Micro fuel cells currently in development will allow your notebook to run for days instead of hours. While their introduction is expected in 2005, full penetration will take until 2008, industry analysts expect.
(breaker) Better prices on what you really want
2005 will see economies of scale kick in for the technology items you really want. Flat panel computer monitors -- and televisions -- will see prices fall to levels of older cathode ray tube (CRT) technology today. As flash RAM prices fall, so too will the cost of the devices that rely upon it, including MP3 players, which are today out of the reach of many consumers.
Competition and lower prices on image sensors will result in your being able to buy high-quality digital cameras for film-camera prices.
Computer makers focus on features
The days of exponentially multiplying megahertz and gigahertz are gone. Chip makers were once accustomed to being able to double the speed of microprocessors about every 18 months. Not any more.
Already, Intel is no longer touting the speed of its chips, preferring instead to give them names that play down their gigahertz rating.
In 2005 you'll spend less time worrying about how fast your computer is and more on the features that distinguish one machine from another.
VoIP for the masses
You'll be hearing a lot about VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) in 2005. That's because this technology, which is used to send phone calls over the Internet, will be deployed in a big way by telephone companies, cable companies, and other data carriers. It's all good news for consumers. VoIP means less expensive phone calls and lower long-distance and international calling bills, as more carriers get into the voice traffic business.
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