Modern technology continues to advance every day giving us more powerful and more affordable PCs. The question to consider here, though, is whether or not these PCs advance because of consumer demand or because the manufacturers are generating their own demand.
Yes, this is one of those "chicken or the egg" kind of questions. On the one hand it may seem like a useless philosophical conundrum, but there really is some valid material to consider. The thing is, as consumers we could dictate the way PCs develop and get the products we really need. On the other hand, what if the consumers are just being led around by an artificial demand?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider the following: laptop PCs are a very important part of the computer industry. As we began to rely on computers more and more, we wanted to take them wherever we went, and the industry developed computers that would fill that need. Many different manufacturers moved into this arena.
Netbooks, on the other hand, are a little different. While one could argue that they were created to fill the demand for a more affordable laptop, but this would not be the end of the argument. Netbook PCs are also supposed to fill the demand for and even more portable computer than a laptop.
But wait. Weren't laptop PCs pretty portable to begin with? Wasn't it pretty easy to pack around a full featured laptop wherever you went? Was there really a demand for smaller computers with inconvenient keyboards and nowhere near the processing power of their larger counterparts? Was there really a demand that they fulfilled, or did the manufacturers manufacture that demand?
Is this an important question to ask? Maybe, maybe not. But in recent years netbooks have grown to secure a large chunk of the PC marketplace. PC makers have been able to reach out to new areas of the marketplace and generate some revenue they may not have had. Did we demand it, or did they?
Of course, there are a lot of developments in PCs recently that are definitely a result of consumer demand. The hardcore gaming market continues to push the boundaries and demand higher-performance components. But the question will remain: are we really influencing the PC market, or are we the ones being influenced?
Yes, this is one of those "chicken or the egg" kind of questions. On the one hand it may seem like a useless philosophical conundrum, but there really is some valid material to consider. The thing is, as consumers we could dictate the way PCs develop and get the products we really need. On the other hand, what if the consumers are just being led around by an artificial demand?
It seems like a strange question at first. After all, doesn't any market simply follow the demands of the consumers? The short answer is no. Sometimes, in order to generate more revenue and to expand into different areas, manufacturers might develop a new product and then try to generate a demand around it.
Consider the following: laptop PCs are a very important part of the computer industry. As we began to rely on computers more and more, we wanted to take them wherever we went, and the industry developed computers that would fill that need. Many different manufacturers moved into this arena.
Netbooks, on the other hand, are a little different. While one could argue that they were created to fill the demand for a more affordable laptop, but this would not be the end of the argument. Netbook PCs are also supposed to fill the demand for and even more portable computer than a laptop.
But wait. Weren't laptop PCs pretty portable to begin with? Wasn't it pretty easy to pack around a full featured laptop wherever you went? Was there really a demand for smaller computers with inconvenient keyboards and nowhere near the processing power of their larger counterparts? Was there really a demand that they fulfilled, or did the manufacturers manufacture that demand?
Is this an important question to ask? Maybe, maybe not. But in recent years netbooks have grown to secure a large chunk of the PC marketplace. PC makers have been able to reach out to new areas of the marketplace and generate some revenue they may not have had. Did we demand it, or did they?
Of course, there are a lot of developments in PCs recently that are definitely a result of consumer demand. The hardcore gaming market continues to push the boundaries and demand higher-performance components. But the question will remain: are we really influencing the PC market, or are we the ones being influenced?
About the Author:
Learn more about PCs. Stop by Tom Minson's site where you can find out all about computers and what it can do for you.
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