Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyc
I think that's an insignificant distinction and if that is all it is then it certainly will be swept aside when full-function tablet devices become generally available in the coming year.
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It's not insignificant at all.
A full tablet PC has a full OS and can do anything a PC/laptop can do, albeit usually clunky if you don't have a keyboard attached etc.
A media tablet is just for reading, watching videos, doing web surfing. Not doing full on computing.
I don't think full on tablet PCs will sweep media consumption tablets away. They've failed in every instance in the past. There no easier to use than PCs, so you have to be computer literate to use them. Battery life will be shorter due to having to run a full OS. They will run hotter etc.
I think there's a place for both things in the market. But I think iPad like tablets that are just meant for reading, net surfing etc. have more of a chance of catching on as the vast majority of people will just stick with desktops and laptops for their full computing needs as physical keyboards are a must for doing real work. As is having full processing power for resource intensive programs (statistical analysis software, engineering software, film editing etc. etc.)
But I think there's a nice market for a device in between a phone/pda and a laptop that's just a consumption tool with a nice simple interface for reading newspapers, books, comics, watching video, playing music and all the other stuff, but not being a full on computer.
I certainly want one. The tablet form factor is vastly superior to a laptop for reading, doing light web surfing that's mostly reading, watching some streaming video in bed etc. I'll use the iPad or something like it for most of that, and keep my laptop for work.
I also like the device separation as I spend so much time on my laptop and office desktop working, I hate spending any of my free time on computers--with a tablet, I don't feel like I'm stuck at the computer again. So there's some psychological benefit as well.