1. Client : PayPal Country : Singapore
Publication : The Straits Times (Print) Section : Money
Date : 3 January 2013 Page : B12
Topic : 3 trends to emerge as devices get more
personal
Circulation : 389,000

2. 3 trends to emerge as devices get more personal
THREE key trends are likely to dominate the tech industry this year, as data and devices take an even
tighter grip on our lives.
The first involves the dizzying advances in mobile devices and technologies.
Experts say smartphones and tablets will fire up e-commerce, to be used as business tools and to
help firms improve productivity.
The second trend revolves around the technologies of big data, analytics and cloud computing.
Last year's buzz phrases, this year they will see faster adoption and a greater understanding of how
they can be used to boost productivity and lift competitiveness.
The third trend involves the emergence of a third era of computing. The first was focused on data
processing, the second on information processing. The third is called cognitive computing.
Ask the tablet where to buy the best shawl for your grandmother, for example, and it will not only
suggest one with French lace, the price and where to buy it - but you will also be able to "feel" the
texture on the screen.
Mobility
TABLETS with rock-bottom prices as low as US$75 (S$92) will hit the market - far cheaper than
today's best price of about US$200.
Lower prices will lead to greater Internet adoption in Asia, said Mr Julian Persaud, Google's
managing director for South-east Asia, giving an overview of 2013 tech trends.
Globally, consumers will increasingly give laptops and PCs a miss, preferring lighter tablets. Research
firm IDC expects worldwide tablet shipments to hit 165.9 million units this year, up from last year's
117.1 million.
The key segment to watch is the seven-inch tablet, as it is lighter and more portable than the full-
fledged 10-inch model.
In the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung are expected to continue to dominate.
This year will see more choices in phones using the higher speed Long Term Evolution (LTE)
technology from companies such as LG and Nokia, in addition to devices from Apple and Samsung.
More people using these devices mean they will be buying movie tickets, clothes, books, music and
other items, anytime, anywhere, from the palm of their hand.
According to PayPal's Online and Mobile Shopping Insights 2011, Singapore's mobile commerce
market exploded by 660 per cent, from $43 million in 2010 to reach $328 million in 2011.

3. PayPal, which enables online money transfers, also projected that m-commerce in Singapore will
grow a staggering 10-fold to $3.1 billion in 2015. These numbers are indicative that this year will see
at least a $500 million m-commerce market.
At retail outlets, mobile commerce will also free cash registers from being tied down to one place.
PayPal president David Marcus said that sales staff, armed with mobile devices, will be free to roam
stores and help customers check out and pay from the aisle or even the changing room.
Retailers and food establishments may be able to increase productivity using these devices without
any rise in headcount.
Technology trends
IF LAST year was about understanding what big data and analytics can do, this year will see
organisations running projects based on these technologies, which collate vast reams of data on
consumer trends and customer habits.
Singapore will also have to focus on understanding other types of data such as voice, images and
video, said Mr Foong Sew Bun, chief technologist and distinguished engineer at IBM Asean.
By putting unstructured data together with the structured data, organisations will get a much better
understanding of their environment and thus be more targeted in their activities.
Cloud computing, a tech buzz phrase for the last two years, has seen good adoption among small
and medium-sized enterprises. Big corporations have been slower in moving to the cloud because of
security reasons.
But this sector will achieve some maturity, said Mr Narinder Kapoor, vice-president and general
manager, HP Enterprise Group, South-east Asia.
He expects customers to use different cloud services at any one time. One could be an internal cloud
for secure applications. A public cloud could be used to share information with customers, while
another could be hosted elsewhere to offer a higher level of security for more sensitive data.
Cognitive computing
THE Sony Wii and Microsoft Kinect game consoles recognise hand gestures, allowing you to play
tennis, bowl, box or golf. Apple's intelligent assistant, called Siri, can understand your instructions to
text messages, find names and directions.
These are early examples of cognitive computing where the computer will be able to see, hear, smell
and taste.
Computers will get smarter over time as they "learn". They will be able to program themselves,
better adapt to their environments and become more useful to their users.
This technology can be applied in self-steering cars and the translation of spoken language in real-
time.

4. This year, user interfaces for cognitive computing are expected to develop strongly. More solutions
using cognitive computing will emerge this year.
GRACE CHNG