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I do think that we are going to see the clunky desktop tower eventually go away. But I see it being replaced by a number of things from tablet PCs to laptops to smart phones. I thought this a few years ago when laptops finally started coming down in price and their specs were finally catching up with the desktops.
...Jobs is always publicly promoting the product he is most interested in. He's a marketing guru...very good at it. There will be a day when the PC as we know it changes or becomes obsolete, but I think it's years away. We've still got to communicate with computers, and that's a two way street. We've got to be able to see the displays, and some of us have lots of data to look at during the course of our jobs (yes...someday the computer will reduce that load), and we've got to communicate back. It's difficult to do if you don't have an input device, and typing on a tablet screen doesn't work well. Communicating by voice in a reasonable manner with a computer is still a long ways off, and it would be difficult to do in some circumstances...large rooms, industrial sites, meeting rooms, etc.
I believe the device we call a PC will be around in it's present form for a long time yet.
I believe the device we call a PC will be around in it's present form for a long time yet.
While I don't think of Jobs as some crackpot, he is interested in promoting his products. Look at how long the tablet PC has been getting development and look at its current state. I think the "post PC era" will be a good 10 years before we can say "it has begun"...
The Wii uses a balance board, a remote control and nun-chuck as input device. Touch screens are used in a lot of consumer products. Voice input is already used as input for telephone, skype and other human to human communication and is growing as product/human communication. All still are hooked up to a central processing unit. Output devices remain video, audio and printing. Maybe we are in the post-PC era, but we are still in the input-process-output era (= information era)
... a tower-type of processing unit with separate keyboard, pointing device and display. These can, in some cases, have the processing unit in or attached to the display as an all-in-one type of device.
I believe the point is that rather than being stuck to a desk or a chair for everyday computing, mobility is becoming more important, as evidenced by the explosion of smart phones and now phone OS devices such as the iPad. Notebook computers filled this need for most people and netbooks emphasized the point that people wanted compact, lightweight and relatively inexpensive--essentially they wanted mobility yet they wanted the ability to view the web, perform basic computing tasks and carry their personal media, whether that be books, music or videos, wherever they went. The problem was that the clamshell form factor, even when as small as a netbook, could not be used in every instance; it had to be set down on something in order to use it. The tablet, like the smart phone before it, can be held in the hand as easily as any book and used almost anywhere without the need to set it down.
In other words, the average person is now freed up from the need to sit at table or desk where the PC has ruled for the last 30 years. We are now into the age of MC: Mobile Computing, and I truly believe the paradigm shift will come far sooner than you expect.
I believe the point is that rather than being stuck to a desk or a chair for everyday computing, mobility is becoming more important, as evidenced by the explosion of smart phones and now phone OS devices such as the iPad. Notebook computers filled this need for most people and netbooks emphasized the point that people wanted compact, lightweight and relatively inexpensive--essentially they wanted mobility yet they wanted the ability to view the web, perform basic computing tasks and carry their personal media, whether that be books, music or videos, wherever they went. The problem was that the clamshell form factor, even when as small as a netbook, could not be used in every instance; it had to be set down on something in order to use it. The tablet, like the smart phone before it, can be held in the hand as easily as any book and used almost anywhere without the need to set it down.
In other words, the average person is now freed up from the need to sit at table or desk where the PC has ruled for the last 30 years. We are now into the age of MC: Mobile Computing, and I truly believe the paradigm shift will come far sooner than you expect.
I'm convinced Jobs was refering to any Non-Apple computer, as the old ad series implied. And if that is his meaning I very strongly *disagree*.
I typed on an iPad screen (in landscape orientation) a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised at how nice it was; I was actually more than on a standard keyboard.
Touch screen devices suck to type on in my opinion and every one I have tried to use I have typed slower on. I will never own a device that does not have a physical keyboard.
"Too sensitive," I exclaimed. "I can type 60 words per minute on my old manual typewriter, I can't do better than 30 on this electric because I'm always having to backspace and correct!" That was almost 40 years ago. Now I'm typing on a computer with even better speed than I could on the old manual typewriter. It's just a matter of getting used to the changes. I'll admit I'm not yet used to touch-typing on a touch-screen, but I'm getting the hang of it.
Besides, you can still use a bluetooth or hard-wired keyboard if you need to do heavy typing.
Besides, you can still use a bluetooth or hard-wired keyboard if you need to do heavy typing.
They've been around for a LONG time. Just because apple starts using them doesn't mean they are new. I disagree that touch screen keyboards can be compared to manual/electric typewriters in the evolution of the keyboard. It will never replace a physical keyboard. The typing accuracy and speed will never be there with a virtual keyboard. They are nothing but a joke to use.
I find they're a lot of two-fingered typist in the computing world. Either you have very small hands or are an incredibly adaptable typist. It seems Apple users are like a cult; they accept every procedure that Apple employs. They believe Apple' way is the only way without question. My reply was done on an I-Pad, It's taking me ten times longer then on a simple to use standard keyboard.
I have an Ipad and you know what.... It's a PC, just a different form factor. There are a lot of things which can and will change how we do our personal computing: Virtual Apps, cloud computing, Apple, Google, WebOS(HP) and not the least Microsoft.
Steve Jobs is marketing to the faithful, but even the Iphone is a personal computer.
Steve Jobs is marketing to the faithful, but even the Iphone is a personal computer.
The 'post-PC era' may be starting, but I don't see it changing the way I work in the next three years. Since I'm not a strategic planner, when and how we implement these tools isn't my worry. I don't see these tools affecting my personal life at all.
Typing text is quite fast.
Speaking text is sometimes even slower than typing it, and in many ways is such a different medium, that it is just not replaceable by typing, just as typing is not replaceable by speaking.
Speaking text is sometimes even slower than typing it, and in many ways is such a different medium, that it is just not replaceable by typing, just as typing is not replaceable by speaking.
If you mean straight speaking, then wow.
As an intense multitasker who does a lot online with text (various IM/chat type things), and as someone who can pretty regularly type around 75-90wpm easy.. I have to say that actually talking to someone is 100x faster than typing/texting. Especially this txt-crap that kids are doing. The time in which it takes to get ideas across through even high-speed typing/chat, takes far longer, and god forbid you use any nuances that voice-timbre or body language still does vastly better.
I might.. MIGHT agree if by 'speaking text' you mean a voice->to->text software, as those take a lot of learning for each person's speech patterns. But texting/typing faster than talking? In what world?
As an intense multitasker who does a lot online with text (various IM/chat type things), and as someone who can pretty regularly type around 75-90wpm easy.. I have to say that actually talking to someone is 100x faster than typing/texting. Especially this txt-crap that kids are doing. The time in which it takes to get ideas across through even high-speed typing/chat, takes far longer, and god forbid you use any nuances that voice-timbre or body language still does vastly better.
I might.. MIGHT agree if by 'speaking text' you mean a voice->to->text software, as those take a lot of learning for each person's speech patterns. But texting/typing faster than talking? In what world?
of listening to (or reading transcriptions of) what people actually say when they speak.
We look back on it as perfectly sensible, while it's actually a horrible mess of circular phrases and nonsequiturs.
In typing, you can see what you have, and you can arrange and rearrange. It is at once fixed and malleable.
Speak? It's just amorphous. I love it, no doubt about that, but it's no good for making something fit for printing.
If you are talking about "saying out loud something already written/composed" then perhaps that's faster than typing, but then you have to already compose it to the end, and then you have to "perform" it correctly too. In the end, with all the mucking about that people will still have to do, I think typing still wins out. The visual task of putting together the pieces just correlates better with the mental task of putting together a communicative piece.
But of course, tablet could revolutionize capture and speech-recognition to the extent that it could be workable.
But that doesn't mean it would be superior to type, just a viable alternative, maybe, sometime.
We look back on it as perfectly sensible, while it's actually a horrible mess of circular phrases and nonsequiturs.
In typing, you can see what you have, and you can arrange and rearrange. It is at once fixed and malleable.
Speak? It's just amorphous. I love it, no doubt about that, but it's no good for making something fit for printing.
If you are talking about "saying out loud something already written/composed" then perhaps that's faster than typing, but then you have to already compose it to the end, and then you have to "perform" it correctly too. In the end, with all the mucking about that people will still have to do, I think typing still wins out. The visual task of putting together the pieces just correlates better with the mental task of putting together a communicative piece.
But of course, tablet could revolutionize capture and speech-recognition to the extent that it could be workable.
But that doesn't mean it would be superior to type, just a viable alternative, maybe, sometime.
Even the best of court reporters produce almost verbatim transcripts which are very difficult to read and understand. people usually don't talk the same way they write, as you say, text can be edited for clarity, while spontaneous speech cannot. Text-to-speech really doesn't work all that well and speech-to-text just plain sucks. Someday I'm sure we'll have a personal device as talented as the HAL 9000, but by then I think the entire concept of computer-as-a-tool will be extinct. We certainly won't call it a PC, or a Mac, or even an i-something. It will be as ubiquitous
as your clothes.
as your clothes.
In the visual effects industry, people said it would be decades before it turned digital.
It took about two years.
It took about two years.
Obviously, you feel like you're one of them. Me, I enjoy both trucks and sports cars--I like the hauling power when I need it, but when I want to have fun, why tool around in that big ol' thing?
In my own case, my eyes can't handle using a smart phone full time, so I think the iPad and devices on that kind of platform can really be helpful in work and play. I've seen how a simple database manager has made working for a charity easier and more reliable than a note pad, because I only enter the data once and it syncs to the desktop automatically. I've seen how even a simple photo shoot goes so much easier by downloading the raw images to the iPad for proofing with the subjects with an image large enough to be seen and recognized--not a tiny 3" square that you can't even make out any details on. I've used my iPhone to get quick directions to a store I've never visited before and my iPad to find routes to new towns that are usually faster and easier than the ones two different GPS units have recommended. In other words, mobility computing is an almost-perfect complement to desktop computing without the need to hang a 5 pound plus hunk of lead over your shoulder.
No, desktops will stick around for a while, but the format will definitely change and I believe touch will quickly become the standard, rather than the exception.
In my own case, my eyes can't handle using a smart phone full time, so I think the iPad and devices on that kind of platform can really be helpful in work and play. I've seen how a simple database manager has made working for a charity easier and more reliable than a note pad, because I only enter the data once and it syncs to the desktop automatically. I've seen how even a simple photo shoot goes so much easier by downloading the raw images to the iPad for proofing with the subjects with an image large enough to be seen and recognized--not a tiny 3" square that you can't even make out any details on. I've used my iPhone to get quick directions to a store I've never visited before and my iPad to find routes to new towns that are usually faster and easier than the ones two different GPS units have recommended. In other words, mobility computing is an almost-perfect complement to desktop computing without the need to hang a 5 pound plus hunk of lead over your shoulder.
No, desktops will stick around for a while, but the format will definitely change and I believe touch will quickly become the standard, rather than the exception.
Sometime at the turn of last century, someone predicted that computers will be so integrated into every day life that it will practically vanish from the desktop, maybe around 2020. What replaces the PC will be a matter of choice, the kind of work you do etc.
While multitouch devices like the ipad is cool, to get serious work done with it you still need that keyboard. So why buy an ipad for example when you can use a tablet pc to do all what you want and some. Bottom line, the ubiquitous pc is a die hard.
While multitouch devices like the ipad is cool, to get serious work done with it you still need that keyboard. So why buy an ipad for example when you can use a tablet pc to do all what you want and some. Bottom line, the ubiquitous pc is a die hard.
or will we call it something else? Will it be smaller? more versatile? Use less power?
How small can it get without sacrificing usability? Is the "Pocket PC" concept totally dead?
Will we be willing to give up the familiar I/O format so easily?
There have been astounding changes in almost all technologies but the interface will have to be compatible with human capabilities, or be perhaps a direct brain interface. That, despite promising research, is a long way off.
How small can it get without sacrificing usability? Is the "Pocket PC" concept totally dead?
Will we be willing to give up the familiar I/O format so easily?
There have been astounding changes in almost all technologies but the interface will have to be compatible with human capabilities, or be perhaps a direct brain interface. That, despite promising research, is a long way off.
where you get all your applications online, use a device like a smartphone, tablet that doesn't have an installable operating system like Windows, OSX, Linux [key word installable].
The the biggest reason is the monthly charge business model. Users and that term users includeds business and consumers pay an montly fee per individual to access the applications to use.
Broadband has made this possible and there's where the IT industry is heading. No more desktops, rather through broadband, the IT providers get a steady monthly revenue stream that amounts to enormous sums of money that rival insurance companies and telecom providers.
If Apple, Microsoft, Intel, HP get anywhere near the 5 to 10 million monthly subscribers @ $25.00 each per month. Do the math.
That's why there will be an end to the PC era. Don't need it to run the apps, just pay the fee.
But there will be PCs or Macs. There will be those who can't afford the montly payment or are wise enough to consider paying for n operating system, then not having to spend any money again for the next 3 to 4 years as better than paying $300.00 per year [$25.00 per month] for the service.
The the biggest reason is the monthly charge business model. Users and that term users includeds business and consumers pay an montly fee per individual to access the applications to use.
Broadband has made this possible and there's where the IT industry is heading. No more desktops, rather through broadband, the IT providers get a steady monthly revenue stream that amounts to enormous sums of money that rival insurance companies and telecom providers.
If Apple, Microsoft, Intel, HP get anywhere near the 5 to 10 million monthly subscribers @ $25.00 each per month. Do the math.
That's why there will be an end to the PC era. Don't need it to run the apps, just pay the fee.
But there will be PCs or Macs. There will be those who can't afford the montly payment or are wise enough to consider paying for n operating system, then not having to spend any money again for the next 3 to 4 years as better than paying $300.00 per year [$25.00 per month] for the service.
"That's why there will be an end to the PC era. Don't need it to run the apps, just pay the fee."
Why would I pay a recurring rental fee for an app when I could buy it once and have it regardless of my web connection?
Why would I pay a recurring rental fee for an app when I could buy it once and have it regardless of my web connection?
The publisher/developer has every right to deny your use of the application, should you choose to misuse it and they discover that misuse.
Granted, people are used to the concept that once it's paid for, it's yours to use as you wish, but unfortunately, that concept is slowly fading away. Just as customizing your car can void your warranty, misusing your software can void your license. We've all seen the complaints where people have lost access to programs or content they thought they owned--and had to pay thousands of dollars to the RIAA/MPAA for content they thought they owned. I'm not saying the lease idea is the best idea, but it is the one we're having to live with today.
Granted, people are used to the concept that once it's paid for, it's yours to use as you wish, but unfortunately, that concept is slowly fading away. Just as customizing your car can void your warranty, misusing your software can void your license. We've all seen the complaints where people have lost access to programs or content they thought they owned--and had to pay thousands of dollars to the RIAA/MPAA for content they thought they owned. I'm not saying the lease idea is the best idea, but it is the one we're having to live with today.
Yeah, I know I'm only running the app under a licensing agreement. But my point is that I'm making a single one-time payment vs. multiple ongoing ones, and once that payment is made, a network connection isn't necessary for me to run the app.
As to complaints about losing access to apps, I have several I moved to a new computer and reactivated with the cooperative assistance of the vendors. Maybe one day I'll have a problem, but not to date.
As to complaints about losing access to apps, I have several I moved to a new computer and reactivated with the cooperative assistance of the vendors. Maybe one day I'll have a problem, but not to date.
Even you just said you needed their willing assistance. That's my point. You couldn't have done it without that assistance--legally.
But I will agree that 'once paid, always used' is the way I see most people using their apps. The argument that everything will be used on a 'fee' basis in the 'cloud' is unlikely to be popular until they can prove it's cheaper and more reliable in the long run. This may work for enterprise users, where their entire server farm is owned and operated outside the company, but for everyday consumers, they won't be willing to pay multiple fees. They might be willing to pay a monthly fee for access, but not a separate fee for every single app. As yet, I don't see that happening on any kind of real basis outside of certain backup and synching services like 'Go to My PC' or me.com. I do, however, see where that is becoming more common over time.
But I will agree that 'once paid, always used' is the way I see most people using their apps. The argument that everything will be used on a 'fee' basis in the 'cloud' is unlikely to be popular until they can prove it's cheaper and more reliable in the long run. This may work for enterprise users, where their entire server farm is owned and operated outside the company, but for everyday consumers, they won't be willing to pay multiple fees. They might be willing to pay a monthly fee for access, but not a separate fee for every single app. As yet, I don't see that happening on any kind of real basis outside of certain backup and synching services like 'Go to My PC' or me.com. I do, however, see where that is becoming more common over time.
The apps in question had five activations by default. Had they not had some sort of reactivation mechanism, I wouldn't have purchased them in the first place. But not everyone knows to look for that, just as they don't know to check the box for system requirements.
We work hard and long for the money we spend.
If it's a lease, there is no real TCO or ROI. Not for us. It's a few steps away from theft, these games being played.
If bankers can whine that capping their salaries makes them lose interest, they need to wake up to what they impose on their customers. For we are not 'walking wallets'.
If it's a lease, there is no real TCO or ROI. Not for us. It's a few steps away from theft, these games being played.
If bankers can whine that capping their salaries makes them lose interest, they need to wake up to what they impose on their customers. For we are not 'walking wallets'.
I'd much rather they learn how to keep their systems from being assimilated into botnets, and other appropriate cyberhygiene practices.
It will end up in the trash heap. I will never buy a new one. I buy software so I can use it offline if it requires an internet connection to work I don't use it, I return these to where they came from.
There are pirates of all kinds, and they make it hard on use honest folks. You can't even buy software with the expectation of getting a refund when you find it unsuitable for your needs.
Ain't that a crock!
Ain't that a crock!
if no one is making software that is installed and can be used "offline" for a desktop what are you going to do?
While "offline" means not connected connected to the internet, IT software and hardware mfgs are going the "connected" route. While you will be able to buy applications, they aren't applications like we know today. They are apps like you get from Google apps Droid apps or apple apps.
That's the future of computing and the makers are going to force us to go there whether we like it or not.
While "offline" means not connected connected to the internet, IT software and hardware mfgs are going the "connected" route. While you will be able to buy applications, they aren't applications like we know today. They are apps like you get from Google apps Droid apps or apple apps.
That's the future of computing and the makers are going to force us to go there whether we like it or not.
since there are other things I'd rather fiddle with if we, in a "free market", are being forced to do something we shouldn't.
"if no one is making software that is installed and can be used "offline" ... the makers are going to force us to go there..."
Vendors sell what the market buys. Econ 101.
Vendors sell what the market buys. Econ 101.
I bought this game recently, I wont trash it publicly but valve is the publisher and I am sure these guys put a lot of work into it. I appreciate that they want me to pay to play with their toys. But that's not my point I bought the DVD for $55 and went home to install it like a kid on Christmas morning only to find out that only the steam client was on the dvd and I had to have internet to install the game, and then download a 3+ gig "patch" (the game). Furious is not the word I think I would choose to describe my state. The DVD was broken, placed in the case and shipped to the publisher with a note. "I bought this game and all I got was this stupid dvd with steam on it" with a copy of my receipt. I have gotten no reply since march.
As for the cloud, we are so behind the curve in broad band, reliability, speed but mainly availability ( I live on the corner of BFE and RTN in east Texas). I think the cloud is farther off than some think.
People like tangible.
If I buy a dvd that is supposed to have a game on it and it requires the internet to run. I just wont buy it. What really torqued my head-bolts was it was not plain that I was buying a almost blank dvd and that I had to download the whole fluxing thing on my limited speed, pay per kb "broadband" card....
As for the cloud, we are so behind the curve in broad band, reliability, speed but mainly availability ( I live on the corner of BFE and RTN in east Texas). I think the cloud is farther off than some think.
People like tangible.
If I buy a dvd that is supposed to have a game on it and it requires the internet to run. I just wont buy it. What really torqued my head-bolts was it was not plain that I was buying a almost blank dvd and that I had to download the whole fluxing thing on my limited speed, pay per kb "broadband" card....
'RTN'? I've been to BFE any number of times, but I must have come by a different trail.
I have bought some retail steam games, it came with the game on the disc, just no patches. The install itself failed horribly for The Last Remnant, but other than that.
I noticed Assassins Creed 2 had an ominous internet requirement on the back of the box, so I didn't buy it, I'll get it on steam, at least then I know what the internet requirement will be.
I noticed Assassins Creed 2 had an ominous internet requirement on the back of the box, so I didn't buy it, I'll get it on steam, at least then I know what the internet requirement will be.
the game never installed even though I tried to run the install of SC2, it wouldn't without steam and its huge almost 3 gig "patch" that took the majority of the weekend to download on the wireless broadband modem. It my companies and its unlimited, but 18 hours is unreal to install a game. and that was my point. Valves drm schema, is ok for some ppl who have dedicated internet but those that don't are left out in the cold. Same for cloud apps. When speed increases significantly and availability becomes second nature I think cloud computing would be mainstream in 5 to 10 or so years maybe. The game industry really drives innovation in many respects. on line game streamers like http://www.gaikai.com/ will live or die based on net availability and reliability. If it doesn't work people will walk away.
This way it won't download patches or require internet access.
Steam games are saved to
C:\program files\steam\steamapps\common\%gamename%
To change which drive it uses, you gotta uninstall and reinstall steam to a different drive.
Steam games are saved to
C:\program files\steam\steamapps\common\%gamename%
To change which drive it uses, you gotta uninstall and reinstall steam to a different drive.
I just wanted to pop the dvd in, load the game and play for the whole weekend. instead i got some gardening done. Righteous indignation aside, I guess I felt I didn't get what I paid for. I guess those were the good old days. Actually I think the good old days were when I installed dune 2 on my 386 off of 8 floppies and it ran fast! Those little stick guys legs were blurring. Does anyone even remember lan parties?
We kept having those, right thru college 
.
It was the closest thing us geeks had to a "get together".
Sadly, those days are gone, stores no longer stock PC games, and services like Steam are your only hope.
Good thing is, Steam games are often 20% or more cheaper than store MSRP.
.It was the closest thing us geeks had to a "get together".
Sadly, those days are gone, stores no longer stock PC games, and services like Steam are your only hope.
Good thing is, Steam games are often 20% or more cheaper than store MSRP.
there will be many, many geezers like myself who will never be comfortable leaving all my data with some company who may not exist next month - for any number of reasons not necessarily profits. The potential for hacking an always-online computer is enormous.
Then there is the necessary bandwidth issue. It's not infinite, you know, and major slowdowns, dropouts and complete failure will become problems that would probably have many choosing to go back to their hard drive-based computer for simple reliability and security.
OK, I talk too much.
Then there is the necessary bandwidth issue. It's not infinite, you know, and major slowdowns, dropouts and complete failure will become problems that would probably have many choosing to go back to their hard drive-based computer for simple reliability and security.
OK, I talk too much.
In less they make Laptops,tablets and smart phones with the ability to custom build then.
So keep dreaming the tower is going nowhere. Look at TV's Almost 85 years the same only with color added in the late 60's. Yes I know that now they have flat screen and HD. Really HD and 3D are the only big things to happen. They only just dropped Analog in 2009.
Long Live Towers. (Oh unless you don't now how build one).
Ya there is always Walmart you can go to....
So keep dreaming the tower is going nowhere. Look at TV's Almost 85 years the same only with color added in the late 60's. Yes I know that now they have flat screen and HD. Really HD and 3D are the only big things to happen. They only just dropped Analog in 2009.
Long Live Towers. (Oh unless you don't now how build one).
Ya there is always Walmart you can go to....
Up until 2009 American broadcast television was chained to a broadcast standard codified in 1941 or thereabouts. The computer world is something completely different. We'll see and it's gonna be fun
but they are becoming obsolete. I see them eventually being for gamers and guys (or girls) who like to tinker. I think that mobile computing is changing to meet the real needs of the average person. You can even attach your PDAs to projectors and do presentations from your mobile device.
So far, those aren't dead yet either.
to find towers anyplace but an office equipment store. Wal=Mart has a lousy selection.
And the end of the PC era will inevitably come but it won't come tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. But it will come, sooner rather than later. Will the class of data / information / entertainment / news / education be the iPad? Perhaps partially and the iPad is a good first step.
Jobs did not say that PCs would totally phases out. He said that probably for most of us (not the IT pros and data managers) PCs will be unnecessary. After the iPad and the flood of similar devices that will hit the market, what would be the next step? Was William Gibson right? Will we be able to "jack into" the net and stick "microsofts" into our heads? Time will tell.
Jobs did not say that PCs would totally phases out. He said that probably for most of us (not the IT pros and data managers) PCs will be unnecessary. After the iPad and the flood of similar devices that will hit the market, what would be the next step? Was William Gibson right? Will we be able to "jack into" the net and stick "microsofts" into our heads? Time will tell.
The PC (as we know it, including laptops, tablets, netbooks, etc) has only been around for almost 30 years. And look how much has changed since the original IBM PC.
As many have stated, you must have an easy way to input before the pc will disappear. If voice recognition software advances enough, then handheld devices may replace the pc, but even more advances that what we have now will have to be there. Such as thin screen monitor technology that you can pull out to get a bigger view of something.
In other words, there must be other technology advancing to where we can replce the PC with someting better. And if you look hard enough, these advances are in development now.
As many have stated, you must have an easy way to input before the pc will disappear. If voice recognition software advances enough, then handheld devices may replace the pc, but even more advances that what we have now will have to be there. Such as thin screen monitor technology that you can pull out to get a bigger view of something.
In other words, there must be other technology advancing to where we can replce the PC with someting better. And if you look hard enough, these advances are in development now.
The evolution of the personal computer is certainly far beyond what some of us seriously expected. The laptop is probably the best example, it is after all the most used form, I'm on my 4th now. But my desktop ('scuse me, *tower*) will remain in my home office, tied to my U-Verse modem, my wi-fi hub and my printer. I still use it for syncing my PDA, composing longer documents, archiving my e-mail. Sure my laptop could do all that, I don't *need* the tower. but if I ever want to do some serious interfacing with other/legacy equipment, it will be my choice, so it stays. But right now, I.m sitting in my recliner, laptop on my lap keeping my legs warm, watching TV and sipping a cooler. I have no use for anything smaller, or larger, of faster than what I have. But I wouldn't be so happy if I found that my Stuff was obsolete and unsupported. That worries me.
I believe there will always be a place for PC's. Be it that they may be different than how we perceive them now. There will always be a need to have a machine with more grunt than what a mini tablet computer can provide.
pc will no doubt be around for the next couple of decades at least. im willing to bet on that. whenever people ask me to recommend them a computer, ill always ask them, what you gonna use it for?
people like me will never use a tablet or an ipad, except for r&d. but, really, how many heavy computer users are out there, who run heavy graphical apps, servers, or whatsoever? how many are we, out of the total of billions of computer users in the world?
why would someone who only open websites, emails, chat, listen to music and watch movie, have a huge bulky box that uses lots of electricity, stuck in a place and eats space?
also, there is a huge issue that people are ignoring. waste problem! i.t has been producing a lot of waste. we cant stop producing waste. thats impossible to do today, for anybody in the modern world! but we can reduce it by going smaller.
im all for tablet devices, apple or android or whatever. besides being part of revolution, there are a lot to gain if more people started using the 'pads'.
people like me will never use a tablet or an ipad, except for r&d. but, really, how many heavy computer users are out there, who run heavy graphical apps, servers, or whatsoever? how many are we, out of the total of billions of computer users in the world?
why would someone who only open websites, emails, chat, listen to music and watch movie, have a huge bulky box that uses lots of electricity, stuck in a place and eats space?
also, there is a huge issue that people are ignoring. waste problem! i.t has been producing a lot of waste. we cant stop producing waste. thats impossible to do today, for anybody in the modern world! but we can reduce it by going smaller.
im all for tablet devices, apple or android or whatever. besides being part of revolution, there are a lot to gain if more people started using the 'pads'.
While I will fight tooth and nail to not get such a locked down device as an iPad/Pod/Phone, for an average person who just does casual browsing and email, those devices work fine. There will always be the power users like us who will need the "PC" to do a lot of things. Cloud computing will not work for us. Touchscreen keyboards will not work for us, restrictive app stores will not work for us, but as long as we have access to the tools we need, there shouldn't be a problem.
I will agree with Jobs that it will definitely be uncomfortable.
I will agree with Jobs that it will definitely be uncomfortable.
As long as availability of functionality, on-line or off-line, to do real work is required, PCs will hang around -- period.
For the general consumer market, however, what Jobs says may be somewhat true because PCs are not necessarily considered an essential tool by the vast majority. Instead, they're a convenience that lets people browse the web, E-mail, tweet, visit Facebook, etc. Most mobile phones can do that nowadays, but they're used that way primarily because of their portability and almost universal access to a signal, and not because of their capacity to do work. They simply can't match the amount of presented on-screen data or the number-crunching power that a PC provides. Devices like the iPad could fill that gap by putting something more powerful than a phone in the portables space.
What I find interesting about the iPad is what Apple seems to insist consumers not be able to do with it. As a "for-instance", they don't want any apps in the Apps Store that prolong the good old desktop metaphor that many of us find so useful. For most of us, I suspect "desk" in some form equates to "a place to do work". What's wrong with doing real work on an iPad? Is Apple fundamentally opposed to allowing people to work with the device in traditional and comfortable ways? Seems like that's something you'd want to accommodate right out of the gate.
Moreover, I don't see any paradigm-changing capabilities offered as an alternative, so I can only conclude that the iPad is being marketed primarily a toy, and in fact that's the way people are responding to it; i.e., like a "latest fad" toy. For a while the Hula Hoop, Duncan Yo-Yo, and Tickle-Me Elmo sold at a rate of one every three seconds too.
For the general consumer market, however, what Jobs says may be somewhat true because PCs are not necessarily considered an essential tool by the vast majority. Instead, they're a convenience that lets people browse the web, E-mail, tweet, visit Facebook, etc. Most mobile phones can do that nowadays, but they're used that way primarily because of their portability and almost universal access to a signal, and not because of their capacity to do work. They simply can't match the amount of presented on-screen data or the number-crunching power that a PC provides. Devices like the iPad could fill that gap by putting something more powerful than a phone in the portables space.
What I find interesting about the iPad is what Apple seems to insist consumers not be able to do with it. As a "for-instance", they don't want any apps in the Apps Store that prolong the good old desktop metaphor that many of us find so useful. For most of us, I suspect "desk" in some form equates to "a place to do work". What's wrong with doing real work on an iPad? Is Apple fundamentally opposed to allowing people to work with the device in traditional and comfortable ways? Seems like that's something you'd want to accommodate right out of the gate.
Moreover, I don't see any paradigm-changing capabilities offered as an alternative, so I can only conclude that the iPad is being marketed primarily a toy, and in fact that's the way people are responding to it; i.e., like a "latest fad" toy. For a while the Hula Hoop, Duncan Yo-Yo, and Tickle-Me Elmo sold at a rate of one every three seconds too.
Totally agreed with those who are threading about the definition of a PC. You can't really say anything has passed if you can't define what you are saying is passing down to the T. I agree that more and more searches, tasks and more are happening within the mobile arena than locally on desktops and laptops. The iPad is a huge step in that direction. It's an inbetweener.
What's funny is the local radio news dept. mentions this "end of the PC" quote by Jobs yesterday and they all act like "well ok, Jobs said it so it must be true", lol...
that Jobs is defining PC as anything not Apple, and reflects a highly positive attitude toward his company. For him to say anything else would be totally out-of-character. He hopes the competition disappears. Naturally. We learned to talk like that in Junior Achievement. But I think - hope, anyway - that he is wrong.
I dumped $2600 into his Apple IIGs only to be completely dropped 2 years later and given the option to buy a $3300 Mac. I got a PC for $1200 and never looked back. I wish his liver had killed him and his whole little arrogant toy company was gone!
Remember, Steve Jobs also thought there would be more Segways than cars on the road within 10 years -- think he must have something against cars.
that everybody feels they have to have the latest toy. He doesn't think like the rest of us who can evaluate a product, consider it's price and not be influenced by media-born hype.
Macs and PC's are somewhat different. A reasonably informed buyer will consider his needs and which does what best. I think the PC (as opposed to a Mac) will win this decision often enough to hold its own. This view has been presented here hundreds of times. Question is how long will we continue to *call* it a PC. It may fade away, but in name only.
Macs and PC's are somewhat different. A reasonably informed buyer will consider his needs and which does what best. I think the PC (as opposed to a Mac) will win this decision often enough to hold its own. This view has been presented here hundreds of times. Question is how long will we continue to *call* it a PC. It may fade away, but in name only.
Tablets need to go a long way to replace pcs. Even getting info in without a keyboard is a lot slower.
Apple and software has a long way to go for banking and security environments.
While *nix is at the core of the Apple OS, the Mac OS still does not have vendors making security software for encryption the way they are developed and available for Windows computers.
The Apple hardware warranty of forcing me to go to only Apple certified vendors for part and no 4 hour or next business day or same day parts replacement hinders me for some aspects of my business.
While *nix is at the core of the Apple OS, the Mac OS still does not have vendors making security software for encryption the way they are developed and available for Windows computers.
The Apple hardware warranty of forcing me to go to only Apple certified vendors for part and no 4 hour or next business day or same day parts replacement hinders me for some aspects of my business.
security software for encryption: Available
4 hour or next business day or same day parts replacement: Available
You just have to know where to look and how to schedule. And if you have a Mac Pro, you can even replace certain common parts yourself. I might grant that you can't always get same-day or next-day repair/replacement, but I've done it more often than not over the last ten years.
4 hour or next business day or same day parts replacement: Available
You just have to know where to look and how to schedule. And if you have a Mac Pro, you can even replace certain common parts yourself. I might grant that you can't always get same-day or next-day repair/replacement, but I've done it more often than not over the last ten years.
The kind of encryption I speak of is where you remove data from the server or company hdd and it becomes unreadable. This is not available for the Mac OS.
The point of me paying for a service contract is not to look else where. Like mine, many corporate IT staffing is small. I pay for the one stop shop so I can move on to other things.
Don't get me wrong, I use a Mac and love my Mac but it is not "quite" ready to replace Windows in most aspects of the corporate world(we won't talk about the iPhone and lack of centralized mgmt like a Blackberry)
The point of me paying for a service contract is not to look else where. Like mine, many corporate IT staffing is small. I pay for the one stop shop so I can move on to other things.
Don't get me wrong, I use a Mac and love my Mac but it is not "quite" ready to replace Windows in most aspects of the corporate world(we won't talk about the iPhone and lack of centralized mgmt like a Blackberry)
I agree that the market will continue to decrease for PC's and that laptops will steal the market share but comeon who wants to use a tablet on a daily basis (wiping the smudges off every 5 minute so you can see what you are doing)they look good but they dont replace anything or even improve on the funtionality of a laptop !!!
PCs are built as general purpose devices and open systems: you can hang anything on them, and anyone can program them - hence security is always a problem. Apple is moving towards closed systems and defined function devices, to be integrated into living. Functionality is defined and linited, and programming is strictly regulated, so much stronger security. Like your washing machine. Different purposes. If Apple go wronng less frequently, I will install Apple. If I need a general purpose machine for something out of Apple's range, go for PC.
not to mention the ones who can't use them for long. I have problems using them for more than 20 min a day. If i do I have to add a standard mouse and keyboard to them.
Except where it counts most--in mobility. I've already seen how a tablet can be much more efficient than a laptop in the way a clipboard is much more efficient than a typewriter. It's not what you use, but how you use it, that counts.
There are other things that smell like fish, you know.
We're entering the age of the MC and starting to leave the PC behind.
We're entering the age of the MC and starting to leave the PC behind.
Maybe the next new Apple product will be the i-Post. It's a computer that looks like a 4x4 with displays on every side. It's too big to fit in your pocket, and it will only run a few proprietary apps, but it's really cool.
I sort of agree, it is the beginning of the end for PC's as we know them. 5 years ago no one could convince me that a laptop could suit my needs, today I wouldn't live without one. Want a monitor and keyboard get a docking station!
It would make sense that the next step would be to tablets to replace the laptop.
I think the success of the iPad will opened up a world of innovation, and we'll have many different flavors.
It would make sense that the next step would be to tablets to replace the laptop.
I think the success of the iPad will opened up a world of innovation, and we'll have many different flavors.
There is something magical about the iPad. It just FEELS different ... and wonderful! It goes where I go ... it does not make me come to it. It does not make me wait while it boots up and collects its thoughts.
My wife uses it as an eReader on the subway, and loves not having to lug papers to read. We both use it as a web browser on the sofa. She plays the piano on it, ignoring the real piano in the living room. It's handy. It's friendly. We take it to church and to dialysis, and everyone who sees all the things it can do is awed.
It is DIFFERENT. It is the start of something wonderful!
My wife uses it as an eReader on the subway, and loves not having to lug papers to read. We both use it as a web browser on the sofa. She plays the piano on it, ignoring the real piano in the living room. It's handy. It's friendly. We take it to church and to dialysis, and everyone who sees all the things it can do is awed.
It is DIFFERENT. It is the start of something wonderful!
I'm not one to spout that MS is the be all and end all - far from it, but whilst Apple continue to tie you down to WHAT they say, WHEN they say and HOW they say, I'll stick with the freedom MS affords me.
If MS encompasses the 'American Dream', Apple by comparsion are the Communists of the IT world. OK so the i-whatever is cool tech, but my life still works quite well without any of it.
If MS encompasses the 'American Dream', Apple by comparsion are the Communists of the IT world. OK so the i-whatever is cool tech, but my life still works quite well without any of it.
That's a BIG 'if', my friend. The American Dream is freedom, where Microsoft has said almost from the beginning, "We will be an Empire!" Where is the freedom in that?
Ok, so you don't like Apple's efforts at personal privacy and security, fine--buy something else. But that doesn't mean Apple is the communist; Apple doesn't try to abuse its customers, rather they try to protect them. I think Apple has done that job very well--so far.
Ok, so you don't like Apple's efforts at personal privacy and security, fine--buy something else. But that doesn't mean Apple is the communist; Apple doesn't try to abuse its customers, rather they try to protect them. I think Apple has done that job very well--so far.
but I suppose it comes down to fences. I'm not sure I totally agree that Apple have actively tried to protect their customers; I think rather that malware writers have concentrated on the PC because to date, more people can be targetted. It will be interesting to see if they now switch to attacking Apples.
I've always shied away from announcing my web site to be hacker proof because I don't want malware writers to suddenly see it as a challenge. Anything that is programmable and has a connection to the internet is vulnerable.
I must note here though that where I work we have Mac users who use their Macs to emulate PC's in order to run our software. Never really seen the sense in that unless it is strictly for the percieved lack of threat. But we all know that Mac users tend to have a love affair with their machines, so perhaps its just that.
To abuse an oft-used, lame, back-pedalling expression, some of my best friends are Mac users
I've always shied away from announcing my web site to be hacker proof because I don't want malware writers to suddenly see it as a challenge. Anything that is programmable and has a connection to the internet is vulnerable.
I must note here though that where I work we have Mac users who use their Macs to emulate PC's in order to run our software. Never really seen the sense in that unless it is strictly for the percieved lack of threat. But we all know that Mac users tend to have a love affair with their machines, so perhaps its just that.
To abuse an oft-used, lame, back-pedalling expression, some of my best friends are Mac users
Fences: While many of Apple's opponents like to call the App Store a "Walled Garden", its purpose is obvious as a result; the apps in there have been vetted for their functionality (albeit crude at times), reliability, and security. The whole reason behind their requirement for 'no access to private APIs' is designed to prevent software, or rather malware, from affecting the user's experience.
Vulnerabilities: All computers are vulnerable to one extent or another. You know that, I know that, and pretty much all technical types know that. However, vulnerabilities are not exploits. Yes, I agree that we're likely to see more hacking attempts on OS X, just as we're already seeing them on Linux, but malware writers have a much different paradigm than they used to. They want money, not kudos; wealth, not reputation. They don't want to crash you, they want to sneak in and steal your hard-earned cash. Sure, malware can help them do that, but it's become much easier to simply ask for it by claiming to be somebody the user knows or offering a deal that's simply too good to be true. We've become so gullible as a society that we literally give money away when we sense a friend or family member is in trouble. Why go to the effort of writing an application that has to worm its way into a computer when the user will often simply let you in? All the security in the world is useless if the one who holds the key unlocks the door for you.
Virtualization: While I can't speak for them, I prefer to use my Mac for day-to-day work online and off, as computer consultant as well as writer and photographer. I take advantage of the Mac's lack of exploits to get done the things I need to do, then switch over to Windows to play my games which have yet to be ported to OSX. I do not browse the web in Windows, nor do I use Windows for email; as such, I eliminate the two prime paths for malware to enter my machine, though a worm or other malware could still attempt to attack by other means. As such, I do maintain security software on both Windows and OSX, though as yet neither has triggered on anything since I've been using them.
Experience: Maybe I should call that User Experience instead. In my own case, I've used Apple products since 1979. I've seen how, in all those years, first the Apple II and later the Mac has always been just that little bit easier to use; the OS designed around the way you used to work before computers became ubiquitous and as such more intuitive in the long run. I've watched as highly-experienced IT personnel, when given an opportunity to go hands-on with a Mac for a period, completely change out their home computing networks from Windows to OSX and even followed the blog of a Windows .net developer switch his family and his work from Windows across the board to all-Mac, relegating his self-built PC to the status of testing box from developing box. Simply put, the user experience in each case invited them to be more productive and happier in their work and play than Windows ever allowed.
Microsoft has never seemed to grasp that the user is the important part of the equation, the computer is merely the tool. This isn't to say Windows is all bad, but rather that, even with Win7, you just about have to 'jump through hoops' to perform certain tasks. Windows is designed for engineers by engineers, OSX is designed for people, by people.
The question is no longer "Which OS is better?" They both are very good and do pretty much the same things across the board; however, they are different in how you do those things. It's become a war of words, a battle of perceptions--and honestly, it's becoming a moot point. The OS paradigm is shifting again, starting to move away from keyboard/mouse to 'touch.' Microsoft tried to trigger this shift ten years ago, but made the mistake of merely putting touch capability on a keyboard/mouse OS without also leading a drive towards touch-based software. Apple has taken that effort and shown how it should have been done, and now Google, with its Android OS, is set to become the Microsoft of touch-screen computing. Microsoft? They're seriously late for the game. If they don't produce something visibly superior to both Android and iPhone OSX, they're going to end up being the bit player just as Microsoft drove IBM down in the PC market. Windows will stick around as long as there's a need for desktop computing, but that market will shrink as mobile computing takes over.
Vulnerabilities: All computers are vulnerable to one extent or another. You know that, I know that, and pretty much all technical types know that. However, vulnerabilities are not exploits. Yes, I agree that we're likely to see more hacking attempts on OS X, just as we're already seeing them on Linux, but malware writers have a much different paradigm than they used to. They want money, not kudos; wealth, not reputation. They don't want to crash you, they want to sneak in and steal your hard-earned cash. Sure, malware can help them do that, but it's become much easier to simply ask for it by claiming to be somebody the user knows or offering a deal that's simply too good to be true. We've become so gullible as a society that we literally give money away when we sense a friend or family member is in trouble. Why go to the effort of writing an application that has to worm its way into a computer when the user will often simply let you in? All the security in the world is useless if the one who holds the key unlocks the door for you.
Virtualization: While I can't speak for them, I prefer to use my Mac for day-to-day work online and off, as computer consultant as well as writer and photographer. I take advantage of the Mac's lack of exploits to get done the things I need to do, then switch over to Windows to play my games which have yet to be ported to OSX. I do not browse the web in Windows, nor do I use Windows for email; as such, I eliminate the two prime paths for malware to enter my machine, though a worm or other malware could still attempt to attack by other means. As such, I do maintain security software on both Windows and OSX, though as yet neither has triggered on anything since I've been using them.
Experience: Maybe I should call that User Experience instead. In my own case, I've used Apple products since 1979. I've seen how, in all those years, first the Apple II and later the Mac has always been just that little bit easier to use; the OS designed around the way you used to work before computers became ubiquitous and as such more intuitive in the long run. I've watched as highly-experienced IT personnel, when given an opportunity to go hands-on with a Mac for a period, completely change out their home computing networks from Windows to OSX and even followed the blog of a Windows .net developer switch his family and his work from Windows across the board to all-Mac, relegating his self-built PC to the status of testing box from developing box. Simply put, the user experience in each case invited them to be more productive and happier in their work and play than Windows ever allowed.
Microsoft has never seemed to grasp that the user is the important part of the equation, the computer is merely the tool. This isn't to say Windows is all bad, but rather that, even with Win7, you just about have to 'jump through hoops' to perform certain tasks. Windows is designed for engineers by engineers, OSX is designed for people, by people.
The question is no longer "Which OS is better?" They both are very good and do pretty much the same things across the board; however, they are different in how you do those things. It's become a war of words, a battle of perceptions--and honestly, it's becoming a moot point. The OS paradigm is shifting again, starting to move away from keyboard/mouse to 'touch.' Microsoft tried to trigger this shift ten years ago, but made the mistake of merely putting touch capability on a keyboard/mouse OS without also leading a drive towards touch-based software. Apple has taken that effort and shown how it should have been done, and now Google, with its Android OS, is set to become the Microsoft of touch-screen computing. Microsoft? They're seriously late for the game. If they don't produce something visibly superior to both Android and iPhone OSX, they're going to end up being the bit player just as Microsoft drove IBM down in the PC market. Windows will stick around as long as there's a need for desktop computing, but that market will shrink as mobile computing takes over.
In "Press Enter" (1985) John Varley describes this concept that any device using electrical signals may be cracked, and any computer may become a zombie.
That is why declarations regarding un-breakable and 100% secure systems, must be received with skepticism by anyone familiar with how computers really work. There is no such thing as secure system, but market spread, interest in breaking something, and knowledge and talent in doing it.
IT professionals should be more aware about this, and don't let them influenced by the legends propagated by individuals without much knowledge in IT or systems security.
As regards the security, Apple [OSX] has more holes than the Swiss cheese. It is the closed world and low market share making them "secure"... for now. I can't wait to see some tough Black Hats changing their focus from Windows to Apple.
That is why declarations regarding un-breakable and 100% secure systems, must be received with skepticism by anyone familiar with how computers really work. There is no such thing as secure system, but market spread, interest in breaking something, and knowledge and talent in doing it.
IT professionals should be more aware about this, and don't let them influenced by the legends propagated by individuals without much knowledge in IT or systems security.
As regards the security, Apple [OSX] has more holes than the Swiss cheese. It is the closed world and low market share making them "secure"... for now. I can't wait to see some tough Black Hats changing their focus from Windows to Apple.
Whereas I like my iPhone for ease of use and connection to view my email etc.. There are some issues with it that are really disturbing.
1) The apps at least the ones I have seen are typically not prime time.
2) Using Bluetooth to connect to another phone does not work. Yeah yeah, I called Apple tech support and yep, it does not work.
3) Still trying to get the voice thing to work right.
4) etc.
Otherwise, the competition to the iPhone is Google. I have used both and I find that the unit offered by Google superior.
Be very careful Steve.. the wolves are at the door.
1) The apps at least the ones I have seen are typically not prime time.
2) Using Bluetooth to connect to another phone does not work. Yeah yeah, I called Apple tech support and yep, it does not work.
3) Still trying to get the voice thing to work right.
4) etc.
Otherwise, the competition to the iPhone is Google. I have used both and I find that the unit offered by Google superior.
Be very careful Steve.. the wolves are at the door.
Whereas I like my PC for ease of use and connection to view my email etc., there are some issues with it that are really disturbing.
1) The apps, at least the ones I have seen, are typically not prime time.
2) Using Bluetooth to connect to another PC does not work. Yeah yeah, I called tech support and, yep, it does not work.
3) Still trying to get the voice thing to work right.
4) etc.
Otherwise, the competition to the PC is Google. I have used both and I find that the unit offered by Google superior.
Be very careful Steve (Ballmer), the wolves are at the door.
1) The apps, at least the ones I have seen, are typically not prime time.
2) Using Bluetooth to connect to another PC does not work. Yeah yeah, I called tech support and, yep, it does not work.
3) Still trying to get the voice thing to work right.
4) etc.
Otherwise, the competition to the PC is Google. I have used both and I find that the unit offered by Google superior.
Be very careful Steve (Ballmer), the wolves are at the door.
Apple has two problems. First they are pricey. Too much so. Second programming is closed, rigidly so. I won't be buying any Apple products.
As Steve Jobs may say, there are lots of lorry drivers on here. But most people don't want to drive lorries to get around, so, for the 99% of people that don't subscribe to techprepublic, a more car-like device is what they want. And, believe me, they'll pay not to drive a lorry, but rather something quick, does just what they want and that doesn't need someone with an HGV licence to control properly. Steve will make a killing with his iPad, but probably not among the readers here because it's not aimed at the computer-literate, but at 'the rest of us' (to use that very old, but even more relevant nowadays) Apple phrase.
These people are just standard users and don't like to know what they need to know to take care of their pc that is what i am for. They have tried to use them and found them difficult to hold. unable to do what they need without buy a bunch of software. The same software on pc is free. So Who exactly are you talking about?
Why has Apple managed to sell over 2 million of them in a mere 58 days?
Most of the people who think they're 'junk' have no concept of what it can be used for. Others are patently anti-Apple and believe that anything Apple produces is 'junk.' But this appears, for the moment, to be a relatively small minority since nothing, and I do mean nothing, in the electronics field has ever sold at a rate of a million-a-month as soon as it was released.
You also ignore the fact that there are many, many similar devices being designed, tested and prepped for sale. Does that mean that these devices are junk as well? Or is it that, because they're not Apple devices, they're the greatest thing since 'sliced bread'? The article isn't about the iPad specifically, but the paradigm that the iPad has introduced--the PC as we know it is going away for many people; they simply don't need it any more.
Most of the people who think they're 'junk' have no concept of what it can be used for. Others are patently anti-Apple and believe that anything Apple produces is 'junk.' But this appears, for the moment, to be a relatively small minority since nothing, and I do mean nothing, in the electronics field has ever sold at a rate of a million-a-month as soon as it was released.
You also ignore the fact that there are many, many similar devices being designed, tested and prepped for sale. Does that mean that these devices are junk as well? Or is it that, because they're not Apple devices, they're the greatest thing since 'sliced bread'? The article isn't about the iPad specifically, but the paradigm that the iPad has introduced--the PC as we know it is going away for many people; they simply don't need it any more.
producers. Many of which work in IT and congregate here.
We look for tools with the most flexibility in our tasks - production. I have had many tablets, and they were great... until I wanted to create something.
iPad persons are consumers primarily. They look for ways to be social, suck down content, and entertain themselves.
Step outside of those roles, and the iPad ceases to contain value.
I went to the MAC store and played with both OSX and iPad. Was over the iPad in about 10 minutes. Realized my smartphone could do all of the media consumption the iPad provided. OSX provided a little more intrigue, but it was too slow.
We look for tools with the most flexibility in our tasks - production. I have had many tablets, and they were great... until I wanted to create something.
iPad persons are consumers primarily. They look for ways to be social, suck down content, and entertain themselves.
Step outside of those roles, and the iPad ceases to contain value.
I went to the MAC store and played with both OSX and iPad. Was over the iPad in about 10 minutes. Realized my smartphone could do all of the media consumption the iPad provided. OSX provided a little more intrigue, but it was too slow.
Also, the iPad is not aimed at technicians; it's aimed at users.
To give you an example, a number of FOX-affiliated TV stations in south Georgia have started using iPads in place of paper scripts for their on-air reporters, giving them the ability to update the scripts instantaneously and saving tens of thousands of dollars in paper and printing costs. This is production. Other businesses are using them for sales presentations, mobile record-keeping and other truly productive purposes that don't require a physical connection to a network.
Even for you, it is possible that an iPad could let you connect to a specific desktop and remotely use that desktop while perhaps providing support at a user's desktop elsewhere. I'll grant that you can do the same thing with a notebook or even a netbook, but the point is that it really depends on your definition of productivity and how exclusive you make it. I've already seen in multiple instances just how productive an iPad can be.
But the article is about the PC paradigm, not the iPad itself. While Apple has already sold over 2 million iPads, Android is set to become the Microsoft of tablet computing with its broad array of manufacturers scrambling to bring out a competing product. Touch computing is the future, not desktop. Tablets have a much larger potential than you can imagine.
To give you an example, a number of FOX-affiliated TV stations in south Georgia have started using iPads in place of paper scripts for their on-air reporters, giving them the ability to update the scripts instantaneously and saving tens of thousands of dollars in paper and printing costs. This is production. Other businesses are using them for sales presentations, mobile record-keeping and other truly productive purposes that don't require a physical connection to a network.
Even for you, it is possible that an iPad could let you connect to a specific desktop and remotely use that desktop while perhaps providing support at a user's desktop elsewhere. I'll grant that you can do the same thing with a notebook or even a netbook, but the point is that it really depends on your definition of productivity and how exclusive you make it. I've already seen in multiple instances just how productive an iPad can be.
But the article is about the PC paradigm, not the iPad itself. While Apple has already sold over 2 million iPads, Android is set to become the Microsoft of tablet computing with its broad array of manufacturers scrambling to bring out a competing product. Touch computing is the future, not desktop. Tablets have a much larger potential than you can imagine.
But it has not yet risen to a level to replace other input methods.
Nothing provides the flexibility, performance, and cost effectiveness of a PC at this time (for accepted use cases).
Nothing provides the flexibility, performance, and cost effectiveness of a PC at this time (for accepted use cases).
American TV is not known particularly for its depth or intelligent content ... Fox in particular...The Ipad is about as vacuous as it gets...I can see why it would appeal ...
regards
Fitvideo (UK)
regards
Fitvideo (UK)
I'll be more inclined to believe Jobs's pronouncement when Apple stops making Macs.
Maybe the next new Apple product will be the i-Post. It's a computer that looks like a 4x4 (a wooden post) with displays on every side. It's too big to fit in your pocket, and it will only run a few proprietary apps, but it's really cool.
Seems Jobs is turning into another Ballmer. PC is dead? Why? Because the iPad came out? Please. Everyone knows you can't multitask with it.
Most people lump Macs in as a definition of a "PC". So I guess Apple will be stopping production and selling of Macs laptops and desktops then?
Or maybe he's figuring that since Apple passed Microsoft's market cap then Windows is on it's death bed [when Apple gets most of its profit from "gadgets" - not laptops and desktops].
Most people lump Macs in as a definition of a "PC". So I guess Apple will be stopping production and selling of Macs laptops and desktops then?
Or maybe he's figuring that since Apple passed Microsoft's market cap then Windows is on it's death bed [when Apple gets most of its profit from "gadgets" - not laptops and desktops].
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