OK, it's time to face reality. The long, lazy days of the festive season are over, and the work-a-day world is back.

That means it's time for every self-respecting blogger to post their list of the topics they think will occupy the minds of fair-minded people during 2012. So here's mine:

1. Cloud computing: I know .. I know. The marketing hype ventured beyond the bounds of - well - everything last year, but that's not going to stop it topping tech to-do lists. Trust me - you're going to hear a whole lot more this year.

2. SOPA: While the Stop Online Piracy Act has been shelved for now, there are powerful forces determined to see it make its way into US law. Stay tuned on this one.

3. Big Data: The deluge shows no sign of slowing, and it will be the organisations that can deal with the vast amounts of data now being produced that will stand to gain a real competitive advantage.

4. Micro payments: As NFC chips make their way into growing numbers of mobile devices, expect micropayments to change the way retailers operate. This is tipped to grow strongly during the year.

5. Augmented reality: The ability to overlay the real world with data about it is a powerful concept. Currently only of novelty factor, this application will become a powerful tool for many businesses.

So, that's my top 5. What are yours for 2012?