eWeek - June 7, 2010

Solid-state disks are immune from the moderate shocks of daily mobility, and also use less power, which in turn allows for greater battery life. Some netbook computers and a few notebook computers already offer solid-state storage as an option, but rapid growth in that area is held back by the cost of providing large-capacity solid-state storage. While the cost will certainly change in the near future, solid-state storage is still way out of the general run of portable computers.

In the shorter term, however, it’s starting to look like a few of the trends that are already showing up in consumer laptop computers have started to make their way into the enterprise as well. And notebook computers will diversify even more than they already have, with desktop and workstation replacement devices becoming more common. In addition, according to Carol Hess-Nickels, HP’s director of Worldwide Business Notebook

■ Greater durability

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE IN NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS—STARTING NOW:

■ Better battery use

■ Faster processors

■ Better user interfaces

■ Better security

■ Better communications

■ More and larger solid-state storage

WHAT YOU W ON’T SEE ANY TIME SOON:

■ Tablets pushing notebook computers out of the enterprise

Contributing analyst Wayne Rash is a veteran technology writer and reviewer. Apple’s iPad provides a convenient way of displaying documents and presentations.

Hess-Nickels said that new business notebooks will feature a variety of colors, but will also be thinner and lighter than what we’re used to seeing. Taking a page from the netbook approach,

she said that optical drives for laptop computers will become optional to save weight. She also said that durability is growing in importance, and that more laptop computers will feature metal cases. In addition, Hess-

Nickels pointed out that enterprise notebooks will need to feature a long life cycle (the reason for the emphasis on durability) and security features, such as built-in encryption and biometric sensors.

Communication, both within the
enterprise and externally, is growing
in importance for laptop computers,
Marketing, you’re going to see big
changes in industrial design.
future laptop and tablet computers
won’t be visible. They include “green”
initiatives.
Hess-Nickels said that HP is try-
ing to satisfy the business needs
to be as environmentally sensi-
tive as possible—an effort that’s
becoming common in enterprise
notebook computers. She said this
includes building machines that are
recyclable, are free of environmental
contaminants such as mercury and
are manufactured in an environ-
mentally sound manner.

As has been the case for nearly three decades, most laptop changes will be evolutionary. You’ll still be able to recognize next year’s laptop computer as a direct descendent of the one you bought three years ago. ;

■ New industrial design features, including metal cases and colors

■ Elimination of the differences between netbooks and laptop computers

■ An end to Windows and Mac OSes ■ The elimination of hard disks

And tablets will come to the enterprise, but will supplement rather than supplant laptop computers. They will be very important to health care, insurance and education, and, to some extent, will provide capabilities similar to the iPad, while retaining the capability to be a secure, functioning enterprise device.