyber crime and security<\/h4>\n
It should come as no surprise that cyber threats, including hacking, malware, cyber crime and computer security, will continue to dominate the headlines in the coming year. The Stuxnet computer worm, which was discovered in mid-2010, and which compromised the security of nuclear reactors in Iran, highlighted the sophistication and the resources available for hacking. Furthermore, although hacking is frequently done for profit and other gains, increasingly, the breaches appear gratuitous \u2013 if only to show companies how vulnerable their networks are. Although governments and organisations are keen to stay one step ahead of all threats that is rarely the case, resulting in dire consequences.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0 Online piracy<\/h4>\n
Late last year, the draft Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The document has been roundly criticised by industry players and other stakeholders, because some key provisions are considered highly oppressive. Nevertheless, SOPA has been receiving strong support in the House and is following \u00a0the legislative process. At this point, it does not appear that SOPA will be rejected, but it may be modified to address some of the issues raised. Due to the criticisms being levelled at the current draft and the calibre of opposition to the Act, this topic is likely to be in the news for the next several months as it works its way to resolution.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0 The BlackBerry<\/h4>\n
The saga of the BlackBerry, specifically the changes that the device and the parent company, Research in Motion (RIM), will experience in the coming year will remain big news in 2012. Many analysts have been forecasting the BlackBerry\u2019s demise and that RIM will be sold before year-end. However, this week, RIM announced that an independent committee has been established to review the company\u2019s operations. The results of the review should be available by the end of January, and will likely be the basis for some major decisions going forward. Stay tuned\u2026<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0 Near Field Communications<\/h4>\n
As mentioned in last year\u2019s post, 7 insights on the future of technology and the Internet<\/a>,<\/p>\n
Near Field Communications (NFC) is a set of short-range technologies that enable mobile phone users to execute simple transactions such as purchases and data exchange just by waving their handsets in the vicinity of the receiver, or by touching the receiver. The technology is already available but is not yet widely used, and so far its application has been relatively limited\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This is expected to change in 2012. One of the key drivers of that change will be availability of NFC capability on the latest Android OS release, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich:<\/p>\n