The Year in Preview

Technology:

Computer Hardware: “Cheaper,” “smaller” and “simpler” are the watchwords for the computer industry in 1999. With PC penetration stalled at about 40% of U.S. households, companies will continue to push prices down and hope that computer “appliances” will entice the PC have-nots. There is also buzz about Apple’s expected introduction of a laptop version of its trend-setting iMac.