The Personal Computer celebrates its 25th year. With more than 700 million users worldwide, it is one of the most important technological inventions of our time. The PC, together with the Internet, have for many of us become indispensable. As we look to the future, I believe that it will be the mobile-based Internet which will have an even greater impact on our lives. The promise of the mobile Internet has been there for long - but only now are the pieces starting to come together.

Before we look ahead, let us begin by looking back. The Economist recently carried an article celebrating 25 years of the PC, and added:

Although the PC has its merits, it also has its faults. Its flexibility has proved to be both a strength and a weakness: it encourages innovation, but at the cost of complexity, reliability and security. And for people in the developing world, PCs are too bulky, expensive and energy-hungry. When it comes to extending the benefits of digital technology 'chiefly, cheap and easy access to information' 'to everyone on the planet, the PC may not be the best tool for the job.

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