Amazing mobile tech to look for in 2014

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic – Arthur C. Clarke

The near future of mobile technology is going to make the past 3 years seem boring. There are some incredible innovations that are right around the corner. Let’s take a look at some and see how they will shape and change our lives.

Curved Display

A curved display is a smartphone screen that isn’t totally flat. LG is currently rolling out its G Flex smartphone throughout the world and it is expected to arrive in Israel by the end of January. The G Flex’s curved display makes it easier to hold the 6 inch screen in your hand. It is said to fit well in your back pocket (“matches the shape of your tuchus!”).

In October, Samsung released the Galaxy Round, also a flexible display smartphone. At 5.7 inches, the Round features a large display and terrific 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. For now, curved display is a gimmick, but if consumers catch on, it could become a standard. Doesn’t it make sense to have a phone that fits in your hand?

The million dollar question is – how does a flexible display affect the experience of using apps and playing games. We’ll know by Passover.

Transparent Display

Samsung is working on a transparent display technology that allows you to see what’s behind the screen. Here is an example of it in action:

The transparent display is perfect if you enjoy reading while walking. Backpackers and those who need directions will find it useful. Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of the transparent display will be single men and women, who will be able to look at potential mates while pretending to stare at a screen! Seriously, it will enable all of us to pay better attention to our surroundings.

What would you do with a transparent tablet?

Lighter and Thinner

The new iPad Air is the most exciting current mobile technology to hit the market. While many cynics gave it a thumbs down, I disagree. What are tech reviewers waiting for, a tablet that will take them to the moon? I don’t expect my device to “Beam me up, Scotty.”

Compared to the previous iPad, the new iPad Air is 20% thinner, 28% lighter and 100% more amazing. Processor speed? Display resolution? Yawn. Every new tablet from the major brands will run fast and look good. A few points here or there only matter if you’re hunting exoplanets or trying to create the Higgs Boson in your office.

With tablets, size and weight are everything. Finally, we have an iPad that is as light and thin as a pad of paper!

There’s no killer innovation that can replace “lighter and thinner.” You don’t need to spend millions of dollars on market research. If you want to know where mobile devices are headed in 2014, I can tell you in 3 words:

Lighter and thinner.