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Kara Swisher Predicts the Biggest Stories of 2009

Posted Dec 24, 2008 10:00am EST by Sarah Lacy in Investing, Internet, Media, Venture Capital, M and A, IPOs, Products and Trends, Recession

For the past few months, all anyone can talk about are banks, the markets, and bailouts. But that wasn't all of 2008. In Silicon Valley, startups mostly took a back seat, for a year of the big boys jousting for market position, dominance and attention.

The biggest drama was the battle between Microsoft and Yahoo, which for Kara Swisher of All Things D, was a gift that kept on giving: The twists, the turns, the alternating would be white knights of AOL, News Corp. and Google.

The biggest story for innovation was the iPhone's application store—and the imagination it unlocked for developers everywhere of what a phone could be, according to Swisher.

What about 2009? Swisher is closely watching media and entertainment, which she says is due for a huge upset thanks to surprise successes like NBC-owned Hulu.com. And—like everyone in the Valley—Swisher is closely watching what promises President Elect Barack Obama will keep to the tech set. Top of her to do list: Fix my broadband!

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95 Comments

__A_YAHOO_USER__
__A_YAHOO_USER__ - Wednesday December 24, 2008 10:19AM EST

Yes it will the biggest.......to happen............in 2009 iPhones.......

planetleo
planetleo - Wednesday December 24, 2008 10:25AM EST

Sarah Lacy used to be hotter. She looks fat and old now, yuck. Didn't 2008 teach us anything about listening to people with stupid predictions?

Adam
Adam - Wednesday December 24, 2008 10:42AM EST

I find it rather ironic that we transfer our focus so quick from gas prices to taxes to internet but neglect so many things that are far greater like human life and morals. Our country not only needs to improve on all the above but focus on our roots and establish a place that kids are learning from books not TV and internet being taught by teachers and parents not TV and internet and overall we need to take responsibility and become a do-it-ourself nation instead of asking the govt to do everything and then complain about what we have asked them to do.

Owns Obama
Owns Obama - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:00AM EST

Obama has made more promises to more people than he can keep track of. His first promise is to labor. He has promised to immediately sign the 'card check' bill despite strenuous objections from most every industry not already infected with unions. This will make for the most contentious relationship between business and his administration, or for that matter any administration in modern American politics, all while we're struggling with a deep recession. As for everyone's laundry list of promises------- get in line.

ahgu
ahgu - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:02AM EST

It will be FOOD.

RonK
RonK - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:13AM EST

I predict that nobody knows the future

__A_YAHOO_USER__
__A_YAHOO_USER__ - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:19AM EST

The biggest story of all time is Walmart....We need food to eat.....

NoodleRack
NoodleRack - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:20AM EST

the NoodleRack will be the biggest thing in 2009. wait for it

Davewx
Davewx - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:21AM EST

Buy stocks in 2009 and be rich by 2015. Does anyone's attention span last that long any more?

TRADE REDD NOW!!
TRADE REDD NOW!! - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:25AM EST

adambeyer1--Keep your morals to yourself and I'll keep mine to myself. That should be the only moral agenda this country ever takes on.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:35AM EST

Buy guns and ammo move away from any large citys, and learn to pant a garden, and to hunt and you might be ok in 2009.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:41AM EST

Have this government control the way we get information? This is the dumbest cocktail party idea ever. No..sorry. That would be the government bailout....no, that's wrong too. That would be relying on the government to confirm weapons of mass destruction....no that would be relying on the government for defense of the twin towers, who had already been hit before by terrorists. No. That would be Viet Nam. Nope. It would be the embargo on Cuba to drive Castro from power, or the Bay of Pigs invasion....No. That would be searching and seizing Japanese tanker ships in international waters in 1940. Anybody who hasn't learned that the government can't do anything is an _______________(put descriptive word here)

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday December 24, 2008 11:49AM EST

The biggest stories of 2009 will be the same as 2008. The government meddling with the free market will cause the economy to slip further into recession. Obummer with his socialist agenda of pet projects and labor union bailouts, will turn the recession into a depression. More money injected into the economy chasing fewer goods and services, by 2010 we could see hyperinflation and double digit unemployment. Welcome to socialism, comrades.

Stephen
Stephen - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:04PM EST

There are of course as many world views as there those to view, but in the US the giant divide is between the so called virutal world and the mundane one. The virtual world values broadband more than healthcare; it's the age thing.

Stephen
Stephen - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:06PM EST

There are of course as many world views as there those to view, but in the US the giant divide is between the so called virutal world and the mundane one. The virtual world values broadband more than healthcare; it's the age thing.

Jermz
Jermz - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:08PM EST

My predictions for 2009: America will fall into a depression.

Peter B
Peter B - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:10PM EST

Who the hell is Kara Swisher? Never heard of her

Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:12PM EST

Not the corruption in Congress and Wall street? Is the "socialization" comment liberal code?

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:14PM EST

Wow, could she be less interesting and more generic? She is good for explaining things to my grandpa not to the tech and finance community... I looked her up and she has no industry experience and the only reason she thinks she sees the future is cuz she is doing Megan Smith of Google.

xx
xx - Wednesday December 24, 2008 12:18PM EST

Ah! the warmth of a book. Does anyone remember cursive?

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