Tech stuff isn't political — unless you're talking about blogs, real-time political gossip, data mining, research, etc. So with that in mind, Check out PC Mag Tim Bajarin's predictions for 2008.
For the full version here's the article. Otherwise, here's the skinny. My own comments in italics.
1. Smartphones Get Smarter and Gain Market Share.
Think, iPhone copycats everywhere you look. Except maybe not here in Vermont. Heck, I'm still waiting for the $99 Palm Centro to become available here.
2. Flash-Based Laptops Arrive.
The 7 inch Asus EEE PC is pictured above. The $299 model has 2GB flash, while the $399 model offers 8GB. This is 2007's tech darling, a huge step up from the One Laptop for Every Child XO-1 and a new market leader in ultra portable PC market, with prior models running at $1200.
In the full article, Bajarin whines about 2008 models with 64 GB of flash memory not being enough compared to what can easily be considered overbuilt 160 GB desktops more appropriate for movie making than standard usage. The introduction of flash-based laptops this year are coming out with mean and clean running Linux operating systems, which run just like Windows. My desktop is a Dell 4400 with 768RAM and 16GB hard drive. When Windows XP and all of the crud with Norton System Works amped out my hard drive, I swiched to SimplyMepis (download locations listed here) and reduced hard drive consumption from 95% to 32%. And this includes tons of free software, including OpenOffice, a high end graphics program called GIMP, and lots of games for the kids.
3. The Introduction of the “Basic PC.” Next year we will see a real push to create “basic PCs,” bare-bones computers priced around $275 to $350 and targeted at emerging markets. We've already seen similar products, such as the XO-1 laptop by the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative and the ASUS Eee PC 4G, but they represent the tip of the iceberg in this category. And don't be surprised if this type of PC gets serious attention as a second, third, or even fourth PC for consumer homes.
Ok, this is the whole quote and not the skinny. It's actually a bit redundant since the type of Basic PC's he's referring to are the same flash-based laptops he just spoke of in Prediction #2. The real opportunity offered by these types of laptops isn't about every home having 4 computers; it's about the new pricing availabiltiy to educational institutions.
4. Social Networks Are Targeted by Botnets. As social networks gain in popularity, I expect them to become the next major target for security threats.
It looks like you better pull down your MySpace/Friendster accounts.
5. Smartphones Become Targets for Viruses and Identity Theft.
Wait, I thought smartphones were getting smarter?
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