http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2003/tc2003114_2291_tc134.htm
The 'beige box' is now some two decades old as a form factor, and with the exception of laptops, has retained its same essential form [although having considerably more power]. This artilcle looks at the future of distributed computing, and suggests we will have a multitude of form factors:
1) The cooling limitations of current chips will be overcome with different cooling media technologies, shrinking CPU size;
2) Specialized computers will proliferate, and often not even be recognized as such;
3) Increased power, capacity, and reliability of networks will enable a wide variety of mobile computing tools, since consumers will be able to get a fast signal from anywhere -- so a terminal will become equivalent to a PC;
4) Flexible displays will enable portability, and wireless connection can mean that public flat panels can be accessed by any system.
It took several decades for our current computing environment to evolve and it will probably take about the same amount of time for replacement technologies to become pervasive.
Posted by jho at November 6, 2003 09:48 AM