Author: JD Rucker

Has it really only been 17 years? Apparently, Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel had no idea what the Internet was, or even for certain what “@” meant. We can watch this video and laugh now, but this thing that seems to have engulfed many of our lives was a mystery to most less than 2 decades ago. Just goes to show how rapidly technology is changing our world. What big, obscure mystery today will be commonplace in a couple of decades? …

The phrase “file your taxes” is quickly becoming obsolete. Technology is becoming the driving force behind the yearly process that once required calculators, pens, and a guide book. The sale of stamps is even down during tax season (a funny thing since tax return envelopes do not require stamps). Chances are, nearly all of the US readers of this blog have e-filed taxes before. The convenience is clear, but it also represents other advantages: Accuracy – most mistakes on tax returns happens through manual calculations rather than through e-filing. Speed – no question about it – e-filing is much…

The Wall Street Journal called him “the restless genius.” Forbes said he was “the ultimate thinking machine.” by Forbes magazine. Inc. Magazine proclaimed him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” Author. Inventor. Futurist. Freak? If you don’t know Ray Kurzweil, you should definitely read up on his Wikipedia page. Then, check out this graphic by our friends at GrasshopperGroup. When you’re done with that, scroll down and watch the Ted video under the graphic.. At that point, you should be giving yourself a pep talk about how you can be as geeky cool as this guy. …

Google’s war against torrents is being kept quiet. No announcements. No press releases. You will only find the story in blogs that are carefully watching. In essence, Google is removing keywords from their Suggest and Instant results so that they are no longer recommended when people start typing them. If you continue all the way through on a term such as “BitTorrent,” Google will offer the results. Reluctantly. They won’t help you out at all, even if you type all the way to the “n.” Try typing in “BitTorren” without the last “t” into Google. Apparently, they have no idea what you’re talking about….

No, but we’re not far off. The acceleration of the creation and discovery of information is reaching a point that is mind-blowing. We’ve all heard the different “facts,” that we double knowledge every two years or that we gain more information every year that we did in any of the previous centuries – all of it is fodder for speculation and trivia. Still, we’re advancing terribly fast. Are there pitfalls? What if the data is lost? What if we gain it so fast that we can no longer store it properly. Electromagnetic pulses, sunspots, hackers – all are reasonable concerns regarding the most valuable type…

There is zero doubt that 2010 was a booming year for the Internet. Social media emerged as a driving force for online and real-life activities with Facebook and Twitter continuing to lead the charge. Social news had some shakeups and shifts that put sites like Reddit on top. Email is still relevant despite many pointing to its demise. Internet use in general is going up (of course) but the way we access the Internet seems to be changing. To know what 2011 holds for us, it’s good to look back at where we’ve been. Thanks to our friends at Focus, we can do just that. This graphic puts it all into perspective…

Technology will always be a generational thing with the twenty- and thirty-somethings of any particular time-period leading the way and watching their early adoptions spread to younger and older people. It’s just the way of speed – those with money and technological know-how try it first and lead the way for the rest. This graphic by our friends at SiteJabber breaks down the generational gaps and demonstrates how people are using the web. The important thing to take away here: everyone is using the web. Young, old, big, small – it doesn’t matter. The world is getting webby, and not in the Spiderman…

12 years. That’s how long it has taken (so far) to get Duke Nukem Forever ready for launch. The game has become both a myth and a legend that many believed would never materialize. Despite the trailer below, there are still those who believe that it won’t really ever be launched despite an announced May 3rd release date. This is definitely not safe for work – be warned. …

We knew it was coming. If anything, it may have started later than most predicted. The Verizon iPhone hype is here. When it was first announced that the Verizon iPhone was near, we all knew that these two marketing masters would turn it into something bigger than it is. A carrier picking up an old product is normally not newsworthy… that is unless it’s these two giants. Now that we’re waiting, Verizon has decided to advertise just how agonizing the wait really is for many people. …

As the need for tech-savvy young people entering the work force increases exponentially, the need for the American education system to improve and keep up with the trends skyrockets. Who is doing well and who is failing? This graphic breaks down the grades for each state. How is your state doing? Do you pass or fail? Education is the key to the future. It’s a statement that hangs on many politician’s campaign tongues but often doesn’t come through in the way of results. Perhaps sending this graphic to your state representatives can help. Via: MyCollegesAndCareers…