Cloud Computing

Now that broadband is as easy to come by as a Starbucks latte, there's little reason for all those resource-hogging applications to live on our hard drives. Cloud computing shifts data and apps to servers located . . . somewhere else, enabling users to access their own files and processes anywhere, anytime. Look for two potentially game-changing developments in Cloud computing this year: free online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote offered as “Office Web Apps” with the release of MS Office 2010, and then the launch of Google's Chrome OS, which integrates the concept into their streamlined browser concept.

Mobile Payments

With PayPal, Amazon, and newcomer Square (from Twitter creator Jack Dorsey) vying for primacy in the mobile payment market, expect to have one or more new ways to spend money with your cell this year.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) promises to be one of the fastest-growing areas of application development in 2010. It combines digital data and imagery with a view of the real world in real time (a simple form of AR would be the yellow first-down line on a televised football game). AR holds the promise to link platforms— from the PC to the mobile device and more—but the key to effective usage will be compelling design. Only with an interface that is both intuitive and easy to use will your AR project find users.

The Rise of Tumblr

With a platform that is easily customized and enables posting of text, images, audio, etc., Tumblr is set to become the next blog spot. With the ability to follow other blogs, it effectively brings together Twitter-type community and the ease of RSS.

Social Gaming

If you don't already play FarmVille or Bejeweled Blitz, chances are that you've seen endless status updates detailing your friends' games. Don't count on social games going anywhere, either; Zynga's FarmVille claims more active users than Twitter, and EA recently picked up game-making competitor Playfish for a rumored $400 million.

Sketch Integration

Not all of the trends we're watching here at JJAD are tech-related. Closer to home, on the design front, we're excited about the integration of sketches/hand-drawn designs and run-of-the-mill HTML. This approach promises to blur the lines between technology and art even further, and offers an exciting way to give your site an unusual, unforgettable look.

Typography

Time was, there were pretty strict rules governing the combination of font types and sizes. In a nutshell, less was more, and blending script-, serif-, and sans serif fonts was enough to have Pratt calling to reclaim your design degree. Like the best web trends, though, the act of discarding old rules gives a new energy and vitality to plain old text. With this strategy, your copy itself can be as compelling as your message.

jQuery

Thanks to effective blockers, popups are largely a thing of the past. jQuery, though, is emerging as a more professional means of employing a similar methodology; think of it as the popup that's grown up. And with a high conversion rate, their effectiveness is hard to ignore.

DIY Video Embedding

Video can be a compelling way to bring your story to life, but it pays to invest in a DIY plugin. To quote one source, “if you embed YouTube, you'll look like a noob.”

Graphic Upgrades

With all of the technology- and design-oriented options at their disposal, more and more small- and medium-sized businesses and organizations are turning to capable, full-service design firms to aid in upgrading and re-envisioning of their websites.

Web developers were a fine choice in the Web 2.0 days, but in order to properly enhance the look-and-feel of a .com or .org site, there's no doubt that a graphic designer can best improve and enhance the effectiveness of your site.