|
Based on the history of devices in this space, the Gartner evaluation is safe.
But I don't think the person doing the evaluation should be looking at the hardware.
Instead he should be connecting the appearance of the UMPC with the decline of the Palm market, with the many, many years' experience people have now had with laptops and PDAs, with the expansion of broadband and WiFi.
People know what the PDAs and laptops DON'T do well, and that's precisely where UMPC's (and Internet Tablets from Nokia) are targeting. People don't need laptop replacements, don't need full computing power, to check email, browse the web quickly, that sort of thing. They need something small enough to move around the house, stick in the car or briefcase, get some work done if necessary. Instant on. Wide enough to see a whole web page.
Sure the hardware/price aspects are not optimal. But that's probably irrelevant, Gartner.
|