Has the PC Worm Now Turned

Mike Halsey MVP
Mar 24, 2011
Updated • Dec 2, 2012
Mobile Computing
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10

For the last year we've all been talking about tablets.  They've been the technology of the moment for some considerable time now and their appeal doesn't seem to  be diminishing.  It's still been the case though that we're just not seeing tablets being used out and about in cafes and on trains in the way people use laptops or netbooks.  In the last couple of weeks though I've seen two iPads being used while out on my travels, the most recent being the most interesting.

First I'd like to tell you of my own opinions of using a tablet computer when out and about.  While a tablet might not be the ideal form factor for the way we've all become accustomed to working in the last few years, nay decades, all I can now see are people carrying unnecessarily large and heavy computer equipment when all they want to do with it are a few basic and simple tasks.

Only yesterday I took several train journeys to travel to the medieval city of York to give a talk on Windows 7 and I saw people crammed into airline seats on the train with a laptop, protruding at an odd angle, propped up slightly on one knee as the person using it sat awkwardly slightly to one side as the seat didn't offer the space to sit the machine in front of you that would have been better.

Even those people sat at tables on the train had hulking great devices that took up all the table space that they really wanted to be using for their coffee, sandwich and the evening paper.

Then however I spotted something different.  This was a man sat using an iPad, nothing unusual in that you might think.  This tablet was supported vertically in a dock however with a bluetooth Apple keyboard sat stylishly in front of it.  Your attention was drawn to this partly because of the beauty and elegance of such a setup, but also because it was so unusual.

I, being a tech author and a Windows 7 tablet user, sat across from the man with my ExoPC and he sat working on whatever he was doing, merrily typing away while I struggled to get my 3G connection to work reliably at high speeds.

Eventually we got chatting about tablets and technology.  He wasn't a technologically in-the-know person but was happy that the iPad made things simple for him to use.  He spent a lot of time travelling on trains every week he told me, and for this the tablet was ideal being (even with the dock and extra keyboard) less than half the size of an equivalent laptop and about a quarter of the weight.

He could use a decent-sized screen and a full-size keyboard and just stick them away in a bag as he approached his destination, instant on and instant off.

Then came the all important question, I stumbled over this slightly trying not to appear impertinent.  "If you don't mind me asking, you've got that all set up and are using it in a way that implies it's your only computer."

The answer was clear, swift and decisive.  It was!  He almost seemed to take pride in telling me that his desktop PC at home hadn't been switched on in almost six months.  Why would he need to, he could do everything he wanted on this tablet device and it worked far more effectively than his PC ever could.

This is a man who had clearly seen the advantages of the tablet, and seen them all.  More importantly he'd admitted to not knowing the first thing about technology except how to recognise a good thing when it came along.  He was absolutely delighted with his iPad and there was, frankly, no going back to the old way of doing things now.

This isn't an argument of the benefits of the iPad as a device over a laptop or a desktop PC, no.  It's also not an argument of the benefits of an iPad over my ExoPC Slate.  This is an argument of the tablet form factor and the benefits of the, all too long overdue, system on a chip computers that we are lucky to have today.

On this train was the first non-technical person I had met who had embraced the tablet fully and who, more importantly, was using it to its full potential.

You might wonder why I found this so surprising.  Well, when you think about it the tablets that we have today have only been with us for a single year and I had fully expected that it would take much longer, three to four years in fact, before we got to this stage and people began swapping their desktop computing life for one that was embedded and sometimes even pocketable.

The fact that I'm already meeting people who are switching their lives came as something of a surprise, especially given that it's still uncommon to see somebody using a tablet out and about.

This is nothing more than vindication of the worthiness of the current tablet market and absolute proof that it's here to stay and will ultimately cause the death of the home computing market almost completely.  Within a couple of years the sales of desktop PCs outside of business will have slumped significantly with hard-core gamers making up more than half of all home PC sales.

Sales of laptops and netbooks will also slump so its no surprise that every major computer manufacturer is jumping on the tablet bandwagon.  They can see which way the wind is blowing and if they're going to keep trading when the world is changing so quickly and so dramatically around them, they have to.

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Comments

  1. Rush said on August 28, 2023 at 9:50 pm
    Reply

    If Nothing OS is nothing more that an overlay with Google still in the midst….then I ain’t interested.

    1. Seeprime said on September 12, 2023 at 4:12 pm
      Reply

      Another unrelated comment older than the article. Pathetic.

      1. Robenroute said on September 13, 2023 at 9:06 am
        Reply

        it is becoming mindbogglingly annoying indeed…

  2. ThisIsTheWayTheGhacksEnds said on September 13, 2023 at 9:09 am
    Reply

    Under: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/12/iphone-15-with-usb-c-port/

    Apple was forced to add USB-C to a phone and the maccultists start talking about “revolution” and “paradigm shift” (as if USB phones had never come out before). It’s so ridiculous it’s reminiscent of comedians doing the “stepped on a water hose” stunt – that was at least somehow funny a hundred years ago.
    Reading this on a site that used to be a technical resource is especially ridiculous.
    How pathetic

  3. Anonymous said on September 14, 2023 at 4:28 pm
    Reply

    “An iPhone 15 with a USB-C port will mean more than you think”

    That Apple can finally stop hindering progress if spanked hard enough ?

  4. Alex Hales said on September 21, 2023 at 12:51 am
    Reply

    I’m thrilled to see Instagram taking steps to enhance the user experience with features like Live Activities. This update is a game-changer, especially for those who frequently upload content on the platform.

    The ability to track upload progress in the background is a simple yet incredibly useful addition. It not only keeps users informed about the status of their uploads but also allows for a more seamless experience on the platform. No more constantly checking if your post has successfully uploaded or worrying about interrupted uploads due to a weak signal.

    As an active Instagram user, this feature is a relief. It showcases Instagram’s commitment to improving user satisfaction and addressing common pain points. It’s all about making the platform more user-friendly, and this feature certainly accomplishes that.

    I can’t wait to try out Live Activities and enjoy a stress-free posting experience. Kudos to Instagram for continually innovating and making our social media lives easier!

    Keep up the great work, Instagram, and thanks to ghacks for keeping us in the loop with the latest tech updates!

    I am additionally add one more think if you want to watch instagram stories anonymously to visit site storysnooper.com.

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