Are Tablets Just a Fad? It depends on where you live though. In the 2 cities that I've lived since I've had sprint for almost 10 years (Orlando, Raleigh), I can count the amount of dead spots on one hand. And some of those places were just cell service unfriendly since it couldn't even find Verizon service. Disney World was the most problematic though. I think Disney is anti-sprint. I'd only recommend those carriers if you really wanted to save money and only use your phone off and on. Definitely not for people that use their phone frequently.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Well I don't use it very much. Usually less than 50 minutes a month. But I do travel a lot to places out in the middle of no-where.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? No, it's called a trend. Booming sales for non-traditional portable computing devices and stagnant growth for the overall PC industry is something more significant than a fad. For example, in developing countries like India and China, the majority of people buying smartphones or tablets don't own computers or laptops. And the vast majority of general consumers in the West probably don't use their laptops/desktops for much more than internet, email, and light occasional tasks like photos or video.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? People said the same thing about netbooks a few years ago, and they also had sales in the tens of millions. Now they've pretty well vanished.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? The reason for netbooks "vanishing" is that their evolutionary path was simply to become a slightly smaller, slightly cheaper notebook. They weren't really a different product.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Tablets are just bigger, more expensive smartphones that can't make calls or fit into a pocket. They aren't really a different product.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? So you're essentially saying that smartphones are a fad too? Or what? I seem to recall many people on this forum being mystified by the idea of a tablet selling to consumers on a mass scale, despite owning smartphones.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? What's so hard to understand? Smartphones = not a fad Tablets = fad Laptops = not a fad netbooks = fad
Are Tablets Just a Fad? This is why it's hard to understand: you consistently claim that tablets are simply a bigger version of smartphones, yet you don't say that smartphones are a fad. What's the advantage for a smartphone in comparison? It fits in your pocket and is more convenient for phone calls. What's the advantage for a tablet in comparison? The larger screen makes web browsing, video, photos, reading books/magazines, and using applications more enjoyable and more functional. I'm sure you know this is true considering that the trend in Android smartphones is to get bigger, not smaller. They're trying to move upwards, not downwards. Artechnica said it best: the iPad isn't a big iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is a small iPad. What does that mean? It means that touch computing is even BETTER on a larger device.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Who wants touch computing on a bigger device? It's a necessary evil for smartphones because they need to be able to fit in your pocket, but frankly touchscreens suck balls.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Another tablet down the drain. The Blackberry Playbook flopped so hard RIM is trying to find a way to run Android apps on it. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/07/after-poor-sales-rim-pushing-for-android-apps-on-the-playbook.ars?comments=1#comments-bar
Are Tablets Just a Fad? The HP Touchpad gets three price drops in one week. I'm going with flop. Who in their right mind would buy one of these pieces of shit? http://www.pcworld.com/article/237378/hp_touchpad_gets_3_price_cuts_in_1_week.html How many of these things have to fail before companies figure out that tablets have no market? People are only buying the ipad because it's an Apple product.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Apple Fans have the iPad. Gadget geeks have Android. What did HP bring? A good OS with no Apps. Reminds me of the Zune Touch.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? Post PC era? I don’t think that will happen for a long time. The PC may change like it always has but the need for dedicated monitors, keyboards, and mice will always be there. A tablet is just a new form factor for the same old hardware. CPU, GPU, APU, memory, storage. Put it on a docking station and you have a low end PC. Take it with you and you have a tablet.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? What the phrase really means is that the primary mass market computer will not be in the form of the traditional desktop or laptop PC anymore...not that those form factors will disappear or not have a use in the short term. It's like typewriters during the first 10-15 years of the PC era.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? The laptop didn’t kill the desktop and I don’t think the tablet will affect it much either. I expect laptop sales will take a hit but I don’t see them disappearing yet. Tablets still can’t replace laptops for data input. I use a laptop every day at work and there is no way a tablet can fill that role. Everyone that I know who has a tablet uses it for recreation. I’ve yet to talk to anyone who uses one for real work. Some of my friends have tried but ultimately the tablet gets put to the side and the laptop comes out.
Are Tablets Just a Fad? In your line of work surely the tablet is near on impossible, you can't connect it via a serial cable to a switch for example! Not exactly great for working on the switch either, software keyboards don't work when you are working in a full text environment, too slow.