Quiz: Top tech picks for 2006

The ways of technology are notoriously hard to predict and few have a vision of the future. What's the next-best thing to a crystal ball view of technology? Gartner Inc.'s report, "2006 Top 10 Strategic Technologies." How much do you know about the up-and-coming technologies predicted to pick up in 2006? Take our quiz to find out!

1. In an earlier report, Gartner predicted that microcommerce would generate $30 billion per year by 2010. Which of the following is a good example of microcommerce? )
a. pay-per-click advertising
b. paying $0.99 to download a single song
c. paying $1.50 for access to an online article
d. All of the above
Answer

2. Google offers this and Microsoft is rumored to be building it into future operating systems. It's an application that lets you search various sources -- such as your e-mail folders, the Web, and files on your hard drive -- all at the same time. What is it?
Answer

3. OLEDs are one of the display technologies predicted to start taking over from traditional LCD. What does OLED stand for?
a. oppositional light-emitting diode
b. operational light-emitting diode
c. organic light-emitting diode
Answer

4. This operating system is expected to start gaining on the more prevalent OS for important corporate applications. What is it?
Answer

5. This mode of communication, once frowned upon in the corporate world, is expected to displace others, such as traditional phone calls and VoIP. What is it?
Answer

6. Next-gen software is expected to be built on the SOA model and incorporate Web business standards. What does SOA stand for?
a. standard-oriented architecture
b. service-oriented application
c. service-oriented architecture
Answer

7. In this computing model, network-connected devices embedded invisibly into the environment provide constant connectivity and services. It's expected to come closer to fruition. What is it?
a. grid computing
b. pervasive computing
c. utility computing
d. autonomous computing
Answer

8. It knows where you are! This technology uses knowledge about a device's location. For example, the user of a wireless-connected smartphone could be shown ads specific to the region the user is traveling in. What is it?
Answer

9. This computing model, in which the resources of many computers in a network are applied to a single problem, is predicted to catch on. What is it?
a. grid computing
b. pervasive computing
c. utility computing
d. autonomous computing
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10. Used for server consolidation, storage, and software pretending to be hardware, this is a type of technology that makes something seem to be one thing when, in fact, it's something else. What is it?
a. emulation
b. prevarication
c. virtualization
d. euphemism
Answer

How many did you get right? Let us know!

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