Discussion

Joyce, Good point on a potential impact on information technology in the workplace. While the manufacturing industries take a hit, it seems like the the individuals that are employed are working harder or longer hours than they did in the past to achieve the bottom line. There is no doubt that technology, automation, foreign competition have increased productivity. On a positive note technology can make people more wealthy by freeing up resources to address more problems, satisfy the consumers needs at an accelerated pace, freeing up labor to create new industries.

Near Field communications (NFC) is already becoming a familiar trend in smartphones. Aside from mobile payments, i. e. google wallet, many handset vendors have been using NFC technology as a way to set their product apart from competitors. Maybe Apple will Jump on the bandwagon and introduce NFC technology in its next I-phone 6 release. Even though NFC has been around for the last ten years, I think the ways that it will be utilized will evolve in years to come. One example of this is home automation.

Pairing smartphones with household appliances uch as cameras, washing machines, vacuums and refrigerators with the ability to use them remotely may become a new alternative down the road. Voice recognition in home automation can also be an expanding trend. Many smart TVs has voice controls that require a person to be a few feet away from the screen, to enable the television''s setup mode for voice and require them to speak into their remote control. New voice recongition platform will be able to use one''s voice to control the temperture, shades, lighting, home security and audio/visual functions on the television without the remote control.