Am I Wrong To Doubt Tablet Computing?
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Supposing they become more powerful, I can see nothing about the tablet form factor that should prevent real work. You can connect to networks, you can connect to keyboards, you can connect to external screens, and (aside from certain vendors which limit software capabilities of their tablet devices) you can run the same software you'd run on a dektop/laptop. If you try to do a bunch of programming using the touch screen, of course you're going to hate it. So if you want to not hate it, you'll probably have to use it like you would a traditional computer (that would be hard with an iPad, but the Surface Pro and hopefully future devices should make that entirely possible).
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I don't have a tablet (well, aside from my Nook Color, which is more of an eReader), but I'll go through this for the fun of it anyway...
MehGerbil wrote:
The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years
The continued success of desktops/laptops does not preclude the rising success of tablets.
MehGerbil wrote:
Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization
So do tablets. They can have external network storage, can connect to HD screens, and they can even have...
MehGerbil wrote:
The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency.
So laptops and desktops are deficient? Sometimes you want to write a bunch, and keyboards are good for that. Sometimes you prefer portability, and tablets are good for that. Having both options seems to be a boon.
MehGerbil wrote:
I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks
Why do they need to replace them to be viable? Can't they match them? That is, would you consider them viable if for every desktop there were one laptop, one netbook, and one tablet?
MehGerbil wrote:
anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why?
Why not? My personal opinion is that the power of computing is exceeding the needs of many consumers. As power becomes less of a deciding factor, things like portability will become more important. I suspect very portable devices, like tablets, will gain popularity (as they already are doing).
:thumbsup: Well said. :thumbsup: Tablets will not likely replace laptops or desktops any time soon (if ever), but for many people they are a better fit as a replacement or a companion product.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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When you attach a keyboard you've basically admitted that you really needed a netbook. :-D
And anytime I plug in a USB drive to my laptop I'm admitting I should have bought a device with a USB drive attached. :rolleyes:
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When you attach a keyboard you've basically admitted that you really needed a netbook. :-D
MehGerbil wrote:
When you attach a keyboard you've basically admitted that you really needed a netbook.
Until you don't want the keyboard at which point you really needed a tablet.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
(again, disclaimer, I don't own a tablet, I have not yet found the use for it; but it's getting there) The tablet form factor is a lot more "performant" when the user does not have access to a desk; most people do not "create" content on tablets; they consume it. In the case of medical professional, they will just the tablet as a read-only device with limited annotation features, they will read the patient's dossier, watch xrays/mri, look up drugs dependencies and make small annotations here and there; and when they want to actively "write" stuff, they'll go back to their office, dock the tablet and use a real keyboard. As for customization, the normal people (99.99%) don't care about it, they want a computer/laptop/tablet/phone that just works for a normal number of months/years.
Nihil obstat
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MehGerbil wrote:
When you attach a keyboard you've basically admitted that you really needed a netbook.
Until you don't want the keyboard at which point you really needed a tablet.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
I think tablets are here to stay. I don't think they will replace desktops or laptops, but I don't think they are going away either.
m.bergman
For Bruce Schneier, quanta only have one state : afraid.
To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered. -- Voltaire
In most cases the only difference between disappointment and depression is your level of commitment. -- Marc Maron
I am not a chatbot
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
based on our business here, tablets(ipads, whatever) are handy for salespeople, bosses and managers to view reports on the fly, stay mobile with emails and whatnot. For hardcore work, its desktop all the way here. I think they have their place, and as apps get developed for them, maybe more places open up. However, I think development work will always(for the near future at least) be done on more conventional pc's of some sort. Just my opinion.
I'm beginning to hate the news...the world was much nicer when I was illiterate Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
The main point you make is what drives technology. Form fits function. But I think you've got to look way beyond the factor itself. From the standpoint of portablility, ANYTHING, and I mean anything, that reduces the weight of the moving human frame will result in incorporation into the "corpus". So logically, while tablets and "phones" are just stepping stones, the biological implant and neural access without these "interface" cludges is naturally what will happen. Basically, forget about any sense you've got. Now, can you throw away that device you're using while moving your two feet down there?
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
I'm in the same boat than you. Tablets are great toys and also devices that can be used to check information, doctors, people that need high levels of mobility reading data, salesmen that need to show videos to future customers, people that is always carrying a lot of paper notes... But in my case, which I need to make programs and that I also need to connect to multiple devices at the same time, a tablet just doesn't fit, and which would be the meaning of a tablet if I'm always with my latptop... But of course there will be people out there that will not be able to live without it...
[www.tamautomation.com] Robots, CNC and PLC machines for grinding and polishing.
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
So, the estimated market for tablets over the next few years is larger than the desktop and laptop market, and a portion of the laptop market will move to tablets. That's pretty much it one form factor isn't intrinsically better or worse. Desktop computers will probably just get a new name, like mainframes are now called cloud computing.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
I don't like them, they are too difficult to hold while using for me. However, I think they are simply a step in the move towards fully wearable, clothing or body integrated computers. They are more portable (slightly) than a laptop and easier to share. Think of a lawyer with a tablet, showing something to jurors or the judge, easier than a laptop.
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
I'm typing this reply on an Ultrabook. It's light, small, touchscreen and has a full size keyboard. Intel have improved the battery life and lowered the power consumption with Ivy Bridge, so I suspect that we will see more Ultrabooks. I far prefer it to my tablet - and yes, I'm using Windows 8 on it and I like it. On an Ultrabook it makes sense.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
People said that (pretty much) about mobile phones when they first came out. And rightly, for they were truly horrible objects, worthy only of derision. People said that land lines were here to stay... Tablets don't fill the same niche as PCs, or laptops. The way to think of the Surface is as a tablet that comes with a keyboard for when you what to use it, not as a cut-down PC - even then, I'd want a full size keyboard (I hate laptop keyboards and touch-panel mouse substitutes) and a proper mouse. I think they are here to stay. I think they have just about got to the point when they really have started to make sense as a consumer item (even more so if the rumours of a sub $100 device come to pass). If nothing else, as a book and newspaper reader, they are a lot less hassle on the train...
If you get an email telling you that you can catch Swine Flu from tinned pork then just delete it. It's Spam.
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I'm typing this reply on an Ultrabook. It's light, small, touchscreen and has a full size keyboard. Intel have improved the battery life and lowered the power consumption with Ivy Bridge, so I suspect that we will see more Ultrabooks. I far prefer it to my tablet - and yes, I'm using Windows 8 on it and I like it. On an Ultrabook it makes sense.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
I'm using Windows 8 on it and I like it. On an Ultrabook it makes sense.
Do you find yourself using the touch part of it? Just seems unnatural (to me) on a laptop when my hands are perched over a keyboard...
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
I'm using Windows 8 on it and I like it. On an Ultrabook it makes sense.
Do you find yourself using the touch part of it? Just seems unnatural (to me) on a laptop when my hands are perched over a keyboard...
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
Funnily enough, I do. I find it frustrating that things like auto scrolling don't work in Visual Studio. I should be able to drag the screen around just by a gesture, but all it does is highlight text.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
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Given Apple's astounding sales and the recent committment made by Microsoft I know the question is a bit bizarre. Many people consider the question already completely answered, and I can respect that point of view. However, I'm still in teh doubters camp - not so much about the current success but about the long term viability of tablets. To me the whole thing is still just a fad. Let me explain myself. 1: The typical PC form factor has been with us for at least 30 years and I think the reason it's enjoyed such a long streak is because it works. Laptops and notebooks have been with us for nearly as long - again, because they work. So when I call the tablet a fad I mean in comparison to more traditional form factors. 2: Traditional form factors allow for an incredible amount of customization. Different screen sizes, keyboards, mice, speakers - tons of peripherals, etc. People like cutomization beyond the color of the case - ergonomic customization is important. 3: The Microsoft Surface can ship with a keyboard. To me this suggests the tablet has a deficiency. I don't understand why someone would get a tablet with keyboard when they could get a ridiculously thin Mac Air with the keyboard (and more functionality). 4: It's true that a tablet can be used in the medical field for very specialized purposes but that has been true of medical devices since the flashlight was re-imagined as a device to peer up someone's nose. In short, just as the little nose looker thingies didn't replace flashlights I don't see the tablet replacing netbooks. This post isn't about hating on tablets, Apple, or the Surface. I think they're really slick devices but anytime I consider buying one I cannot get past the question of Why? I think in 5 years we'll all look back on the so-called post-PC era and LOL.
Horses for courses. I find my Transformer great around the house or travelling but it'd be rubbish for heavy-duty document editing or programming.
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Horses for courses. I find my Transformer great around the house or travelling but it'd be rubbish for heavy-duty document editing or programming.
I used to hate it when my Transformer changed into a really crap robot. Maybe an iPad would turn into a Prime.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
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I think tablets are here to stay. I don't think they will replace desktops or laptops, but I don't think they are going away either.
m.bergman
For Bruce Schneier, quanta only have one state : afraid.
To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered. -- Voltaire
In most cases the only difference between disappointment and depression is your level of commitment. -- Marc Maron
I am not a chatbot
I agree with you there. :thumbsup:
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The main point you make is what drives technology. Form fits function. But I think you've got to look way beyond the factor itself. From the standpoint of portablility, ANYTHING, and I mean anything, that reduces the weight of the moving human frame will result in incorporation into the "corpus". So logically, while tablets and "phones" are just stepping stones, the biological implant and neural access without these "interface" cludges is naturally what will happen. Basically, forget about any sense you've got. Now, can you throw away that device you're using while moving your two feet down there?
RedDK wrote:
So logically, while tablets and "phones" are just stepping stones, the biological implant and neural access without these "interface" cludges is naturally what will happen.
That presumes quite a bit. First of course is that the interface will in fact come into existence. Second that the market forces that work elsewhere would work there as well. As an example cars often have many features now that did not exist 50 years ago. Replacing a car however is not the same as getting cut open to add a new model. Third that the market will accept the necessary medical invasion necessary to allow for the success. Currently successes in that market are driven by dealing with difficiencies not enhancements. Thus piercings might be popular but body modification implants are used much less often.
