Tablet Sales are Sizzling

[kennyc]

Aiiiieeeee!!!! Aiiiieeee!!!! Run! Run!!

[Gameboy70]

Originally Posted by wizwor

I do not think this is the case. Computers with keyboards and mice continue to sell well. The story here is that the tablet has become a commodity. Prices and awareness reflect that. Everyone has touched one and prices are so low that everyone can afford one. If anything, this points to the failure of the cell phone to satisfy the mobile, content consumption and communications device.

Can't agree here. There are tons of laptops and towers at or lower than the price of an iPad—the top selling tablet by far—so commoditization doesn't seem to be the decisive factor. It's not like Kindle Fires are outselling netbooks, at least as far as we can tell.

Before the advent of tablets and modern smartphones (post-iOS/Android), consumers had to use a desktop or laptop computer to surf the web, consume streaming content, manage email and social networks, play games, etc.; none of these tasks inherently requires a PC, which is basically a workstation. A desktop OS introduces a lot of overhead for non-work uses: addtional boot time, file management, power management (which can be as simple as finding an outlet in a cafe), virus protection, and so on. A tablet with a mobile OS bypasses all of this.

I wouldn't argue for a second that PCs are obsolescent, but their role outside of production environments will continue to decline in favor or more specialized devices.

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Gameboy70

A desktop OS introduces a lot of overhead for non-work uses: addtional boot time

Fast boot times are definitely overrated. My Windows 7 box, which is on old hardware and not at all tuned, is up and running (to desktop, background loading stuff finished so that it becomes fully responsive) in about 45s. Plenty fast enough. Wake up/get home, flip on the computer, go to the bathroom, start a coffee, put away the groceries, whatever, and it's ready by the time you're actually going to sit down to use it.

My Kobo Arc's up and running (to the point where wi-fi's connected) in like 35s - but it generally feels *slower* to boot since a tablet (or an ereader - and my Touch takes almost a full minute to boot, which can be intolerable!) is portable by nature and you're usually going to have your tablet with you when you boot it up (you end up waiting for *it* instead of it being ready for you when you're ready to use it) and want to use it immediately, while you're doing other stuff (morning ablutions, getting coffee, whatever).

[Gameboy70]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Fast boot times are definitely overrated.

Instant-on smartphones have reduced consumers' patience for boot times, however negligible they seem on paper. But even if I agree with you, it doesn't invalidate what I wrote. Boot time is only one aspect of technical overhead I mentioned, and it's certainly not a point in favor of desktop operating systems.

[kennyc]

Oh, I get it, I thought it said Fizzling. My bad.

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Gameboy70

Instant-on smartphones

...must be cheating, such as not actually turning off entirely (well, as close as you can get to "entirely off" and still keep the internal clock from freezing).

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

...must be cheating, such as not actually turning off entirely (well, as close as you can get to "entirely off" and still keep the internal clock from freezing).

And no one I know wants to freeze their clock off.

[Gameboy70]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

...must be cheating, such as not actually turning off entirely

A difference without a distinction, completely irrelevant to non-nerds.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by kennyc

And no one I know wants to freeze their clock off.

I see what you did there...

[cromag]

If I actually turn my cell phone off (as opposed to letting it go to sleep) it takes about 18 seconds to turn on and "boot up." Also, turning it off takes about 6 seconds.

I think people are gradually becoming accustomed to these delays.

But then, I grew up with vacuum tube radios and televisions and I used to have to wait while they warmed up anyway. The more things change ...

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by cromag

If I actually turn my cell phone off (as opposed to letting it go to sleep) it takes about 18 seconds to turn on and "boot up." Also, turning it off takes about 6 seconds.

I think people are gradually becoming accustomed to these delays.

But then, I grew up with vacuum tube radios and televisions and I used to have to wait while they warmed up anyway. The more things change ...

Now what if semiconductors had not been discovered yet...you'd have to wait on the tubes to warm up and then wait on the computer to boot up....

[cromag]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Now what if semiconductors had not been discovered yet...you'd have to wait on the tubes to warm up and then wait on the computer to boot up....

... And my cell phone would require a back-pack, and the lead-acid batteries would power it for an hour.

[SeaKing]

To spread the topic a little.

I am now becoming adjusted to the tablet frenzy.

The Galaxy 7Plus is nice but too big to just carry all the time in a pocket or in a belt case, but really great for sitting in a recliner chair by the TV and browsing at times. Also iit can give you a 7" GPS map which can be nice.

My used Droid 1 with a 3.7" screen is fine for carrying around at all times and using only WiFi to avoid monthly cell charges.

My KB Kindle is great for its original purpose plus it will pull in 3G when needed, though doing gmail is tedious.

For productivity while traveling my little netbook has worked great, and I am going to replace my current one with the Acer C7 Chromebook but I am looking for a better or 2nd battery.

For productivity at home and real keeping up with my friends all over the world, my big desktop with laser mouse, giant monitor and keyboard are the best. I can slam bam put that baby on after burners.

[archerwoo]

Too much screens in our life. Why we don't to have more conversation with real people but not virtual world?

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by archerwoo

Too much screens in our life. Why we don't to have more conversation with real people but not virtual world?

Have you recently talked to any actual people? They're idiots...