Young people today are getting an experience like no other generation has had before. Technology is a booming industry that keeps on growing. 2013 was a huge year for the consumer in the technology industry, with many new products released, from TVs and cameras to gaming consoles and tablets.
For starters, Microsoft and Sony ended the year with the release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
“. . . at the end of the year we had the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 released, and in the store we sold through everything we had in a matter of minutes,” said Tyler Cahoon, Wildcat Tech manager at Weber State University. “The consoles were in such high demand that you can’t find them anywhere.”
With almost seven years having passed since the release of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it was past time for new consoles to be released.
“Xbox and PlayStation don’t refresh their models every year, so everyone was chomping at the bit to get the new system,” Cahoon said.
Apple, 18 months after the release of the third-generation iPad, released the iPad Air and iPad Mini. Their sleek new design and low weight helped them come in on top of the tablet market once again. Microsoft came out with the Surface tablet, which ended up being a top competitor against the new iPads.
The tablet market is one of the fastest-growing markets, with so many different companies such as ASUS, Samsung, Microsoft and Apple updating their products constantly. The market has so many options that it can become difficult to decide which one to buy.
“Those people who had the iPad before and knew of its capabilities went with Apple, but those new to the tablet market more often went with the less expensive end, went with the Surface tablet by Microsoft or a comparative product to help get their feet wet,” Cahoon said.
Tablet accessories such as cases and keyboards are going to be big in 2014, which will help continue to grow the tablet market.
“I love my Nexus tablet that I got this year, and I am excited to see the new accessories that will be released,” said WSU junior Kiersten Sugimoto.
The TV market took a leap this last year in the release of the new 4k technology, which will increase pixels in a TV screen to help increase resolution, clarity and color intensity.
“4k TVs are going to grow immensely this coming year because the price point will go down, which will make it more enticing to the average consumer,” Cahoon said. “The only problem going forward with this new technology is the viewing content is very limited, which won’t do a consumer any good until content is released.”
One of the biggest growths in the last year has been in the action sports video production market, with GoPro releasing its new model, GoPro Hero 3, last October.
“They are very versatile cameras and have been one of the biggest sales in the camera industry this past year,” Cahoon said.
YouTube sensations such as Lindsey Stirling, Devin Graham and Stuart Edge all use GoPro in their productions, which helps the market when millions of people are viewing their videos each year.
WSU sophomore Travis Denny studies in the audiovisual department and uses GoPro to shoot videos for his classes.
“It’s a huge benefit to have in video production, because you can get so many different shots and angles that you would never normally get with another camera,” Denny said. He also said he “loves using it because everything that is in the shot is in super-high resolution and I don’t have to really play with any settings to get a clear shot.”
Cahoon said Wildcat Tech in the campus bookstore offers a lot of benefits to students and faculty.
“We want people to come in here and shop with us and feel like they are getting a good deal, so if we aren’t the best deal, let us know and we will match it or do the best we can to give Weber State the best possible deal,” Cahoon said.
The bookstore will also offer items that are used for school tax-free.
