Another '80s comeback: All-in-one PCs
SAN FRANCISCO -- Computer makers are going all out for all-in-one PCs, which combine a monitor and a processing unit in one piece.
All-in-ones make up only about 2% of the worldwide PC market, says tech analyst Roger Kay at Endpoint Technologies Associates. But that could jump to 7% by 2015, thanks to compelling new offerings, Kay predicts.
"We're still in the early stages," says tech analyst Richard Shim at researcher IDC. "But … things are taking off."
All-in-one PCs have been around for decades. The original 1984 Apple Macintosh was one. But desktops evolved into the now-common monitor and tower configuration because all-in-ones were heavy and hard to upgrade. The failure of one part could crash the whole system.
Apple helped revive the market in 1998 with the popular iMac. (The latest version packs a PC into a 7.4-inch aluminum flat-panel monitor case.) Now rivals are willing to give all-in-ones a try, thanks to:
•Cool, dependable, high-speed components. PC parts used to generate a lot of heat, requiring big cases with noisy fans. New, cooler parts allow for sleeker, quieter designs, Kay says. They're also more dependable, and so fast that upgrades aren't as important, he says.
•Wireless. All-in-one PCs can save space, look nice and make rearranging a room easy — if they're not plugged into a slew of cables. Wireless Internet technologies allow them to connect to the Web and peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse or printer, cord-free.
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