Tablets Replacing Laptops? Three Requirements

[Michael Knutson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.thetechblock.com/articles/2012/what-itll-take-for-tablets-to-replace-pcs/' target='_blank'>http://www.thetechblock.com/article...to-replace-pcs/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"With features like LTE connectivity, ultra-high-resolution displays, and laptop-like processing power, tablets have made their way into tens of millions of homes, and they&rsquo;ve done it seemingly overnight. But despite popularity that borders on ubiquity and specs that edge them ever closer to desktops, it&rsquo;s a rare house where a tablet has replaced a full-fledged computer. Why is that? Why haven&rsquo;t more people scrapped their PCs for the sleeker, cheaper tablets?"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/lpt/auto/1333568479.usr17748.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>Interesting opinions on what it'll take for tablets to (someday) replace laptops. Three basic requirements: more feedback from the tablet for tasks; quicker reflexes - tablet response on touch actions are about 8-10x slower than mouse and keyboard actions; split personality, or a watered-down experience - tablets need to run the processes that laptops run. An additional requirement is that tablets need to be seen as more than luxury devices. When I can pull out my iPad and truly edit an Excel spreadsheet, I'll consider that tablets have arrived.</p>

[Sven Johannsen]

When I can pull out my iPad and truly edit an Excel spreadsheet, I'll consider that tablets have arrived.

Lets be more generic than specifically iPad. Then that tablet has existed since 2005, but nobody wanted it. It exists today, and nobody wants it. Today among others, is the Samsung series 7 slate. You can absolutely edit Excel on it, it runs Windows 7 and all of Office. Problem is that to effectively edit Excel with your fingers, you have to blow it up so you don't get a whole lot of rows and columns and half your screen is taken up by the soft keyboard. it is better with the stylus, as you can get finer resolution, but it is still not a mouse and keyboard. So you aren't ever going to really use Excel on a tablet unless it is a 24" tablet, or you grab a keyboard and mouse, along with your Series 7.

If you just want to do some review and light editing, Docs to Go, is available on Android and iOS. The issue is not the ability to run an Excel spreadsheet on a smallish touch screen, it is the limitations of the touch screen UI that will prevent that use. No way to fix that.

Maybe in the future we can do all our interaction by talking to our PC/tablet, but I don't look forward to a cube farm of office workers all yelling at their processors.

[Michael Knutson]

I was in a Microsoft Store a couple days ago, and played with a couple tablets. I was impressed with the touch capabilities with Windows7, and, yes, I played with Excel. Quite usable. Snappy response, great screen, but expensive.

The iPad comment was just wishful thinking on my part, that MS make a version of Office for iOS. I've got Documents to Go, and it just doesn't do what I need it to do, and Numbers from Apple is terrible.

[Sven Johannsen]

The title caught my eye today. Apparently tablets are replacing laptops in this website/forum. I see Amazon in app purchase articles, Tosiba thrive updates, stuff about Galaxy tabs, Softmaker's android offerings, etc. Where are the Laptop articles? There is an AndroidThoughts ;)

Glad you had a chance to play with a Windows Slate. I've always said they are not intrinsically unusable. There are some challanges, largely because the UI designers assumed a mouse and keyboard so the size of some elements could use some help. Using a stylus like a mouse largely alleviates that though. Price is not that big a factor for me, if it does what I need it to do. My biger issue is the battery life of most Windows slates is still dismal. Hopefully that gets fixed. I found the Samsung Series 9 to be a bit heavy for my taste, but I could live with it. It is actually a decent enough size it could make a formidable slate, laptop replacement with a keyboard, and desktop driver with keyboard mouse and extra big monitor. Best of all three worlds without much comprimise. Looking forward to what Samsung does with Win 8. HP has some decent potential too. They are no stranger to tablets, from the TC1000 to Slate 2, plus all the convertibles they have produced. Their 'ultra'books are showing they can build thin and light.