2008 saw some dramatic changes in the computing world. Whether it was with portable computers or desktops, a few new technologies are set to make computing very different in coming years. Desktops are gaining new functions and features while portables are becoming even more portable. Here are some of the most influential technologies from 2008 that I feel are noteworthy.
5. Netbooks
©Intel
Many analysts would probably name the netbook as the top technology of the year. It certainly was one of the most popular. The production of affordable, highly portable personal computers opened up computing to a larger market than ever before. After all, these were originally designed for the developing world were low cost was important. I would claim they aren't as big as most people think because these systems aren't as fully featured as a traditional laptop computer. What they really did was open up the world of mobile computing to people who could never have afforded a laptop in the past. They are best suited to be a secondary machine with desktop or laptop as a primary.
4. Radeon HD 4800 Series Graphics Cards
For years, NVIDIA dominated the graphics market with their GeForce graphics cards. ATI tried to remain competitive but certain design choices always left them slightly behind. The Radeon HD 4800 series of cards really changed the graphics cards market. First off, their cards were less expensive then their GeForce GTX counterparts. Second, their performance was finally on par with NVIDIA. These two factors lead to the latest round of the 3D graphics war that benefited consumers by providing them with very powerful graphics cards at reasonable prices. ATI has also held the performance edge through the end of the year with their behemoth 4870 X2 cards that fused together two 4870 graphics processors into a single board.3. External SATA (eSATA)
Serial ATA or SATA is a very successful storage standard that has boosted the ease and performance capabilities of hard drive storage in both laptops and desktop computers. External SATA or eSATA extends this performance and ease of use to drives outside of the computer. Essentially, it allows for extremely high performance external storage for personal computers. Drives in an eSATA enclosure will function at the same performance levels as if they were plugged directly inside the computer. It is over four times faster than USB 2.0 or FireWire 400. Most desktop computers feature at least one eSATA port standard now. Laptops are starting to support this interface but expect it to become even more common in the coming year.2. Intel Core i7 Processor and X58 Chipset
©Intel
There are two major steps that were taken with the Core i7 processor and X58 chipset. The first is the integrated memory controller of the Core i7. This isn't new in processors as AMD did this years ago with the original Athlon. So, why is it so important? Well, it is a significant advancement for Intel's processors and finally allowed their systems to have more overall memory bandwidth than AMD making their processors that much better. The Intel X58 chipset is a major advancement because it is the first motherboard chipset to fully support the AMD CrossFire or NVIDIA SLI multiple graphics cards setups. Previously, buyers had to choose one platform or the other and be locked into it.
