Posted on 06/04/2005 4:28:21 PM PDT by wagglebee
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - In a sure sign that the era of mobile computing has arrived, notebooks have for the first time outsold desktops in the United States in a calendar month, the research firm Current Analysis says.
After tracking sales from a sampling of electronics retailers, Current Analysis says notebook sales accounted for 53 percent of the total personal computer market last month, up from 46 percent during the same period last year.
San Diego-based Current Analysis does not follow worldwide personal computer sales.
Spurring demand for notebooks is their overall price drop as quality has improved, says Sam Bhavnani, senior analyst for Current Analysis. "Just a few years ago, the performance of notebooks was nowhere near where it is today," he said.
Notebook prices fell 17 percent during the past year while desktop prices dipped only 4 percent. Some of the features common in most notebooks are longer-lasting batteries, CD burners and wireless capability.
The computing crowd is increasingly requiring mobility.
Last year, 80 percent of notebooks offered wireless; this year, it's 95 percent, Current Analysis says.
"There used to be a time when people expected a reply to an e-mail within a couple of days. Now they expect a response within 24 hours. People want to stay connected wherever they are," said Bhavnani.
Notebooks will continue to grab bigger shares of the PC market, Bhavnani predicted. "You're not going to see the desktop go away though."
I guess I shouldn't be surprised--everyone where I work brings their laptops into meetings so we can start 15 minutes late while they try to get their wi-fi working.
Unless you need a workstation class computer, I can't see why a laptop won't do. My first computer was an original Compaq Portable I with 256K and two 360K floppy drives and Compaq DOS 1.11.
The 9" Compaq Portable screen is bigger than yours.
i like my notebook.
I use both. The biggest problem I've had with laptops is that they just don't last as long, I carry mine around all the time for work and they seem to only last for a couple of years, but with the low price that's not a big deal anymore. Also, I've had the misfortune of spilling a drink on a laptop keyboard and it's a far more important fix than with a desktop where you can just go to the store and get a new one for twenty bucks or so.
That's similar to the portable terminals we used back in the mid 80s. With a phone line and 2400 baud (!)... sure beat driving into work in the middle of the night when on call... barely.
This old lady got her first laptop 18 months ago---It's the best thing I ever did.
My first was an AT & T 6300....but then, I'm ancient.
> In a sure sign that the era of mobile computing
> has arrived, ...
It's easily also, and perhaps more likely a sign that the
GHz performance race is on hold, with single-core CPUs
having hit a wall at the ~4 GHz mark (or "PR" equivalent),
and laptops aren't going to follow the multi-core fad.
With horsepower capped, convenience and portability beat
raw stay-at-home performance every time.
Then I moved on to an AT&T 7300 and 3B1 in college, running *nix
From what I've observed, just about everybody has far more performance ability than they really need. Complex programs are usually highly technical in nature and are done over a network anyway.
It's damn nice for a bellyboard.
Suggestions?
I am looking at IBM's but have been told that the new MAC's are super
I used to buy the components and build pc's for people...then the price on completed desktops became cheaper then I could buy the components...now laptop prices, went you factor in the display, are competitive with desktops...just watch for the rebates... just got a 4 port wireless 802 G firewall router free after rebates
Is this company like Alienware?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.