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Predictions for 2008, Numbers 6 Through 10

6. Green Is the New Black

Magic 8-Ball says: Outlook good

You don't have to be Al Gore to notice that the environmental movement has swept over the technology industry. But this may be the year that "going green" changes from a trendy marketing slogan into a practical reality.

Gartner has identified green IT as one of its top ten strategic technologies for 2008, and Technology Futures has declared it the number one tech trend for the coming year. Dell, HP, Intel, and two dozen other companies have introduced the Climate Savers Computing Initiative to encourage PC makers to use more energy-efficient components. And many Net-centric businesses have realized that cutting their electricity bills by building more efficient and eco-friendly data centers gives them a competitive advantage.

The bottom line: Instead of "greenwashing" their image to make themselves look good without really changing anything, technology companies in 2008 will see green tech as a way to save themselves some green, as in money. And that, more than the desire for positive PR, will drive environmentalism into corporate strategies.

7. Hackers Get Political

Magic 8-Ball says: Without a doubt

IDG News predicts that China will create an international incident by hacking into another government's systems in 2008. Considering that Chinese hackers successfully stole U.S. military secrets in 2004 and are believed to be behind a "spear phishing" attack on the Oak Ridge Weapons Lab last fall, that's not a particularly big stretch. But why limit it to China? The total cybershutdown of Estonia last year was traced to Russian hackers ticked off because the Estonian government moved a statue of a Soviet war hero. British spy masters at MI5 warn that at least 20 foreign intelligence agencies are actively spying in cyberspace, with China and Russia as the top two culprits.

But the biggest political threat may be within our own borders. Symantec warns of hackers subverting the 2008 presidential election--not necessarily by altering vote counts, but by diverting campaign contributions and using politically oriented phishing e-mail and malware-laden Web sites to steal information.

Two safe bets: We will be living and surfing in an increasingly scary world. And many users will continue to do nothing to secure their PCs, because it's still too big a hassle.

8. Google Stumbles

Magic 8-Ball says: Outlook not so good

After years of sublime success, the not-so-little search engine that could is primed for a fall, say several prognosticators. John Battelle predicts Wall Street will become frustrated with Google's massive attention deficit disorder and command the company to focus on its only profitable businesses: search and AdSense.

Christopher Null believes Google will be smacked down in its bid for the 700-MHz spectrum, as heavyweights such as AT&T and Verizon do whatever it takes to snuff out cheaper alternatives to broadband and cellular Net access. Google Blogoscoped author Phillip Lenssen says Google's insatiable appetite for data puts it at risk for a huge privacy/security scandal, one where a breach in a single Google application could expose consumers' data in the dozens of others. Lenssen adds that the company is likely to start losing talented but exhausted employees, who will be sorely tempted to cash out their stock options at $700 a pop.

Nobody can ride the same wave forever, and Google's wildly diverse ventures are only growing broader. But when you own nearly 60 percent of the search market--and your market share is still rising--you have a pretty soft cushion to fall back on. We believe the G-force will take a licking and keep on ticking in 2008.

9. Microsoft Will Buy Yahoo

Magic 8-Ball says: Signs point to yes

This prediction has almost as many rings in its trunk as the forecast of a Net meltdown does. This year, trotting out the time-honored prognostication are CNN Money columnist Paul R. LaMonica, Mashable blogger Adam Ostrow, and UK snarkmeisters The Inquirer, among others. Rumors about a possible deal also swirled in 2007 (and 2006) but were never truly laid to rest.

This year it really makes sense. Google is pulling farther ahead of Microsoft and Yahoo in search, and everything Microsoft has tried so far to boost its market share has failed. Meanwhile, Microsoft stock is near its highest point since the dot-com crash, making acquisitions cheaper, while Yahoo's stock is at its lowest ebb since early 2004.

Microsoft may keep only the bits of Yahoo it wants and parcel out the rest; the FTC might have something to say about the antitrust implications of such a deal (and the EU definitely would). But we think this one will finally pan out in 2008. And if not, we'll predict it again next year. Why? If we don't, somebody else will.

10. Your Next Pet Will Require Batteries

Magic 8-Ball says: Cannot predict now

Though personal robotics have slowly insinuated themselves into our lives, typically they've been appliances such as iRobot's Roomba vacuum or toys like Wowwee Robotics' Robosapien. In 2008, some trend watchers predict that people will begin to adopt robots as pets.

Ugobe's amazingly lifelike Pleo baby-dinosaur bot finally made its debut in 2007, to mostly rave reviews. Sony is apparently considering bringing its AIBO robo-dog back from the pet cemetery--only this time, instead of $2000 worth of electronics inside its skull, the computerized canine would be controlled by a PlayStation 3 or PSP and a Wi-Fi connection. Hanson Robotics' Zeno is also controlled via Wi-Fi; he/it looks like a 3D version of Astro Boy, with a soft rubber "skin" and a face that displays emotions. When Zeno will be available for sale, however, hasn't been announced.

Whether you'll warm to the idea of robots as companions probably depends on what you thought of Steven Spielberg's AI. But the idea of no litter box or yard waste to clean up has a definite appeal.

PC World Contributing Editor Dan Tynan predicts that some readers won't agree with him, so he invites them to weigh in with their own takes, and predictions, in the comments below.