Is it the beginning of the end for the home PC?

As you read this week’s edition of The Wire in the comfort of your South Jersey home, I will be busily taking care of business at the internationally renowned Tokyo bureau of the mighty Catamaran Media publishing empire.
When writing about technology, one must occasionally go to where the technology lives to keep up with the latest trends and stay on the cutting edge. That is exactly the reason that I am currently 6,200 miles away, doing my level best to keep up with the rapidly changing world of personal technology while occasionally squeezing in things like hot springs, sumo, and the odd luncheon of deadly puffer fish. Someone’s got to do it.
There is a new techie culture trend growing in the Land of the Rising Sun, and surprisingly enough, it is pointing away from the personal computer as the center of Information Age life. Suddenly, as if by magic, the once ubiquitous PC has begun to take a back seat to other forms of labor-saving electronica.
When you think of the tasks that are most frequently performed by personal computers in the 21st century, the trend becomes easier to understand. Three things take up most of our processor time these days as our computers do less computing and more entertaining: We use them to enjoy our media files, like songs and movies, we use them to communicate with our friends and business associates, usually with instant messaging and email, and we use them for their true “raison d’etre,” to play games when we should be working.
Keep in mind that I have heard of the latter phenomenon from other persons, and have never engaged in the practice myself. Still, it makes a great starting point for our discussion of the future of our personal computers. While many gamers still focus on computer-based games in their search for essential entertainment, console games and handheld devices now make up an increasingly large portion of the gaming landscape.
It is the rare family that does not support at least one gaming console today, and that phenomenon is not restricted solely to homes with younger children. The incredible popularity of Nintendo’s still-scarce Wii with older gamers has brought the coveted console into previously uncharted territories, including retirement homes and senior centers. It seems that there is no age limit on the enjoyment of a good video game.

Price is major factor
The mighty PlayStation 3 is now available at a more attractive price while boasting more storage options and a wider menu of games. The flagship console continues to build market share while offering gamers outrageous graphics, high-speed processing, and a built-in Blu-Ray drive to play the latest in high quality video content.
Even the most dedicated PC gamers will find that the PlayStation 3 offers more bang for the gaming buck. A personal computer equipped to handle the latest in gaming graphics and connectivity can easily cost $1,500 or more, nearly triple the price of a PS3. The same holds true for the Microsoft Xbox, which has earned a loyal user base of dedicated gamers, at least in part because of the fabulous games in the Halo series.
Under these conditions, it is not difficult to see the more committed gaming users saving up $500 for a new console rather than spending $2,000 on a tricked-out PC with copper heat sinks, Extreme processor, enormous amounts of memory and video memory, and the requisite aluminum case with blue lights and a viewing window.
Windows Media Player is a built-in feature of the world’s most popular computer operating system, and has been for three generations. The program takes care of all audio and video entertainment needs, like playing MP3s, viewing DVDs, and even burning mix CDs.

Portables taking over jobs of PC
That last task is likely to remain in the PC’s domain for a while, but the first two are already slipping away to more task-specific devices. Take a look at the music lovers in your life. The next time they play a bit of digitized entertainment, like their legitimately acquired copy of “Blackout,” will they be sitting in front of their home computer or walking down the street connected to their favorite MP3 player by a pair of earbuds?
In many cases, the portable entertainment device will win out over the bulky PC, including portable laptop models. While audio and video management are tasks to which a PC is well suited, the ease and portability of the modern music players is truly hard to beat.
While the majority of today’s users still need to attach their portable to a computer for normal file management tasks, the advent of the iPod Touch and other wireless-equipped players spells the end of that symbiotic association.
With built-in wireless, iPhone and iTouch users can easily access the iStore online and buy music directly on their player. They do not need to attach to their home computer to perform the transaction. They simply need to be close enough to a hot spot to get connected and pick out their new tunes.
Most wireless music lovers still maintain an installation on their home PC, but the wave of the future seems to be heading away from that dependency. The larger screen of the iPod touch makes it much more practical for viewing high-quality video content, too. Movie buffs may wish to use their PC or Mac to digitize their favorite DVDs for portable viewing, but they can also purchase and download video online, again without the benefit of a PC connection.
That wireless connectivity also comes in handy for checking email on the iPhone’s built-in Safari browser. Now, without going anywhere near a computer, connected users can go online, check webmail, send and compose new email, and even fire off a few choice IMs.

Lightening the load
I spoke to an American iPhone user who told me that while he had never tried an Apple product before, his iPhone had quickly become an indispensable part of his everyday life. Formerly burdened with a heavy laptop and case to manage his on-the-road communications tasks, he now combines his telephone, music player, and communications center in a shirt-pocket sized portable powerhouse.
New SmartPhone designs offer even greater power, combining many computing tasks with the advantages of a console game, an MP3 player, a portable video device, and constant Internet access. This is, as I see it, the beginning of the end of the home PC.
Throw in an infrared connection to a printer and you really have it all. One small device can literally handle every task for which you currently use your home PC. The Japanese consumer electronics market has already realized this, as sharp shoppers pick up handy multifunction devices instead of cumbersome computers.
Even the ubiquitous “keitei,” the omnipresent portable telephone that deposed the digital camera and left Superman without a place to change costumes, has itself been booted by a device that is more powerful, more practical, and every bit as affordable. Expect this trend to continue, both in Asia and North America.
It’s almost time for my afternoon dip in the hot spring. After that, I intend to investigate digital society in Japan even further, going as far as trying out a self-cooling beer in a wireless Karaoke box. I do it all for you. Just because I am overseas does not mean that I don’t want to hear from you. Catch me in the Tokyo office by email to granese@juno.com.