2017 in Review - Technology

2017 was a big year for technology with some huge releases, from the latest personal devices to some huge strides forwards in robotics, renewable energy and virtual reality.

The iPhone X, Galaxy Note 8 and Google Pixel 2

These new flagship phones raised the bar once again, and the prices to match. Perhaps the most talked about new feature this year, apart from the galling price tags, was the iPhone's vaunted face unlocking feature that enables a user to unlock and use the phone with nothing but their face.

SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft

Space X’s Falcon 9 made history in 2012 when it delivered Dragon into the correct orbit for rendezvous with the International Space Station, making SpaceX the first commercial company ever to visit the station. Since then, Falcon 9 has made numerous trips to space, delivering satellites to orbit as well as delivering and returning cargo from the space station for NASA. 2017 marks an important milestone for the company, delivering on its promise of reliability in space flight. In October, for the third time, the company successfully launched and landed a rocket that had already flown.

Self-driving trucks

We’ve had self-driving cars for a while now, famously Tesla’s driver assist features - but it won’t be long until the highways are filled with driverless trucks too, perhaps electrically powered as well. Test runs have begun in the United States and logistics giant Toll has recently purchased 10 of the driverless trucks for a trial. The big question is, what does this mean for logistics workers?

Snapchat spectacles

Who remembers the massive flop that was the Snapchat spectacles? Huge hype for the gadget was followed by a long period of nothing and then a botched launch, which effectively killed the product. As an app developer, Snapchat moving into the hardware space was a bold move and may cause a dent in the general move towards ‘wearable technology’.

Robotics

The surreal and lifelike robots from Boston Dynamics have made literal strides forwards this year. More videos surfaced of Spot and Spot Mini - the dog-like design, as well as the humanoid Atlas - doing a precisely calculated front flip.

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo burst back into the console scene after their lacklustre Wii U release - the Nintendo Switch offers portability and shareability like never before with its detachable screen and controller setup. Its range of tactile and accessible games are ever expandin. Hit  game Zelda: Breath of the Wild released to raptuous industry and fan acclaim and there's more big releases to come from the world of Mario and more. Nintendo has once again changed the dynamic of what it means to be a gamer and how we game.

Virtual Reality

The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have some stiff competition this year and generation 2.0 of Virtual Reality approaches. Pimax, a company that has launched a crowdfunded campaign promises to deliver 8K VR in its latest offering, nearly quadrupling the resolution of the Vive and Rift and offering a scintilating 200 degree field of view.  Microsoft is also launching its Windows VR product line which is set to take off, using the platform as a launching pad for a range of augmented reality products and games. It’s up-and-up for the rapidly expanding Virtual Reality scene and developers are constantly finding new ways to use the technology.