Technology is constantly evolving and changing, and that means the terms associated with technology are also changing. New terms are introduced almost weekly, and phrases like “I’ll Google that” or “I’ll Facebook you” weren’t in existence a decade ago but now they’re a part of our everyday vocabulary.
It’s is going to be an interesting year for tech, and it will be a year where tech terms will come flying out of people’s mouths like crazy. To avoid looking dazed and confused during conversations with business partners, clients, or even friends, here are four tech terms to know for the new year.
Set to join the ranks of “Let’s tweet” and “I’m going to Instagram my meal”, Pinterest is a noun that will quickly become a verb. A virtual pinboard of sorts, Pinterest allows its users to accumulate images from all across the web by ‘pinning’ them to their board. With more than 1,000% growth in 2012, Pinterest is set to grow even more in 2013 – and this probably means phrases like “I’ll pin it” and “That’s pinteresting” will surface their way into our vocabulary soon enough.
Autonomous vehicles
With so many syllables, these cars have a name suited to their complexity. Autonomous vehicles are, quite literally, autonomous. They are programmed to drive themselves – they steer, navigate, and react to traffic conditions. Google’s self-driving car recently obtained a driver’s license in Nevada, and with more experimental and conceptual designs surfacing from companies like BMW, autonomous vehicles are definitely set to create waves in 2013.
Cloud computing
With the recent updates to Google Drive, and the prominence of platforms such as Dropbox, it’s clear that cloud storage is an increasingly important component in everyone’s day-to-day lives. Cloud hostingis integral for businesses who want to store their software and data in offsite destinations, but it’s also important for individuals who want to store or transfer files easily.
HTML5 and USB 3.0
HTML and USB are both familiar terms, but 2013 will mark the rise of HTML5 and USB 3.0. HTML5 is the fifth revision of HTML and was introduced in 2011; however, with such dominance on handhelds and mobile devices in 2012, this new code has stayed on the backburner…until 2013, when the tech sphere will see a shift back to desktop browsing with the revamp of Windows.
USB 3.0 is another one: while the revision was done in 2008, many laptops are only just introducing this technology into their products – Apple announced the new Macbook Airs and Macbook Pro would utilise it, and Dell Latitude’s 2012 laptop series introduced USB 3.0 as well. This faster, “superspeed” USB technology will rise to more prominence with new laptops designed for Windows 8 in 2013, so adding the term to your vocabulary now will certainly help you when next year rears its head.
