 One thing I learned from George Gilder (he was right about technology trends, but given his conservative bias he didn't have a clue about regulated monopolies) is that you should follow the technology that is improving cost/performance most rapidly. Today, that technology is digital storage. There is even talk of Gigibit non-volitile RAM that may unify all memory and MEM storage that will replace the hard drive. The rapidity of its improvement threatens to unhinge many of the established product categories in computing. It has already put the media industry into flat spin.
For example: PDAs. I wrote a critique of PDAs yesterday and made the case that the PDA might be on its last legs as an independent device. However, this begs the question: what will you carry in your pocket? My thinking is that the device you will want in your pocket is a storage device with a screen, embedded wireless connectivity, and snap-ons (either physical of via wireless) for phone, photos, video, audio, FM transmission, TiVo functionality, etc. There is also very little reason that platform independent apps could run off the storage device if connected to a trusted computing resource (that would cover organizer functionality and much more). This could be triggered via proximity to a home LAN or a Internet enabled remote session.
As we move to a storage centric world, we may even see the whole computing paradigm flip. How? MEM storage could suck in the PC's system board and put it into a package no smaller than the current footprint of an Archos device. How would PDAs and other hand-held devices compete then?
If you were ever hoping for a chance to break the Microsoft monopoly, this is it.
2:43:15 PM 
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