Am I Wrong To Doubt Tablet Computing?
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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.
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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
Hey Pete, yesterday you mentioned having a Kindle Fire HD as well as the new ultrabook. Just curious what made you decide to get both given the similarities?
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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Hey Pete, yesterday you mentioned having a Kindle Fire HD as well as the new ultrabook. Just curious what made you decide to get both given the similarities?
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
Ahem - it's 3 Kindle Fire HDs. One for my sister. One for Catherine. One for Hannah. I got the Ultrabook from Chris and those nice people at Intel.
*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.
It depends on what you are doing. I am involved in dance, and there are a number of DJ's I have seen that use tablets for playing music. Don't do much typing, and so actually works fine. Would also work just as well for reading books (playing music, watching videos) like sold by amazon, et al. Web browsing is probably fine also. For applications that one will do a lot of typing, obviously you will want a keyboard. Then you are right.
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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.
Even more significant, watch your tv shows while on the train.
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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.
The right answer is probably glasses with voice input.
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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.
Well, I believe "to doubt" is always right ! Particularly when everyone else around you "truly believes:" so, I applaud your doubting, in general. But, just as there are, perhaps, "shades" of truth (except for those for whom truth is rigidly "binary"), so, I propose: there are different qualities of doubt. Where your doubts seem "dubious" to me (points 1,2) are that you seem to assume that the form-factors of early devices were the result of conscious design decisions, as if there were a range of choices available. Somewhere around 1952, I think, my family had our first television: it was a huge wooden cabinet, with a small somewhat-oval rounded-corner black-and-white screen (perhaps nine inches by six inches), and a small bezel around that screen of the same shape. While this was the time of "retro" in design, and kidney-shaped swimming pools, and (later 1950's) the classic Eames-style molded wood chairs were in fashion: no one designed a kidney shaped television. Form followed function, and was constrained by expectations of the public, and convention (big wood cabinet = something special, something fancy). I would argue that the early form-factors of computers, and their peripherals, resulted from the necessity of what the hardware demanded, economic factors (cost to manufacture), and what traditional manufacturing was ready to crank out in volume (boxes, big-boxes, small-boxes). And, of course, carry-overs from traditional mechanical devices: typewriter => computer keyboard. There have been other earlier small form-factor computing devices from Apple (the Newton), and MS, that did not fly: not powerful enough, screens not good enough, battery life not long enough. Direct-action control by stylus, or whatever, lousy. But, as early the late 1960's, all the ingredients of the "modern pc:" bit-mapped screen display with windows-icons-menus, hand controlled pointing device, were all prototyped, and being manufactured in actual computers at Xerox Parc ... as well as the prototype of the PostScript computer language with vector-based scalable fonts, high-speed network connectivity [ethernet], and high-level object-oriented programming OS/environment [SmallTalk]). The problem was the Xerox Alto, or Star, would have set you back the cost of a small house. That was where the late S. Jobs, and crew of "merry pirates," heisted all the ideas that became embodied in the Mac (over the fierce objections of Adelle Goldberg [
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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 you overestimate the number of people who really need a computer (laptop, desktop, netbook). Most people just need to access multimedia functionnalities : web, mail, photo, video, facebook, etc... I recently bought a tablet for my wife. She's really happy with it. Because she doesn't try to work with it. As someone mentionned earlier, tablets and computer don't have the same purpose : one is purely for entertainment and ease of use, the other is more versatile, allows you to program, but hey, how much programmers is there in the real world ? We are outnumbered by multimedia consumers. Tablets are here to stay.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Here are my brief thoughts: PC form factor 1. PC form factors will not be replaced by tablets. 2. PC form factors have recently reached some hard physical limits. Single CPUs have basically maxed out, hence the more CPUs + more memory + more graphics + more monitors is the current expansion direction for PC form factors. Lower power consumption is another direction. 3. For most human driven activities (typing, mousing, etc.) the current PC form will be usable for a decade or more. 4. Slowing market means new opportunities are needed. Tablet form factor 1. Mostly a consumption device, books, videos, games, etc. 2. Great portability, decent battery life. 3. Relatively young, think of the capabilities in 5-6 years. I think we will see things like app+content+4G (no contract) purchase on demand. That video costs $4.99, for an additional $.99 you can download it via Verizon 4GLTE RIGHT NOW or for $.49 you can download it on AT&T 4G. Things I like about tablets: (I have the G1 Kindle Fire) 1. It will just barely, fit into a generous pocket. 2. I have dozens of books, reference, etc on it. These sync to my phone as well. 3. I can pop a video onto it for disconnected viewing during my commute (I'm NOT driving) 4. Better models have built in video cameras. In my mind, improving voice recogntion + blue tooth leads me to believe that your mobile phone will eventually become a wifi hotspot "brick" that always stays in your purse, briefcase, or backpack. The UIs for the bricks will be phone sized, tablet sized, and blue tooth headsets.
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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.
Yes, you are wrong. The big difference between a laptop (or other traditional pc) and a tablet is this: the laptop is for production, but the tablet is for consumption. This is what Jobs figured out and why the iPad succeeded where other tablets had failed. Tablets make consumption easy, convenient and fast; they are the fast food of computing. Laptops are kitchens, and not every one likes to cook. If you're on this forum, you're probably a programmer, someone who sees a computer as a tool for doing work, creating content, typing stuff. I'm writing this on a Macbook Air, not a tablet, because I'm like you. But most people are not like us. Most people just want something that works. Most people don't care about customization; they just want something that works. Most people don't even care about security; they just want something that works. And sometimes, in fact many times, that's all I want. If I want to watch a movie or read a book, I just want something that works, quickly and easily. Something I don't have to worry about. Something without a keyboard to catch crumbs, something I can carry into the bathroom without feeling weird. The tablet is not a fad. If you think it is, you are betting against the tendency of people to want things to be easier than they were yesterday. That's not a wise bet.
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In our shop, we have to plan for a mix of both - we have office workers for which the traditional PC platform is fine/preferred. We have officers in the fields that have been given tablets for they are far cheaper than laptops. That trend in itself means we have to support tablets. You can do real work on them (e.g. capturing information), it's just not seen as often.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that. - George Carlin
dexterama wrote:
We have officers in the fields that have been given tablets for they are far cheaper than laptops.
That's only true if you are looking at the very high end laptop or the very low end of tablet. I've bought my wife a fairly very nice laptop and an iPad within the last year - the iPad cost more.
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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 mobile environment is ideal for the consumer model where the application consumes data but does little with it other than display it to the user. For me the tablet and smart phone are simply extensions of the PC platform. No mobile device can capture the requirements for Power Users or developers. Imaging developing an application on a touch screen without a keyboard or mouse or being an administrator of an application and entering data via said touchscreen. It simply doesn't make sense. The tablet model is here to stay and line of business applications to provide reporting to managers etc,etc is ideal but that's as far as it goes. In my business the only people with tablets are the business directory who use them to consume data (as well as being a fashion accessory)
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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.
To begin with, certainly development is going to remain on the desktop. I see our salespeople relying on tablets because of the fast boot time, portability, etc. For them it makes no sense dragging around a laptop or ultrabook. But, let me also say at the beginning of GUIs, I was not convinced. I saw them as being slower that a command line, "DEL *.*" now became "highlight and drag to the trash". It was just slower to get any work done. And then there were the icons with each vendor having their own idea what symbol to use for each function. I feared the return of hieroglyphics until tooltips and my grandchildren were able to use the computers before they could read. My observation was that they could play games from 2 1/2, use a browser at 3 (with keyboard aids) and then from 3 1/2 on they had clicking down. Whenever an older person tells me they could never learn to use a computer, I ask them why they don't think they have the skills of a 3 year old and besides they have the advantage because they can read. My point? Tablets and their swipe recognition is even easier. Just like GUIs created a new paradigm for file manipulation, tablets may evolve a graphical symbology for linking functional blocks and the creation of graphical programming. These things have been tried before with minimal success, but with the vast ecosystem of tablets, phablets, and smartphones, there will be a market ready to exploit if you can creatively crack the design issues. Once the initial shock wears off, people are going to figure out how to exploit these devices. There is just too much money to be made. I don't expect the Gold Rush mentality of the Dotcom Boom/Bust, but using these devices will get us thinking in new ways.
Psychosis at 10 Film at 11 Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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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 agree. Most people jump on every single overhyped thing, because they need to seem cool and modern. The reality, at least for business, is that tablets are useless. I've never seen one person using it, for business. Why? Because it's unpractical, limited, and still cumbersome! Everything the tab can do, a laptop can do better, with more freedom. Typing an email? Have to put the tablet flat on table and start smearing your finger grease all over the thing.. Drag drop a file attachment from the deskt... Ooops, no, BUY an app for it. Wanna..? -BUY the app for it. BUY, BUY, BUY, from the single only store that allows apps for it. Anyway, I'm not on the doubter side here; I'm sure this is a flop. People use them for bs tasks, games that remind me of the early 90s. Oh, and updating their pathetic fb page as if the world is watching them, eagerly awaiting their next update. These days, new gadget, pay all the usual bloggers, websites, to make a "review". Don't be foooled by the "reviews"; 95% of them are really paid ads. And then people think "everybody says.."; but no, ask any computer geek like me, and we'll tell you what these finger-grease flat screens are good for... *points at children playing games on fb*
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I agree. Most people jump on every single overhyped thing, because they need to seem cool and modern. The reality, at least for business, is that tablets are useless. I've never seen one person using it, for business. Why? Because it's unpractical, limited, and still cumbersome! Everything the tab can do, a laptop can do better, with more freedom. Typing an email? Have to put the tablet flat on table and start smearing your finger grease all over the thing.. Drag drop a file attachment from the deskt... Ooops, no, BUY an app for it. Wanna..? -BUY the app for it. BUY, BUY, BUY, from the single only store that allows apps for it. Anyway, I'm not on the doubter side here; I'm sure this is a flop. People use them for bs tasks, games that remind me of the early 90s. Oh, and updating their pathetic fb page as if the world is watching them, eagerly awaiting their next update. These days, new gadget, pay all the usual bloggers, websites, to make a "review". Don't be foooled by the "reviews"; 95% of them are really paid ads. And then people think "everybody says.."; but no, ask any computer geek like me, and we'll tell you what these finger-grease flat screens are good for... *points at children playing games on fb*
I remember the first time I saw a researcher back in the late '60s using a light pen interacting with a screen to draw. I think we are going to go back to that. I find using a track pad or mouse the ultimate in clumsiness compared to my fingers or a light pen. What we will end up with is using our fingers on a touchscreen or for precision work the equivalent of a light pen. Whether you call them tablets, laptops or netbooks is immaterial, we will have touchscreens with detachable keyboards.
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: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
I completely disagree. Tablets, in the sense that we know them a week ago (iPads) will not replace the common laptop; however, tablets as we're redefining them today will. I use a netbook currently (4G Ram, Dual Core, decent hard drive) as my main development and mobile computing device. I found that laptops, regardless of form factor, are too large and bulky to truly be mobile (unless you like the idea of giant "man purses" and permanent backpack apparel). When I get in front of a screen, I plug in. When I get in front of a keyboard, I plug in. I use it both as a desktop and a netbook. It gives me "enough" computing power to develop software, and is portable enough that I don't mind taking it with me. All that said, I would trade it in a heartbeat for a W8Pro tablet. If this were to happen, my habits of plugging in whenever I have the opportunity would not change, but what would change is that my convenience factor when on the go would increase 10 fold. I could have access to all my important files, my development environment, my designer environment, and my entertainment wherever I was, whenever I wanted. Compare that to a modern notebook computer. Yes, the screen is smaller, so if you have bad eyesight, I suppose that could be an issue, BUT, modern notebooks are generally underpowered graphics-wise, and tablets will be no different. Modern notebooks get hot, while tablets are not known for this. Notebooks can't be quickly turned on and touched to accomplish something quickly when on the go, and you certainly won't be using them while moving. Tablets you can. The notebook for most of us professionals (that have decent eyesight) is on its way out. I wouldn't have said that had W8 Pro not been envisioned, but being that it's here, we can see a glimpse into what the future of computing is going to look like on the go. That doesn't mean I'm giving up my desktop, mind you. The ultimate question when considering that has to be asked: "Yeah, but does it play Crysis?" No, it doesn't, and as long as a modern video card is 3-5x the depth of a tablet, it won't.
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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.
When I took my current job with the school district I work for, I knew I needed something more portable than the laptop they gave me. As a campus technician, I'm responsible for maintaining all of the technology on at least five different campuses and troubleshooting any issues they run into. Occasionally I also work on other projects like site surveys for upcoming technology installs. My tablet has seriously exploded the level of productivity I'm capable of in all of these areas. I got an ASUS Transformer TF300T with a Tegra 3 quad core processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It's currently running Android 4.1.1. I did not get the optional detachable keyboard but, as I found out, I really don't need it. The on-screen keyboard is a lot more usable than I thought it would be. So what have I used it for? The digital classroom project involves installed an audio system in the drop ceiling, an interactive HD projector on the wall above the dry-erase board, electrical conduit and receptacles, and a number of connections below the board for various other pieces of technology. The site survey for this required pictures of the room, the board, and the space above the ceiling from several angles, measurements, and detailed notes for every classroom it went into. At the end of each survey, the pictures and the notes needed to be put into a report with a specific format, meaning a word document with a table that had a column for room numbers, one for pictures, and one for notes broken into a bullet point list. Instead of lugging around a laptop, a camera, and a tape measure, all I used were the tablet and the tape measure. I created the report on the tablet, took the pictures with the tablet and had them automatically placed in the right place in the report, and typed up my notes and measurements right there. No arm strain, no worry of running out of battery, no extraneous baggage or bulk. I would then upload the entire report from my tablet into our web-based file system where everyone could access it. When I'm working my tickets, I log into the ticketing system from my tablet, access stored documents on a shared drive on my laptop which I set up in a central location and leave there as I go about my business, keep track of appointments using a widget on my home screen that syncs with my outlook calendar, reset passwords and manage Active Directory user and computer accounts with ActiveDir Manager, generate network maps for subnets I'm troubleshooting devices on and ping or tracero
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I completely disagree. Tablets, in the sense that we know them a week ago (iPads) will not replace the common laptop; however, tablets as we're redefining them today will. I use a netbook currently (4G Ram, Dual Core, decent hard drive) as my main development and mobile computing device. I found that laptops, regardless of form factor, are too large and bulky to truly be mobile (unless you like the idea of giant "man purses" and permanent backpack apparel). When I get in front of a screen, I plug in. When I get in front of a keyboard, I plug in. I use it both as a desktop and a netbook. It gives me "enough" computing power to develop software, and is portable enough that I don't mind taking it with me. All that said, I would trade it in a heartbeat for a W8Pro tablet. If this were to happen, my habits of plugging in whenever I have the opportunity would not change, but what would change is that my convenience factor when on the go would increase 10 fold. I could have access to all my important files, my development environment, my designer environment, and my entertainment wherever I was, whenever I wanted. Compare that to a modern notebook computer. Yes, the screen is smaller, so if you have bad eyesight, I suppose that could be an issue, BUT, modern notebooks are generally underpowered graphics-wise, and tablets will be no different. Modern notebooks get hot, while tablets are not known for this. Notebooks can't be quickly turned on and touched to accomplish something quickly when on the go, and you certainly won't be using them while moving. Tablets you can. The notebook for most of us professionals (that have decent eyesight) is on its way out. I wouldn't have said that had W8 Pro not been envisioned, but being that it's here, we can see a glimpse into what the future of computing is going to look like on the go. That doesn't mean I'm giving up my desktop, mind you. The ultimate question when considering that has to be asked: "Yeah, but does it play Crysis?" No, it doesn't, and as long as a modern video card is 3-5x the depth of a tablet, it won't.
