Next age magicians

As time goes by and more of our world is placed in the "hands" of computerized (and networked) devices.

The amount of control that an individual will be able to excert over the world will increase.

Classical examples of magic, as the ability to interact with physical objects without actual physical excertion is one of them.

Even the average person will be able to wield some of the upcoming technology functionality.

But it will fall on the hackers (as impromptu assemblers), programmers (as educated program writers), and cryptologists (a somewhat exclusive intellectual elite) to use the full potential of all the new gadgetry that is being produced.

Biometrics will allow for a keyless world, where your property will identify you. whether that is a house, a cellphone or your car. Only you and those you grant an access level will be able to operate.

Personal computing devices will grow from the current "phones" into a more ample environment thanks to functional micro transactions and the integration of cellphone networks into the www. Communication among people will vary, between the official and the obscure with services (apps) relying in independent and enterprising servers. (see whisper vs snapchat vs whatsapp vs fb chat).

Having a single standard currency will be an oddity. With different types of "money" being available to anyone anywhere in the world (see food tickets, bitcoin, aurora coin, online gold buying / storing ej. bullionvault) as individuals find out that volatility is less of a danger when your assets and cash are properly distributed among different economic structures.

3D printers will result in the extinction of crafters of most if not all materials, and a revolution in the way we approach commodities. Companies based on producing simple objects of day to day use are going to be seriously challenged to continue to be able to offer products the public is willing to buy.

So, we add these things up and we find ourselves in an era when a single individual can:

1.- Be able to use goods around him. Whether or not they belong to him.

A necessary requirement for humanity to put trust into something is that, that something is reliable. So, rampant glitches and hacking would actually slow down the distribution and use of the new technologies. Although, as it is consistently proven today, no matter the complexity and importance of a system, it will not be "safe" against a deliberate attack, and or, improper use/implementation.

Someone with the characteristics described above will be able to "drone" devices to his service.

2.- Have cults of personality, for his technology savviness.

The "hacking" subculture will expand significantly.

It will be more attractive to understand the principles that allow that world to function, the currently underground cultures will see growth beyond their ability to encompass such an addition in its numbers, the non structured networks of today are going to give birth to multiple "hacker" cells around the world (as the pirating scene today, but with much more measurable impact in the world)

3.- Have the right type of resource at the right moment.

The record keeping of the multiple currencies will require time knowledge and effort. The appropiate handling of this multiple currencies will open a brand new market of applications (like an all-inclusive google wallet) and experts which will deliver a new age of "investment"

4.- Craft objects at will...

As 3D printers become the mainstream way to create day to day products, and with their proven effectiveness at printing with different (including organic) materials, society will have a different relationship with "things" as they will no longer be produced by exploited people in some far corner of the world, but instead just printed as needed... on the spot...

I predict that at some point these printers will be ubiquitous and perhaps even wander into the territory of nanobot sculpting. so.. there you go. the principle of creation tackled.

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And all that falls short of the sheer destructive capabilities that anybody able to shut down a system will have...