With the ensuing surge in tablet sales laptops are becoming
less and less prevalent. Tablets are useful as accompaniments to fully fledged
computing machines, but will they eventually take the place of a laptop?
Laptops are faster, larger, have more storage and offer portability without
losing the personal computer features. Tablets, on the other hand; offer ease
of access, greater mobility, sleek design and an array of applications that can
be installed or deleted quickly.
The same applications we utilize on our smartphones are
enhanced by a tablet but can be further manipulated by a laptop. A consumer needs to ask
themselves which device would better suit their needs? We may need to figure out if tablets will
merge features and how they may jump ahead of the laptop curve. It’s a fine line that only technology
forecasting can assess, but it will be necessary for future adaptation.
The touch interface embedded in all tablets makes the user
feel more active with their product. Reading, gaming, video and photo viewing
are innate facets of such devices. They are also brilliant for quick email and
web browsing. For the social media mogul a tablet is a perfect tool: They can
read, write, surf, view and connect with contacts. If your utilization of the internet is based
mainly on emailing, web browsing, checking your social network accounts or
general amateur to intermediate computing functions; you will never need a fully
functioning computer.
A laptop on the other hand, allows easier accessibility for
typing documents or creating a presentation. They are also beneficial for editing
movies, music and photos. Can you imagine creating a CADD (computer aided
design and draft) with a tablet? Or trying to flip to different windows for
reference but having to close your current app every time? The laptop offers you this ease of access
where a tablet does not.
Time has shown that tablets are gaining in popularity while
their use as capable computing devices is also on the rise. Word processing is
still difficult on a tablet (amongst other functions) but we may adapt to it
just as we have assimilated ‘text language’ into our everyday speech. The
future of tablet technology may provide us with touch interface windows or
virtual butlers that organize our everyday lives. We already have touch face kitchenware, virtual
assistants and applications that allow us to adjust home appliances from miles
away.
Our smartphones have full keyboards that have negated the
use of a ‘texting language.’ This may be the case with tablets as well. They
are supplemental to a computer and part of a slew of devices that can perform similar
functions. Tablets, smartphones, the
upcoming Google glasses, even televisions can (or will) perform parallel to
each other. A tablet’s resemblance to a laptop does not imply superior performance.
A laptop combines numerous primary functions into one
clamshell device that performs exceptionally. Our curiosity drives us to the next play toy,
but ultimately our performance needs are still met with the laptop. USB,
webcams, micro SD, DVD, HDMI and more are integrated into our laptops. Only a
few manufacturers have dabbled into a fully operational computing tablet, but how
many of these devices have you heard of? With a
laptop you have all the equipment you need right there with you. A tablet
requires cloud storage or the assistance of an application. Write code from a
tablet?…if you can, I applaud you.
The debate whether a tablet will take the place of a laptop
has yet to be determined. Right now the tablet can be used in conjunction with
a personal computer but I wouldn’t want to use it alone. The laptop undoubtedly
offers greater performance and capabilities at the present time. As technology
advances however, we will definitely see an escalation in a tablet’s
capabilities. I look forward to a router-less future where I will need only a tablet,
smartphone and a strong Wi-Fi signal. I
will, of course, remember to send my personal computer tower, two laptops and
router to an appropriate E-waste recycling facility. In the future we will
still need to recycle last month’s laptop appropriately.
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