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Why do people think tablets are just large smartphones?

B

Billy95Tech

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Original poster
Apr 18, 2014
540
61
I don't know why people think tablets are "large" smartphones.

in general i think tablets are like mini portable laptops regardless whether it is is a Android/IPad or Windows 8 tablet because they have the functional of a laptop and the potablity of a smartphone so they are in between the 2.

And tablets are a "Laptop replacement" for lots of people and tablets can do way more than just " media consumption" they can use them to do lots of content creation/productivity stuff as well.

Tablets are nothing like a "large" smartphone for me because tablets(Android/Ipad) are getting new and more "exclusive" features and more powerfull apps that smartphones won't be getting in the future imo.

So the line between tablets and smartphones are getting bigger and bigger apart.

I was wondering what does everyone think? Do you think tablets are large smartphones or not? and what do you think about tablets in general?
 
They basically are large smartphones. All the stuff you can do on a tablet you could do on a smartphone--you just need a bigger screen and possibly more powerful hardware to do it comfortably. They run the same OS, have the same touchscreen interface, and have many of the same apps.
 
Well functionally tablets kind of are just large smartphones at this point. iPads moreso because of the limits placed on the device by ios.

I would say android tablets are a bit closer to laptop replacements due to the extra features that come along with android. USB host, mouse/KB input, file structure, etc..

There aren't really any reasons tablets can't be full laptop replacements, it's all software limitation

I still use my PC for word processing and PDF creation, but my iPad has taken over pretty much all other tasks. Granted I don't work in video/photography. I work in real estate and it administration.
 
TacticalDesire said:
I haven't heard anyone say that since the iPad first came out.
Click to expand...

What he said. No one has said that in years.

Are you referring to the way Android tablet apps operate as being "blown up smartphone apps?" If that is the case, then yes, this is true.
 
This same EXACT post was made over on androidcentral.com's forums. Someone is trying to ruffle some feathers...
 
I would say an ipad is a large iphone. It runs the same IOS and as others have mentioned has the same limitations. Serious Question, is there any function the ipad can do that the iphone cannot?
 
gotluck said:
Believe there are some iPad only gestures, but that's it
Click to expand...

Not to mention there are a large number of apps designed SPECIFICALLY for the iPad's additional power and display size that offer different feature sets than their sister smartphone apps.

That's the rub here - speaking about iOS. It's all about the apps - so the differences you'll find between the two will be seen most prevalent within apps.

Though there are rumors of split screen multitasking so perhaps that might change.
 
jrswizzle said:
Not to mention there are a large number of apps designed SPECIFICALLY for the iPad's additional power and display size that offer different feature sets than their sister smartphone apps.

That's the rub here - speaking about iOS. It's all about the apps - so the differences you'll find between the two will be seen most prevalent within apps.

Though there are rumors of split screen multitasking so perhaps that might change.
Click to expand...

Yep. That's why I consider it a bigger smartphone. All of that could be implemented on an iPhone, but you may not want to because of the smaller size screen and battery. Software differences aren't enough to differentiate the tablet from the smartphone as a concept IMHO. Unless the tablet offered different connectivity options that the smartphone doesn't, had a physical keyboard built in, or something like that, it's really just a bigger version of the same thing.
 
I think they are large smartphones with the exception of some windows 8 tablets that run full windows. Because tablets run the same OS as their respective phones, they have the same functionality of the smartphones, not of laptops.

And the notion of "phablets" actually diminishes the point you are trying to make that they are growing apart. It seems they are growing closer together.

I would love a tablet that had the full functionality of a laptop (specifically something running OSX) but I still await the day that may never come.
 
556fmjoe said:
Yep. That's why I consider it a bigger smartphone. All of that could be implemented on an iPhone, but you may not want to because of the smaller size screen and battery. Software differences aren't enough to differentiate the tablet from the smartphone as a concept IMHO. Unless the tablet offered different connectivity options that the smartphone doesn't, had a physical keyboard built in, or something like that, it's really just a bigger version of the same thing.
Click to expand...

Why? I use programs on my laptop - any task is done within that program. Most of the time nowadays, the laptop version is just a souped up version of the same branded app/program.

The difference in software IS a big deal. Because the software is what drives what you do on the tablet. I think people get stuck in the "OS as the primary doer" mindset.

I would counter that just because two devices are designed similarly (on the outside), that doesn't mean they are the same. Extra horsepower and a larger display can make a huge difference for in app functionality - which in turn can make one device very different from another.
 
Is the ipad air a7 clocked higher than the iphone 5s? I don't know that Id argue that the ipad is particularly more powerful. Larger battery and screen of course, with well adjusted apps.. but all the caveats of iOS still apply.

some people need to be able to plug usb devices into their laptops, for example.
 
gotluck said:
Is the ipad air a7 clocked higher than the iphone 5s? I don't know that Id argue that the ipad is particularly more powerful. Larger battery and screen of course, with well adjusted apps.. but all the caveats of iOS still apply.
Click to expand...

It is higher clocked - though not by much. The benchmarks were similar....

2507 vs 2682.

1.3 GHz A7 vs 1.4 GHz A7.

I'm simply pointing out the fact that more can be done on an iPad than an iPhone. I'd argue laptops are just more powerful tablets with a built in keyboard :p

Rumors suggest iOS 8 will bring some "iPad specific" features. We'll see - they would be most welcome IMO.

----------
gotluck said:
some people need to be able to plug usb devices into their laptops, for example.
Click to expand...

Oh - there's another thing. I believe the camera connection kit only works with the iPad and NOT the iPhone.
 
556fmjoe said:
They basically are large smartphones. All the stuff you can do on a tablet you could do on a smartphone--you just need a bigger screen and possibly more powerful hardware to do it comfortably. They run the same OS, have the same touchscreen interface, and have many of the same apps.
Click to expand...

Speak for yourself, my windows tablet doesn't have those limitations. The paradigm of tablet sized cell phones was initiated and continued by Apple.
 
Billy95Tech said:
I was wondering what does everyone think? Do you think tablets are large smartphones or not? and what do you think about tablets in general?
Click to expand...

I think that it's the other way around. Touchscreen smartphones are basically just small tablets. There is very little "telephone" in them.
 
You can't help but see the similarities, but is it a big deal? If it wasn't for Apple with the iPad which is a large iPhone, we'd not have the tablet market. Others tried and failed to produce tablets but failed for a variety of reasons.

Tablets have progressed beyond the over-sized iPhone but the comparison is still being made.

In the end, who cares, really does it matter if someone considers a tablet an over grown phone. Its hard to deny that when some phones are nearing the size of a tablet anyways.

One thing I wish is my Icon which is large but not huge was able to run the full version of office and not phone version because I have a 5" screen and it can handle it,
 
maflynn said:
You can't help but see the similarities, but is it a big deal? If it wasn't for Apple with the iPad which is a large iPhone, we'd not have the tablet market. Others tried and failed to produce tablets but failed for a variety of reasons.

Tablets have progressed beyond the over-sized iPhone but the comparison is still being made.

In the end, who cares, really does it matter if someone considers a tablet an over grown phone. Its hard to deny that when some phones are nearing the size of a tablet anyways.

One thing I wish is my Icon which is large but not huge was able to run the full version of office and not phone version because I have a 5" screen and it can handle it,
Click to expand...

Hopefully they put RT to good use and use it for WP phones. That would be pretty cool to have the desktop (even RT's handicapped desktop) on a phone. Man I wish that Icon had a stylus, I'd buy one in a second.
 
jrswizzle said:
It is higher clocked - though not by much. The benchmarks were similar....

2507 vs 2682.

1.3 GHz A7 vs 1.4 GHz A7.

I'm simply pointing out the fact that more can be done on an iPad than an iPhone. I'd argue laptops are just more powerful tablets with a built in keyboard :p

Rumors suggest iOS 8 will bring some "iPad specific" features. We'll see - they would be most welcome IMO.

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Oh - there's another thing. I believe the camera connection kit only works with the iPad and NOT the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Yes indeed, that is true. Cck is iPad only for sure
 
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