The next technology that The Shelf will feature as part of our array for technologies that will have an impact in 2008 are Ultra-Mobile PC devices or UMPCs.
There are many devices that have tried to fill the void between PDA and laptop but as yet none have become hugely popular. Having seen a range of devices attempt to break into this market since 2006, improving battery life and lowering costs are playing in favour of UMPCs, two things that have previously stiffled their growth. 2008 could therefore finally be their year this technology begins to really take of.
Coming to mass market in late 2007 we saw a new generation of devices attempt to enter this market, of which the Asus EEE was the most promising costing around £200. The Asus has been tipped by its Taiwanese manufacturers to sell over five million units in 2008.
Run on Linux open source software, this low cost laptop weighs less than a kilogram at 0.92kg, and is smaller than a hardback book at 7″. To save weigh the Asus EEE has no hard drive and instead opts for a 4GB flash memory drive, highlighting the trend for, although much smaller capacity, much lighter data storage devices.
Flash memory drives have been gradually increasing in power, and Samsung recently demonstrated chips that could be used to make 128GB memory cards.
As a result of advancements such as this, flash drive technology is now starting to challenge hard drives as the default storage choice for laptops being more lightweight and portable than their counterparts.
On the back of developments in storage drives Apple are also rumoured to be launching ultra thin Macbooks using flash drives in 2008.
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