Consumer products converging.

Framingham, MA -- Digitization of media, expansion of broadband options, proliferation of new converged devices, and collision and consolidation of market leaders will define the top consumer trends in 2005, says IDC (idc.com). Big winners will include handheld game consoles and other portable gaming devices.

The firm also forecasts continued adoption of broadband and VoIP. HDD-based portable MP3 players will also see strong growth. Portable media players, however, will disappoint. Digital camera shipments will exceed 80 million units, pushing conventional film cameras out.

IP video is a hot topic, but rollouts will be minimal in 2005. IP video efforts and offerings are expected to remain largely on the fringes in many regions, says IDC.