Data Just Right: Introduction to Large-Scale Data & Analytics

14. The Future: Trends in Data Technology

An exciting and inevitable future is approaching, and it’s no exaggeration to say that the future will be fueled by data. Despite political and economic roadblocks, billions of people around the world have gained access to the Internet. As of 2013, the estimated number of Internet-connected mobile devices surpassed that of desktop computers worldwide. Although the growing number of mobile computing devices is by itself significant, consider the fact that we tend to use our smartphones a bit differently than we do a traditional PC. Many keep phones continuously on their person and active at all times (how many of you use your phone as an alarm clock?). Wearable computers, although still in their infancy, ...