So here's the shorthand version of a piece I wrote for Business & Finance (Ireland). Just shortlisting a few trends for 2009.

• Cloud computing for personal use will grow more pervasive. Business use is another issue entirely.
• Open Data needs to be an eGovernment cornerstone. And it will happen. Slowly.
• The mobile web is here and growing. Massive opportunity here, as long as people focus on context; it's not about fitting everything into small screens.
• Social data ownership and portability will become bigger issues. But Facebook Connect will probably blow a disconnected Open Social movement away.
• Data protection & security issues will enter the mainstream. Lose a smartphone and you'll discover it's not the device you care about. It's the data.
• Advertising and content streams will begin to cross. Usable, useful advertising? Is that possible? Yes.
• The top-down semantic web is happening and it will continue to grow. There is value to be made here in releasing previously walled-off content & services. People need to be more careful though.
• Web applications will come forth and multiply: SaaS model is established now, with ad-supported models gaining traction. Some consolidation probably likely.
• Ireland’s Knowledge economy needs attention. Needs to focus on the next billion people coming online, and how Ireland can be part of it. See an interesting post by Neil Leyden here on creating an International Content Services Centre.
• Advertising will continue to move online. Budgets will get squeezed, but the percentage afforded to online advertising will continue to grow (disclaimer: I work for ICAN, an online advertising & digital communications agency, but them's just the facts: http://www.letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=online+advertising+trends)

The full article is in the 'Digital Connections' supplement, in this month's B&F.

"For each answer you get right, we donate 20 grains of rice..."

Freerice.com offers a unique, addictive online quiz, rewarding correct answers with a donation of 20 grains of rice through the UN food program. The default topic is English vocabulary, but subjects such as Geography, Languages and Art are also available.

It's easy to get cynical about an initiative like this; "Play and feed hungry people" is a maxim which definitely makes me uncomfortable. But consider the objectives of the project.

• Raise awareness regarding world hunger, the UN World Food Program, the One Campaign and Poverty.com
• Communicate that small steps can and do make a difference
• Educate (Do you know what 'turbid' means? I didn't)
• End the soul-crushing tyranny of Solitaire and Minesweeper

Personally I think the project is superb. In terms of tone, presentation, promotion, content and usability, it's spot on.

The main reason I like it is because it's an example of innovative thinking, synthesizing anti-poverty campaigning with education and corporate social responsibility. For more on why the ability to synthesize is critical, check out A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink.