The laptop market is in a pinch at the moment. Even though laptops are selling, the future seems a bit uncertain. Apple’s decision to swap to Intel, ASUS launch of the Eee PC and the expected flood of new and cheap computers this Spring, are all indications of a bright future. But there are other factors that might push the market in another direction. Gartner says that in 2012, half of all business travelers will have dropped the laptop in favor of other, smaller mobile devices.
PDAs, smart phones and other similar devices will evolve to such a degree that you will be able to run servers and advanced client software, and simply eliminate the need for a big, clumsy laptop. While we’re certain more and more people will use these advanced PDAs and smart phones, there are more people in the world than the business travelers. Students and home users are certainly not interested in replacing their laptops with a PDA.
