March 11, 2003—The number of mobile computers being sold is
increasing each year, and has been for over a decade. There have
been two steady developments in mobile computing that has contributed
to the use of the notebook as a portable entertainment: the screen
size and its resolution.
Jon Peddie Research wanted to find out if consumers are using mobile
systems rather than desktop systems for entertainment. We surveyed
our database of computer users, and found that they were indeed
using their mobile computers to play games and/or watch videos,
in fact of the respondents to the survey, 45% said they were using
their notebooks for such entertainment purposes.
Mobile computers are used increasingly for entertainment while the
computer user is traveling. As the following chart indicates, the
traveling computer users use their notebooks for both games and/or
video.
FIGURE 1. Computer user’s entertainment activities
while traveling
Video is clearly the number one choice for entertainment when traveling.
DVD players and recorders have become the hottest selling component
in the computer and CE industries, and the mobile computer is no
exception.
There are also companion audio products that offer 20- to 24-bit,
96- to 192kHz sound subsystems, and simulation software When a high-quality
set of muffler ear phones are used with the mobile computer, the
audio experience is without sacrifice.
The mobile computer has become a legitimate and welcome platform
for all types of entertainment, from simples games to heart pounding
3D first-person shooters, from low bit rate MPEG-4 videos to full-screen
DVD feature film with 5.1 simulated sound.
Table of contents
Mobile Computer Trends
Trend data of consumers buying mobile systems
Trend In Use of Mobile Computers For Entertainment Purposes
Screen size and resolution
Game play on computers
Entertainment While Traveling
Video Watching on Computers
The DVD revolution
Audio in mobile computers
Video watching on mobile computers
Types of video watched on a computer
DVD
DivX MPEG-4
Streaming video
Summary
Appendix
Dolby Headphone Technology
Table of figures
Figure 1. Mobile and desktop shipments
Figure 2. Mobile computer growth rate
Figure 3. Computer users who use a mobile computer for entertainment
Figure 4. Screen resolution of mobile computers
Figure 5. Screen size of mobile computers
Figure 6. Computer users who play games on any type of computer
Figure 7. Computer users choice of platform for game playing
Figure 8. Increase in game play on each platform
Figure 9. Computer user’s entertainment activities while traveling
Figure 10. Computer users watching videos on a computer
Figure 11. DVD in mobile computers
Figure 12. Computer users watching video on a mobile computer
Figure 13. Computer users watching more video on their mobile computer
Figure 14. DVD watching on a computer
Figure 15. MPEG-4/ DivX watching on a computer
Figure 16. Streaming video watching on a computer
