Gartner Hype Cycle 2009

I love graphs like this. I don't know how accurate they are or if they can be used for long-term or short-term planning, but I enjoy exploring them. In particular, I like to compare my own estimation of technology versus that of paid technology/trends researchers and pundits.

So here's a quick rundown of my hype zeitgeist. At my college, I'm pushing the adoption of Cloud Computing and E-Book Readers, while nationally I've been advocating for greater adoption of Web 2.0 into education. Web 2.0 is pretty well established (pretty much a no-brainer) at this point. Cloud Computing is a little more cloudy (sorry) with competing definitions, standards, and vendors. The Kindle and E-Books Readers are still an unproven technology - particularly in education, but signs are good, as more publishers go digital and more users demand digital.

I can also point to a number of colleagues and colleges working in many of these fields. For example, Gordon Snyder is leading the push for Microblogging, Internet TV, and WiMax [missing from the list]. Karl Kapp is a national expert in 3D Virtual Worlds and education. Ann Beheler, Pete Brierley, Bill Saichek, Helen Sullivan, and Ann Blackman, from the Convergence Technology Center are the goto source on GreenIT and Telepresence - even linking the two. If you want information on 3D printing, visit Rapidtech at Saddleback College and Mobile Robots the National Robotics Training Center at Florence-Darlington Community College. Or Phil Davis, Vince DiNoto, Ming-Hsiang Tsou, and Kenneth Yanow, working with Location-Aware Devices and Applications as part of GeoTech. I'm sure there's many more of us on the curve.

Gartner Hype Cycle 2009: Web 2.0 Trending Up, Twitter Down

Analyst firm Gartner has just released its latest Hype Cycle white paper, detailing some of the biggest trends in technology this year. According to the report, cloud computing, e-books and Internet TV are at the 'Peak of Inflated Expectations,' while this year's biggest hit Twitter is said to have 'tipped over the peak' and is just about to enter the infamous 'Trough of Disillusionment.' Social software suites and other microblogging services are likewise starting their downward trend. Interestingly, web 2.0 is deemed to be nearly past the Trough and entering the 'Slope of Enlightenment.'

Web 2.0, cloud computing, Internet TV and RFID are all labeled "transformational" by Gartner, meaning that they are predicted to have a big impact on the market. Microblogging is only ranked "moderate," so Gartner doesn't think that Twitter is a very meaningful technology.