"Well the prices for notebooks have been coming down pretty significantly over the last year. Wireless networking is very inexpensive now and I think consumers also find the form factor of notebooks pretty attractive with the flat panel display and they're becoming thinner and lighter. The form factor is becoming more sleek and sexy."
Intel is hoping to drive notebook sales with the release this year of a new line of mobile processors it calls Centrino...
"We expect to see Centrino launch around the March time frame and through the balance of this calendar year we anticipate many, many manufacturers bringing Centrino technology based laptops to the market."
Intel consumer education manager Ralph Bond. Centrino based machines will have built-in wireless network capability and improved battery life according to Intel...
"The result of this will be a new concept about mobile computing going forward. In the past, when you thought about mobile computing, the idea about having mobile computing, access to hot spots at a hotel, was kind of on the exotic edge for the advanced business user or the die-hard gamers who wanted to do this kind of activity. Now we see that going mainstream."
IDC says notebook sales could capture as much as 40 percent of the overall PC market within five years. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.