More Storage Options in 2008

The fun of analyzing the past 12 months is…it’s easy! But forecasting 2008 requires separating dreams from reality…early adopters from mass market. For the early adopters the home entertainment network is here. The converged mobile content/communications device is here. Content when you want it, where you want it, how you want it is here. For the mass market…it’s an awkward transitional period. 2007’s Time Magazine’s Person of the year was … You.

The yous of the world are connected and have the choice of an almost limitless variety of online content – written, photo, music, video. Personal content is gaining momentum. The long tail of entertainment is moving more rapidly than Chris Anderson envisioned when he wrote his first book. The entertainment shift is making micromarket segmentation more important to manufacturers and suppliers.

Consumer advocacy/protection groups historically viewed Microsoft as the big evil one located in Redmond, WA but with tentacles around the globe. Ironically, we don’t view the kind, fun-loving kids of Google in the same manner even though they touch almost everyone on the earth in one way or another multiple times…every day.

They’ve helped us get over concerns of privacy. In just a few minutes you can find out almost anything/everything you want to know about any company, any individual. Get over it ! To help even more they are going to make a move to build out the communications infrastructure and they’ll begin offering location tracking “services” all just to help…you!

But how can you consider any of the Googlites activities/efforts could ever be used for evil when they have vowed they will do everything in their power to regreen the planet?

Because of the glut and demand for content, Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2008 will undoubtedly be…Storage !

Storage for the home. Storage for the mobile device. Storage for the personal stuff.

While everyone still has closets, drawers, storage sites stashed with dusty analog content; the cost and work of bringing it into the digital era is more than anyone wants to contemplate. But today’s stuff is a different matter!

The new product, new technology buzz of solutions for the home is just beginning this year and it will have a ways to go before it reaches mass market. A few manufacturers like HP are delivering first generation home network storage solutions that kinda work with and for the customer rather than in their own engineered manner.

By the end of 2008, 1TB/2TB home servers will become normal. 250GB storage in notebook and desktop systems will become standard. 80GB mobile devices will be “expected” as we use them to carry our music, photos, video, web shows, TV fare. The biggest winner in this HD space will be the one who does more than just offers higher capacity, cheaper bit buckets. The edge will go to the producer who can deliver diagnostic and health maintenance intelligence, not the one who can simply squeeze more data on a single platter.

At home and away the demand is going to be connected to/using your content in new and different ways. Simplifying the process and making it cheaper, more reliable, more flexible is going to make it easier to kiss fixed providers goodbye …like the cable guy!