New horizons for mobile computing

Storage capacity and communication bandwidth are two factors that significantly impact the design and implementation of mobile systems. Furthermore, storage density is increasing at an exponential rate faster than the associated communication bandwidth. High-density storage in very small form factors will enable new classes of applications that would not be possible in systems which rely heavily on communication. These applications, which involve continuous capture, pre-loaded content, and proactive data loading, will help overcome some of the barriers presented to mobile systems. Researchers would be prudent to recognize these trends and better understand how technology growth will impact their research agenda.