How Small Will Computers Go?(

India's huge population is shaping the use of the new technology of Bluetooth - and in turn is being shaped by the ever smaller computers.

The next generation laptop, which Japan is developing, is a blue tooth (wireless protocol) laptop that will be the size of a fountain pen. It will fit snugly into your pocket or purse. At first glance it could easily be mistaken for a fountain pen, that appears to have a camera attached to the top of it.

This pen-type instrument will project both the monitor, as well as the keyboard onto any flat surface. The day of having to haul heavy computer bags with you will be gone. All you require is a wall to project the virtual screen on and a flat table top to project the virtual keyboard onto and bingo. You will be able to connect to the Internet and complete all your usual tasks, with little more than a pen size machine.

The first laptop computer, invented in 1943, known as Colossus, was a million miles away from the first 30 ton electronic computer. By the 1980's personal computers (PCs) had become a common item, followed closely with the lap top, which became readily available in 1982. The first 1982 version of the laptop, was about the size of a portable sewing machine and ready to modernize the world of commerce. By 1995 the introduction of Windows 95, standardized the operating systems on all computers and changed the computer world for ever.

Laptops were originally designed to be only used by a 'small niche market', such as the military, or sales people. How wrong was that? There are more laptops used in businesses today, than desk top computers. A laptop is almost compulsory equipment for every student.