Beyond the Rhetoric

First things first, I’d like to wish everyone a very happy new year. I hope you all had a very happy and healthy holiday season, but now it’s time to look forward to the decade ahead. The first ten years of the 21st century are filled with all sorts of interesting stories, but now we have to look ahead to what’s yet to come.

To usher in the new year and the new decade, I’m proposing ten predictions that I have for 2010. Some of these may come to pass and some of them will not. Some are based on research, whereas others are based on little more than conjecture. Feel free to agree or disagree, voicing your opinion through the comment form at the bottom of the page.

1. Swine Flu Squeals: This whole H1N1 thing has been completely blown out of proportion. Yes, some people have died, but several people die from the regular old flu on a regular basis too. The mass media will probably continue to cover this epidemic, but most people have very little to fear.
2. Tweets Make Money: The Internet went up in arms when the concept of paid reviews and sponsored blog posts first hit the scene, so it’s not surprising that the same thing happened with Sponsored Tweets. In 2010, paid tweets will become just as commonplace as sponsored posts (if they have not done so already).
3. Google Waves Hello: The beta launch of Google Wave was supposed to be such a big deal, but the wave has been little more than a splash in the kiddie pool. As more people accept those “limited” invites, the service will grow, but it will take time.
4. Apple Tablet Launches: There’s supposed to be an Apple press event scheduled for later this month and rumors say that the Mac Tablet (iSlate) will be revealed then. Given the success of the iPhone and MacBook, the iSlate should do just fine in the marketplace. You can probably expect an updated iPhone in the summer too.
5. Canada Wins Gold: After you’ve decided on which of the Olympic mascots best represents you, it’s time to fly the maple leaf for Team Canada. This will be the first time that a Canadian wins an Olympic gold medal on home soil. Men’s hockey has a very good shot, but I’m thinking a better chance will come from either curling or one of the alpine events.
6. Saints Win Super Bowl: I posted my Super Bowl prediction last month and while they are no longer undefeated, the Colts and Saints should still meet up in the big game. Drew Brees really has an opportunity to shine.
7. Interest Rates Escalate: I’m not quite as familiar with the American market, but interest rates in Canada have been remarkably low, both for mortgages and investments. This will change in 2010 as the market takes a slight upswing, making new homes in Vancouver even less affordable for first-time buyers.
8. Up Misses Cut: The Oscars are going to have ten nominees for best picture, opening up the doors to some movies that may not otherwise make the cut. You may remember my review of Up and how people say that it’s in the running, but it won’t take home the most valuable golden statue.
9. Touch Dominates All: The iPhone was not the first touchscreen device on the market, but it sure popularized the format. Expect to see more touch-based devices from every electronics manufacturer across every genre. I hope the touchscreens on digital cameras get better.
10. System Rumors Surface: The Xbox 360 has been out for four years now, so we’re going to start hearing rumors of a PS4, Xbox 720, or Wii2 very soon. It’s very possible that Project Natal is a new system altogether rather than a peripheral for the Xbox 360.

What do you see when you gaze into the crystal ball? Will Barack Obama’s approval numbers improve? Will people forgive Tiger Woods and allow him to return to his former glory? The best a man can get?

Tags: past and present, predictions, super bowl

Filed under Sports and Games, Technology.