01-16-2011, 04:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 195
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Is The PC dead?
"It was fun while it lasted, but as of 2011 the era of the desktop computer is officially over. At least that's the overriding message of last week's gadget and gear extravaganza in Las Vegas known as the Consumer Electronics Show: The PC is dead." 
Every year someone claims the end of the PC is nigh, the PC is dead. I like to think that it's role is changing, rather than dying. At CES this year there was huge amounts of news about new tablets and mobile devices, but not very much about PC's. I don't agree that the death of the PC is nigh as per this article by Fox News. Tablets and netbooks are very much the mobile device of choice these days for the average consumer, while the laptop is still the mobile device of corporates. At home tablets and netbooks are brilliant for in the living room to quickly surf the internet, look things up, but for gaming, or more prolonged surfing and document creation, I think people will still use a PC. The ease of use of the keyboard and mouse cannot be overlooked. I mainly use my android tablet in the living room to look things up I see on TV, or just to check emails or facebook. If I'm looking for a holiday, for example, that will require lots of sites open on different tabs, then I will use the PC, same with writing a document, or editting photo's. It's just easier for me, and I can't see that changing anytime soon. What do you think? Is the PC dying out?
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01-16-2011, 06:28 PM
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Contributing Editor-in-Training
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 63
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I tend to agree. I think the desktop is also evolving into a "homeserver". I have 1 desktop left and it is rarely used these days. (My laptops are more powerful than the desktop.) I have found new uses for the desktop, i.e. running linux and whs. Good article. The desktop will live though another year or two!
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Not that I am always right, I'm just never wrong.
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01-16-2011, 08:16 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 135
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Wow... I'm reading and writing this on a "dead" device!!! While I do have a laptop that is more powerful than this (and an Android tablet/reader), and a Skype equipt iPod Touch (no smartphone yet), I still prefer my desktop for most of my "computing".... not just "browsing the web and email. Plus, none of the other devices is as easily upgraded whenever I want.
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01-16-2011, 09:19 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Oh come on. Doesn't anyone remember what PC stands for? Personal Computer. The term doesn't even differentiate between MS, Apple, Google? operating systems. Maybe it is legitimate to say the giant (relatively) desktop, or tower is on it's way out, but PC? Heck you can buy a full blown Personal Computer, entirely contained in the screen, with only a keyboard and mouse to indicate it's capabilities. While the boxes may get smaller and smaller, there will always be a need for input and output. We may get to the point of ubiquitous and effective voice input and control, but can you imagine a cube farm with all the occupants talking to their machines?, and the machines talking back?
Personal Computers come in all sizes and shapes today, and will likely come in more in the future. Consider a wearable option with processing components in a jacket, visual and audio outputs in wireless glasses and earphones, and spoken input with a microphone in your watch.
I may not be a visionary, but even in the sci-fi visions of the future there is always some processing power that humans interact with and it provides them results/answers/information. If that thing belongs to you, it's a personal computer.
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Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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01-16-2011, 11:38 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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We've moving toward a model where computing is more appliance-like. Smartphones and tablet/slate devices will become the most common way that people consume content a few years from now. Right now, laptops hold that slot - but while laptops can do more, for a large segment of the public whose needs are simple, a slate/tablet device can do what they need. The traditional desktop will continue to be around for a long time yet, but less and less people are going to buy them. I for one couldn't imagine crunching videos and photos without a desktop computer - no matter how fast a laptop gets, a desktop will go even faster. Desktops for user who consume, but don't create much in the way of content will evolve toward all-in-one designs...which are basically just laptops with external keyboards.
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01-17-2011, 04:51 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 918
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I have to agree with you Jason that personal computing is becoming much more a device or appliance oriented environment. And in general, yes, desktops still offer considerably more power than a laptop, especially at the same price point. Laptops, tablets and smartphones offer "good enough" computing for most people, and for the times when they need more, at least within the connected society, cloud computing may accomplish their more demanding needs. Still, a powerful desktop computer does have its uses and for me, offers greater flexibility. Desktop computers are already a bit harder to find, and I can only see that getting worse.
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01-17-2011, 06:27 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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I think it is all symantics. I think what you two guys are really wanting would have been called a Workstation a few years ago. Something with more oomph (technical term) than the average person needs in their personal computing device. Still a need for that sort of capability. Unfortunately as hardware improves, software improves to challenge it. Today I have more power in my cell phone than was in common workstations of 5 years ago. Way more power than it took to go to the moon. Doesn't really seem like it though because I have screen resolutions, color depth and media expectations that were only delivered by higher end machines back then. I don't have too much trouble finding 'desktops' on Dell's or HP's sites. Wonder though how many laptops really get used predominantly on laps. Mine typically sit on my desk  We are at the point of having cell sized devices you can hook a monitor, mouse and keyboard to and do everything you can do with a typical 'desktop'. So what should we call it?
"Intel has never built a processor that Microsoft can't bring to it's knees" - Some sage.
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Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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01-17-2011, 06:29 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hooch Tan
Desktop computers are already a bit harder to find, and I can only see that getting worse.
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I can foresee a future where we're all using DIY rigs...but only if PC gaming tanks. As long as PC gaming is strong, people will want desktop computers - because, again, laptops are great but a desktop will always have the ability to rock a faster CPU, GPU, etc.
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01-17-2011, 07:28 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 918
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I think I'd go out on a limb and say that what we see in terms of computing, personal computers, work stations, etc, is being driven by two main trends. First, there seems to be an increasing divide between work and to a lesser degree, production oriented usage and consumer oriented usage.
What I mean is that you look at the iPhone, Android devices and tablets and their interfaces are much more focused on consumption. Yes, they can be used for work but not in the same way as one would a workstation.
On top of that, you have the increasing pervasiveness of the Internet and wireless connectivity, so that even if a device like a smartphone, powerful as it is, cannot handle the job, offloading it to the cloud is a viable option.
The two trends, combined means that mainstream society no longer is shackled by "work" conventions and a device with "just enough" is enough. I can buy that for a lot of people, a smartphone, maybe a game console and/or a DVR could satisfy their personal computing needs.
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01-18-2011, 03:07 AM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,503
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I can foresee a future where we're all using DIY rigs...but only if PC gaming tanks. As long as PC gaming is strong, people will want desktop computers - because, again, laptops are great but a desktop will always have the ability to rock a faster CPU, GPU, etc.
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PC gaming hasn't done as well lately, thanks to consoles. Wonder how much longer it can keep up? This is purely economic, as more and more developers are catering to the console crowd first, since that's where the sales are. Back when consoles were less mass-market devices this wasn't a huge issue, but now... I'm starting to see a dearth of games that cater to the PC's strengths.
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