|
May 21, 2001 |
 |
 |
Will Notebooks Force Out Desktops?
Some companies are giving portables even to the rank-and-file
By Paul McDougall (paulmcd@cmp.com)
| More on wireless connectivity: |
|
|
growing number of companies are looking to boost productivity and employee satisfaction by arming workers with mobile computers instead of desktop PCs.
"Until recently, only senior executives qualified for a laptop," says Richard Liddiard, desktop technology manager at WorldCom's Reading, England, office. "Now it's much easier for someone from the rank-and-file to make a case that they should have one." WorldCom is evaluating a line of notebooks that Compaq will unveil this week, and Liddiard says it may purchase thousands of the machines.
U.S. notebook sales will increase 25% next year, according to International Data Corp., while desktop sales will grow 7.7%. IDC predicts notebook sales will increase another 13.1% in 2003, compared with 8.2% for desktops. And market leader Dell Computer, in second-quarter results released last week, noted that "customers continued to choose portable computers over desktop products in greater numbers." Dell officials say some customers are standardizing on notebooks even though many workers rarely leave the office. "It's less expensive and more efficient to support a single client image, so some companies are bulldozing the desktops completely," says Brent Wampler, Latitude marketing manager at Dell.
 |
 |
ADVANTAGE: Toshiba servers and notebooks have given Dorricott Racing a competitive edge, Seneviratne says. |
|
|
Compaq this week unveils its new Evo line with two portable PCs. The 3.5-pound Evo N400c is the first to feature Multiport technology, which is compatible with the 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless standards. Compaq's Evo N150 features a full-size keyboard. IBM this week is announcing broad support for emerging wireless technologies across its line of ThinkPad notebooks.
Early adopters of 802.11b report solid performance, even under grueling conditions. Dorricott Racing, which competes on the Indy Lights circuit, has been using Toshiba wireless LAN servers and notebooks. Armed with real-time performance data, crew members are ready to make any necessary adjustments to cars the moment a driver pulls into the pit. Shane Seneviratne, team manager at the Los Altos Hills, Calif., organization, says the network has proven reliable despite disturbances such as cell phones and bad weather. "The signal doesn't seem to be affected by very much at all," he says.
Still, computer vendors may have a tough time moving significant numbers of notebooks in today's economic climate. Desktop sales growth will outpace notebook sales this year, according to IDC, and direct wireless access to the Internet remains slow and variable. For instance, mobile workers can expect average speeds of 12 Kbps to 14 Kbps when they use AT&T's $50-a-month wireless data service. Access should improve this year in select cities when AT&T and other carriers upgrade their networks.
--with Bob Wallace
 E-mail To A Friend | Printer-Friendly |  Send Us Your Feedback |
|
|
Upcoming Events
Live Events
- I Can See Clearly Now - E2 Conference Boston
- Discover the opportunities and challenges associated with mobile retail - Mobile Commerce World - Mobile Commerce World
- Explore best practices for marketers in the new mobile world - Mobile Commerce World - Mobile Commerce World
- The E2 Social Business Leaders - E2 Conference Boston - E2 Conference Boston
- How to Choose a SaaS Vendor - E2 Conference Boston
This Week's Issue
Free Print Subscription
SubscribeSpecial Issue
Current Government Issue
- The Government CIO 25: These influential and accomplished government IT leaders are finding ways to be cost efficient and still innovate.
- Rethink Video Surveillance: It's not just about networked cameras anymore. New technology provides analytics, automation, facial recognition, real-time alerts and situational-awareness capabilities.
- Read the Current Issue
Featured Whitepapers
- HP Newsletter with Gartner Research: Maximizing Your Infrastructure through Virtualization
- Understanding Holistic Database Security 8 Steps to Successfully Securing Enterprise Data Sources
- Information Protection: The Impact Of Big Data
- A How-To Guide on Using Cloud Services for Security-Rich Data Backup
- IBM index reveals key indicators of business continuity exposure and maturity
Featured Reports
