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If there's one thing that's predictable in the technology world, it's that things change. Products that were commonplace ten years ago (PDAs, CRT televisions, fax machines) are quickly fading with the sands of time.Today, there are many products we take for granted that will likely be dead in five years.
The list of devices in the article is as follows:
In-car portable navigation systems
Computer DVD/CD-ROM
Wireless routers
Netbooks
E-readers
Due to the copyright rules at City-Data, I can't quote the reasons. You can read them at the link.
They are probably right about this, but not because of smart phones. More then likely the decline is because of new cars that have GPS built in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo
Computer DVD/CD-ROM
It should happen, but probably wont. There will always be those who want to hold on to yesterdays technology. Some people will still be insisting on only buying a computer with an optical drive for a long time to come.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo
Wireless routers
This is total BS. Even if broadband internet providers do start packaging wireless capabilities, it wont make wireless routers obsolete. It just means that ISPs will be packaging them with their service. Anyways I think it's unlikely to happen. Most ISPs will be too cheap to provide a wireless router with the service, and most of the current home gateways offed by ISPs are crap anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo
Netbooks
Not convinced. As long as there are manufactures who are willing to make and sell cheap netbooks, there will be a demand them, and they will work for some people. Lager notebooks, and tablets are not a solution for everyone who wants/needs an ultra-lightweight portable laptop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo
E-readers
This is obvious, that tablets which can do more will replace e-readers.
No way. Advanced users will still want to purchase their own routers and customize and hack them. Maybe the modem/router combos from the ISP will be sufficient for computer illiterates, but not for power users.
Quote:
Netbooks
Agreed. Netbooks are everything people complained about full-size laptops back in the late 90s/early 2000s.
I started addressing the points of the OP but I realized there are serious flaws in this technobabble article.
The in car GPS, I'll buy this one..
But the rest? Like CD/DVD being dead because you can download programs in seconds? And what about all the people who don't have ultra fast home connections? What about family members who burn CD/DVD's for distant family members? The average D/L might be 11Mbps but the upload speeds sure as hell aren't.
Wireless routers, another lame projection based on "everyone" will own a smartphone... What about everyone else who has their house full of laptops/desktops and gaming consoles?
Netbooks? for people who have never owned a computer before they are still a bargain..
E-readers will go extinct because tablets like the iPad do so much more.
What about the numerous people who just want to read a newspaper and not spend 500 -800 bucks for something they'll have no use for?
I wonder if and when MSNBC will come up with something that makes sense.....
What a junk story. They're just functions that will be done in a device that has a different name, but still a device performing the function. It's like saying the automobile will become obsolete, replaced by the SUV that can do everything that an automobile can do, and more.
E-Readers? I read one suggestion that Amazon, B&N, et al simply give away their e-readers for free if the consumer purchases more than $100 in books/subscriptions on-line. The cost of the e-reader is simply wrapped up in the content sold - sort of like how you can get a "free" cell-phone with a two-year contract.
Just look at the rubbish bin of old technology:
Syquest drives, Zip and Jazz Drives. floppy disks, Scsci, Serial and Parallel Connections, Dial-up modems and thats just what I can think of in 30 seconds...
Sounds like iPad propaganda, also known as bull excrement. Apple and the cellular providers would love to replace all but the DVD/CD drive with their overprices subpar options, mainly the iPhone and iPad. The DVD/CD were just thrown in because iPads don't have optical drives.
I guess I agree with the portable GPS unit, but I'm not so sure about the others. I still prefer to buy software on DVD, even though the ability to download software from major vendors has been available for quite some time.
I read something about the possibility of the federal government mandating backup cameras in all vehicles. I'm not sure if this ever passed or not? If this is the case, however, then I suppose if manufacturers are already going to go through the trouble of including an in-dash screen somewhere, they would probably also add navigation capabilities.
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