I have seen the future ...
There are various articles and surveys out there that point to the primary internet device for a majority of internet users will be their mobile device (whatever shape or size that winds up being). The reason everything is moving to the handset is that technologies are getting exponentially smaller, faster and more energy efficient. Today's Google Nexus One phone has a 1Ghz processor. The 1GHz processor was originally released to the masses by Intel as a Pentium 3 chip. The year ... 2001.
Fast forward a mere 9 years from 2001 and that same speed is available in your palm lasting hours on a single battery charge. Pretty amazing (that it took that long) but things are continuing to grow at an exponential pace. Pretty soon, our handheld devices will have more power than today's netbooks. When that happens, not only will it be our primary internet device, but our primary computer.
I picture a day when a technology exists that will wirelessly transmit video output from your "phone" and allow an external tactile input device (touchscreen pad, mouse, keyboard, etc) to have control of the device. Now your "phone" syncs wirelessly with a keyboard, mouse and monitor when you enter your office. The "virtual dock"has a built in speakerphone to take calls with as well as piping all the other audio features thanks to a mic and speakers. The monitor itself may be a full touchscreen at chest level with a keyboard below it or whatever ergonomically correct input setup we determine is the best at the time. I also forsee a "netbook" of sorts with no information in/on it, but rather acts as a portable "virtual dock" still keeping all your information and processing on your lone handheld device.
In terms of technology, wireless HD video/audio is already here. It's not everywhere and it's not compact, but it's here. Bluetooth can already sync devices to keyboards, printers, etc, as well as be used as a networking protocol. Mix the two with automatic syncing, and now we're talking. Take your phone computer with you everywhere. Your bookmarks, your browser, your programs, your shortcuts, whatever isn't already in the cloud at that point.
You will have one "virtual dock" at home, one at the office and there will be places, similar to "internet cafe's" that will offer these "virtual docks" for you to sync to so that you can work more efficienly. I forsee these setups at places like Starbucks', McDonald's, etc.
This possibility isn't that far off at all in terms of technology at all. In fact, also worth noting is that someone has built a phone on Windows XP that can theoretically run any program you can run on a Windows XP equipped PC. All it will take is a fusion of cosmic forces to make these technologies readily available on a small scale ... which will be realistically possible within the next 3-4 years. You don't have to wait very long anymore to see if you're right.
