Shrinking hardware no small affair

Demand for lighter and less intrusive hardware has produced a spate of sleek products ranging from new ultraslim notebooks and flat panel displays to even desktop computers. Technology breakthroughs are behind the manufacturers' ability to deliver these devices.

In notebooks, a chipmaking process that results in processors which are faster yet consume less power has allowed Intel to round out the low end of its processor line with the 120-MHz Pentium MMX. Now, a number of companies are coming out with notebooks weighing under three pounds. Meanwhile, already small handheld PC companion devices are getting upgraded features because the recent introduction of Windows CE 2.0 operating system has allowed vendors the option of including color screens in the diminutive devices.

Flat panel displays are abundant on the show floor. With increased manufacturing efficiency resulting in lower prices on the sleek but costly monitors, more corporate users are adding flat panel displays where space is at a premium. For the home, one company is showing an "all-in-one" design with the computer incorporated behind a large flat panel display, to help folks reclaim space from the morass of cables and devices hanging off their computers.