In an age dominated by over-the-top product releases and press junkets dedicated solely to PDAs, it’s hard to imagine there are many technological advances or introductions that go unnoticed. Quite the contrary, researchers and Internet companies work diligently behind the scenes on amazing products and services that never receive flashy news coverage. From websites to energy sources, here are a few of the best recent tech advances that have slipped under the radar.
Solar powered everything:
Gone are the days when solar energy could only be harnessed through giant ray-seeking panels. Today’s solar landscape is abundant with products designed to supply solar power without the hassle or inconvenience. Wallets, cell phone cases and even cargo pants now come equipped with flexible solar panels, designed to charge user’s personal devices such as laptops and tablets. Companies like Earthtech and Powermonkey have quietly made huge advances in personal solar technology in the last few years, and consumers can now find many of these items online.
.co domains
A relative newcomer to the domain name scene, .co domain names slipped onto the market in mid-2010 with little fanfare. For consumers, however, this relative lack of news coverage could be a benefit as many desirable .co domains are still available for purchase. Operating just like .com domains, .co sites are easily recognizable in a global economy and help businesses and organizations distinguish their site in an often cluttered field. Consumers should purchase new .co domains through reputable registers such as Network Solutions, many of which offer hosting packages suited for businesses as well.
Holographic transportation
Once regarded as a futuristic pipe dream, holographic technology is quickly becoming a fascinating field of innovation. In late 2010, researchers announced that they were successfully able to take an object from one location and transmit it in 3-D motion to another location – an idea straight from science fiction. Engineers hope to eventually improve the speed of which the transmitted image is refreshed by about 100 times which would, in effect, allow for true holographic “transportation.”
Cloud computing
The most talked about “under the radar” idea on this list, cloud computing is the notion that data such as images and music can be stored in virtual space and be accessed from anywhere. While cloud computing technology is currently being utilized and improved by large tech companies such as HP and GoGrid, huge strides have been made recently in bringing open cloud computing to the masses. Issues like security and legality are now being addressed and even Apple is slated to get in the game, hinting that cloud storage for iTunes is due in the near future.
In a time of 24-hour news channels and up-to-the-minute live blogging, it’s difficult to imagine many technological innovations have escaped the glare of the Internet spotlight. Researchers and developers are constantly working to develop useful technologies for the masses, such as the four outlined above. Though they’ve managed to stay relatively low-key for now, these new tech solutions surely won’t be under the radar for long.