Computer Makers Prepare to Stake Bigger Claim in Phones

The computer industry has hit upon its Next Big Thing. It is called a phone. The companies are shifting gears because their technological feats of the last two decades — smaller laptops with faster chips to deliver snazzier graphics — no longer impress consumers, who increasingly find their three-year-old computers adequate for everyday tasks. The new smartphones promised by PC companies will, among other things, handle the full glory of the Internet, power two-way video conferences, and stream high-definition movies to your TV. It is a development that spells serious competition for established cellphone makers and phone companies.