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Tablets will kill laptops

dwh1996

dwh1996

Lurker
This won't happen soon but I think in 5-7 years laptops will have died out and tablets will be what everyone is using. The whole idea of a laptop is to have a computer on the go. Tablets take that to another level. They are so much thinner and lighter than laptops will ever be. Tablets are so much easier to use as well. You could give a 5 year old a tablet and in half an hour they would be browsing thru apps and playing games. If you gave a 5 year old a laptop they probably wouldn't have the first clue on what to do. I just think that tablets need better hardware to shut out laptops. If in 2016 there is a tablet with a quad-core processor, 1080p LCD display, and a rear camera and a front camera capable of 1080p video it could defiantly give laptops a run for there money. Not to mention if it is run on a network that by then might have speeds faster than Verizon's LTE network.
 
That'll all come down to memory resources. If things like IBM's recently reported Racetrack memory happen or other spintronics breakthroughs or something like that, yes - because there's still that hard disk to contend with (I've used all but 64GB of the 320 gigs my laptop came with).

That said, if we note that most of what we do on laptops is already possible with tablets, especially if you're ok with the cloud data model, then I'd expect some erosion of laptop demand to hit even sooner.

This is an interesting level-headed discussion of jumping the gun on these predictions -

Best Buy CEO: iPad Cannibalizing Up To 50 Percent Of Laptop Sales | paidContent

That said - the netbook is already toast, IMO. 2010 was the iPad's year, 2011 will Android's year in tablets, and by 2012 Windows may be there (and yes, I know there've been win tablets for a while - as there've been Linux tablets - not catching on like the iPad did or Android already is).

I doubt laptops will ever die due to real estate - too many places where the physical keyboard not eating display space is just crucial to productivity. Because of that, I'll continue to use a laptop for work - but - I've already transitioned quite a bit of my personal computing to my larger screen phone. When I get a tablet, it'll be over for laptop use for personal stuff for me.
 
I think there are times when a true keyboard is still necessary. Until they art making peripherals to use a real keyboard and mouse, I don't see tablets killing the laptop market. As it stands, tablets are more or less decives made for the consumption of media. The consumer mindset will have to shift a great deal, I think, for people to adopt the tablet in place of the laptop. Hell, they tried it already with tablet PCs and failed.
 
I also tend to think that Tablets will never completely take over to laptops, most particularly in businesses. Tablets are currently not hardware upgradeable. This is a major challenge for them. Even something as straightforward as increasing the storage space on one can be daunting (ever try to swap a SD for a larger SD card while maintaining all of the data from the original card?).
 
I've heard this one before... Only last time it was "Desktops are gunna be killed by laptops!"

And since then I have built a quad core water cooled 4 ghz, desktop with a 1080p monitor and TWO graphics cards in it. (I know some of you have 3 but, I'm comfortable :P)

I also this christmas got a Mechanical keyboard which I freaken love the click click click is musical almost.

I am so tired of hearing "tablets are laptop killers"

I hate to break this to everyone but, some people do actually get stuff done on laptops besides goof around! as productivity devices tablets have a long way to go.

To be perfectly honest, I view android PHONE's as more of a "computer killer" than anything.

You are already carrying your phone on you 90% of the time anyway.

It can access in a few taps the majority of information you may want to access on a laptop or tablet.

And even the evo is just so darn tiny in comparison to the bigger bulkier tablets.

I wonder how many of these people so anxious to see laptops die are really taking phones into consideration?

Whatever, people just love using the word "killer"

My desktop is still the real killer :P
 
I think the sales of laptops being compromised are by potential users who won't use a laptop to its full ability, basic buyers I suppose.
I think maybe... soon... tablets might defeat the laptop, but weren't people thinking of just having a screen and using our minds to control these things planned for several years time?
hmm
I don't know what'll happen in the future, but I know it's exciting
 
adi19956 said:
I think the sales of laptops being compromised are by potential users who won't use a laptop to its full ability, basic buyers I suppose.
I think maybe... soon... tablets might defeat the laptop, but weren't people thinking of just having a screen and using our minds to control these things planned for several years time?
hmm
I don't know what'll happen in the future, but I know it's exciting
Click to expand...

Lol... most people don't even get the most use out of their PHONE dude..

mom: "What time is it"

Me: "mom... YOU HAVE A PHONE!"

Mom: random question.

Me: "GOOGLE IT, YOU HAVE A PHONE ON YOU!"

Sadly, I think my mom represent the more common smartphone user.

So, yeah.. I would wager its safe to say most people never really push that laptop.

Desktops are really designed to be "used" more.. no worries about heat or battery life. 750 watt power supply and you push that sucker as high as the clock speeds will stabilize. Make sure your temps are good and bring on the Crysis, Metro 2033, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. CoP... actually forget all of those except CoP..
 
Huh.

Clearly, you do not get how mom's work or where the method is their seeming madness.

I think you think she's not getting it, while she's still trying to make you think in her realm.

The fact that you've retained this and were compelled to shared this kinda proves she's winning, you know.

Then again, I'm an old granddad of six and could be wrong there.
 
I will say what 80% of what people do on a laptop. A tablet would be more then enough for them. Then the rest like gamers, buisness, programers, and so on a a tablet would be useless for what they need. So desktops and laptop will always be a use for them. I look at the tablet as just another device that people can choose to best suit their needs and money.
 
EarlyMon said:
Huh.

Clearly, you do not get how mom's work or where the method is their seeming madness.

I think you think she's not getting it, while she's still trying to make you think in her realm.

The fact that you've retained this and were compelled to shared this kinda proves she's winning, you know.

Then again, I'm an old granddad of six and could be wrong there.
Click to expand...

Eh... my mom is crafty... but, no... not like that.

My mom is incredibly cunning and crafty but, still fails on many different levels to actually utilize those skills.
 
I think that's WAY WAY too soon for the laptop to "die". I really don't think that it will die anytime soon. Just thinking of others...

MP3 vs. CD (10 years after the iPod and iTunes... CDs are still very relevant)
Blu-ray vs. DVD (4 1/2 years after the start of Blu-rays... DVDs are still incredibly relevant)

I know they're not exactly the same as this case but it still goes to show that it takes a long time for something to die out.

There are things that tablets can not replace laptops with and that's the physical keyboard. Unless you're planning on making a very large tablet.. the keyboard space takes up too much of the screen for the tablet to be a very productive device. If you hook up a physical keyboard to a tablet... then, wouldn't that make it a laptop again?
 
Snow_Fox said:
Eh... my mom is crafty... but, no... not like that.

My mom is incredibly cunning and crafty but, still fails on many different levels to actually utilize those skills.
Click to expand...

Uh -ok.

I have the same sort of mom. And I'm married to one who does just fine with tech when the adult kids aren't looking (they're always helping her with her Android phone and tech upon her request - when I ask her why she explains that it makes them feel better helping her - then she re-customizes it).

You seem crafty yourself. Wonder where you got that? Anyway, mom is probably proud of you - and is still helping you to show off to her.

Again - it's your mom, so what do I know. ;)
 
I don't think people realize just how long tablets have been around. I think laptops will always have a use. My personal preference is a laptop I can't stand half of the screen taken over by a soft keyboard. Same reason I chose a droid with a sliding qwerty.
 
lol.

I seriously doubt all of that.

I actually felt personally insulted by my parents.

My stepdad was the first person to get a smart phone.

he got a black berry for 9$ with an upgrade. Now keep in mind he is the primary account holder.. so he gets all the best deals on phones.

He picks a phone that is 109$ full price... HORRIBLE deal.

It doesn't have 3g or wifi... and this isn't 5 years ago he made that choice.. it was about 5 months ago.

My mom then gets an iphone 4 with her upgrade.

Uses it for the amazing purpose of making facebook updates from the patio.

My step dad then decides he is unhappy with his blackberry and pays full price for an iphone 4.

The irony is when all of this happened, I was living in an apartment.. and I happen to pay bills and rent by selling cellphones!

They never asked for help, recommendations or anything of that nature.

My mom doesn't have hardly any apps at all.. The only apps my step dad gets are the ones he sees my mom using.

My parents have 3 kids who all *LOVE* technology I am probably the only one of the three who would be willing to actually help them do anything.

But, they would rather and did literally burn about a thousand dollars in flat out just not wanting to ask for help :/
 
I agree with Vihzel, and I had a tablet that I traded to my brother for his laptop, he only browses the web so for him it is alright, for me it was just a big cell phone. IMO a tablet by any manufacturer is to limiting and to be honest I fully believe that the tablet market is already being flooded with these things. friends that I have spoken with and even stores I have been to all seem to say things quite contrary to what ADs say. On top of all the other BS you now have a whole other data plan, and for what? all to do the EXACT same thing my phone does minus making calls. I fully believe that there is an ass for every seat but lets be honest is size the reason everyone wants one of these thing? No, I laid an Ipad on top of a netbook and they were almost the exact same size. It is much more likely that people want these things because they are the new hotness like I did, and then found out that all they got was a netbook with no lid to close.
 
glockjs said:
I don't think people realize just how long tablets have been around. I think laptops will always have a use. My personal preference is a laptop I can't stand half of the screen taken over by a soft keyboard. Same reason I chose a droid with a sliding qwerty.
Click to expand...

Agree - when people advocate using a touch phone with the keyboard in landscape mode - I don't get it.
 
I am a bit more forgiving on touch screen phones..

The bigger the device is... the more annoying an on screen keyboard seems to me..
 
It will be a long time coming yet, but tablets will eventually kill off laptops, or rather both tablets and laptops will evolve convergently until eventually you won't really be able to tell the difference between the two. The biggest difference will be in what OS you decide to go with.

The lack of a physical keyboard won't be an issue. We've already got plenty of phones with slide-out physical keyboards, it doesn't add that much bulk, and it's pretty inevitable that we'll see them on tablets at some point in the next couple of years.
 
Anthony1 said:
It will be a long time coming yet, but tablets will eventually kill off laptops, or rather both tablets and laptops will evolve convergently until eventually you won't really be able to tell the difference between the two. The biggest difference will be in what OS you decide to go with.

The lack of a physical keyboard won't be an issue. We've already got plenty of phones with slide-out physical keyboards, it doesn't add that much bulk, and it's pretty inevitable that we'll see them on tablets at some point in the next couple of years.
Click to expand...

I agree for the most part. I believe that laptops and tablets will come closer and closer together to where the line is blurred. It'll take a while, but I believe that will eventually occur.

I doubt though that tablets will have physical keyboards. Can you imagine the Apple iPad having a physical keyboard that adds bulk, weight, and less stream-lined design? Apple would never go for that. It would be really difficult to try to make the physical keys in a position that is comfortable to use and that would also require something to make the tablet stand up. A slide out physical keyboard on a 10" tablet just wouldn't make sense because it would essentially be a tablet computer (which currently have existed for a long time now and what comes to mind is the latest Dell Inspiron Duo).
 
I agree with completely new form factors...

Innovation doesn't stop.

There is no rest for the wicked.

There will probably be something much cooler out before laptops "die"

Like neural implants.

Thats gunna kill laptops.
 
Neural implants? We can't even get the FDA to legalize genetically modified livestock (which is sort of hilarious on it's own level seeing as how we have been selecting for genetics for ages, just not necessarily in the form that we are currently thinking of doing so -- but that is another matter). I don't expect to see neural implants in my lifetime (and I am in my twenties).
 
in Cambridge university (I think Cambridge anyway) there's a guy who has implants in his hands to open and close doors, unlock his computer etc
 
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