Created using the flexible Em-ITX form factor, VIA launches 6.5" and 15" VIA VIPRO touch screen panel PCs for next gen Human Machine Interface applications

The 6.5" VIA VIPRO VP7806 and 15" VIA VIPRO VP7815 are both fanless and durable with IP65 compliant LED backlit panels that can withstand temperatures of -20°C to 60°C.

With touch panel navigation, 2 megapixel autofocus IP camera, microphone and speakers, the VIA VIPRO series looks good for next gen panel apps that include hospital patient terminals, home and building automation and advanced multimedia-rich security ecosystems.

Both VIA VIPRO VP7806 and VIPRO VP7815 are based on the VIA ART 3000 embedded box PC.

Go VIA VIPRO VP7806

Jon Peddie Research (JPR) says the S3D market is poised for rapid growth: almost 1 million dedicated S3D PCs will ship in 2010, but that will grow to 75 million by 2014.

Although most PCs will be S3D capable due to the GPUs that are in them, not all PCs will be S3D PCs because they need a special monitor, glasses, and appropriate content. JPR expects to see S3D PCs achieve a much higher growth rate than their more traditional counterparts and they will have a higher ASP.

JPR sees 7 major apps that will take advantage of S3D on the PC:

1. PC: Games
2. Blu-ray DVD movies
3. Streaming TV (IP TV)
4. Photo-editing
5. Home video editing
6. Streaming video (from YouTube and other sites)
7. Professional graphics (CAD and visualization)

Jon Peddie warns, "… the S3D market will soar within the next 3 years based on the expectation that good quality content will be produced, and the incremental cost for S3D will diminish, if not disappear. Otherwise history will repeat itself and it will be reduced to a small volume novelty market."

Go JPR S3D PC Market Study

In his address to RetailVision, Gartner consultant Ranjit Atwal told delegates we've finally crossed a threshold where Gartner can declare—based on evidence, not opinion—that consumers consider the PC is a necessity.

Besides the fact that PC sales grew during a recession, we are now averaging 1.5 pcs per person in advanced markets.

To further support the body of evidence, a Gartner study indicates—for the first time—a majority of customers would prefer their PC to a TV if stranded on a desert island.

Oops, better make that a tablet PC as the PC's newest form factor rapidly takes hold on the consumer wish list.

Go Ranjit Atwal at Gartner

IDC sees new opportunities for emerging sub form factors, such as ultrathin portables and all-in-one desktops.

Bob O'Donnell, Program VP, Clients and Displays says, "Hardware vendors and software developers should seize the opportunity to promote differentiation by rewriting the computing experience to match the new variety of PC sub form factors arriving in the market."

IDC's predictions for the PC industry in 2010 are:

1. Ultrathins will be under 5% of total portable PC shipments. The focus on ultrathin PCs will continue to grow in 2010, but the value equation for many consumers is still not compelling enough to drive significant growth.
2. Mini notebook shipment growth will drastically slow and plateau. Lack of differentiation and declining prices for other portable PCs will translate into shipment growth rates in the low double digit range, just under the portable PC average.
3. Average selling price (ASP) declines will slow dramatically. Stronger market demand from both the commercial and consumer markets should make it less likely that the market will aggressively lower ASPs.
4. Shipments of portable PCs with WiMAX embedded will surpass shipments of portable PCs with 3G cellular embedded in 2010. While activation rates for 3G enabled notebooks may be higher than WiMAX-enabled notebooks, the foundation is being laid for future WiMAX adoption.
5. Share of all-in-one desktops will double. All-in-one desktops to capture nearly 10% of the worldwide desktop market in 2010.
6. Portable PCs will account for more than 60% of all PC shipments.
7. 10% of new enterprise desktop client deployments will be virtual. The expected commercial market rebound will help.
8. Touch-enabled portable and desktop PCs will gain little traction. Without compelling touch-specific software, consumers aren't likely to buy touch-enabled PCs in large quantities.
9. Apple's launch of the iPad will not spur increased sales of Windows-based Tablet PCs. (Apple's iPad could find success, its shipments won't count in IDC's Tablet PC numbers since it doesn't run a full OS.)
10. DVD will remain the dominant optical drive type in PCs. DVD is "good enough" from both a price and picture quality standpoint to withstand the challenge from Blu-ray.

Go IDC’s Personal Computing Top 10 Predictions for 2010