Trends for 2005?

Red Herring offers up their Top 10 Trends for 2005. I select four for comment:

• From speed races to duels. Moore’s Law is challenged as the chip industry changes tactics to avoid a meltdown. Balderdash! Me thinks RH has been seduced by Intel. Sure, Intel is shifting emphasis in their marketing away from clock speed. Intel also seems to be nudging computer users toward processors more compatible with their applications. I don't believe that should be interpreted to suggest that Intel is pulling away from raw horsepower. I believe Intel's product development will continue to climb Moore's curve. If they don't, AMD, and others, will eat their shirts. My guess is that this is a fake Intel intends to (hopefully) toss AMD off guard. I doubt AMD will take the bait.
  
  
• The death of distance. VoIP, WiFi, Cellular Modems, etc. have decreased geographic distance to approximately zero. The more pressing challenge I see is figuring out how geographically proximate individuals can better leverage these technologies. For example, an increasing number of students come to my classes equipped with WiFi enabled laptops and handhelds. How to effectively leverage and integrate the capabilities of these devices into the classroom experience is the key question.
  
  
• Where is that file?As the storage capacity of personal computers has expanded, innovators see a business opportunity in searching the final frontier – your desktop. YES! Ah, desktop search is here. Now. Google Desktop Search is -- despite cries from privacy obcessives -- an outstanding tool The ability to simultaneously search Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and AIM transcript files, and the web, with results delivered in the classic Google style is delightfully empowering. Highly recommended. In fact, download it NOW. (Speaking of search, check out A9. Although A9 is a web only search tool, it is extremely helpful.)
  
  
• The U.S takes a 3G thrashing. The next generation in cellular could leave the U.S. even further behind. Nope. For whatever the reasons, the US cell user just wants voice connectivity. Many in the US don't want all those fancy gizmos that 3G can make possible. I believe the lack of a common standard in the US for wireless networks is a much bigger obstacle to the evolution of wireless here in the Colonies.