A nice summary by Brad Pransky on what to expect in the near future:
Form Factor: There have been some wonderful developments in the ever-shrinking PC platform and I believe this is going to be the year it has a strong impact on the marketplace.
Home Enterprise: It denotes the same kind of network usage and requirements for the home and SOHO user that we find in the corporate enterprise. We believe the next 12 to 16 months is going to be a major breakout period for the home network, media center and related appliances and equipment. For several years there was a running battle as to what would be the dominant technology model in the home; the PC or the TV. Well, the war’s over and the winner is.the screen.
Wireless Technology: Wireless is another aspect that will explode in the home space. As the technology matures and transmission of both data and video streams becomes more realistic, connection of virtually everything will be commonplace. And yes, there is even the possibility that the dreaded ‘internet appliance’ will once more rear its head. This time however, it will be a nicely networked device with a small LCD screen or interface to the TV, and will actually have a practical function.
Storage, Storage and More Storage: we will need to see more products of the NAS (network attached storage) and SAN (it’s cousin, storage attached networks) varieties along with the software and services to manage them. This is going to mean better directory services and data mining capability for the corporate enterprise and more effective organizational tools for the consumer market.
