As more people make the transition from desktop to notebook computer, more workers choose to stay at home and benefit from a higher quality of life.

It is important to understand the reasons for the change. Employees are no longer tied to their desks from nine to five but are increasingly expected to work on the move with a less-structured daily pattern.

The notion of "hot desking" is now a reality because a notebook PC can link an employee into the company network from any external location. A fixed workspace for every worker is no longer a necessity.

Notebook computers are capable of working in tandem with the desktop PC, playing an important role in making the UK workforce technologically capable of working from home and working on the move.

Analysts Gartner Dataquest predicts notebook PCs will grow by 28.9 per cent this year in comparison with an 11.5 per cent growth in the desktop market.

The most critical factor in the move towards the notebook computer is mobility.

This encourages businesses to be more flexible about how, when and where their employees undertake their work tasks. People use notebooks when they travel, while they are in meetings and to work from home.

Many businesses have responded to workers' personal commitments, such as child-care, job-sharing and training days by equipping them with notebook PCs, allowing them to continue to work and stay connected to the office.

UK businesses are also becoming more versatile as a result of notebook technology. It is now widely acknowledged by managers employees can be more focused and productive if they are allowed to complete critical work tasks away from the distractions of the office.

Until very recently, notebooks were roughly double the price of an equivalent desktop PC. That gap has closed significantly and the difference is now likely to be around 30 per cent.

Notebooks, such as the Dell Inspiron 2500, can be purchased for around £700, which compares extremely favourably with the price of desktops.

If you want to take this a step further and take full advantage of notebook working, you need to look at wireless.

No cables, no gaffer tape, no crawling under desks trying to unhook server connections and no trailing wires around the office. Imagine a notebook that uses a base station and is capable of linking an entire family to the internet without the need for cable connectivity.

When combined with wireless ethernet technology, consumers and small businesses are able to connect their PCs directly to the internet, both from the office and on the go.

At an international conference early this year, Dell Computers told of its plans to embed wireless technology in its computers, to allow customers to connect their PCs directly to wireless services such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint PCs without using a mobile phone as an intermediary.

Wireless advocates are keen to broaden the discussion away from internet-enabled phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), to include notebooks.

Last year, at the Vermont Business Expo, in the United States, IBM showed a prototype wearable PC. It had a headpiece with a small video display, a main unit the size of a portable stereo and a miniature one-handed controller.

It was claimed that the mini computer functioned like a full-scale notebook with internet and email access.

Ultimately, the notebook will become easier to use, more intelligent, and will be compatible with a host of new and exciting devices.

While we will see all-in-one-notebooks designed for specific market segments, power and flexibility will continue to remain crucial.