What will be the next big thing?

With USB 3.0 already here, what will be the next big thing (hardware) that notebook users will be saving pennies for?

(Aside from processor upgrades, of course)

 

Better screens. ie: E-IPS, on laptops. And eventually, OLED.

Touchscreen/tablet functionalty (ie: like the iPhone) will become fairly common, not just a niche item.

 

Notebook with screen that detatches and runs as a slate...
Good idea?

 

More switchable graphics such as the Nvidia Optimus I'd bet.

 

Lenovo already has one. The screen has I believe an ARM processor and can run for a couple hours standalone.

 

Better switchable graphics is what I'd like to see.

 

Well I was hoping that by developing more they'd improve, not go backwards

 

If ATI can come up with a good, preferably better, solution to switchable graphics than Optimus, we should start to see improvements. It's too bad though that you probably won't be able to get an Intel CPU and ATI (ok, ATI is now defunct, but still ATI to me) GPU with switchable graphics. But nVidia managed it despite Intel's best efforts to thwart it, so hopefully ATI will be successful too.

 

We'll probably see less in the way of switchable graphics in the next couple of years as more and more of the type of notebooks you currently see using the feature forgo using a discrete GPU and move to using a more powerful IGP by itself. Instead what we'll likely see is more power gating to turn off IGP/GPU shaders when they're not in use.

Where switchable graphics will continue to make the most sense is with a high-end GPU (or 2)...but the performance chipsets (particularly Intel's) for those kinds of notebooks tend to ignore IGP support so that will have to change. For the mid and lower end the only really worthwhile place I genuinely see where switchable graphics makes sense is an AMD APU + AMD GPU package where the IGP and discrete make use of Hybrid Crossfire.


Anyway I think the next big things will be a push for more hardware acceleration (especially from AMD), better screens and improved batteries....and I hope cheap flash memory to EOL the ODD.

 

Yep, I want to see switchable graphics paired with high-end GPUs

 

lenovo ideapad u1

 

You will see more and more of this.

The whole reason nVidia came out with Optimus is because Intel started moving the integrated graphics GPU onto the CPU die. So every machine made will automatically have Intel integrated graphics on it already. Laptop manufacturers no longer need to choose between nVidia/AMD **OR** Intel GPU for their graphics. Now, manufacturers need to choose nVidia/AMD **AND** Intel GPU.

Optimus (and switchable graphics in general) is nVidia's attempt to stay relevant, given Intel's move. Their message is to use the Intel GPU for battery life, but use an nVidia GPU when you really need the power for gaming / CUDA.

Given that, what I'd really like to see is more power efficiency in both CPU's and GPU's. Ultimately, that will lead to more powerful components being put in smaller laptops, which is exactly what I would buy.

 

3d screens.. similar to nintendo 3ds

 

The next big thing?

There has been little actual innovation involved.
Most of the technologies we use are revisions and shrinkage of what came before.
True, we moved on to multiple core processing, however, I still don't think of it as something 'big'.

Actual innovation would involve batteries in laptops that can hold a charge as a cell phone does.
Relatively high resolution screens.
Improved cooling that doesn't require fans.
Desktop grade components working as mobile parts.
The fact that both mobile and desktop cpu chips are identical in size, the only difference is the remaining surface area for heat dispersal (but more advanced cooling solutions would likely take care of that).

SSD's as such could be considered as the 'next best thing' that is ongoing.
However, the technology is still immature ... not to mention prohibitively expensive to most

The primary problem we are facing is 'money'.
It's the main reason for why numerous technologies are just undergoing revisions instead of being re-invented.

We should have severely approached quantum computers by now and not be a decade or two away from them.

Don't you just 'love' capitalism?

The thing to keep in mind in today's climate and release of 'new' technologies is that you basically pick a time when say new architecture for CPU's comes out.
Or if you actually want to feel measurable increase in speed (especially if you are working in programs like 3ds Max such as me), changing the laptop/computer every 4 years or so seems to be a good approach (depending on the upgrade cycle - if you do one - and comparing the relative overall cost of it all).

 

Lithium polymer batteries would be nice to see become mainstream.

 

How about making OLED's mainstream already, sheesh! That alone would be a boon to battery life. Seems like its taking forever.

 

I think manufacturers are still figuring out a way to increase the OLEDs lifetime because right now its relatively short, and very expensive to implement in anything other than the size of a cell phone screen. But yes, the tech is very exciting indeed, especially those videos of it being flexible like paper

 

wait... arent all laptops running on lithium polymer now?

 

The mass proliferation of SSD's. Mark my words on this one. There's a new billion dollar factory that opened up recently. Expects costs to plummet and make it reasonable to see these everywhere. Costs on SSD to manufacture is already cheaper than their mechanical counterparts. It's like the move from CRT to LCD's. Once it gains mainstream...

 

^ time to invest in intel stock?

 

No. Many are, but not all. Most are running on Lithium-Ion, which is a very similar technology. Li-Poly is what enables the thin "slice" style batteries as well as the iPod and other thin batteries. It's actually slightly less efficient than a "standard" Lithium-Ion cell based battery.

 

From what I read I think it's something like 7000 hours. That's 291 days of continuous use 24/7. Not a whole lot unlike SSD's. Worse case you might run the display 8-10 hours/day which pushes it out to 800+ days or 2.5 years. And for most users who might average 4 hours per day pushes that out past 5 years. I guess as long as users know what they're getting. Just have your display turn off after 5 minutes, which I do anyhow.

Has much better application for a laptop than a TV since TV's are typically left on a lot longer than a laptop and an idle laptop can turn off the screen.

But the reduction in weight and power consumption would be well worth it. I'm just surprised they haven't been offered in the Sony Vaio Z series for a premium, to get the tech in the hands of early adopters.

 

The next big thing will be affordable, large capacity SSD's that are both reliable and fast.

The second next big thing I would love to see for notebooks is the development of running external GPU's. Not vidock style where one needs an external screen but where you could plug in a desktop card just like we can plug in an external HDD today.

 

Yes, regular lithium ion batteries can chemically hold more energy than lithium polymers for the same amount of chemically active component. But lithium polymers do not require a thick metal casing, so they are lighter, can be made into rectangles of any shape so they take up less space, and do not waste nearly as much energy heating themselves up when charged or discharged. This can lead to smaller, lighter, or longer lasting laptops. Of course, just like with many technologies, even a small price premium will probably keep it from being mainstream over things that are "good enough."

 

Well based on these discussions I see the next big thing. A much lighter, smaller laptop with a long battery life (I know, duh). I mean think about it. If you can go with OLED, SSD, and Li-Poly you greatly reduce weight, heat, and power consumption. It would be nice to see a 13" notebook made with these components. I mean people buy the Sony Z for upwards of $3000, why not utilize new and upcoming tech to try it out. Not to mention make it feather-light (less than 2 lbs maybe, current Z is 3 lbs *with* optical drive), and last 14-15 hours if not longer. Couple that with a ULV i3 or i5 CPU with integrated graphics and you have one hell of a portable package.

 

With new coming Sandy Bridge & G3 SSD releases, should be a YES. But with these being so close to release, gains may not be worthwhile unless you're shooting for longer term.

Also don't forget, DDR4 coming to a laptop near you ~2015.