The Economist: The Future of Technology

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From the industrial revolution to the railway age, and through electrification, mass production, and the information age, a recurring pattern emerges: an exhilarating phase of innovation and financial speculation is followed by a crash, leading to a prolonged period of proper technology deployment. This collection of surveys and articles from The Economist explores the evolution of technology and its future trajectory. The first part addresses the “greying” of IT, the increasing importance of security, the rise of outsourcing, and the complexities of implementation over mere innovation. The second part examines the transition from corporate computing to consumer technology, highlighting how new innovations often debut in consumer gadgets like mobile phones. It discusses the mobile phone as the “digital Swiss Army knife,” the dominance of digital cameras over film, the expanding games industry, and the social implications of technologies such as text messaging, Wi-Fi, and camera phones. The final part speculates on which technologies will drive the next wave of disruption, focusing on biotechnology, energy technology, and nanotechnology. This comprehensive analysis provides insights into how technology has evolved and where it may lead us next.