PCs continue to evolve as the technology that goes into them becomes more powerful and affordable. But here's the question for you: are the consumers influencing the types of computers we develop, or are the types of computers we develop influencing us?
It may sound like a "chicken or the egg" kind of question, but there is some valid material to explore with this consideration. For example, if our behavior is dictating the way that PCs develop, we will have a lot of power as consumers over the kinds of products that are released. If, on the other hand, we are forcing ourselves to adapt to the products the manufacturers release, then who knows where we might end up?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider, if you will, laptop PCs. As computers became more and more necessary in our daily lives, people wanted to have access to their machines wherever they went. One could argue that this was a matter of the market following the demand. Most manufacturers ran to fill that demand.
Compared to that, netbooks have started to change things in the industry. Some people have argued that these PCs were designed to fill the demand for cheap computers. But, at the same time, netbooks are supposed to fill the demand for an even more portable computer than a laptop.
Let's really think about that, though. Weren't laptop PCs pretty mobile before? It was fairly simple to take a full featured laptop wherever you wanted. Was there really a large group of people out there demanding an even smaller computer with a cramped keyboard and significant drop in processing power? In other words, was there really a demand for this, or was the demand manufactured with it?
So what is the point of asking questions like this? It makes the industry analysis very interesting. Over the last few years netbooks have taken a significant portion of the marketplace for PCs. These companies have been able to generate a new revenue stream that may not have been there before. So did we demand it, or have we been led to believe that we did?
Of course, many PCs have been clearly designed to meet a specific demand. Hardcore games keep pushing the boundaries of what computers can do, and many companies work hard to develop new processors, graphics cards, and monitors that this audience will love. Still, it begs the question, are we influencing PCs, or are they influencing us? - 31403
It may sound like a "chicken or the egg" kind of question, but there is some valid material to explore with this consideration. For example, if our behavior is dictating the way that PCs develop, we will have a lot of power as consumers over the kinds of products that are released. If, on the other hand, we are forcing ourselves to adapt to the products the manufacturers release, then who knows where we might end up?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider, if you will, laptop PCs. As computers became more and more necessary in our daily lives, people wanted to have access to their machines wherever they went. One could argue that this was a matter of the market following the demand. Most manufacturers ran to fill that demand.
Compared to that, netbooks have started to change things in the industry. Some people have argued that these PCs were designed to fill the demand for cheap computers. But, at the same time, netbooks are supposed to fill the demand for an even more portable computer than a laptop.
Let's really think about that, though. Weren't laptop PCs pretty mobile before? It was fairly simple to take a full featured laptop wherever you wanted. Was there really a large group of people out there demanding an even smaller computer with a cramped keyboard and significant drop in processing power? In other words, was there really a demand for this, or was the demand manufactured with it?
So what is the point of asking questions like this? It makes the industry analysis very interesting. Over the last few years netbooks have taken a significant portion of the marketplace for PCs. These companies have been able to generate a new revenue stream that may not have been there before. So did we demand it, or have we been led to believe that we did?
Of course, many PCs have been clearly designed to meet a specific demand. Hardcore games keep pushing the boundaries of what computers can do, and many companies work hard to develop new processors, graphics cards, and monitors that this audience will love. Still, it begs the question, are we influencing PCs, or are they influencing us? - 31403
