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Story URL: http://hardware.silicon.com/pdas/0,39024643,11015446,00.htm

Wireless devices sound death knell for PCs

By Dominic Maher

Published: Tuesday 01 February 2000

The growth in wireless devices will severely dent future sales of desktop PCs, according to Tom Engibous, CEO at Texas Instruments (TI).

Speaking at a seminar in Tokyo, Engibous reportedly said wireless Internet devices will not only capture some existing PC applications, but introduce applications the desktop PC will be incapable of supporting.

Rob Hailstone, research analyst at Bloor Research, agreed. He said that while people are wrong to predict the complete demise of the PC, there is little doubt that wireless devices will become a major tool for Net access.

Hailstone added that at the moment the PC is still the best option for multimedia applications, but predicted this will cease to be the case in coming years.

Hailstone also levelled criticism at the "mobility" of notebook PCs. "They're chunky, heavy, take a long time to start up and power down and have a limited battery life - it's not a good mobile tool," he said.