Facebook, iSlate and Rocky

2010 Predictions:

1. Facebook will continue to grow.

There are those who seem to be of the opinion that Facebook has reached its final plateau. Because of its similarities to MySpace, the success of which turned out to be a bell curve, many in the media world have forecasted that Facebook is about to start falling off in terms of members/traffic. I disagree. While the technical functions of Facebook are the same as on MySpace (connecting to others, leaving comments and messages, sharing photos), Facebook lets you do the same things in a very different way – less gunk, junk, and clutter. Facebook established and maintained an operation that looks and feels ageless. It’s not something you grow into or out of. Plus, their targeted advertising and monetization of successful applications to me means that this will be the best year yet for Facebook. I think they are closer than ever to becoming profitable.

2. The iSlate is going to be the first Apple product to fail.

By first I mean, first one that’s gotten this much buzz and by fail, I mean not sell tens of millions of units. I’m not a Steve Jobs hater. In fact, I own a MacBook and an iPod. I love Apple products and tell everyone I know that they should buy them. However, no one seems to understand that the public is looking for the most they can get out of each buck. My guess is the iSlate is going to be beautiful, and do its one or two functions very well. However if it launches any time soon I doubt too many people will feel they have to have it enough to spend at least $700 on it, and I’ve read that Jobs has twice killed the idea for the product because he fails to see how it’s necessary. There’s no clear market gap to fill. Plus, at its size and lack of space for any real large amount of memory, the best I can see it doing is being a real nice reader for newspapers and magazines. I think the public is far from that green or that obsessed with their favorite news/mags that they will pay for the device and pay for subscriptions. The only way this thing is going to be as huge as the iPod is if it does everything but cook my breakfast and I can get it for $600 or less. I just don’t see it really taking off this year. Maybe 2012.

3. I will get a really good job in the publishing industry.

I know it’s kind of random that I jumped from large-scale topics of general interest to a personal statement of good fortune. However, this applies to everyone. I think reality stamped out the hope that we were all chanting about in ‘08 as we realized things hadn’t quite hit rock bottom yet. I think after the nosedive positivity has taken, 2010 is going to be the year during which everyone stops sniffling, has a good look around and says to themselves, “What am I crying for? I’m not dead.” The only way we won’t succeed is if we stop working toward our goals. It’s not over ‘til it’s over. I’m a smart, successful young woman and I’ve been looking for a job for four months and only had one interview. It’s gotten more than gloomy in this house. Yet I feel deep inside that life is having a good laugh serving up hard knocks but we’re going to come out on top. Life won’t know what hit it. Employment is going to go up, debt is going to go down, we’re going to be happier and healthier than if we had never dug ourselves into this pit. I’ve downloaded the Rocky theme, and I’m playing it every morning from now on because this is going to be the year that we turned things around, at home and around the world. We’re going to work harder, better, faster, and stronger. 2010 is going to be the year we remember as the year we found out what we were made of.

-Vanessa is a blogger for The Sorbate. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.

Related Links

Facebook Soon Strong Enough to Make Initial Public Offering, Inventor Spot

Impact of iSlate Could Rival iPhone, New York Times

Detroit's Youth Look to the Open Road, Washington Post