These elements, made possible by the availability of open operating platforms such as Android, have created a perfect storm that is now spilling over into TV, challenging the dominance of the traditional console business.
As we approach the general availability of ultrabooks with the Windows 8 operating system it looks like the largest sales for ultra-thin computers will include a hard disk drive as well as flash memory.
"Companies often hold unnecessary inventories as a safety measure because they really don't have an idea about availability at the supplier's end, " explains Chris De Bruin, Metique's chief operating officer.