"Trending topics" are bull, says Select All. These little modules on social media sites are swamps of banality and disinformation. This week, YouTube's trending page included a conspiracy-theory video, which claims that the Stoneman Douglas High School students fighting for gun control are actually paid actors. (Narrator voice: They're not.)
In what I can only call "a crisis of faith", I have made the trend known as "dessert hummus" and found it to be very pleasing. When it was first (gently) suggested I explore dessert hummus by my (sweet and understanding) editor, I demanded a phone call, so alarmed by the concept was I.
Nobody brags about eating junk. A healthy diet includes veggies and eschews too much sugar, and if you eat that way, you can feel satisfied that you are eating "clean". But you know what? Eating clean is a trap.
A few weeks I ago, I presented a technology session to the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees. In that, I decided to focus on five megatrends I though they should keep an eye on rather than being subject to the short-term bumps we see when a new device or service is released. After all, as exciting as the release of a smartphone might be, it's unlikely to change your IT strategy.
As Gartner moves towards their annual Symposium/Expo events, they have identified three key megatrends through analysis of the Hype Cycle. Let's see if they agree with me.
This afternoon, I'll be presenting at the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees' Ideas Exchange conference. It's an interesting gig as my job will be to help a bunch of non-IT people navigate the rapidly changing world of technology. With so much happening, I decided that the best way to help them was to strip away the minutiae of seemingly daily updates and get to the big trends influencing the way businesses work today.
My "look" -- if I even possess such a thing -- is best described as equal parts "teenage dirtbag" and "someone who is allergic to pants". My wardrobe is comprised of jeans, jeans that have been cut into shorts, T-shirts, flimsy dresses, and not much else. But a new garment has edged its way into my wardrobe -- and heart -- and it has changed my life for the better.
The Consumer Electronics Show wrapped up in Las Vegas last week. Every year, tech companies get together to show off all their coolest stuff. Most of it isn't as cool as they think. However, some trends give us an idea of what we can look forward to from tech in 2016.
