convergence

Traditionally, it means the coming together of people, ideas, or things in ways that did not happen before. Within IT, it means the coming together of the computer, consumer electronics, and telecommunications industries and the merging of gadgets, such as the PC, the TV, and the telephone. Pundits believe convergence may mark the end point of the digital revolution, in which all types of digital information (voice, video, and data) will travel over the same network.

Historical perspective: Expect to see investment in wireless services that exploit emerging next-generation capabilities such as smartphones with broadband data coupled with embedded GPS, as well as technologies like VoIP, WiMax, and SIP.

Industry analysts predict by 2010 there will be 1 billion people (almost a third of the world’s population) accessing the Web via a mobile screen, known as the Mobile, Wireless (and Social) Web (solomo). This is obviously game-changing. The social-community-based approach of Web 2.0 will increasingly become part of this mobile landscape and ultimately, mobile communities can be connected with location-based services. You’ll not only be able to access a person’s Twitter or Facebook entry, but you’ll also be able to find out where they are–if they want to be found. You will also be able to monitor and track the Internet of Things.

Another example of convergence came in 2015 with the Chromebit stick plug which takes the Chrome OS and puts it in a thumb drive. For under $100, you can plug the Chromebit stick plug into any TV or display with an HDMI input, and access anything you'd find on the Internet, even from Netflix and TV network websites, as well as Webmail and social media sites.