Cryptoman, you are right. HP laptop quality degrades. Sometime ago I did have one, and one day it was unable to boot up. I brought to HP sevice centre and after assessment they said I needed to pay quite big bucks to fix the LCD power supply. I decided not to, and managed to copy out all of hard disk content. Now I am happily using a Mac Book Pro.
@Barbara, I think the PC has a few more years left also. Today I saw a preview of the Sony Vaio Tap 20 all in one computer touch screen. It looks like a giant iPad to me. If you love your iPad, then this computer from Sony is their version of dare I say, Max iPad. It is a PC in all respects of the term, but it is also a tablet like product. So, we may see the PC evolve over time into new shapes and sizes, but no matter what it looks like, it will still be a computer. How personal it is will be up to the owners. I can really see Goliath digging this new Max iPad as he slips it into his size XXXXXXXL shirt pocket.
I agree that supply chain is only one factor in success. Quality, reliability and price are the other key factors in my opinion. It also helps if you are able to supply to corporate clients besides the home users.
I think HP's quality has dramatically declined over the years and I would never consider buying an HP product anymore (including its printers). In my opinion, the quality and reliability of HP's laptops are nowhere near what they were a few years ago. I think Lenovo and Dell provide the best value for money in the laptop business. I also think that Asus is on the rise with the new slim and powerful models. The 11% growth is also a clear indication of this.
My next laptop will be a Dell for sure purely because it offers an excellent customisable laptop purchasing option on its amazingly powerful Alienware models. At the moment I am on a veteran Asus that has been a reliable partner for quite a few years despite its old age. I personally prefer to buy a reliable laptop and pay the premium to make last for at least 3-4 years. Old is not necessarily bad as long as it is built properly.
Hi Nemos: Definitely that is part of the reason. The other is that PCs are expected to be replaced by the ultrabook, which are priced at around $1,000. Once these prices decline, look for PC prices to decline even further. But I still think the PC market has life in it yet, particularly in the business space.
Hi: Here is what Gartner said about Lenovo's No. 1 ranking:
Lenovo took the No. 1 position in worldwide PC shipments for the first time in the company's history, as its share increased to 15.7 percent, while HP's global PC share was at 15.5 percent (see Table 1). In addition to acquiring other vendors, Lenovo has also taken an aggressive position on pricing, especially in the professional market. As a result, Lenovo has achieved significant market share gains over the last two years, exceeding regional average growth rates across all regions.
So true, supply chain remains a competitive weapon. If you have two companies with the same product, exactly same technical specifications, it makes a lot of difference how their supply chains are managed. In today's market when the world is getting smaller I would say supply chain management is what makes the cutting edge. Whether its sourcing or logistics or operations all of this is equally important if you want to remain as the leader.
Certainly a great feat from Lenovo. With the continuous innovation in supply chain and manufacturing process, lenovo is winning over competeitors. The other PC makers are also look for such options of using cloud to bring down the operational expenses and improve the performance.
t.alex, obliviously Lenovo's' good business strategy helped them. Mean time HP had made a untimely declaration that they are planning to spin of their PC/Hardware business. Markets are always volatile and such inappropriate decision and declarations can turn bad.
Barbara, one thing the market for PC and Laptops are declining for the last several quarters and market is still expecting further corrections. But I won't think that it may be get disappear from the market for another decade.
I have a good video to say what will happen to the computers in future and who is going to get replace by it. Corning Glass
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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