Next Frontiers: A Special Report

Next Frontiers:
A Special Report

In the first of four special issues charting the next frontiers, NEWSWEEK looks at 10 tech cities, the jobs of the future, Bill Gates’ new tablet and your next...well, just about your next everything

NEWSWEEK


April 30 issue — The slowdown of the tech economy is here for real—and probably for quite a while. Just last week: Gloomy projections from Cisco, a technology bellwether. New Economy icon Yahoo imported an Old Economy media mogul as its new CEO. And the markets reacted gratefully—but perhaps only temporarily—to a surprise rate cut. This is, in short, a challenging economy. But while dot-coms come and go, technological advances continue to create new fields, new gadgets and new ways of doing business.

This issue of NEWSWEEK launches a series: four special reports focusing on how cutting-edge technologies and inventions will transform the way we work and live. In this issue we look at 10 tech cities—places like Akron, Omaha and Tulsa—which have built their new economies with hard work and innovation. Over the horizon, the jobs of the future include “bioinformatics,” a field that scarcely existed a few years ago and is already a magnet for talented young workers. We’ll also introduce you to your next business card, passport, virtual secretary and credit card. “Life After B-School” profiles ambitious young grads who are creating new business models based on hard science. And “The Next New Thing” offers a first look at Microsoft’s information Tablet. It’s never been more important to think ahead. And in this first installment of our new series, we let you know what’s next.