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Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MileHigh who wrote (19975)	5/12/1999 12:28:00 AM
From: Dave B	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

OTOTOTOTOT MileHigh, Yea, I can't imagine using a PalmPilot for e-mail either, which is why I can't see the cell phones with e-mail being any better. On the WebTV front, while the speed is probably a problem (according to their web site they support up to 56K), I think a bigger problem is that the TV screen resolution is only equivalent to something like 240x320 (anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but it's not much better than that I believe, and I couldn't find any specs on their web site). My computer has 1024x768 which is about 9x larger. I can't imagine trying to read most of my favorite sites in 9 sections (which is especially why the web viewing on cell phones is going to be a joke). And, yes, I'm psyched about ATHM as well! I've been on their waiting list over a year for our area and so far no news. Pac Bell is running a pretty good deal right now so I may have to go with ADSL, but ultimately I need to figure out how each works with some of the new home networks that run over the phone or AC lines. The videophones we have couldn't be any easier to run (you just make a regular call, then hit the # key and it starts up the video). We just don't use them much. I guess that's why AT&T got out of the business years ago. <G> Finally, on the paradigm shift, I think we're in one long paradigm shift that started in the 1950s/1960s with the invention of the transistor and microprocessor. The number of devices that have been added to our lives and old tools that have been improved through electronics has been enormous. Medical diagnostic equipment, automobiles (especially things like electronic fuel injection and anti-lock brakes), stereo equipment and music formats, calculators, communications, home security systems, appliances -- there's not an area of our lives that haven't been changed by microelectronics. My definition of computer may be broader than yours. PCs have replaced pens and pencils, slide rules, filing cabinets and a variety of other functions. If those functions get split out into individual devices, I still consider those devices a computer -- they still require some kind of processor, some kind of memory, some way to get data in, and another way to display data back out. Just because they might not use Windows or a Pentium doesn't mean their not a personal computer -- neither does an Apple computer. If I take an HP 620 handheld and add a cell phone feature to it, what do I have? The next generation cell phone? The next generation PC? Something else? So why wouldn't you call a cell phone that has internet access and e-mail added to it a computer? It's become a multi-function device at that point, not a single function device any longer. I don't believe these devices will replace many personal computers -- they'll just augment them. I certainly didn't buy fewer ovens just because I bought a toaster. I'll still buy each of my kids a computer when they can use them for school -- I won't buy them a cell phone with a tiny screen instead (I may buy them a cell phone also so that they can check e-mail when they're away from home--gotta find out where the party's at, dude!). So anyway, maybe we have some difference there, but it's probably just a matter of semantics. Once Rambus really takes off and we all become multimillionaires, I plan on buying at least one of all the latest and greatest whizzy devices at that time just because I can!! <GGG> Talk to you tomorrow. Dave