So what’s new? While reflecting on what I’ve seen at Cebit whilst cruising home at 20,000’ in the clouds I’ve got to say ‘the cloud’.

Cloud computing, whether utilising ‘public facilities on the web’ or creating a ‘private’ cloud, storing data, accessing files on the web but ‘stored’ in the cloud or most likely for the majority some sort of hybrid cloud.

Web 2.0 has certainly come of age and the world gone multi-media – the software skills to unleash these trends, and everything that goes with them. Storage and virtualisation are still hot ( and growing despite the downturn) – web TV and mobile TV are also going to be massive very quickly.

Hardware wise these trends mean the explosion of ‘net-books’ and other mobile devices allowing us to be always on and always connected, sharing content and information, and receiving on demand personalised content delivery – when we want it and instantaneously.

And finally in the future ….incredible advances in search, voice activation, touch technology, intelligent computing, 3D television, home automation and robotics…..they’re coming.

Rather subdued an affair this year with a lot of noticable absentees and empty stands.

However, as the speakers at last night’s UK trade exchange forum pointed out, the winners in this recession, will be the ones that keep talking to their clients and offering them something new; people always want to hear about new ideas; new ways of doing things and right now new ways of being efficient. Recessions offer opportunities but only to those of us who keep looking for them and listening.

To quote a well worn phrase ‘when the going gets tough the tough get going!’

Neil Anderson
MD, qcom