In 3 years desktops would be irrelevant?

[Martial-law]

Google says that in 3 years desktops would be irrelevant:

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/...le-sales-chief


Do you think desktops really would be irrelevant? And if desktops would be irrelevant what would be the major appliance replacing it? Today desktop seems to be the major appliance. If it would be replaced by something else or many things what would be the major thing replacing desktop? Post your thoughts?

[pwnst*r]

He's a sales chief in Europe. And even though he has a responsibility spouting his mouth, I'm sure Google as a company does not share this view.

[kevin11951]

Doesnt he mean the OS? Google has said before that in a short amount of time all applications will in some way be server based... this sounds like that.

[RiceMonster]

I think laptops and netbooks are becoming increasingly popular while desktops are slowly becomming less popular, but I really don't think desktops are going to go away any time soon.

[Paqman]

Apparently, by the mid 1980's, we'll be able to have a completely paperless office. Amazing!

I'm always wary of predictions made by people who have a vested interest in the outcome they're predicting.

[sikander3786]

Hi.

Google is correct half of the phrase I think.

They say that mobile devices will soon be the main source of information and entertainment, Correct! But these devices will be able to replace the desktop, Not Possible!

What do we prefer to read news, blogs, check mail etc? Mobile devices or desktops? Obviously desktops. Devices are used only when we are in a hurry or we don't have a desktop near around.

All that gaming stuff, DVD's, AVI's, Multimedia, can mobile devices handle those? Can the performance of mobile devices, netbooks and desktops be same? Never.

So what I think is "It is not possible". And there are many many many reasons that can easily be listed in favour of desktops.

Let's see what happens in three years

[Iehova]

If he means the OS, insofar as everything will be shifted to the cloud, I think it's unlikely but not totally unreasonable. If he means, as the article says, that we'll all switch to mobile devices then I find that very unbelievable indeed.

Mobile devices are inherently limited so I highly doubt we'll see any sort of radical shift in favour of them. Perhaps the desktop will be replaced by other types of computer, like laptops, netbooks, tablets or even TVs etc. Mobile devices will, I think, simply refine and bolster their corner of the market.

[Sporkman]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1471275

[gnomeuser]

The desktop as we have known is is no doubt dying.

Computing is now in my pocket, e.g. with the comfortable hardware keyboard on my N900 I now write posts to these very forums on the bus. (yes I am an addict.. one problem at the time)

The web is taking over big time and as a result delivering an easier and wider experience. I've been using GMail for years, yesterday I tried using Evolution and honestly the web experience was far nicer not to mention faster and had a lower overall system impact (thank you CPU hungry spamfilter and annoying filter based organization).

Likewise I found that more and more of my tasks have moved to the web, I haven't used a news reader app in ages since google reader is a much better fit an doesn't have to be installed with my preferences on which ever machine I sit down at.

I think 3 years might be a bit to quick for the desktop to die or at least for it to be buried. The trend is clear though, it is about delivering the web. There are still things a desktop application does best and likely always will do. E.g. I don't see myself removing Banshee anytime soon but I do also find myself thinking of media more and more as a service I expect to be there rather than an application. Never say never.

[spupy]

Google believes that in three years or so desktops will give way to mobile as the primary screen from which most people will consume information and entertainment.

Yes, I think it is quite possible in the consumer area. But I don't see how you can do work on anything other than a desktop/laptop.