The old guard, desktop PC luddites, are being handed their hats and shown the door and they don't like it. So of course they will fight to the very end, much like the command line geeks who still dream of their DEC PDP-11s. All these comments about how the desktop/laptop and keyboard are necessary for "real work" is getting old and sad. Within a very few years we probably won't need to "touch" or "type" to do "real work".
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Apple Executives Optimistic About Future of iOS, Expect Tablet Market to Surpass PCs
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Already, using my mouse has caused my fingers to atrophy and shrink to fit the iPhone virtual keyboard.
WRONG!! a computer need internet connection to download patch, update, etc. But computers can have their own content without the need of syncing. No need itunes to copy apps and music to it. No need to update their software by itunes. Unless iPad made of powerful hardware, it cant replace computer. But it can coexist with.
Mobile phones, even iPhone would never replace pc or mac. But both are needed
Hmm u want future where people are being contained, sterilized and 'do nothing' to get all the 'real work' done? U sit well with reality on Wall-E movue then. Human barely able to do anything again just because u dont have to do nothing to get the job done.
Welcome to Axiom, mate
This weekend I used my PC to transfer a bunch of pictures from a phone, resize them and upload them to ebay. I can't imagine a tablet making any of that easier without adding better multitasking and better integration with other hardware. I expect an Android tablet might do it one day, but Apple's?
There was a time when people could not imagine a viable tablet device. There was a time when most people could not imagine a PC. The prediction that tablets will overtake PCs is meaningless. There might be some device that makes tablets look like something clumsy and old fashioned.
The only thing that will matter is what is actually made and what people do with it. These predictions by executives are nothing more than games of chicken designed to scare other executives and company shareholders.
As great as tablets have become, PCs are moving forward at light-speed. Now they have USB 3.0, eSata, Thunderbolt. How can tablets compete with what are true content-creation computers? Sure Grandma doesn't care, but FFS are going to dictate the future of computing by what the stupidest user needs?
It's called time.
Do you honestly think it's impossible that tablets will become more powerful than our current computers, just because it's missing some ports?
So nobody will need Macs either right?
Macs will obviously change form factor and input method accordingly.
Supercomputer would fall inline with the truck terminology that Steve Jobs used.
I'll keep my MacBook Pro, even though it'll be a "truck". I can't imagine computing on a tablet, the iPad has it's own separate purpose for me now. It might change later on, but not to this extreme.
Again, unless the iPad runs Mac OS X and has the option of using a mouse (it already has the keyboard). I don't see it happening.
Again, unless the iPad runs Mac OS X and has the option of using a mouse (it already has the keyboard). I don't see it happening.
Well, laptops certainly have replaced desktops in the last two places where I have worked. At the United Nations, all staff had notebooks with docking stations, and at my current company, everybody has just laptops.
However, unless tablets will get 'real' docking stations (meaning not just a keyboard dock like the iPad has one, but a keyboard + plus + peripherals dock) and unless tablets will run 'real' operating systems and not just crippled operating systems like iOS and Android or Chrome OS, they will certainly not replace real computers anytime soon.
A few customers will always need a big computer or two, just like IBM probably still sells a few big Z series mainframe computers every week and a few supercomputers every year.
Most everybody else makes do with a whole lot of the smaller cheaper stuff.
There's 2 things that people are mixing up here :
- Tablet the form factor
- iOS
Both are not tied together. Eventually, will Tablet the form factor surpass desktops/laptops ? I'm still out on that one. Tablets are not that convenient as a working environnement in a purely form factor way. They're mostly "read-only" device, as input on them bar of carrying around a seperate keyboard/dock is painful. Also, when docked, you have to stretch out your arm and keep it up to navigate du to lack of keypad/mouse.
As for simplified OSes like iOS on other form factors that are more "read/write/work" friendly like the laptop, there's definately a trend forming here that a few MacRumors are missing in their rush to name the iPad the new king in a "post-PC" era... HP is moving to incorporate WebOS on their phones/tablets and on their laptops. Google is moving ahead with ChromeOS. Windows 8's "phone" UI... Even Apple at a certain degree with the iOS stuff that is moving to OS X's UI. I think this is more the future of computing than anything else. Much simplified application management/UIs with the complexity a lot more hidden than it is today. Just like iOS.
I like neither scenario personally.
- Tablet the form factor
- iOS
Both are not tied together. Eventually, will Tablet the form factor surpass desktops/laptops ? I'm still out on that one. Tablets are not that convenient as a working environnement in a purely form factor way. They're mostly "read-only" device, as input on them bar of carrying around a seperate keyboard/dock is painful. Also, when docked, you have to stretch out your arm and keep it up to navigate du to lack of keypad/mouse.
As for simplified OSes like iOS on other form factors that are more "read/write/work" friendly like the laptop, there's definately a trend forming here that a few MacRumors are missing in their rush to name the iPad the new king in a "post-PC" era... HP is moving to incorporate WebOS on their phones/tablets and on their laptops. Google is moving ahead with ChromeOS. Windows 8's "phone" UI... Even Apple at a certain degree with the iOS stuff that is moving to OS X's UI. I think this is more the future of computing than anything else. Much simplified application management/UIs with the complexity a lot more hidden than it is today. Just like iOS.
I like neither scenario personally.
It's probably likely that iOS devices will outsell Macs/PCs, I like many here have one Mac, an iPhone and an iPad, so I'm already contributing to that statistic.
Tablets and PCs are only 'competing' in the sense that people have limited spending power so may choose one over the other. A tablet is a looong way from replacing a laptop/desktop for me, but it's a great complement to a Mac/PC.
By the time they add everything I needed into iOS to make me as productive as on my Mac, it would no longer be iOS.
That said, if they made a SmartCover variant with a built-in bluetooth keyboard, I'd snap it up in a second. Use the iPad as is, or snap on the cover with keyboard and you have a mini-laptop. Yummy!
Tablets and PCs are only 'competing' in the sense that people have limited spending power so may choose one over the other. A tablet is a looong way from replacing a laptop/desktop for me, but it's a great complement to a Mac/PC.
By the time they add everything I needed into iOS to make me as productive as on my Mac, it would no longer be iOS.
That said, if they made a SmartCover variant with a built-in bluetooth keyboard, I'd snap it up in a second. Use the iPad as is, or snap on the cover with keyboard and you have a mini-laptop. Yummy!
You mean... what Asus is doing with their Transformer and slider models ?
I think this is more the future than the tablet form factor itself.
You mean... what Asus is doing with their Transformer and slider models ?
I think this is more the future than the tablet form factor itself.
I hadn't seen that - I like it!
But I'd prefer something a bit more lightweight that didn't add too much bulk/weight. Something not too much different from the existing Smartcover would be ideal; and knowing Apple they could engineer it!
The problem is that Apple could never make enough units to even come close. At least in the year 2011.
eventually... probably...
I think tablets and ultra-thin notebooks (e.g. macbook air) will definitely replace MOST but not ALL computers as the years go by. Especially for "normal" people, i.e. people who are not power users.
Think about, what does the average person do on a computer? Internet, email... maybe some photo and video editing... some simple documents... You can do all of that on an ipad. Of course, these functions are limited compared to a real computer, but they are still quite robust, especially when you consider that the ipad is only on it's second generation. These abilities will only improve with time, as hardware (and hopefully software) improves and evolves. Think about it, a few years from now when you can get a quad core i7 equivalent in a tablet... you can do almost everything on it... almost...
Power users will likely need a real machine of course. When I run photoshop or Logic or try and write a 200 page biology thesis... I will not be using an ipad...!
But honestly, right now I think the biggest limitation on tablets (especially the ipad) is the software. In part due to ios, and in part due to syncing and itunes. Not having a REAL file system is a huge hassle if you want to use lots of documents and files while retaining the flexibility of a real computer. And flexibility is one of the true advantages of a real computer. If I have a photo that I want to edit with 5 different editing programs, that's easy to do on a computer. More restricted on an ipad (though not impossible). But, as a real (but trivial example), I put some comic book files on my ipad, hoping to test out the same books in multiple comic book reader apps... but oh wait, I can't! You need to transfer them individually into each app. There is no real file system... which is silly.
Syncing is the other problem though. What use is a tablet "computer" if it HAS to be tethered to another computer??? Especially since you can only tether it to ONE itunes account. Preposterous. And what happens if your main computer you use for syncing dies? You can't just connect to another computer and keep using the ipad, nope. It will erase your files! These sort of limitations (which are arbitrary and imposed by Apple, as opposed to a real limitation like a hardware issue) are the biggest hurdles tablets like the ipad will face when people consider if they want to buy one as a primary computer. And yes I know you can make back ups of your ipad and itunes library, but that's not a real solution. It's an inconvenient and time-consuming work around.
Hopefully these things will change... in fact, they will have to over time if the ipad is to remain successful. We should all re-visit this thread 10 years from now... the tablet market will be an interesting beast 10 years from now! It's already a game changer, quite frankly... but the market and especially the devices are all still in their infancy...
I think tablets and ultra-thin notebooks (e.g. macbook air) will definitely replace MOST but not ALL computers as the years go by. Especially for "normal" people, i.e. people who are not power users.
Think about, what does the average person do on a computer? Internet, email... maybe some photo and video editing... some simple documents... You can do all of that on an ipad. Of course, these functions are limited compared to a real computer, but they are still quite robust, especially when you consider that the ipad is only on it's second generation. These abilities will only improve with time, as hardware (and hopefully software) improves and evolves. Think about it, a few years from now when you can get a quad core i7 equivalent in a tablet... you can do almost everything on it... almost...
Power users will likely need a real machine of course. When I run photoshop or Logic or try and write a 200 page biology thesis... I will not be using an ipad...!
But honestly, right now I think the biggest limitation on tablets (especially the ipad) is the software. In part due to ios, and in part due to syncing and itunes. Not having a REAL file system is a huge hassle if you want to use lots of documents and files while retaining the flexibility of a real computer. And flexibility is one of the true advantages of a real computer. If I have a photo that I want to edit with 5 different editing programs, that's easy to do on a computer. More restricted on an ipad (though not impossible). But, as a real (but trivial example), I put some comic book files on my ipad, hoping to test out the same books in multiple comic book reader apps... but oh wait, I can't! You need to transfer them individually into each app. There is no real file system... which is silly.
Syncing is the other problem though. What use is a tablet "computer" if it HAS to be tethered to another computer??? Especially since you can only tether it to ONE itunes account. Preposterous. And what happens if your main computer you use for syncing dies? You can't just connect to another computer and keep using the ipad, nope. It will erase your files! These sort of limitations (which are arbitrary and imposed by Apple, as opposed to a real limitation like a hardware issue) are the biggest hurdles tablets like the ipad will face when people consider if they want to buy one as a primary computer. And yes I know you can make back ups of your ipad and itunes library, but that's not a real solution. It's an inconvenient and time-consuming work around.
Hopefully these things will change... in fact, they will have to over time if the ipad is to remain successful. We should all re-visit this thread 10 years from now... the tablet market will be an interesting beast 10 years from now! It's already a game changer, quite frankly... but the market and especially the devices are all still in their infancy...
A) Tablets will never be 27"+ of viewing pleasure
B) Keyboard shortcuts + Mouse are vastly superior than touching a screen not to mention typing.
C) In the future computers will advance as well, so even in the next several years the tablets might be better but they won't beat a computer.
D) Apple has a tight control on all their products which really limit the possibilities in comparison to non-apple computers.
Tablets are secondary devices to computers they aren't likely going to replace laptops or desktops.
Ridiculous claim quite frankly.
B) Keyboard shortcuts + Mouse are vastly superior than touching a screen not to mention typing.
C) In the future computers will advance as well, so even in the next several years the tablets might be better but they won't beat a computer.
D) Apple has a tight control on all their products which really limit the possibilities in comparison to non-apple computers.
Tablets are secondary devices to computers they aren't likely going to replace laptops or desktops.
Ridiculous claim quite frankly.
Though I agree that the Tablet Form Factor will never replace the Laptop/Desktop form factors, this point is wrong.
Like laptops, tablets can be hooked up to 27"+ of viewing pleasure with no problem through external ports. I already work on a 23" external from MBA very often when at my desk, completely replacing the need for a "desktop" computer (I don't need the extra computing power for coding/Unix work).
Again, I believe what is being referred here is more on the software than the hardware side. I don't think the tablet form factor will replace the laptop/desktop form factor, but the iOS style UI/simplified concepts (no filesystem management, automated app installations, etc..) might spread to other computing platforms and replace the traditional OSes we know today for consumers with simpler needs.
Same size/weight as most netbooks with similar screens.
If I can do it on a device that weighs 600 grams, why bother with the laptop?
Not yet, but don't expect it to stay that way. In half a century we went from computers fitting in rooms to what you see now and can carry in your pocket.
Nicely put.
Over time, yes. Same like what happened with laptops.
Everything that follows is mostly software. You don't think that over the years it won't evolve, right?
Enough with stupid myths. Now even Mac people will start to believe them?
Well, the OP was giving the laptop evolution as an example. You seem to disagree with him, but you don't make a point.
Proved that the market isn't ready for a 3kg, expensive tablet with a full-blown OS. Nothing else.
And stop with that "niche". Everything is a niche! The iPad is enough of a replacement for the majority of people out there and has the numbers to show it. Continue watching.
Yes, Apple will never update iOS.
He said that there's not necessarily need for a keyboard for serious work and that's your conclusion??
And maybe for the sake of not being lazy, let's just go back to spear hunting?
Well. the Mac Pro is still evolving and is extremely powerful, yet somehow is less used. You think a few ports are the future?
If you can address the needs of the stupidest person, then you address those of everyone.
You're saying that making users memorize thousands of single-input key combinations on the static typewriter keyboard, combined with a single cursor pointing device, is superior to a dynamic, multitouch, & eventually pressure sensitive control surface? My mind just blew up at the colossal lack of vision it'd take to make that statement.
Sure, right now we have 15-20 years worth of established programs & behaviors designed around keyboard and mouse input, vs. a couple years of small-time programming effort in developing apps for the new technologies. What do you think computing looks more like 200 years from now? Windows XP?