As the technology becomes more affordable and powerful, our PCs continue to evolve. But here is a question to consider: is the development of these PCs dictated by the consumers, or are the types of computers that come out on the market influencing us?
It may sound like a "chicken or the egg" kind of question, but there is some valid material to explore with this consideration. For example, if our behavior is dictating the way that PCs develop, we will have a lot of power as consumers over the kinds of products that are released. If, on the other hand, we are forcing ourselves to adapt to the products the manufacturers release, then who knows where we might end up?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider, if you will, laptop PCs. As computers became more and more necessary in our daily lives, people wanted to have access to their machines wherever they went. One could argue that this was a matter of the market following the demand. Most manufacturers ran to fill that demand.
On the other hand, netbooks are a recent development in the computer world. Some have argued that they were created to fill the demand for a cheaper laptop. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Netbook PCs are also, in theory, filling the demand for an even more portable computer than a laptop.
But wait. Weren't laptop PCs pretty portable to begin with? Wasn't it pretty easy to pack around a full featured laptop wherever you went? Was there really a demand for smaller computers with inconvenient keyboards and nowhere near the processing power of their larger counterparts? Was there really a demand that they fulfilled, or did the manufacturers manufacture that demand?
So what is the point of asking questions like this? It makes the industry analysis very interesting. Over the last few years netbooks have taken a significant portion of the marketplace for PCs. These companies have been able to generate a new revenue stream that may not have been there before. So did we demand it, or have we been led to believe that we did?
Of course, there are a lot of developments in PCs recently that are definitely a result of consumer demand. The hardcore gaming market continues to push the boundaries and demand higher-performance components. But the question will remain: are we really influencing the PC market, or are we the ones being influenced? - 22787
It may sound like a "chicken or the egg" kind of question, but there is some valid material to explore with this consideration. For example, if our behavior is dictating the way that PCs develop, we will have a lot of power as consumers over the kinds of products that are released. If, on the other hand, we are forcing ourselves to adapt to the products the manufacturers release, then who knows where we might end up?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider, if you will, laptop PCs. As computers became more and more necessary in our daily lives, people wanted to have access to their machines wherever they went. One could argue that this was a matter of the market following the demand. Most manufacturers ran to fill that demand.
On the other hand, netbooks are a recent development in the computer world. Some have argued that they were created to fill the demand for a cheaper laptop. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Netbook PCs are also, in theory, filling the demand for an even more portable computer than a laptop.
But wait. Weren't laptop PCs pretty portable to begin with? Wasn't it pretty easy to pack around a full featured laptop wherever you went? Was there really a demand for smaller computers with inconvenient keyboards and nowhere near the processing power of their larger counterparts? Was there really a demand that they fulfilled, or did the manufacturers manufacture that demand?
So what is the point of asking questions like this? It makes the industry analysis very interesting. Over the last few years netbooks have taken a significant portion of the marketplace for PCs. These companies have been able to generate a new revenue stream that may not have been there before. So did we demand it, or have we been led to believe that we did?
Of course, there are a lot of developments in PCs recently that are definitely a result of consumer demand. The hardcore gaming market continues to push the boundaries and demand higher-performance components. But the question will remain: are we really influencing the PC market, or are we the ones being influenced? - 22787
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