Quote:
Originally Posted by murraypaul
Take a look at the small netbooks that are being sold to people who need a little bit more that a tablet provides. Many of them don't include DVD drives either.
Physical distribution of software is on the way out.
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That was not my point (and, admittedly, I may have stated it poorly). I don't care what method you use to install software, be it thumb drive, CD/DVD or download. The point is not the installation method, it's the software itself. The reason why an iPad and/or an Android tablet cannot replace a computer (to some people) is the lack of specific software. There are countless software packages that (some/many/lots/a whole buttload of) people use/need/want that are simply not available as Android/iOS apps.
Your example of a netbook is a good one: you notice that netbooks run a full version of Windows (or Linux). I can install whatever software I want on that netbook (as long as it has sufficient resources); I am not limited to the App Store or Google Play.
Although I don't love the lack of USB and SD on the iPad, the thing that limits it to a consumption device for me isn't the hardware; it's the OS. I can't install some software that I use on a regular basis; therefore, it can't "replace" my computer. I love it for what it is; what it ain't is a laptop. Will the Microsoft tablet be able to replace a computer? Probably not. I'm sure it will have shortcomings. But it's starting from a point that I am interested in; a full Windows installation (at least the higher model).
On another note, physical distribution of software may well be on its way out (and I agree, it is), but until we have nearly universally available broadband without data limitations, it will not disappear completely.