Top Trending technologies of 2016

Social Networking to Social Messaging

Social networking has a very positive impact on people around. Last decades Facebook is a not only to

pped but also most reliable source of networking. But this trend is shifting from one networking to messaging and this time Whatsapp in a dominant one that also owned by facebook. Facebook sees that consumer behavior is shifting towards intimate connection vs. broad-reaching social platforms. As a result, messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and SnapChat are dominating engagement with key demographics.

Among other features such as text chat, group chat, message notifications, status updates, and media (file) sharing, one specific aspect of social messaging platforms that made it popular was the usage of stickers or little rich images to depict mood and convey messages in non-verbal format.^[3] While some stickers can be downloaded for free, some are for purchase only, and become one of the way the developers to generate revenue. Another feature of social messaging are in-app services / utilities, such as sticker camera (where sticker images would be added to the resulting picture), social games, other virtual items, business accounts and its integration with other device

2016 will see resurgence in native branded mobile applications. With advancements in mobile in-app search indexing including non-installed apps, deep linking, actionable notifications, and invaluable behavioral and usage data, the role that mobile apps play will be critical for brands in 2016 to further link online and offline behavior.

Age of Drone

2015 was a monumental year for drones. It was arguably the year that the UAVs transitioned from a fringe hobbyist affair and became a full-fledged mainstream phenomenon. Drones are everywhere now, but for all the popularity they’ve gained of the past 12 months, the tech is still very young in the grand scheme of things. We’re really just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible with autonomous UAVs.

In 2016, drones will become practically ubiquitous. Filmmaking, surveillance, land management, agriculture, and package delivery are all being impacted by them. The FAA is expected

to roll out formal regulations for commercial drone use sometime in 2016, and as soon as that happens, it’ll be off to the races. A number of different companies (including Amazon) are already developing drone-based delivery solutions, so shortly after the government lays down some rules, the shipping industry will likely experience a major tectonic shift. Get ready; it’s just around the corner.

Virtual Reality Days

Virtual reality is poised for a huge breakout in 2016; we know this. The debut of Oculus Rift is imminent (and the latest version will be at CES), services (including Facebook) are already supporting 360-degree video and simpler viewers like Google Cardboard have whetted the appetite for immersive experiences.

At CES, the world’s largest annual tech convention to be held in Las Vegas Jan 6-9, there will be more square-footage and vendors dedicated to cars, wearable’s, robots and drones than ever before — a whopping three-and-a-half football fields’ worth of space for smart-car technologies alone.

Virtual reality, artificial intelligence and smart cars will move to the main stage in 2016 as hardware is commercialized and cloud technologies make way for multi-functional computing.

This will set the stage for a 2016 of technology companies expanding into new niche markets, such as auto, electrical and health care as their software products and services become increasingly ubiquitous.

While we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath for those technologies just yet, 2016 will be filled with incremental tech developments that will serve as a foundation for a much smarter future.

And let's not forget about VR's cousins: 360-degree video and augmented reality. Camera systems — both simple and sophisticated — for capturing spherical footage will be a big focus, and augmented reality systems could see a resurgence now that Microsoft HoloLens has attracted so much attention over the past year.

 360 View

Brands such as GoPro, Discovery, and Star Wars are all experimenting with immersive 360-degree content. If your brand supports events, is an extension of lifestyle, or has a unique presence that 360-degree video can enhance, then it may be worth testing. Facebook launched support for 360-degree video last September, and recently announced that it is now supported via mobile.

Videos can be viewed without a VR viewer, but the experience is ideal with some form of VR hardware.

When watching a 360 video on a computer, the viewing angle is changed by dragging with the mouse.

Make sure you're using the latest version of your web browser (ex. Chrome, Firefox). 360 videos on Facebook aren't viewable on Safari or Internet Explorer.

On iOS and Android mobile devices, the viewing angle of a 360 video is changed by dragging a finger across the screen or by navigating with the device.

Make sure you're using the latest version of the Facebook app. If you're using an iOS device, it should be an iPhone 4S or newer or an iPad 2 or newer. The iOS device also should be running iOS 7 or later. If you have an Android device, make sure you're using Android 4.3 or later.

Wearable Future

At CES, there will be 33 exhibitors showing off wearable technology, nearly triple the 12 in 2015. These devices are expected to be outfitted with sensors and showcased in ways that prove their applications in health, fitness and the enterprise market.

Soon, these devices will be able to connect directly to the Internet, without needing to tether to a third-party mobile device.

The wearable world won't know what's hit it when these new smartwatches, fitness trackers and VR headsets land.Like, the Oculus Rift, Samsung GearS2, Htc Vive, Apple Watch, Tag Heuer Connected are already available - and we were waiting ages for those.

Researchers have developed an integrated, wearable system that monitors a user's environment, heart rate and other physical attributes with the goal of predicting and preventing asthma attacks. The researchers plan to begin testing the system on a larger subject population this summer.

The system, called the Health and Environmental Tracker (HET), is composed of a suite of new sensor devices and was developed by researchers from the National Science Foundation's Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) at North Carolina State University.