2013 TRENDS
In scanning the Forbes Magazine, Washington Post and Rolling Stone I saw these commonalities and stand-outs:

Mobile Device Battles: In 2013, mobile devices will surpass PCs as the most common Web access tools. By 2015, over 80% of handsets in mature markets will be smart phones. 20% of those will be Windows phones. By 2015, tablet shipments will be 50% of laptop shipments, with Windows 8 in third place behind Apple and Android, says the stats from Forbes.

look of Apple's Weather app vs. Swackett wether appMobile Interface Battles: Through 2014, JavaScript performance will push HTML5 and the browser as a mainstream application, thus shifting from native apps (like iPhone Weather app) to HTML5 (like Swackett weather app). But native apps won’t disappear, and will always offer best experiences, according to Forbes.

New User Interfaces: Expect more touchscreens, gesture control and other interesting controls to pop up on consumer devices — particularly on desktops and laptops, which have been almost completely the domain of the mouse and keyboard, notes the Washington Post. These UIs focus on making devices easier and more intuitive to operate so novices can master by first trial.

3D Printing: Rolling Stone says that as the price of 3D printers continues to drop the possibilities for these devices, which knit objects together out of plastic, are nearly endless. Thus, you will see Startups (like former KC Hacker House inhabitant ThreeDee) built around offering personalized phone cases to household items.

Crowdfunding of Startups and Devices: Crowdfunding (online fundraising) continues to grow as an alternative to traditional startups, incubators and corporate R&D departments. There are over one million campaigns successfully funded to date, thus catalyzing a sharp rise in independently-produced hardware and software products, says Rolling Stone. Such products like KC”s own Trellie who are using Kickstart to fund their hardware for never missing that important call.

2013 PLANS
As you are looking at 2013, look to us to help retain and build your customer base. We offer returning clients our discounted rates and for new clients a February Special.

Go Mobile: Let a mobile designer who has done user experience for Sprint and Cerner be your muse. Plus, we can partner with the best mobile coders KC has to offer.

Get Well Used: For emfluence we did user interviews, new functionality reviews, a user guide review, an onboarding assessment, a heuristics evaluation and more on their Marketing Platform.  Now their customers love them even more.

Test Your Users: We partner with strategists who have done onsite and remote user testing, as well as international markets. Our presentations hylite the findings with video clips of where your UI’s greatest needs are.

Redesign Your UI: Are you still sporting an outdated look that does not fully integrate the latest marketing trends or functionality you added? Let your customers surf with greater ease by hiring us.

Keep-up That Maintenance: Don’t fall even further behind in 2013 or let the flu virus attack your workflow as well as your workforce. FluidUI is here to keep you on track.

Call to hear more: 816.561.2315.

Trend References: Forbes MagazineWashington Post and Rolling Stone articles.