Verify 15 Gates technology predictions

In 1999, Bill Gates wrote a book entitled "Business @ the Speed ​​of Thought". In this book, Gates offers 15 bold predictions.

Test 15 Gates' predictions from 1999 on the technology world

At that time, Gates' predictions sounded quite odd. However, now when looking back at Gates' predictions we see that these are extremely accurate prophecies, below are those 15 predictions and the current reality:

1. Price comparison websites

Gates predicts (G): "Automated price comparison services will be developed, allowing people to see the price of products on multiple websites and easily find the cheapest product".

What we see now (N): Currently you can search and compare different prices of the same product on Google or Amazon easily. Websites like NexTag and PriceGrabber are also built for price comparison purposes.

2. Mobile device

G: "People will bring small devices to help them keep in touch and make e-commerce anywhere. They can also check the news, see the flight information they have booked. , get information from the financial market and see anything on these devices ".

N: Smartphone and recently smartwatch can do everything Gates predicted.

3. Online payment and better health care through the website

G: "People will pay their bills, control their finances and contact doctors via the Internet".

N: The Internet cannot impact much on the health sector, but websites like ZocDoc appear to help people find and schedule an appointment with the doctor more conveniently . Currently, you can also borrow money online through websites like Lending Club and make transactions through websites like PayPal and Venmo.

4. Personal assistant and Internet of Things

G: " Personal companions will be developed. They will connect and sync all your devices intelligently, whether you are at home or in the office and allow them to exchange data. The device can check your email or notifications and present the information you need.When you go shopping, you can tell it what you need to buy so that it creates a list and prompts. It will notify all your devices your travel and shopping plans so they automatically adjust according to what you are doing. "

N: Google Now, a smart assistant on mobile devices is being developed in this direction. Meanwhile, smart devices like Nest have the ability to collect data about your daily routine and adjust the indoor temperature accordingly. Beacons will send you coupons based on your shopping habits in the past.

5. Control your home online

G: "The continuous video feeds in your home will become popular, they will notify you when someone visits you without a home" .

N: Dropcam provides indoor surveillance cameras to help us monitor homes more easily. Google acquired the company in 2014 at a price of $ 555 million.

6. Social network

G: " Personal websites for you and your family will become popular, allowing you to chat and plan events".

N: Social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram are taking on the roles Gates predicts.

7. Automatically offers promotions

G: "The software knows when you book your trip and uses that information to suggest activities at the destination. It suggests activities, discount areas, coupons and cheap rates for all you want to join ".

N: Travel sites like Expedia and Kayak offer discount packages based on customers' past shopping data . Advertising on Google and Facebook can provide ads, promotions based on location and user interests.

8. Live sports discussion sites

G: "This service allows you to comment on what's going on while watching live sports matches and participating in the winning team prediction competitions."

N: A series of social media websites are providing what Gates predicts and Twitter is the most prominent example. In addition, you can comment in real time on sports websites like ESPN.

9. Smart advertising

G: " Devices will be able to advertise smartly. They know your shopping habits and will display ads about things you like."

N: Most online advertising services have this feature, advertisers can find potential customers based on click history, personal preferences and shopping habits.

10. Link to the website while live broadcast

G: "Television can include links to relevant websites and content to complement what you're watching."

N: Most online sports games on television have ads that link to specific websites.

11. Discuss online

G: "People in cities and countries can discuss online via the Internet on issues that affect them like local politics, city planning and safety."

N: Currently most news sites have a comment section so people can discuss directly. Meanwhile, some websites create forums so that users can ask and answer certain questions. Twitter and Facebook have played an important role in the political revolution in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.

12. The site focuses on hobbies

G: "Your interests can impact the online community but your position is not."

N: All news websites and online communities are focused on single topics. Many news sites go into a certain topic.

13. Project management software

G: " The project management function will be posted on the Internet, describing the project and receiving the requests for admission of those who fit the project's requirements".

N: Currently, there are a lot of workflow software in businesses. It changes the way companies are recruited, grouped and divided.

14. Recruitment online

G: "Similarly, job seekers can find online career opportunities by sharing their interests, needs and professional skills on the web."

N: Sites like LinkedIn allow users to upload resumes and find jobs based on their personal interests and needs. Employers can search for candidates based on their professional skills.

15. Software business community

G: "Companies can allow other companies to subcontract their work whether it's a construction project, a film production project or an advertising campaign. This is very effective. As big companies can hire other companies to handle jobs they don't encounter often, businesses can look for new customers and corporations don't need a reliable supplier. PBX service ".

N: Many large software corporations have posted the jobs they need to handle on forums for small software companies or individuals to handle them. Many software businesses are focusing on its social aspects so users can reach out to other businesses and discuss to be able to create larger projects right in their applications.