TECHNOLOGY DIRECTIONS FOR PORTABLE COMPUTERS

This paper contains an evaluation of trends in the key system parameters (e.g., size, weight, function, performance, battery life) for battery-powered portable computers, together with a review of development trends in the technologies required for such systems. The discussion will focus on notebook-size portable computers. Those technologies which will have substantial impact on battery life and power budgets of future notebook computers will receive the primary emphasis in this paper: for example, liquid crystal displays, storage technology, wireless communication technology, and low power electronics. System power management will also be addressed. The basic theme of this paper is first to develop a view of what the key attributes of future notebook computers will be, and then to discuss how technologies must evolve to allow such systems to be advanced over the current state of the art in terms of portability and battery life.