So phones keep getting more and more powerful… almost enough to rival some desktops. So why not have one device that can act as a phone, desktop and laptop? This might be where phones are headed.
The Atrix functions as a smart phone, but can be docked and used as a desktop or laptop. And not as the same phone GUI either - when docked it performs and looks just like a full featured desktop or laptop.
I think it’s heading that way, but it’s still a long ways off before it’s mainstream. I look at the horsepower in the machine I do most of my development work on (4core, 6GB of ram) and it will be a while before that kind of power fits in a phone.
What I want is a hollow tablet you drop your smart phone (droid, iphone… whatever) and you get the big screen tablet running on the hardware of your phone. I’d be much happier combining my phone and tablet into one device than trying to replace my workhorse desktop.
I disagree, but mostly only for the reason that I think tablet software should be a lot different from smartphone software. It would be nice to have a large screen though. It would definitely be a good money saving alternative.
This is true. My main development machine is just a dual-core with 4gb of ram, but it’s still a far cry from developing on the processor in my Droid.
I was talking with some people the other day and mentioned that pretty soon not many people would have desktop computers or laptops anymore. I think in the near future, average users will start attaching their phones to a display with a keyboard and mouse. I can pretty easily picture computer centers on college campuses and libraries having terminals to set your phone in so you always have your files with you. It would be interesting to see that effect that would have on the future of cloud computing.
Developers, on the other hand, probably won’t be switching to this for a few years past when regular users do, for obvious reasons. Machines built to produce are different from ones built to consume, e.g. desktops vs. the iPad.
i would keep a main computer. but i think a tablet for home/work would be sweet, but i dont want another device. something i can drop my phone into that basically turns it into a tablet would be sweet.
I have a family friend that is the VP of some IT company locally here. He was in a meeting with a potential customer. Said customer was explaining that they replaced all PCs at their office, with iPads… I think that some people are definitely going to want to push users in that direction, but I don’t agree with it AT ALL. Input limitations alone (among other things), put this into the realm of unproductive.
My laptop is getting old and really needs replacing but last night I sat down with the wife and really went over what we use the laptop for and I think it’s getting replaced with an iPad (or possibly one of the many other tablets coming out soon). We have my main server downstairs in my office with it’s HD widescreen, 5 TB of storage that will always be the hub of the house, plus a 2nd desktop in my daughter’s room. The laptop basically gets used for email, facebook and web surfing from the living room and kitchen.
Still, I’d much rather drop $100-$200 on a “blank tablet” that I could just drop my iPhone into and have a 10" iphone 4. Modify iOS so it can detect when it’s in it’s the tablet and make the few minor UI changes that are different between the Iphone and Ipad. Hell, design it right and it could even take advantage of the front and rear cameras built into the phone. That would be a sick little piece of technology that would sell like crazy. Unfortunately Apple doesn’t seem to be having a problem getting people to buy both an iphone and ipad so why would they want to take away their own sales.
I own both, and for your basics it’s awesome to have for web surfing and email. I hardly ever find myself using my laptop anymore. Might sell it when the iPad 2 comes out. I have a 16gb 3G+ wifi and it’s plenty of space. My daughter loves it too. For movies or finger painting without any mess. She is only 3 and uses it as good as me from turning it on to finding the paint program. Such a user friendly UI if a 3 year old can do it.
It’s cool, but like has been said, I don’t see it replacing my desktop any time soon, I just need too much power for any portable (even a laptop won’t work) computer.
I have been looking into a tablet to replace my trusty yellow paper pad at work, I’m sick of scanning them in and filing them that way, plus I forget 3/4 of the time anyways. It’d be nice to be able to just take and post the digital notes quickly from a meeting into the project folder.
This will be perfect for the average business person who travels. Most of the current crop of gigahertz cell phones have enough horsepower to do the basic wordprocessing, email, and porn that is all most business people need and use. Having it so centralized and portable would be quite handy.
