What are the world's best tech venture capitalists thinking about in 2010? The New York Times has a great piece asking - and answering, somewhat - that question. It is well worth a read.

Here's a clue: the 2600 year old stone tablet shown to the left has at least one, probably two, possibly three, things in common with what is predicted to be the hottest tech trend of 2010.

Excitement is building around a possible tablet computer from Apple - OK, forget excitement and be honest: if you aren't anxiously pacing the room waiting for the Apple tablet, you're a crazy person.

On top the huddled nerd masses awaiting Apple's new slate, there will be some interesting new products out this year using Google's open operating systems. All will be targeting the space for an internet machine that is larger than a phone and smaller than a laptop.

Also getting a mention: bringing dotcom-style efficiency and loveliness to the horribly clunky world of corporate IT, and services that manage the vast streams of data people are now producing. Green technology also makes it, but unfortunately for greenies, gets used as an example of an over-hyped technology space that VCs are backing away from.

The whole piece is well worth a read. We'll be asking some of the Middle East's sharpest technical minds a similar set of questions in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for the answers.

(Pic courtesy of The Trustees of the British Museum)