First Words, Last Words and Hype.

As technologies emerge, the creator and first adopters of those technologies could be said to have had the “first word” on those technologies. They have shown what they’re product can do (or is intended to do) but it is originally received with both excitement and novelty. Yet as this technology makes it’s way around the Gartner Hype Cycle, it’s novelty factor should be lessened as new uses are discovered for it until it reaches its peak. The few who have then utilized the inventions for projects which have become popular in mainstream society, regardless of originality in their work, should be said to have the last word on those technologies.

This all can happen before these technologies reach the “trough”, however once a technology is in the “trough” it’s use in a project can be pleasantly unexpected. Rather than allowing a user to think “Oh, they used ‘that’ again, the trough can be an interesting place to re-imagine an item.

Personally, my interests fall along the entire spectrum. In the 2014 version of the Gartner Hype Cycle, I am particularly interest in interactivity themed technologies such as translation, user interface, and virtual reality technologies.