Tech Blog

[#1]

The Cold, Hard Facts

So you're standing in the store, looking down the rows of laptops, and suddenly you see the light gleam off of a ten inch tablet, and you hear that chorus of voices in your head (or was that just the beginning theme of the Simpson's, coming out of Home Theatre?) At any rate, you just HAVE to lay your hands on this thing of beauty! The touch screen, brilliant colours, sleek lines... it's everything you could ever need!

That's the impulse buyer in you, and make no mistake, we ALL have one. But let's look at the nitty gritty when it comes to comparing a tablet to a laptop. For starters, tablet computers gain that sleek, notepad-like figure by sacrificing a lot! Think of it as the electronic version of a runway supermodel. The average processor speed for a tablet computer is a mere 1GHZ, while high-end laptop processors can more than double that number. Also, laptops routinely have up to four processor cores, while the newest tablets have at most two. In a world where the lowest end laptops average 4GB of RAM, the tablet doesn't show well, with an average of 1GB in even the highest-end units. We also have to take into account storage space, with the laptop far outpacing the tablet. The top-end of the Tablet market sports a mere 64GB of storage, routinely more than doubled in the least expensive of laptops. In fact, most newer NETBOOKS have better specs, on paper, than the tablets!

In terms of usability, the tablet is a bit more difficult to compare. The sharp screen and self-adjusting brightness make tablet computers a pleasure to view in almost any lighting condition, and from almost any angle. This is not always true of laptops, which often suffer in brightness, particularly sunlight. However, this does come at a cost. The screen real estate on the highest end tablets is a mere 10.1”, while an average laptop screen is a luxurious 15”+. This can have a lot of impact on what you use the unit for, and how effective it is. And while the touch screen opens up whole new vistas of interactive delight with gesture-based commands, lightning fast scrolling, and for the most part very intuitive use, I think we can all agree that an on-screen keyboard is just no substitute for the real thing. Clever and usable, without a doubt, but I suspect that few people are ever going to hit 60+ words per minute tapping on the screen.

And while you CAN use a normal bluetooth keyboard with most tablets, and some even have model-specific docking stations, this comes with added cost, both in terms of money, and portability.

 Finally, and possibly most importantly, is software. A laptop gives us a fair bit of freedom. We can install applications willy-nilly, off the rack, as it were, or download free programs from virtually anywhere. We can even change our whole operating system, should we choose! Tablet PCs, however, are designed AROUND the operating system for the most part. This means that we're locked into using what's there, and furthermore, we can only use applications that are designed for the specific OS. In addition, these apps must often be manufacturer approved, and can only be obtained through an online app store, taking still MORE choice away! This can quickly become a very important deciding factor when looking at the versatility and usability of a device.

 With all of the above points, it looks like this contest is a runaway, doesn't it? But WAIT! There's MORE! The facts are clear, as far as they go, but in many ways I've been comparing pears and oranges (I was afraid to use Apples there... I'm sure you understand why!) We now need to focus on the REAL deciding factor... the lifestyle choice.

What A Girl (Or Boy) Wants

Let's face it, there's definitely a “cool factor” when it comes to tablet computers. Having grown up on Star Trek and Buck Rogers, I've been wanting to walk around with a slim, beautiful piece of high tech joyousness since I was a kid! But all of that aside, there is a growing market for this kind of computing. In terms of real-life usage, often a laptop is, quite simply, overkill. Frequently, the only thing that a laptop is really being used for is web browsing, email and possibly watching video, or listening to music. NONE of these things require much in the way of power, and the ability to leave that fifteen pound laptop behind is a HUGE draw for many. Keep in mind, too, that the tablet is sort of the swiss-army computer, replacing the MP3 player, camera, dvd player, even camcorder. AND it lets you make sure nobody has UnFriended you! All in a package less than 1/2” thick, and lighter than many sandwiches (hey, I like my lunch, all right?) Add to this the fact that many tablets are 3G enabled to use a wireless data plan, and you have the contents of a knapsack in the palm of your hand, any time, anywhere.

The fact is, the choice of technology we use is driven by how and why we use it. I don't believe that the next killer application is going to be developed on a tablet while commuting on the bus, but that's not the target market for this type of equipment. Tablet computing is aimed squarely at the mobile, connected market, and while it also aspires to be a business-class machine, and has the capacity to fill many of those needs, the bottom line is that it's a tool that fits a certain lifestyle, and does it increasingly well. If your needs include the ability to write a five hundred page novel, or administer a network, then the tablet is PROBABLY not for you. But if you're on the go and want to stay connected, get that candid picture, or catch the latest episode of Bones while waiting for your dentist, maybe it's time to check out what a tablet computer can offer you. I know I plan to!