Tech Predictions for 2013

Veteran tech writer Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal looks ahead to 2013 and thinks we'll be controlling more of our everyday devices (thermostats, appliances, etc.) wirelessly through apps. We're heading toward a world of "Internet-controlled everything." Other forecasts:

• Tablets: The market is only going to get bigger, with more people buying them to replace laptops and e-readers. Microsoft's Windows 8, a hybrid of sorts between a tablet experience and that of a regular PC, hopes to reverse the trend, but it's too early to tell whether it can make a dent.

• Smart TV: This might just be a breakthrough year for easy-to-use TVs that integrate seamlessly with the Internet for streaming and apps. One strong contender: Apple's long-rumored TV could hit the market.
• Cheaper smartphones: Mossberg expects to see prices drop for both the phones (especially Androids) and their monthly data plans. A company called Republic Wireless, for example, has a $19 plan that makes calls via WiFi instead of carrier networks when possible. Expect more such innovation.

Click for the full list, which includes better (and thus pricier) music players and fitness monitors. (More technology stories.)