Netbooks will continue to be a popular portable computer product in 2010, with users being encouraged to try different operating systems to get the most out of their system.

Alastair Otter, writing for MyBroadband.co.za, said that as the machines have smaller screens, slower processors and smaller keyboards that a full-size PC, it was important that people get every last sinew of usability from their operating system.

Easy Peasy Linux, which was previously known as Ubuntu EEE, is an easy-to-use interface which can be installed using a USB flash disk.

“The Ubuntu Netbook Remix interface is custom designed to cater for the smaller screen size and makes it easy to navigate around the system, which is important on the ultra-small netbooks,” he added.

Mr Otter also said that Slax is one of the longest-running versions of Linux available and is perfect for use on a netbook. At 200MB in size, it caters for the netbook’s smaller hard drive, while on the Slax website, users can pick and choose features that they want to include.

Users can also download OpenOffice for their netbooks, which allows them to run a free word processor, perfect for writing documents and letters on the move.

EA Sports will be hoping to keep the the top football game developer crown when it releases its latest instalment this summer.

Coming to all the major consoles, Fifa World Cup 2010 will raise the bar even further, following up from last year’s critically acclaimed release of Fifa 10.

“The World Cup is a spectacular event and we wanted to capture the excitement and the atmosphere, so the first thing you’ll notice about the game is how good it looks. In a way, we’re lucky in that we get to tell a story and we know it’s all building to the climactic ending,” Simon Huber, line producer at EA Sports, told Gamespot.com.

Graphical changes will really add to the carnival atmosphere, with camera flashes, close-up shots of supporters, streamers and populated substitute benches all being used to good effect.

Tweaks have also been made to player responsiveness, goalkeeper intelligence and the AI, meaning that Fifa World Cup 2010 will be the perfect game for console fans.

This year could be the year of the tablet computer, according to predictions from the Technology, Media and Telecommunications practice at Deloitte.

The professional services firm said that it expects “tens of millions” of the devices to be sold in 2010.

Fraser MacDonald, editor at Stuff Magazine, said that together with colour e-readers, this year is going to be very good for tablet computers, stating that Apple will be driving the market for these.

“What Apple will do is really tie up the content angle of what could make a tablet PC a very useful thing to have. The device itself is almost irrelevant, it’s just a method through which you access the content,” he said.

Mr MacDonald also added that making online products such as e-books, magazines, movies or TV shows instantly downloadable will make the tablet devices a great success.

It is expected that Apple will unveil its new tablet computer when it holds a press conference on Wednesday, while a new iPhone operating system and device are also being rumoured for release.

More and more youthful consumers will be investing in smartbooks as they want to be constantly and continuously online, according to an industry expert.

Franck Nicholls, marketing manager of consumer products at Freescale for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that smartbooks are perfectly suited to a younger, school-age demographic.

He added that being connected constantly to the world wide web, where social networking sites can be accessed quickly, is of great importance to a younger age-group.

Mr Nicholls pointed to research by Alexa.com, which showed that the average Facebook user spends 30 minutes per day on the website, checking their profile, chatting with other users and looking at photos.

"The expected users for smartbooks want intuitive, trendy, and powerful devices that become extensions of themselves," he commented.

According to data by Strategy Analytics, mobile broadband subscriptions will grow from 200 million in 2009 to 1.3 billion by the end of 2014 thanks to internet-enabled devices such as smartbooks and netbooks.