Do you ever see Tablets taking over laptops?

Now some of you I know have great knowledge of computing (Tiller, I have read your posts for about a year, and know you have vast knowledge) but I think this type of tablet has been flying under the radar. Please check out soem reviews. I honsetly believe this is the tip of the icebergl, because I have been following this particular tablet for months before I bought it. And I believe there will be more on the horizon. It simply is a great performing laptop in tablet form. Other companies will follow suit once they see the demand for real computers in tablet form. Ipads, androids, they will still have market share, but many of us need real computing. And need the portability factor. All I ask is keep an open mind and check out the upcoming tablets.

 

From the video I saw, you need a proper table in order to have it at the right angle and you need to carry the seperate keyboard as well. not sure about the stand at its back.

sounds cumbersome to me. I would rather just take a netbook or notebook. flip it out on bus/train/starbuck and I can start using it.

 

You can use it just like a netbook on a train/bus either with the folio, or holding it. At Starbucks, you can use the folio same way, or not. In the field (outside) you can hold it in one hand, and write (handwritten notes) or write handwriting to test ( converts to word) without anything else, cunbersome is trying to do that with a notebook (netbook is same, but without any real performance). Not sure what vid your watching, but this thing can be used like a notebook, but also can be used without any stand, desk, any other support. It has much more portability than any netbook/notebook, and much more performance than any netbook, and as muxh performance as most notebooks. Give it a try at a store... if you can find it, since no one can keep it in stock. I have a Dell e6400, HP tx 2510 and it is way more portable than either. I also have an Asus g73jh, and of the 3, only the Asus G73 beats it in performance. My Dell has duo core, ssd and 4gb ram. And it is slooooow compared to this. And I can't take it out into the yard to do inventory.Just try it. I really didn't think it could be so good. Until I went to the local Frys to see it. And it blew me away. I ended up buying the display model since they didn't have any others. Got a great deal. But the performance and portability convinced me. It runs anything I need, and boots to full "do anything I need to" in under 20 seconds. Give it a try, you might be amazed. And it has not one but 2 OSK.

 

@Abidderman and others
As I said before there is a HUGE distinction between a 'Tablet PC' (given that classification thanks to the Active Digitizer Pen, and usually running a 'full' OS), and so called 'entertainment tablets' (no active digitizer, just a touch screen that can use a 'stylus' that is as accurate as... using your finger, go figure. and the 'mobile OS')


For a 'Tablet PC', think 'laptop' with a good screen (that acts as a portable Wacom Cintiq, with the Wacom/ N-trig Active Digitizer Pen, and sometimes with touchscreen options) having from Ultra Low Voltage to Low Voltage to Full Voltage notebook processors, and good battery life (between 4 and 12hrs... and now Sandy Bridge variants are claiming even higher into the double digits). These can be either in the Convertible form (a-la laptop with a swivel screen) or slate form. If you will admit it or not, these have been around since about the dawn of laptops, and are always getting better and better... such as using a DIY Vidock for internal or additional external displays

For a 'entertainment tablet' think oversized smart phone, minus phone capabilities (very limited hardware and software -fine for people that don't really use their devices/ need powerful software); and run on ARM processor architectures. These are new, mostly fad devices, though they seem they are here to stay for a while.



Some 'Tablet PC's':
Core 2 Duo ones: HP 2730p and Gen 1 Tm2, Lenovo X200t, Fujitsu T4410 and T5010,
Core-i ones: HP 2740p and Gen 2 Tm2, Lenovo X201t, Fujitsu T730 and T900, ASUS EP121
Atom based Tablet PC's: HP Slate 500, Motion CL900, and some others
known upcoming Sandy Bridge refresh: HP 2760p, Lenovo X220t, Fujitsu T901 and Q550 -not sure if the Q550 is first or second gen Core-i

All of them run Win 7 (which is quite touch friendly contrary to what most 'tech review sites' say), and they all run Linux pretty well


Some 'entertainment tablets':
ipad, and the various android tablets

 

i used my friends hp convertible for two weeks just to see how it would be for taking notes.

while it was fine for diagramming, i would never try to take text notes with it. having to switch between keyboard and tablet constantly was the most ridiculous thing i ever did.

in terms of tethering to the wall, i'm comparing it to the battery life of a tablet.

 

For users like my mom an android tablet will do 100% and more of what she needs. Still too limited to replace a laptop for me, or even to travel without my laptop (the ability to compile is one of my concerns).

But when those concerns are fixed/added something like the atrix "laptop" dock for tablets would work for me. Oh and Ill be first in line to buy a $500 table that does what I need it to do.

 

Like Agent 9 mentioned, this is Tablet PC and we are talking about tablets/slates (mostly ARM based) like an Ipad.

Even after reading this whole thread, I'm still seeing tablets/slates as toys, rather than tools.

 

I know you can, it is how that matters. Where do I get the flat surface for it to stand on a bus, assuming I need to use the keyboard ? Or do I ask someone to hold it for me ?

Sure if you need 'handwritting' or iPhone/iPad like interaction it beats a netbook but most of the time, I need the keyboard whenever I want to work on netbook. If not, an iPhone usually is good enough. So to me iPhone + notebook/netbook is more convenient than this due thing. How fast or what OS is there doesn't matter, it is the form factor(and interaction).

 

Thats because they are. At the very best tablets are intermediate devices to do basic tasks until you can get to a computer. Honestly until they grow up I dont see any reason to own one with a good smart phone that can do the same work and last 2 days and not 10 hours.

Now grow the OS up and add features (do NOT run a full OS on one!!!) and it may become more then a toy. You dont need a full os like windows 7/full desktop linux/OSX or even laptop hardware to make it a full fledged tool. The hardware they have in tablets plus a few features and tools added and its done.

But for the life of me I do not see this happening anytime soon as tablets/slates are doing just fine in the current segment, and therefore will not be taken seriously by people like us.

 

Depending on what segment of the market we are talking about. A few of my clients is in the process of incorporating iPad into their daily operation, think FedEx scanner type of usage. So they are not toys and have their specific advantage. But for general consumers(those queuing in front of apple store), they are toys or basically super-sized iPhone/Android.

 

On the iPad, I hate browsing. Too slow for someone like me who has twenty tabs open at once. Like everyone else, I stopped trying to type on the thing. And iTunes is a slow pain in the .

But when you're just using the iPad, it's quite bliss. There's nothing to break down and figure out. Programs work blisteringly fast. And it's great if you have to do presentations on the fly. I meet people all the time, and I have to pitch my designs. iPad makes every of my meetings the most of what it could be. Taking a laptop out at such times would seem inelegant.

Of course, don't get me wrong: I am a laptop (PC, not Mac) guy. I'm planning on getting rid of my desktop and the old laptop in a few months with just one desktop replacement. But am I glad the iPad came? You bet. The thing's close to a bloody miracle IMO, even if it isn't there yet. Instant boot (from sleep mode---who even turns it off anymore); the OS is simple as can be that even my mom can use; programs work on the instant; battery life's a godsend. Tell me that didn't wake everyone up, for those who can't seem to see its importance beyond that of a toy.

A question of whether it'll replace the laptop seems a bit like trying to ask if apples will replace oranges. At the moment, even the hybrids seem a little awkward. I don't think the two paradigms are going to be changing anytime soon, until a more sensible solution is found (maybe years later).

P.S.: I live in a country with frequent blackouts up to twelve hours a day, depending on the situation (so most of you probably can't relate). I'm a lucky few as I have backup generators and all at home, so I don't have to worry. But iPad here can be a real lifesaver still, especially when you're out and there's no electricity. I love my iPad 1 so much that I'm not even thinking of replacing it with the iPad 2. (Maybe when iPad 4 comes out.)

 

Me:
Content 'creation'?

Status:
NO.

Status:
Toy.

Updated status:
Simply a toy that lasts all day.

Yippee!

(I hate 'toys', btw).

 

"Toys are hereby declared illegal, immoral, unlawful AND anyone found with a toy in his possession will be placed under arrest and thrown in the dungeon. No kidding!"

 

I absolutely agree, yes absolutely. However, I bet that costs alot more than a netbook, that can pretty well do all that as well. If you have gobs of money to throw around, without worrying about feeding the kids, paying the hydro bill and keeping the wife in the "luxury" she has grown accustomed to well I would run out and buy that premium piece of equipment "joy", but until that day arrives, or an unknown rich uncle kicks off and donates to it, I will use my "junky" old netbook for portability.
But then again, I'm just "funnin'" with ya'll.

 

My client actually wanted to give me a gift last week and ask me if I want an iPad or iPhone 4. I end up said iPhone 4 as I simply cannot find one use of the iPad(and unfortunately I cannot sell it or else I would take it and sell on ebay).

After a week or so using the iPhone 4, I still find these touch screen devices usage very limited but at least I can use this one when I am on a bus or in starbuck and it can be carried in the pocket(abide a bit heavy).

 

Like I said for my mom she could completely convert to an ipad and not miss a beat. For some it can be a tool, but for most its still a toy.

Exactly how I feel. Make the kernel more robust, without making it a full blown desktop kernel and now were talking. Its possible, just not probable in the real world.

 

I use my computers for work. In fact, computers are the backbone of my ability to provide for my family. The topic of this is tablets.vs laptops. No one is mistaking netbooks for laptops (except maybe you: ). Yes, it costs more than a netbook, but it is a real computer, not an email/internet browser thing. I have to be able to get the performance I need, and since my company pays for it, and pays me to perform, they are very happy to give me what I need to provide max performance within a certain budget. I need to be able to edit photos, be out in the field to do inventory, create and edit spreadsheets for my clients, have the ability to jot my notes (and if I can do that and have them converted to text, so much the better). I get that some of you are tied to the past, but if some of you would allow yourself to try out some modern tech and realize that things are changing, you would be amazed. The original title as I see it is Tabs v. Lappys. Tabs/Slate are very all encompassing. Could include iPads, Xoom, and any other tabby/slate. I find it funny you would yap about a $1000 i-5 that can run PS and any office program and include an ssd, but not blink about a netbook with it's ? atom, 1-2 gb ram, inability to run Adobe Suite, and somehow the $600-700 price difference would be a road to poverty. If you can't afford it, fine, but don't think just because others have it, that we are all rich. Netbooks are not tablets, iPads are. So are xoom.. and many others, yet I also see many using low end notebooks, or cheap netbooks, and I am unwilling to spend good money (company or not) on crap that is cheap. I need to get performance, I need to provide performance, and my company is willing to buy me what I need to get it, because they pay me to perform. If I can save a dozen hours a month because of my computer, it saves my company also. I had a thread months ago showing how much time I saved on my work by using a SSD. It paid for itself about 3 times over in the first year. Now I have the ability to use this out in the field without restriction, unlike any other laptop I have tested so far. Note I said tested so far. I am not saying there are not others, I just have not tried them. But a cheap netbook will not work for me. Again, I do not get how a netbook even got into this discussion anyway. Read the title. Unless the definition of laptop has fallen so far as to include netbook. Sorry for the TL R. (That would be "too long: didn't read for those of you that don't follow along well). For reference, I have a Dell e6400, HP TX2510 and Asus G73J, plus this. I get performance, portability can run proprietary programs requiring full windows 7. Each has it's own uses, but this 121 is very close to the G73 in the areas I need, and blows away the others in every single way it could. I do not think that tabs/slates will overtake regular laptops in the next few years, but perhaps they could later, if graphics improve, with battery life and such. But I also believe netbooks are a dying breed. Maybe slowly, but people are becoming tired of underperforming $300 nets. If your definition of a tabby is an iPad, android type of unit, yes they will take over from the low end weak netbooks. But if your looking at powerful slates, it may take a while, and I do not think they will ever take over from the laptops, but they will gain market share. Just as the economy has changed the way we see cars, it will change the way we see computers. The single saddest thing I see is so many computer knowledgeable people talking about how bad tabs/slates are and how bad anything running touch is, especially on win7, that have never tried some of these tabs/slates. Don't tell me tablets/slates are just ipads or ipad types. Try one of the real computer slates out. Then come back and give your feedback. You will really change the way you think.

 

It is in fact too long and I will not read that.

Tablets aren't competing with netbooks. Or at least they shouldn't be.

Tablets are completely limited by being touchscreen only but the touchscreen also allows for different applications. Netbooksk and tablets are just completely different.

 

Aye. Paragraph, mate. Paragraph. The backbone of any good reading.

 

There are many keyboard options for tablets that have unnoticed or no latency and can pack up and travel. Look at the zagg keyboard for the ipad, my mom has one and uses it for a case. It adds like 3mm when packed and takes literally 2 seconds to unpack and use. Also adds a nice aluminium shell for the ipad when travelling. Its better then any netbook experience I have had, and the input feels like Im on a usb keyboard on a desktop.

 

If the touch/keyboard ratio is 90/10, this additional keyboard thing may work. Anything more, it would become cumbersome. You need to pack a keyboard(either with its own case or some special case for the combine), a stand to support the iPad so it is at the right angle, find a flat surface in order to use it and still cannot be used on public transport(think bus or those 6 seat train cabin or cramped airline seat).

It still all comes down to, are you a point and click person or a keyboard person.

My client has this iPad and tried to justify its usefulness using its hand drawing for sketching(diagrams like system architecture etc.) for hours and end up fireup powerpoint and have it done it 30 minutes.

He still carries both the iPad and notebook but the only time I have seen him use it is when we are in dinner and use it for showing photos to other people.

 

A keyboard seems to me like an unlikely solution to the tablet typing problem. The hybrid paradigm just doesn't make sense to me. It'd probably have to be a better touch solution.

 

If my mom wasnt in Italy right now Id snap some shots next time I was at the parents house. The Zag keyboard is convenient and easy to use and not a burden at all, infact the added protection while travelling is worth it alone. When not using the keyboard just flip it over and plop it back in the zagg and use it like a tablet. I must admit it almost made me want an ipad.

Open


Closed


iPad 2 Case-Aluminum iPad Cover & Wireless iPad 2 Keyboard | ZAGGmate

 

We know.



@Agent 9, Gracy123, Sphinx, tilleroftheearth et al: just because other people's needs are different to your own, that doesn't make their choice of device a 'toy' or 'joke' nor does it make them an idiot for choosing it.

A lot of people ( quite possibly the majority of computer owners) only use their computers for tasks that a tablet would be at least as well suited-to, such as web browsing - why is it so wrong that people in that position would consider and/or purchase a tablet?

 

brilliant design, almost solve my mentioned problems except the following(again I can only guess from the picture):

1. it being doubled as case, would it hurt my wrist and when I put my hands on the keyboard, it seems the edge is raised.

2. the iPad can only be set at that angle or it can be adjusted at will like a notebook/laptop ? what if I put it on my lap rather than on flat surface ? would the iPad fall on the groud(typical gesture/position when people are using a notebook on bus) ?

3. it doesn't have a touch pad or track point so even assuming there is a 'word' application, it would still be a very different to do the typical thing(select section of text etc.). And to extend that, any keyboard/click interaction would mean I have to raise my hand to the screen then back to the keyboard to type, should be a good excercise as we all lack it nowadays.

 

I don't think we are talking about the same things. This thread is about whether tablets will take over laptops - most on this thread agree they won't in their current 'toylike' incarnation.

Given that you specifically point out the 'content consumers' as your best case scenario for tablets (as I have already, btw), we are agreeing with each other.

I never implied anyone is an idiot for buying one - just that I would be, if I bought one and thought I could get what I need done. (In 'real time').

 

If the question as tablets include slates then yes.
Slates going to kill all the netbooks to mid range notebooks/laptops.
Same as mid to top range notebooks/laptops kill all the low to mid-high desktops.
And only high end desktops for gaming/workstation will be left.
At least going in that direction ...

Ofc. not fully kill there still be low end machines from everything to ppl who can't afford anything better or just don't want.


If you want better question then what is going to happen in gaming consoles / portable gaming systems / mobile phones / smart devices / mp3+media players / ...

mp3-media players .. no clue why they even try to contunue making them .. all mobile phone can do that better now.

compact cameras ... hmm mobile phones with 8mpix sensors ...

dslr cameras .. hmm they took the mirror out so they just simple compact cameras with replaceable lenses .. and guess what .. those lenses could/can be mounted to mobile phone cameras

psp/ngp/psp phone ...

C2d .. old i7 .. new generation i7 .. they still in the stores .. it's not instant change..

There is just too many things on the market that can replace each other at any given time ...

But what going to kill what .. only price will decide ..

 

A point which has nothing to do with what I said.
I'm not arguing whether or not tablets will replace laptops ( for a start, I don't think there's a cut-and-dry answer to that question).

That's my whole point though, why are they supposedly 'toys'? Just because they don't suit your needs?

Are smartphones 'toys'?
How about netbooks?


There are always compromises - laptops are a compromise between the power, customisability, upgrade-ability etc of desktops and the convenience in return for the portability that they so obviously lack.
Netbooks are a further compromise, more portable but an order of magnitude lower in terms of spec/capability.

Tablets are just one more step in the same direction - smaller and lighter but you trade off a keyboard and, in most cases, the OS so that it's better suited to the form factor ( ie more touchscreen-friendly).
But you also generally get better battery life, much quicker boot times, a large number of applications that are tailored to the platform, a full connectivity suite.

But still, why does that make them a 'toy'?
They are just as well suited to certain usages as laptops, better in some ways.

I didn't say that you called anyone an idiot but you are one of a number of people in this thread who have been unnecessarily dismissive of tablets.
That's what my post was in reference to, not the question of whether or not tablets will replace laptops.

 

As far as I'm concerned, a straight tablet without a keyboard (or an iPad without even a USB port or two) is, and always will be, useless. If anything tablet-like becomes popular, it'll have to be one of the ones that's both a tablet and a computer. My wife's Inspiron Duo is excellent in the regard of being a tablet when she wants it to, but also being useful when she needs it to. You can type out a document with it in Word, then flip the touchscreen and start playing Angry Birds on it

I just wish it came with a ulv Core 2 or Core-i processor instead of the dual-core Atom that's in it. But even then, most of the speed issues will be solved as soon as I feel like dropping $200 for a decent SSD (something about a tablet with a hard drive just doesn't "feel" right). It handles 1080p video and flash games, which are probably the most demanding things we'll do with it.

 

I love my laptop, but putting a keyboard on a tablet is just plain silly. Why not a mouse, too? Hell, you need that subatomic precision for gaming.

Granted, typing sucks on a tablet. But that's because the touch solution's just not present currently.

I just don't think developers ought to be looking to an external keyboards to solve that. As a minimalist piece of hardware, adding a keyboard is about as elegant as carrying an iPad around in a shoebox.

 

AdMob survey shows 28% of tablet owners use device as primary PC | Tech Gear News - Betanews

Typing is so last year But yes, this is but a small sample of the population for now. We'll see how things change in the next few years.

 

I'd like to see those 28% interviewed a few months later. Bet over half say their tablets are collecting dust. Tablets are like pancakes... all exciting at first, but then...

I'm getting good mileage out of my iPad because I don't expect it to be anything other than my bedtime entertainment device. During the day, it just sits there waiting for me.

 

1) Doesnt hurt my wrists, but also isnt the most comfortable setup

2) The angel can change a slight bit depending on how the Zagg is set.

3 Nope no other input.

There is a nice alternative from rocketfish that I tried getting my mom, but my grandmother already bought the Zagg for her. Still no mouse though.

Honestly something like the atrix "laptop" dock for a tablet would be perfect.

 

>.< You really should read my posts.

 

thanks for the information. +1 rep.

Even though I am still not convinced that iPad is an useful generic device, still very much appreciate the information about how it can be extended.

 

Or if you want the same functionality, but more elegant, get the Zaggmate. Of course, the KB is smaller. But you pay a price for looks.

 

You should really read mine.

Yes you mentioned that it does everything your mom wants/needs but you still describe them as toys. They're not.
They are tools, same as laptops, just tailored towards different needs.

Or, if you start applying different definitions to devices based on an individual's needs, then I'm sure there are plenty of people for whom a laptop is a toy as well.

 

I agree. Still need to "grow up the OS" a bit for it to be useful for me.

The keyboard looks and is the same size as a netbook, but honestly it types and feels alot better. For a BT ipad keyboard it isnt too bad for what it is. But not a laptop replacement quite yet. Netbook replacement? Sure.

Fortunately for me I can express my opinion. Me + tablet = toy. My mom + tablet = tool.

As for those viewing laptops as toys thats just as valid as my claim that tablets are toys and unlike you I respect and understand their reasoning for it.

 

For us? Absolutely not. How many of you have built your own PCs? How many of you know the internal layout of your laptops better than the companies who made them? For you, and I, computers are a passion, a hobby, and working with them is a rich and noble deed. The things that frustrate casual users don't necessarily frustrate us.

But we have to realize that most people don't give a crap about computers in and of themselves. These devices are tools, and when you're reaching for a tool you don't go with the old, blunted one over the new, sharp one. The promise of tablets lies in paring down the experience toward a sterling efficiency. These are devices for consuming media really, not creating it. And if you're primarily a consumer of media, there's no reason for you NOT to be excited about the future of tablets.

Of course, the real danger here is that the walled-garden mentality will proffer in the PC domain as it has in the tablet/smartphone domain. I can see the benefits of the App Store construct for the proprietor of the store and even the developers who populate it, but its usefulness diminishes in time for the latter and plateaus in time for the former as it reaches a point of saturation. I remain unconvinced that the Mac App Store and the upcoming Windows App Store will be better ways to discover apps than the unfettered Internet is.

 

I thought one of the argument of app store is that it is less likely to get virus ? Which to some extend is true.

 

Depends on the app store in question.

Apple, with their absolute control are able to prevent viruses from ever appearing in the App Store in the first place.
With the likes of the Android Market, Google are less hands-on so occasionally malicious apps do sneak through. However, there is a remote kill switch they can use to delete them from affected devices.


The other advantage of an app store should be compatibility/reliability but, again, it varies depending on the platform.

 

Been following this thread a bit, and I've adjusted my position slightly. As far as "tablets" replacing laptops, I could see FAR faster adoption of responsive WiDi display/device that links to my home or work laptop that I can carry around the house/office for content consumption, and later just stick on a mount to act as a secondary (or even primary) display, than I can see myself opting to go for a slate that wants to be an independent device with a foreign architecture. It wouldn't have to have anything but a wireless antenna, battery, and graphics rendering capability, and touchscreen for relatively simple navigation. Not much more than a battery powered thing client, and more future proof than the constant swap for a new ARM/Tegra processor with more onboard RAM. THAT is where I see slates ending up in the long (10+ years) run. Desktops, except for gaming or AV work, could, for the most part, probably be reduced to a sub-120W laptop with docking extensability.

Thinking about slates as being solely for content consumption is, at least in my opinion, not far off the mark. There's plenty I cannot do efficiently on slate without a revolutionary (not just evolutionary) change to the touch interface and underlying kernel:

• Touchscreen interfaces need to evolve to the point where a hand motion will beat keyboard combinations. Finger gesture alone, so far, has been a massive productivity failure. I can move a paragraph in word in fewer actions (ctrl-shift-up ctrl-c, [find new spot], ctrl-v), less time (roughly 1 second aside from finding the new location), and more reliability (no jabbing), with a keyboard than I can a touchscreen interface. I can't do rapid document edits when I need to jab at a screen to bring up the keyboard, swap to edit more, then manipulate an onscreen d-pad to move the selection cursor. A simple hardware D-pad or blackberry-esque one-button touchpad that can both scroll and click. I really don't know why so many devices have a dead bezel. If you start attaching a physical keyboard case and carrying around a BT mouse, I don't know why you think you're still using a slate - it's a tablet or a touchscreen laptop at that point. Stop lying to yourself.

• Multi-tab browsing is a standard feature on all modern browsers, and a must if you're really going at it from a content consumption angle. The performance impact when 10-20 browser tabs are open is currently terrible. Now, try to copy information from the browser into a document or spreadsheet (as noted above) or even just switch between tabs to get back to your original article - it's an exercise in swearing. Also, no stuttering flash or requiring me to open a new "app" (sidenote: I despise that word) to view embedded video/audio. It's annoying.

• I want to see and save files to a tree-structure file system that will backup and replicate to a networked server, whether hard-wired or wireless. I want to be able to background download files (e.g. cloud-stored audio or video) without performance impact on other applications. I also need to be able to securely store connections to multiple servers on- and off-site with various credentials, and have them appear to be local resources. I don't want to open a new app for each spot I've got data stored.

• I need to run multiple instances of the same app on the same screen or a second display for quick comparisons, a la side-by-side word document comparisons, or .doc to .pdf. Even if I'm just reading (i.e. consuming content without inputting anything), I still can't do this on a slate yet.

• Switching between "apps" requires holding down a button for 2 seconds to then bring up a drawer out of which I must select my other app. I could accept a dedicated hard button just for switching to the last app, but it has to be responsive.

These are just basic, daily computer uses for either in-office productivity purposes or home usage, not much out of the ordinary, that I can't do with efficiently, or at all, on a slate.

• Oh yea, and why the hell isn't there a g-d undo/ctrl-z function in ANY slate or smartphone OS. I spend as much time re-inputting accidental erased data to touchscreen devices as I do inputting them in the first place.

 

I think it's the same as laptop vs desktop. If the smaller one does the job just fine, there's no reason to choose the bigger one.

If a tablet does a laptop's job just fine, I don't see why it wouldn't take over. And I'm sure technology will make it happen.

 

A Tablet can be any size. When i'll replace mine 17"laptop if there will be a 17" tablet with option to get a keyboard Vs a traditional notebook i might choose the Tablet, it will certainly have the ability to draw in screen and that is an advantage.

Btw:

Lenovo to release a 23-inch tablet PC this year?
April 13, 2011 by Katie Gatto
Lenovo to release a 23-inch tablet PC this year?

 

You really need to find a better blog for gadget news...

 

It is not my blog and Engadget put it in the news too.

 

I never said it was your blog.

And yes, Engadget reported the story but posted the update within a matter of hours...

 

I just saw and handled the first Samsung Galaxy Tab in a store. I'm now certain it's the right size for my use. With upcoming HTC Flyer, those two are my main options right now.

7" slate is definitely big enough for comic and ebook -reading, still small enough to fit in a big pocket. My plans are pretty much zero content creation, unless answering to IM or short messages to forums count.

Now I just need to find a cheap one, or a great offer on a new (HTC).

I don't believe slates would take over laptops, but they will add new experience to traditional media consumption.

 

The Flyer and the Tab aren't the only two options, though they're certainly two of the better ones.
There's the Asus MeMo which, like the Flyer, features some sort of official first-party stylus accessory.

There's a thread discussing tablets over here if you fancy a bit more of a chat on the subject.

 

I will say one thing, commuting with an ipad is amazing and is hard to go back to a laptop after for when youre on the go.

For commuting tablets is the future but its more or a toy now than an everyday fulltime main device.