Comments about screen size and input devices accepted as valid, I’d like to translate this discussion back about 40 years:

“Do you really think that a device (cynically avoiding the term “computer”) that can actually fit on the top of a desk can possibly take the place of our wonderful computer that fills the entire block long basement? No way.”

Comments like that were made by many of the most forward looking people.

Well, as I sit here and contemplate a day of carrying out illustration work (after the mandatory coffee break of course), I cant imagine doing said work on a tiny screen that is more suited to the odd email and on-the-move surfing. There are just some things that are still very impractical on such a small device and I still see them as a compromise between lugging a (relatively) large laptop around and being forced to wait until returning to the office/home to carry out some tasks. The only way these devices will become more practical for me is if the screens were larger. This may not be a pipe dream as there has been progress on flexible screens by http://www.polymervision.com (a spin off from Philips). Such technology could make portable devices practical at last.

No way not yet anyway.
I do suspect that things like the iPhone will change things so that alot of people will just own a smart cellphone and use it to surf the web and get emails. I think the thing that will keep people buying home systems is things like photos and the like. Games should eventually be more console based. So maybe a drop over time as phones get better systems.
No one is ever going to do photo editing or write letters on a phone though

Letters? Absolutely. I get them all the time these days from various smartphone devices. In fact, I got an email just this weekend from my friend, Steve “Mr. Gadget” Kruschen about his next appearance on the tech show. He was using an iPhone.

Peace,
Gene

No way not yet anyway.
I do suspect that things like the iPhone will change things so that alot of people will just own a smart cellphone and use it to surf the web and get emails. I think the thing that will keep people buying home systems is things like photos and the like. Games should evientually be more console based. So maybe a drop over time as phones get better systems.
No one is ever going to do photo editing or write letters on a phone though