Last week on Pro: predictions for social tech, Obama’s impact on cleantech

It’s been a tumultuous week for the consumer market: Blackberry (finally) released its long-anticipated BB10 OS and two new devices, to mixed reviews. And Twitter and Amazon both had a rocky week, with site-wide outages reported on both sites, and a hacking incident effecting 250,000 Twitter users. Meanwhile, our Pro analysts are looking to what the next year has in store for the consumer market at large (what are Apple’s next moves?), and how Washington might impact clean tech.

Note: GigaOM Pro is a subscription-based research service offering in-depth, timely analysis of developing trends and technologies. Visit pro.gigaom.com to learn more about it.

Cleantech: Obama’s second term: What it means for cleantech
Adam Lesser

Obama is only two weeks in to his second term, but analysts, CEOs, and consumers alike are already wondering if his administration will follow through on the promises he made during his inaugural address. Pro analyst Adam Lesser focuses on Obama’s points speaking points about climate change, and what impacts the president’s statements may have on the clean tech industry over the next four years. Specifically, what impact can the executive office exert through the EPA, the DOE, and the tax credit system?

Connected Consumer: Connected consumer 2013: how 2012 laid the groundwork for change
Paul Sweeting

Pro analyst Paul Sweeting provides a retrospective of the consumer products market over the past 12 months; unsurprisingly, Apple is front and center. While the company arguably did not release a truly groundbreaking product in 2012 (though much lauded, the iPhone 5 and iPad mini didn’t represent any major design or technology innovation), Apple continued to dominate the consumer device market. But the real story is behind the scenes, as the company slogs through music and television rights to prepare for a major media streaming service in 2013. Sweeting also looks at the major trends that emerged in 2012, such as the growing importance of mobile content, and how they’ll impact what happens in 2013. Who are the companies, trends, and technologies to watch in 2013?

Social: Social fourth-quarter 2012 analysis
David Card, Stowe Boyd

David Card and Stowe Boyd take a look back at social technologies in 2012, and make their predictions for what trends and technologies will dominate the market over the next year. While “social” is an increasingly crowded space that now includes both consumer and enterprise products. However, Facebook – with its billion users and near-countless options for monetization and revenue steams – remains the dominant and most closely watched force for both individuals and businesses. Can social media solve the online ad crisis?