[colechristensen]

It's just too much computing power – there will come a time when many things have enough.

If you look at Apple's recent offerings, it would seem they think that time is more or less here.

I certainly almost never use the full computing power of anything I'm using – the limiting factors aren't hardware any more but the software running on it.

[aquadrop]

We're still coming up with everyday tasks/usage that require more and more power, storage and internet bandwidth. First everything was text. Then we started using photo/audio, then we started using low res video, then video resolution kept enlarging (though recently this slowed down, we got to 1080p pretty fast, switching to 4k isn't as fast), now we invent VR, probably some 3d/holograms format will follow. I don't know what can come after that, maybe we'll finally will have enough power/bandwidth/storage :)

[TheOtherHobbes]

We're reaching the flat part at the top of the sigmoid innovation curve. We're still using 1960s technology. It's just been through a good few generations of refinement.

VR might just about squeeze through now, but given the hardware limitations - and the fact that people look really dorky using it - I'm not expecting it to drive a new explosion of user interest.

We really need some completely new tech to drive a new wave of innovation. The obvious candidates are optical/quantum and perhaps direct neural interfacing. Both are still science fiction, but that may change by 2030.

More extreme technologies may also be possible, but they're beyond speculative.

For now it may be useful to remember that technology rarely develops linearly, so speculating about future CPUs is like speculating about the future of transatlantic cruise liners, while ignoring the fact that someone somewhere is working on heavier than air flight.

[majewsky]

> perhaps direct neural interfacing

I would really like to be excited by the prospect of neural interfacing, but all I can imagine is people catching computer viruses.

[colechristensen]

Watch the "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" series for an excellent science fiction exploration of this

[kayoone]

you might not, but many gamers, streamers, audio/video creators create content today, often 4K (or even higher) which requires a lot of processing power and internet bandwidth, so assuming that demand will not go up is a bit naive. For everyday tasks, sure what we have is fine, but as soon as you move into producing or consuming complex media (which is more and more mainstream these days) i don't think it will stop anytime soon.