WiFi users to total 700m by 2008

The next five years will see global WiFi use reaching 707 million users, according to Pyramid Research.

Including developing markets such as China, the company arrives at a much higher figure than other analysts. It is likely that developing markets will leverage WiFi for voice as well as data, the company says, driving usage dramatically.

But it warns that revenues will not keep pace with use. "WiFi rates will drop rapidly over the next five years, resulting in consolidation," it says.

Flat panel display (FPD) manufacturers across the world are enhancing the quality of resolution while striving to reduce production costs. This is likely to drive better acceptance, according to an analysis from Frost & Sullivan. The report reveals that the global FPD market generated revenues of $33 billion in 2002, and is likely to reach $99.26 billion in 2009.

Active matrix liquid crystal displays are dominating the market despite their limitations in viewing angle and slow response time.

IBM and Siebel are planning to tout some applications delivered over the wire, reports The Register. The pair will "ASPify" the Siebel CRM suite and offer it to users on a monthly subscription service over the Web.

For this kind of game you just need a browser, the site reports, but says it has seen IBM "attempt it many times over the past 10 years, in one form or another". The beauty of the ASP model, as touted by its numerous proponents, is two-fold: it lowers the price and removes the complexity.