bruceb news

When I’m lonely and bored, I like to go back and read my old articles and marvel at how well I’ve been leading you through the fast-changing world of technology. It was just a year ago that I wrote these incisive comments about what to expect from Apple’s original iPad:

It’s not going to revolutionize anything, it’s not going to replace netbooks . . . [A]  couple of years from now the low-end version of the iPad will be something like $199 or $299 . . .

Really, not a bad analysis, except for the part about being wrong and completely missing the biggest technology shift of our generation. […] continued

It is impossible to keep up with the flood of new devices onto the market. Technology is appearing everywhere, in every form factor, faster than anyone can hope to keep up with it. The most you can hope to do is be generally aware of how many choices are out there, so you don’t settle for something in the belief that you can’t get what you want.

Take a look at this article, which covers 17 new notebooks. The manufacturers are familiar but I’ve never heard of most of the specific models – and I read about new devices constantly. […] continued

Almost a year ago I predicted that solid state hard drives would be mainstream devices once manufacturers finished ironing out some technical kinks and the price started to come down. What happened?

Solid state drives (SSDs) are the devices that work like hard drives but don’t have any moving parts. Intel has fixed the technical issues and the results are dazzling, especially with Windows 7, which is optimized for SSDs. By all accounts, the drives are worlds faster than any conventional hard drive, with reports of Windows 7 installations in seven minutes, cold starting a computer to a fully loaded desktop in 20 seconds, and absurdly fast times to install and run programs. […] continued

Dell has added the Latitude 13 to its business notebook lineup, with a design that is identical in virtually every respect to the Vostro V13 introduced in December. The “Latitude” brand name is used by Dell to indicate that the notebook includes features for management by large companies. Here’s the description of the added features distinguishing the Latitude 13 from the Vostro V13:

The Latitude 13 adds features such as remote manageability and  desktop virtualization through certification from Citrix and VMware to deliver a full PC experience to users in non-standard computing environments such as call centers, regional offices and hotels; Comprehensive systems management with support for BroadcomTruManage technology and Dell ImageDirect service which lets IT create, update and deploy system images 24/7 from a secure online location; Flexible connectivity options from mobile broadband and Wi-Fi via 802.11 g/n; and customized security offerings including solid-state drives (SSD), full disk encryption (FDE), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) control and Computrace software.

[…] continued

Who’s going to buy an Apple iPad?

Well, not you or me, anyway – not this version, not at $600-800.

It’s not going to revolutionize anything, it’s not going to replace netbooks, but it will find large and devoted audiences, particularly after the price drops and some features get added. It’s easy to imagine version 2 or 3 with the built-in camera that ought to have been there all along, and with the GPS receiver that is driving the most interesting uses of the iPhone. More importantly, a couple of years from now the low-end version of the iPad will be something like $199 or $299, and at that point the game changes. […] continued

Happy holidays from all of us at Bruceb Consulting! All my best wishes for an abundance of happiness and good cheer!

I’m looking forward to working with you in 2010 in a rapidly changing world of technology. These are the trends that will shape next year for small businesses:

• WINDOWS 7  Many of you will be getting new computers to replace the aging, slow Windows XP systems under your desk, and finding that Windows 7 is quite delightful for work and play.
• MULTIPLE COMPUTERS  You’ll be more likely to have several computers as prices drop on notebooks and netbooks.

[…] continued

Intel formally announced its new line of Atom N450 processors for netbooks, which will make the teensy computers powerful enough to be useful. In late January, Dell will be shipping the Inspiron Mini 10 with the new processors.

The features are pretty typical: 10-inch screens running at 1024×600 or 1366×768 resolution; 1Gb of memory (expandable, I hope); 160Gb or 250Gb hard drive; 3 cell or 6 cell battery; built-in wireless and optional built-in mobile broadband for data over a cell phone carrier’s network. The lightest ones will be under three pounds, although it will edge up a bit with the bigger battery; the 6 cell battery delivers more than nine hours of continuous computing, which is a pretty compelling reason to step up to it. […] continued

It won’t be long until netbooks take their place as something you’ll be considering as your second or third computer.

On January 10, Intel will formally unveil the next-generation processor that will allow netbooks to function at a reasonable speed. Asus, Acer, Lenovo, MSI, and others will have netbooks using the “Atom N450” processor available immediately. Dell and HP will presumably follow suit. Early reports suggest that prices will be similar to netbook prices now.

Netbooks with the new processor will run simple programs on Windows 7 at full speed, or close to it. They will be fast enough for Internet browsing, email, word processing, and remote control of an office computer. […] continued

The variety of notebooks is overwhelming and new models are appearing daily. The market is starting to look like this:

• Netbooks with 10”-11” screens, powered by Intel’s weak Atom processor, with 1-2Gb of RAM, running the stripped-down Windows 7 Basic. You’ll likely get one from the cell phone carriers, who will practically give them away as long as you sign up for a two-year data plan. They’re smaller than you think – perfect for Internet browsing and checking the mail, but definitely not what you want as your only computer. The next generation will be better, with faster processors and solid state drives.

[…] continued

Don’t buy a netbook yet.

It’s taking longer than I expected for the next generation of netbooks to become available. There’s no shortage of the very small devices with 10” screens on the market but almost all of them are still slow and underpowered. AT&T just announced two new models that you’ll be able to buy at a discounted price along with a two-year data plan (the Samsung Go and Acer Aspire One); they’re perfectly nice but next year’s models may be even better choices.

One bit of gossip suggests that Intel’s next generation of netbook processors will be announced in December and available early in 2010. […] continued