Rob’s 2008 Predictions

Here goes – my best shot at what 2008 holds for us mobile pc enthusiasts:

• Dell won’t sell many XT Latitude Tablet PCs to the small business sector, and will reevaluate by spring / early summer; just in time for their competitors to one up them on price and features. Dell will finally understand what the community has been saying: multi-touch will be great, but I’m not going to pay $1000 more for it.
• Like James, I don’t believe multi-touch for Tablet PCs will come into its own for several years, but I do see a market, and Dell is smart to be the first on the scene with a solution.
• We’ll see something from Apple in the touch / tablet MacBook line
• The ModBook will finally ship, but considering Apple’s less than spectacular Ink Well support, I don’t expect it to be a huge success.
• The Ultra-Mobile / Ultra-Portable platform will explode. The “touch” differentiator will be moot. Asus Eee PC has changed the game in regards to value vs price. Devices spec’d and priced like the Asus Eee PC will become the Ultra-Mobile PCs of the Year in 2008.
• We’ll be asking in 2008 if 2009 will be the year of the Tablet PC
• The Amazon Kindle will become the gadget to own, and I expect we’ll see an upgrade to those funky buttons. The key to the Kindle’s success is access to content and connectivity.
• Tablet PCs will continue to find success in the vertical space, and consumers will still have trouble finding them in stores. Allegiance Technology Partners to the rescue!
• Connectivity and mobile computing will be the story of 2008, and the MID devices will get a boatload of press and interest – assuming connectivity is seamless with either USB or SIM card. See Amazon Kindle above…
• Devices like the HTC X7501 will steal thunder from Nokia’s Internet Tablet series. I’d expect more from HTC along those lines as they look at the MID platform, too. Seamless connectivty, built-in applications, and syncing are key. Price will need to get more attractive, though.
• No brainer – We’ll see refreshes from all the OEMs, with just a few “finally / wow” releases. Beyond that, though, I’m expecting evolution / refresh only announcements. I know, I’m pessimestic. Prove me wrong, OEMs!
• Convertible Tablet PCs will continue to outsell Slate Tablet PCs
• We’ll still see more folks using MacBooks vs Tablet PCs when we visit the coffee shop
• Developers will continue to churn out great OneNote add-ins, and InkSeine will get released to the public.
• N-Trig will make some major announcements as OEMs look to them as a feasible alternative to Wacom. However, Wacom will continue to dominate the digitizer market.
• Businesses will begin to implement Vista in full force as new PCs get ordered and they try to stay away from mixed environments. SP 1 will play a major role in spurring implementation on.
• Microsoft will fly Warner out and ask for his help in marketing Tablet PCs, Ultra-Mobile PCs, and OneNote
• Matt will figure out a way to use Vista speech recognition to keep from calling an InkShow a podcast
• Sierra won’t return my Kindle
• Terry Bradley’s home network will get hacked due to all the auto-installing intenet bot’s he’s unknowingly installed
• The GottaBeMobile readers and community will continue to be the best around
• GottaBeMobile.com will continue to dominate the Mobile PC news space, bringing everyone the best in Tablet PCs, Ultra-Mobile PCs, Ultra-Portables, mobile software, and mobile connectivity solutions!