Predictions for 2013
What do think will happen in 2013? I think:
1) Phones: Android will extend its dominance. Windows 8 will overtake Blackberry to no: 3 spot. BB10 launch will decide if Blackberry is going to sustain its business or shut shop. I don't think it'll survive. iPhone 6 will include NFC & wireless charging. iOS maps will match the quality of Google maps (will probably buy TomTom or Garmin or similar).
2) Tablets: iPad's dominance will be truly tested. iPad mini is less likely to be the market leader in the 7-inch sector. Nexus 7 tablet should extend its lead (refreshed model may include an HDMI port). Nexus 10 will cause a serious dent in the market. Surface tablets will sell well, but are unlikely to come close to iPad or Android.
3) PC / Mac: MacBooks will come with a touch screen & deeper iOS integration & will offer a superior experience to Windows 8. Windows 9 in 2013/2014 will completely ditch Windows 7 interface.
If my only experience of opinions on iPad Minis were from this forum then I'd agree with you. However, I've been in a few shops selling them over the last couple of days and I've seen the interest first hand. (People queueing up just to try the tethered shop demo model in HMV, Currys Digital and John Lewis.)
Not just gawping either. In all three establishments I saw them being sold.
It seemed like they had nothing else on sale despite the ranks of other tablets on display.
In John Lewis I almost bought one. (Got caught up in the moment despite being there to buy facecloths and teaspoons.)
Obviously a few minutes each, in three shops, in one city is not representative but I wouldn't be so hasty to write it off yet.
I'm not writing the iPad mini off. It will sell well, but I doubt if it would be the 7-inch best seller. I think majority of buyers of 7-inch tablets will be price conscious.
Do you mean it will be outsold by all the other competitor's 7" tablet sales added together, or by an individual competitor's product?
Panasonic's ST/GT/VT60 range may well be the last manufactured by Panasonic in Japan.
It may either license its name to a Chinese company to make cheaper TVs (like Philips)
I sincerely hope they don't debase themselves by going down that route.
If my only experience of opinions on iPad Minis were from this forum then I'd agree with you. However, I've been in a few shops selling them over the last couple of days and I've seen the interest first hand. (People queueing up just to try the tethered shop demo model in HMV, Currys Digital and John Lewis.)
Not just gawping either. In all three establishments I saw them being sold.
I had a similar experience to Chebby. Popped in to the Apple store in Kingston on Saturday and the table with the iPad Minis on was literally besieged by shoppers, of all ages, with people queuing to get their hands on one. Even overheard entire families debating getting one there and then.
A 4th straight World Drivers' Championship title for Sebastian Vettel*
What? You wanted our tech predicitions BB? I'll get back to you on that one...
*by a country mile too.
If my only experience of opinions on iPad Minis were from this forum then I'd agree with you. However, I've been in a few shops selling them over the last couple of days and I've seen the interest first hand. (People queueing up just to try the tethered shop demo model in HMV, Currys Digital and John Lewis.)
Not just gawping either. In all three establishments I saw them being sold.
I had a similar experience to Chebby. Popped in to the Apple store in Kingston on Saturday and the table with the iPad Minis on was literally besieged by shoppers, of all ages, with people queuing to get their hands on one. Even overheard entire families debating getting one there and then.
- PP will still be deciding if he will buy a pair of Totems and a Dac
- Cable debates will be no less vociferous than they are at the moment
- I will be on here less, as I hope to get a new backbone, and so so get a proper life.
- The £ will get stronger
- Cameron will become more unpopular
- Europe will become more fragmented
- CDPs will sell even less than they do at the moment
- Acalex and Roby will stop having excellent adventures, as they will run out of money
A 4th straight World Drivers' Championship title for Sebastian Vettel*
What? You wanted our tech predicitions BB? I'll get back to you on that one...
*by a country mile too.
Doesn't have to be tech predictions only! 
Do you mean it will be outsold by all the other competitor's 7" tablet sales added together, or by an individual competitor's product?
iPad mini will be sold in a lot more countries than the Nexus 7 (by a factor of 10, if I remember correctly). So, worldwide, iPad mini may sell more numbers. But if you take countries where the Nexus 7 will also be sold, I think the Nexus will sell more.
My internet speed will probably still be less than 1 Mb/s and 4G, like 3G, will be unusable locally.
Mind you I have nice hills and rivers to walk by, so maybe it is a reasonable bargain. And the local cinema receives direct HD transmissions from the Met Opera in NY and plays from The National Theatre, so not culture starved.
Andrew
If my only experience of opinions on iPad Minis were from this forum then I'd agree with you. However, I've been in a few shops selling them over the last couple of days and I've seen the interest first hand. (People queueing up just to try the tethered shop demo model in HMV, Currys Digital and John Lewis.)
Not just gawping either. In all three establishments I saw them being sold.
I had a similar experience to Chebby. Popped in to the Apple store in Kingston on Saturday and the table with the iPad Minis on was literally besieged by shoppers, of all ages, with people queuing to get their hands on one. Even overheard entire families debating getting one there and then.
Lol.
Play.com goes to the wall and WHF does a classified section on its website. Amazon still only reduces its prices when others do. Panasonic plasmas become really expensive - nah no one would buy them then - I agree they stop making plasmas.
iPod sales are shrinking, yet iPod Touch sales are growing. Going by the similarities of the iPod Touch 4" and the iPad Mini design, it wouldn't surprise me if the Touch became iPad Nano. Wondering how long the Classic will live, NAS drives and cloud storage makes them redundant outside of the car, is the in car market big enough to keep it rolling? I think the Classic will go the way of the DVD drive, whether there are buyers or not.
That leaves the Shuffle and Nano, which the joggers will keep ticking along. Wouldn't surprise me if they got consolidated in to "The iPod"
I think 4K will linger untill someone figures out a decent online distribution system. I don't think the public will accept another optical format so soon, so 4K will have to wait for the online infrastructure to catch up.
I hope BB is wrong about touch screen Macs, but wouldn't suprise me if he was correct. I could use the upper body workout I guess...
TVs:
Panasonic's ST/GT/VT60 range may well be the last manufactured by Panasonic in Japan. It may either license its name to a Chinese company to make cheaper TVs (like Philips) or exit the TV business completely. (I hope not)
Samsung & LG will continue to turn in massive profits.
OLED will probably make its appearance in late 2013 or 2014.
Internet TVs will gain prominence as compared to satellite.
Wireless HD may well be a feature in premium models.
4K TVs will start appearing in premium models.
If the mythical Apple iTV makes its appearance, there could be an initial excitement. But I'm not sure if it can establish properly unless priced well.
My Home Cinema Pioneer KRP 500A, Yamaha RX-V1900, MA Radius R225HD LCR, R90HD rears, AW12 sub, Panasonic BD60, PS3, Boxee Box, Sky HD, Boxee Box, Logitech Harmony One, Logitech PS3 Adapter, Sonos ZP90
Bedroom Samsung UE32C6510, PS3 slim white, Apple TV, Sonos S5, Sonos ZP90, Audioengine 2, Oppo OPDV971H
Miscellaneous: Synology DS212J + 2 X WD Red 2TB drives, WD 1TB NAS, Sonos ZoneBridge, BT HH3 as modem & AirPort Extreme router