Dave Masterson's blog - Dave Masterson Technology Thoughts

Mobile technology and the use of smartphones, PDAs, netbooks is heading in new and exciting directions, thanks in part to advancements being made on several fronts. The popularity of such devices is at a high. In order for our mobile experience to improve, factors such as bandwidth, online availability, battery life and storage options must continue moving forward. At this year's CES, new technologies were displayed that shed light on where things are heading and how we'll get there. Here's what I saw...

Portable computers outsold desktops for the first time ever in the fourth quarter of 2008. People want this in their lives, anytime access to Internet anywhere they go. Ask any college student (They will be the decision makers 10-15 yrs from now) what they covet most and it would be their smartphone. A close second might be a laptop, with MacBook or a MacBook Pro topping the wish list. A business is no longer limited to being a physical place to go to - it is evolving into a fluid entity that is above all, portable. Satisfy customers from home, a diner, your car. Beyond what many of today's businesses are thinking or preparing for. Get ready....
Battery power has to ramp up to meet the demands. New batteries are looking to do three things better from what I can gather:stay charged longer (more hours of use); deliver more output because tomorrow's devices need more juice; and charge back to "full" quicker. Today's batteries go through a usage cycle that chemically limit how many times the battery can be recharged. This limit is being pushed back with newer materials and new thinking. Hydrogen cells? Yes, this is one advancement. How is it I think of the Led Zeppelin album cover/Hindenburg photo when hydrogen is mentioned as a possible battery source? It's true. HP will release a new battery type for it's mobile computers this year that promises more recharges, over twice as many when compared to current battery sources. That's helpful. Also demonstrated in Las Vegas was a Korean company that has a battery that recharges 75-80% in 10-30 minutes. Imagine a laptop charging back to full in the time it takes you to plug in and deliver a presentation to a client? Or recharging a phone to a majority of it's power capacity on a quick layover at the airport? That's what's coming, and it's necessary for the leap we look to take in mobile computing.
Bandwidth. Here's a HUGE component in the formula. Our network of cell towers and WiFi networks is under fire from rapid adaptation of smartphones. Free access is a part of many dining and retail schemes these days. Several cities have tried to deliver WiFi to the general public, but the two attempts I know of failed in Philadelphia and San Francisco. The cell service in Europe & Asia standardized a format and stuck with it, so they're in better shape than North America, where different carriers undertook the expense and time to build their own networks. Our companies are not likely to give up their investment to become standardized and possibly loose market share. Now newer fourth generation (4G) Internet & cellular networks are being developed. Two new technologies are emerging, WiMAX and LTE (Long Term Evolution). As usual, our US carriers are split as to which ones support which type of technology. The LTE is what's favored in Europe, who knows what we'll get. Either way, these systems will allow blazing fast connection speeds for wireless PC access and cell service. Live video conferences, several at a time, will be supported by these networks. You will be operating as if you are in your office, while walking down the street! That's the vision - hopefully the companies involved will sort out their differences and deliver a solution that will please all!

High volume & high speed storage is heading our way. As shown by the popularity of the newest iPods and the latest family of laptop computers, hard drives can and will be solid state, no moving parts! Like a grown-up USB fob drive, hard drives will no longer operate like record players, with cylindrical storage media and read/write heads. They will contain chips that store data and get it to the user much faster than the traditional method. Some manufacturers are designing hybrid drives that use both cylinders and flash memory to increase speeds. These advancements and the never ending quest for ultra miniaturization will allow us to enjoy more storage in smaller devices - all with rapid access and recovery times.

Know that cellphone manufactures will be sharpening their tool, too! The phones will add features, become more intuitive, and combine capabilities to earn a spot in our pockets and purses. I saw plenty of signs that computers on desks will be looked at as "the way things were" while at the conference. Mobile is the path that we're on, the devices and technologies are taking us there. Growth is happening on so many fronts, you'll see dramatic differences by 2011. We'll follow and track them, as always giving you a heads up as to the relevancy and pertinence of new releases. After all, this is the fun part of technology, wouldn't you agree?

-dm