From the Reporters
Carole Matthews

The Year of Net Services

 

Broadband communications and Internet advancements will offer big opportunities to tech firms in 2006, according to International Data Group's annual list of predictions for 2006. And the opportunities won't be reserved for just the big guys.

Subtle changes sweeping the industry will make it easier for young, innovative companies to gain a foothold. IDG predicts these smaller changes, rather than the creation of well-known new technologies will be the fuel behind the biggest opportunities.

Concepts like Ajax, a term used to describe the pulling together of more than one technology to identify, collate and display information, and open innovation, where companies embrace other firm's ideas to stay at the "cutting edge of technology" will disrupt the tech industry, according to IDG. Combined with the increased adoption of broadband, the Internet should be fertile ground for smaller tech firms next year.