Computers were the size of a closest and now fit in the palm of your hand.  As more data is available faster and in a more mobile manner the dependence on desktop form factor machines is going to decrease.  As they decrease and customers look for more portable solutions which will provide the connectivity and battery life they need to get through their day, netbooks will grow in sales and importance.

Screen sizes will continue to creep upward from the common 10 inch screen size.  Advances with graphics, storage, connectivity, and battery life will continue to propel further increases netbook sales.

Wireless carrier subsidies have helped lower prices but pricing of data plans have prevent it from it being a compelling alternative.  As carriers more aggressively price their mobile broadband offerings and upgrade their infrastructure to handle more connected devices netbooks will become almost as common as cell phones are today.

The impact of 3D and multitouch is unknown but also play a role in the expect growth over the next 5 years.

[Source:  GIA press release]

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