1. Sarah Perez predicts ‘Google Chrome adds plugins…one of them is a Google plugin that lets you integrate Google Mail, Reader, & other Google products/services right into the browser.’ This is a real, must happen if they want to compete with Firefox. Although they appear to be targetting Chrome purely at IE’s marketshare at the moment, by going for the simple, fast browsing experience. If they could add-in support for Firefox plug-ins they could take a larger slice of the browser marketplace.
2. Lidija Davis predicts that ‘Microsoft resurrects WebTV after buying out Netflix’. Anything that continues the enhancement of the Windows Media Centre platform would be welcomed by me. Windows 7 looks to given it a lick of paint a some improvements, but greater support for IPTV and integrated streaming i.e. iTunes movie rental would be great.
3. Sean Ammirati predicts that ‘Unfortunately, Facebook Connect authentication will become dominant method for authentication on the web (while this is my prediction, I’m still rooting for a more open solution).’ Facebook Connect has amazing potential and has real implications for website owners that desire ‘community interaction’. Social media is now approaching mainstream as people being their online experience on Facebook and move-out from there.
4. Rick Turozcy predicts that ‘eBay – the Yahoo! of 2009 – oscillates between break-up and acquisition. After a great deal of drama, it will eventually be acquired by Amazon and incorporated into its seller storefront offering.’ This would be a interesting one to see play-out – two e-commerce giants combining. I think 2009 is too early, but I wouldn’t rule-out a coming together of these two at some point as they appear to be aimming for the same place long-term?
5. Sean Ammirati predicts that ‘Twitter will be acquired (probably by Facebook–but multiple suitors will compete for the deal).’ The big acquisition of 2009 has to be Twitter, with increasing numbers of users and a more stable infrastructure it’s going to appeal to a number of buyers. Sean goes for Facebook, but I think Google may also be interested…

What do you predict for 2009 online?