Notebook usage to decline by 2012

BANGALORE,INDIA: Notebooks are getting slimmer and lighter by the day, making life easier for traveling workers. But its usage would decline by the next four years, if research firm Gartner’s prediction were to be believed.

Come 2012, 50 per cent of traveling workers would prefer other devices over their notebooks, says the research firm in its 10 key predictions for 2008 and beyond. “Traveling workers lament the weight and inconvenience of carrying them on their trips. Vendors are developing solutions to address these concerns: new classes of Internet-centric pocketable devices at the sub-$400 level; and server and Web-based applications that can be accessed from anywhere.”

Another prediction says that Apple would double its US and Western Europe unit market share in computers by 2011. “Apple is challenging its competitors with software integration that provides ease of use and flexibility; continuous and more frequent innovation in hardware and software; and an ecosystem that focuses on interoperability across multiple devices (such as iPod and iMac cross-selling).”

Gartner has highlighted 10 key predictions of events and developments that will affect IT and business in 2008 and beyond. “The full impact of these trends may not appear this year, but executives need to act now so that they can exploit the trends for their competitive advantage,” said Gartner.

At least one-third of business application software spending will be on SaaS model by 2012, adds Gartner. Early technology adopters will forgo capital expenditures to purchase 40 per cent of their IT infrastructure as a service by 2012. By the same period 80 per cent of all commercial software will include elements of open-source technology.

More than one third of IT organizations will have one or more environmental criteria in their top six buying criteria for IT-related goods by 2009. By 2010, 75 per cent of organizations will use full life cycle energy and CO2 footprint as mandatory PC hardware buying criteria.

Suppliers to large global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials via an audited process to retain preferred supplier status by 2011.

By 2010, end-user preferences will decide as much as half of all software, hardware and services acquisitions made by IT.

Through 2011, the number of 3-D printers in homes and businesses will grow 100-fold over 2006 levels.